Advice Wanted - Salt Water Reels

[KevinC]

TFO 425 or Ross CLA cant go wrong with both.

KevinC

[Guy]

Another vote for either the TFO 425 or the Albright Tempest 4. Both are solid reels. The 425 has handled sailfish over 100 lb for me so it has the muster to handle big fish. The Tempest has a strong smooth drag as well and at under $200 is a great deal.

Guy

[hap]

I have been running Hardy Husky reels, both multiplier and direct drive for saltwater salmon, lingcod and halibut on the big end and lots of rockfish on the lighter end. Have run them through many cork replacements and thousands of pounds of fish each. I am anything but anal about taking care of them and they simply do not fail.

I heat them occasionally and rub Johnson's paste wax into the heated metal and that has been enough. I usually rinse them in warm freshwater at the end of most days, but have skipped many rinses... Some have 15 years of hard charter use on them at this point.

On the downside, when the brake pads breakdown they turn into knucklebusters FAST!
art

PS My charter boat operation on Kodiak Island is the source of my experience.