Was wondering if anyone has used the pfleuger reels in the salt. My buddy is wanting to buy a cheaper fly reel for fishing for surf perch. If anyone has suggestions let me know..
Thanks Blaine
Pfleuger reels and salt water
Was wondering if anyone has used the pfleuger reels in the salt. My buddy is wanting to buy a cheaper fly reel for fishing for surf perch. If anyone has suggestions let me know..
Thanks Blaine
what about an okuma airframe? $35 on ebay! its a composite type material, large arbor and certainly wont corrode. it still needs to be rinsed after saltwater use as does any other reel.
http://tinyurl.com/ys8yyx
Last edited by Normand; 02-28-2008 at 10:12 AM.
I've used my old Medalists with no problem. Just make sure that you rinse them off very well immediately after using and you'll be ok with just about any reel.
Randy
"Some people fish their entire lives without realizing it's not the fish they're after."
A Medalist is a perfectly good reel for light saltwater duty. I used one for close to 20 years. I even bought myself a new one a few weeks ago.
Goin' retro!
That said, daily maintenance in mandatory.
Not just a rinse, but a good cleaning.
I also will oil my springs regularly. The one in the spool bushing after every cleaning. The one in the spool latch and the one behind the ratchet as often as possible.
If your friend would not be able to put this kind of effort in. Tell him to get something else.
Medalists were not designed for the salt and won't hold up with basic casual maintenance
Here's a couple of pictures of my "custom drag"
As good as any disk drag going
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
What's cheaper? To some a $200 reel is cheaper and to others it is $20.
The following are are less than $100.
I have been using two Orvis Battenkill reels in the salt, including surf, for 15 years and they are still going strong. Also the Echo reel, which are popular here for surf fishing because they are simple and clean up easily.
The Pflueger Medalist will work as mentioned if you keep it clean as will the Okuma Airframe. The Airframe may be discontinued as it is no longer in the Okuma catalog but there is similar model called the Cascade for about the same price.
Blaino;
I'd say, that, "My old #1494 is as old as I AM", but fishing wasn't even invented when I was born. That said, my #1494 IS OLD and I've used it in the salt, here at the beach, for about 12 years now without any problems. BUT, like has also been very well said, "they are NOT reels that you should just "rinse off and put away". I take mine apart and soak it, overnight, every time it's used in salt. Then, it's reassembled, re-greased and put back together.
I've learned, the very hard way, living right here at the Pacific beach, that "if the wind's blowing 2MPH, you're going to get air borne SAND in every part of your gear, you didn't think, you'd get sand in. The air, itself, is full of "salt" to a degree, as well, so you're not going to get away from it, period.
If your friend is "just going after sea perch", that's fine and they're great eating and fun to fish for. But, he should also maybe consider that the ocean's a BIG body of water and many things, OTHER, than sea perch may come wandering along to see what his bait is and if it's tasty or not! "Just, fishing for perch and bass", I've even hooked sharks and grouper, which certainly makes you "pay attention"!
So, he may, or may not, want to look into a more "Salt Fishing" type reel. I use my #1494, in bays and coves, where I'm at least 80% sure, the "big boys" don't venture!?
Saint Paul-"The Highly Confused"
You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It dawned on me that you mentioned Pfleuger reels in general and never mentioned the medalist.....Originally Posted by Blaino
I regularly fish a Supreme, it's been discontinued and there are now three models that followed, but I can only assume that they are fairly similar in construction.
The anodized finish is superb. I initially wasn't too thrilled with the disk drag on my Supreme. It was very jumpy. I have since polished the disk and that problem went right away. The only other issue is that the ratchet can fall out.
One thing I love about this reel is that although it was discontinued, there's still plenty of spare spools around. They go for around $10
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
Pflugers
I bought an older, less expensive Pfleuger for $5 from one of the guys in the club, and I used it on my 6 wt. in marsh and on the coast for 5 or 6 years. It accounted for a whole bunch of specs and reds.
Yeah, it did fine.. but it eventually rusted!
Can you believe it!
Actually, it was only the foot that rusted... so, I gave it to a friend, who used it for 5 or 6 more years.
Works fine for heavy swimmers...4 yrs and counting.
Rinse well after each use and light maintenance when I remember.
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