Reel advice Shimano Stella 14000 or 18000?

[Padraic Clear]

I'm looking to get kitted out for a trip to the Andamans but I'm torn between a Shimano Stella 14000 and 18000. I'm going to stick with Shimano as I've been disappointed with Daiwas in the past. Would the 14000 cope with casting poppers and stickbaits for GTs? I've been advised to use 100lb braid out there so perhaps capacity is an issue. All advice and experiences welcome.

[Leo Sorbello]

Hi Padraic,

Getting a Stella 14000 or 18000 in a way depends matching to a rod...what rod are you going to use ?.

Both will do the job on GT's...and PE8 with say 200 mtrs is enough for GT's. Stella 14000 is lighter than the 18000...and using it all day you maybe prefer a lighter reel...with more than enough drag to handle a GT.

Buying a reel...can be confusing..some want just line capacity...with heavy drag settings...some just want heavy drag setting..with no line capacity.

I like to try and think about it as an all rounder thing....say get a 14000..and also maybe get a spare larger spool...for line capacity...but then why not get an already larger reel..with a larger spool..with line capacity..and possibly heavy drag settings...so you see...you can look at it from different views..which are personal to different people and cost wise too.

Hope this helps you identifying what could be an all rounder to use for other fish species...in the future like Tuna, Kingfish and the likes.

Tight Lines !

Leo 

[Brandon Khoo]

Padraic, for Andamans, you will get away with either reel. As Leo said, the 14000 has the benefit of being noticeably lighter. Conversely, the bigger reel is more robust. With the previous generation Stellas, I found the ongoing rigors of GT fishing to be simply too much for the 10000s and they found themselves continuously going back and forth to Shimano's service centre.

In more recent years, fishing areas like New Caledonia and outer reef locations like Ashmore or Osprey Reef have found even the 18000s wanting in line capacity against really big GTs and dogtooth. I don't even bother with the 14000 anymore. It is like having a popgun at a gun fight.

It really comes down to what you feel you want. My suggestion? Go the 18000

[Padraic Clear]

Thanks for the feedback guys some great information there. The line capacity issue brings me to my next question which is what braid to use. I understand heavier lines will be harder to cast and given that we will be casting poppers and stickbaits between 100-150g what ones would people here advise to use? I've been told Gosen casting and Varivas Avani GT plus are two good braids to use. I see the Varivas PE6 has a max bs of 85lb and PE8 a max bs of 112lb. Would it be advisable to go with either of these or would you suggest to use something else?

[Chris Dennis]

You won't go far wrong with the Varivas. You'll get 300m on an 18k.

I use both PE8 and PE6 in the Andamans depending on which areas we are fishing.

[Brandon Khoo]

Varivas GT is good. I have been using Shimano Ocea EX8 myself past few years. Very happy with it