[konz]

Okay so I've been mostly a penn guy and with all the threads I've read about Shimano and okuma and so forth, I decided that I wanted a new reel for my b-day and my g/f pulled through with flying colors. She got me just what I wanted and I'm looking forward to trying out my new Shimano Sahara 2500. I wanted a new trout / spanish reel to replace the ol' beatn up abu garcia cardinal. Kinda funny, that reel was my higher end reel when I first got started fishing! I thought 30 bucks for a reel was crazy....lol.It lasted 2 years and pulled in some monster reds....caught my first bull red on that thing come to think of it! Anyway I went to acadamey and was looking at the graphite penns when I remembered all the talk about shimano. So I'm giving the Sahara a try, not the most expensive reel but it felt great. So next is an okuma and then I should have a pretty good idea of which i like best. Still love my Penn 750 though...lol

Anybody use this reel, any likes dislikes?

 

[Garbo]

Congrats, Happy B/day, and I hope the new reel serves you well.

 

[Bubba]

Konz, Happy BD, I have a friend that has caught a 70+ lb sail fish and a 40lb bull dolphin on a Sahara. Hopefully he didn't get the only good one

 

[on the rocks]

I have a Shimano Symetre 2500Fl and I love it. I had no problem landing a 27" redfish with it off the dock here.

 

[lobsterman]

Konz: You will love the reel and you will never go back to Penn.

 

[JOHNJOHN205]

i have owned both penn and shimano reels.

i only own shimano reels now

 

[seminolewind]

I have four or five Sahara's they are great reels just wash them with fresh water and spray with Reel Magic and you will never have a problem

 

[Brad King]

I was once a Penn only man myself. Now it's all shimano, Sahara's and Symetre's. Good reels!!!

 

[Dilski]

The new Shimanos are awesome reels, I have anew stradicFI :clap

 

[Barnacle Brain]

I'm with JOHNJOHN205, on this one. I use to swear by Penn but got burnt too many times. Now its almost all Shimano with one big okuma spinning reel for surf and tuna. I love my Sahara, keep it rinsed and it will last forever.

 

[konz]

So far I'm loving it. It's really smooth and just feels solid! I always rense my reels after every use. I still love my penn 750 for the bigger fish......but I may be looking into a larger shimano in the future!

 

[tljbabc]

happy b-day and have fun with new reel

 

[konz]

I never said Penn was better, all I've ever said is that all I've used is Penn (as far as higher end reels go). So I figured that since I wasn't paying for the reel, that I'd try something new. I have to admit that I'm impressed so far. I plan on uying one of the baitrunners next, and see how it works on landing those land based sharks.

 

[flounder_hounder]

Great choice I own a stradic 4000, ax and fx 4000 and love them! Penn still has some good lines but shimano and okuma are making big strides. Penn should have never done away with the Z series.

 

[John B.]

flounder_hounder (10/22/2007)Great choice I own a stradic 4000, ax and fx 4000 and love them! Penn still has some good lines but shimano and okuma are making big strides. Penn should have never done away with the Z series.

agreed, even thought the 'z' series were big and bulky, they were the most simple reel penn ever made... hell, i was taking them apart when i was 9 years old... i kept breaking the damn things!

all i fish with are shimanos and VS's now.

 

[flounder_hounder]

yeah I still have a 704 Z that went underwater during Ivan and I just cleaned it up this summer and she spins just as smooth as the day I bought it. I also have a small fin-nor that is a great reel. My grandad has some old mitchells and penn that I will inherit down the road. Last christmas I bought him a symetrie 4000 and put it on a 7' red bone medium action rod, he loves it!