I wouldn't go electra-mate. We had three and there were issues with them. Switches had to be replaced, housing cracked..... If you're going to drop that much on an electric reel, go with Precision reels. The cost is a little more, but they are pretty much bullet-proof. The housing is much tougher and more waterproof. Both types will hold up to large fish, but you'd have less headaches with Precision.

 

Its always worth payinga little more for a better product. I just dont know may people that use this type of set up is why i am asking. I have seen Krystals be put to use and I know they are where its at but i dont have that type of funds. Ill look into precisions product. Thanks

 

pm lickety split. I think he useselectric reels and charters out. I would thinkhe would have a real good idea of which one to get.....

 

The Tenacom Bull by Daiwa is awesome.

 

Freespool (12/6/2009)The Tenacom Bull by Daiwa is awesome.

Yeah i have been looking at those. We are just getting into the bottom fishing thing. We started fishing some hard bottom and pennacles and things of that nature and im starting to like it. I already have the 6/0 and i wanted to see how i liked using electrics before i spend alot of money.

 

rocklobster (12/6/2009)The housing is much tougher and more waterproof. Both types will hold up to large fish, but you'd have less headaches with Precision.

I agree. Good value for the money.



x2

 

In years past. We used the electra-mates out of St Augistine in 650 feet. We had no problem with them at that depth. How ever at this time I would recommend manual. Until you really find out what type of deep water fish you will be after in the future. Like warsaw,snowy's,yellowfin,yellowmouths,bluelines,barrelfish and hakes. Can all be caught useing hand crank spinner or high speed jigging reels. They have the back bone (drag) and the speed to bring anything you hook in 700 up quickly. But if you are going after golden tiles and others 700 feet fish, then you will need an electric. When our target fish for that day is deep water, we use Tanacom bull's 1000. For us we use hi vis yellow 100# sufixline (that helps me as the driver for line angel sight). So with said I would save your money for now. But if you do buy a electra-mate ,buy it with a on/off switch, not the push buttom one. Your thum will get tired. See you out there.Gene

 

I appreciate the responses. I have been using a Torsa 30 and it has been getting the job done, but I was just wanting something with heavier line. I may hold off on the electra-mate and spend a little bit more money and get an actual electric reel. Again, I appreciate the input. I am new to the deep-drop thing, but Im trying to learn.

 

For manuals a lot of guys are using the saltist high speed reels in the 40H and 50H class. Especially the guys out of Va Beach that are deep dropping for wreck fish, golden tiles and blueline tiles. They have 22lbs of drag out of the box and the high speed retrieve is a little easier on you when cranking up to rebait.



Going manual you will convert better on bites to hook up and you will loose less gear.

 

ok i have a 920 xp electa-mate very strong motor but gear case suck i have to replace a gear in it about ever 300hour of being out in the boat and if drags to tight you will strip a gear but you can buy gears easy from electra-mate and have them shiped to you the gear i strip/wear out cost 72.00 dollars so i think its worth fixing. now that being said i have a commercial electra mate1412-g and its a tank your not braking the gear box or stopping the motor but you will brake the rod or string with it. if i had it to do again i would buytwo 1412-g i havent had one problem with it in 3 yearsit goes on a 12/0 penn reel. oh yah i use jerry brown 130 hollow core and love it best line i have ever used i stick like 35 ft of 130 mono in it so if i get hung on bottom the mono will brake.MY 1412g will turn a 35 pound grouper easy but i dont lock down the drag because it will rip the hook out of the fishes mouth or straten the hook or brake the line.

 

Electramates are fine. i use a 940xp quite often. its spooled with 100# hi vis ppro. its the hi torque model, so its a little slower, but it will pull the plug outta the bottom. i have used precisions quite often, but find their retrieve to be way too fast. (snatches circle hooks outta there mouth). also, the precision is not servicable without cutting through the bondo case and re forming the case with more bondo. pain in the arse and not user friendly in my book. the tanacom bull is a fine piece of work, but im not so sure about using it all the time on my boat; it gets wet alot. imo you would be fine with an electramate and they wont crush your wallet.

 

Carl Huffman is the owner of Elec-Tra-Mate Fishing Reels and he & I talk about fisheries regs issues from time to time.

He recently sent me an update on some of their product line. Please see his email below:

-------------------------------------------------------------

Good morning Mark and thank you for the pictures.

To bring you up to date on our product line, the next step up from the 940-XP is the 1412-GH which is a Commercial Drive we manufacture. It is absolutely unstoppable! It features all metal construction, all gear drive, and is totally quiet. However, the downside is the Penn Senator Reel. We manufacture a stainless steel gear sleeve for all of the Senator Reels and this greatly increases the dependability of the 12/0, however, your pulling power is limited to the drag on the reel.



The next step up from the 1412-GH is our 1380-GH which is basically the same powerful drive except that it is designed to power the following reels which feature much larger lever drags which, unlike a star drag reel can be adjusted while the motor is running.



The 1380-GH can be attached to a Penn International 80 T, 80 TW, 80 VSW, 130 ST, and 130 VSX. It can also be attached to the 80 and 130 Shimano Tiagra Reels. The 1380-GH with one of these reels is the ultimate electric fishing reel as it features the most powerful motor ever put on a fishing reel by any company in the world and it drives the best lever drag reels in the world for maximum power usage.



All electric reels are limited not by the motor but by the drag on the reel. If the drag won?t hold, putting a 350 HP diesel on the side of it won?t make it pull more and despite the claims of the companies making the ?all inclusive? electric reels which have the motor and reel made as one unit. Even though they have a lever drag to adjust the drag, they all have drag washers like a Senator Reel and do not have carbon fiber drag systems like the International and Tiagra Reels so it is impossible to transfer the power of the motor to the reel before the drag slips. And, in all cases, the motors in these reels do not have the power of our motors.

Best regards,



Carl

 

What do you have to do to get invited to 100FFC?

 

Eastern Tackle (12/11/2009)What do you have to do to get invited to 100FFC?

Hey ET "would you like to come over to 100FFC"?,........if so...just join! :letsdrink

 

I have started to get into dropping in deeper water and wanted to get an electric for 1 of my 6/0 senators. I know you get what you pay for, but I was looking at the fishwinch series as a starter. I like that it looks very easy to change out so I can switch between electric and manual depending on how deep I go out. I only get out to my deeper areas 2 or 3 times a year. Am I waisting my money or is it a decent starter unit?



Thanks,

Maclin

 

I know for a fact the Elec-Tra-Mate 1380GH on a Tiagra 80W is a beast, with very little problems. It can haul just about anything you can get to bite swords, big groupa's, and rows of tilefish. Great product from my experience, just bring a couple extra fuses when you use it.

 

Eastern Tackle (12/11/2009)What do you have to do to get invited to 100FFC?

ET - check your PM's.

Sorry I didnt respond sooner. I have to use my work PC during lunch right now. My home PC is infected with a major virus due to some "research" I was doing online for the club's long-running Thong Of The Day thread.

Catch