Shimano Saragosa

[Brandon Khoo]

Has anyone got one of these reels yet? On paper, they look terrific for the price especially with their 44lb of drag capability on the big ones.

[Rohit Saqa Lal]

Been playing around with one in my local tackle shop. The 1800 feels very good with a very solid and smooth drag. The finish on the reel doesnt look very nice though, looks very cheap like the budget slades and aernos models. Previously the shimano 5000 models appeared to be 4000 bodies with a bigger spool. Now it looks like a bigger body then the 4000, could possibly be a 6000 with smaller spool what would be the point in that!

[Luke Wyrsta]

A Stella finish on a $300 odd dollar price-point reel isn't possible unfortunately, although I think they look pretty sweet.

Not all Shimano reels have strict body to spool sizes, for example, some 1000 size reels could have a 750 or even 500 sized body with a 1000 spool. At least when you compare the 5000 & 6000 models there is definitely a significant spool capacity increase - hope that answers your question.

[Luke Wyrsta]

They catch plenty of GTs too 

[Luke Wyrsta]

Specs

[Rohit Saqa Lal]

Dont get me wrong, the reels feel very solid and smooth and the rotor and handle wobbles in previous generation reels are gone. I have found the new techs in shimano like propulsion and paladin features work briliantly. Its just in my personal opinion that shimano dressed up its previous budget power reels like the spheros and navi in a dark and menacing look without resorting making them look more upmarket by adding shine...I was planning on getting a few of the smaller models but was a bit disapointed with the finish, I prolly will still end up getting a few of em anyway as they still are the only ones that fit my tight budget for the power and speed requirements

Re the sizes...I have a light 10kg 7' popper stick that I use for rats around sydney. Currently its wearing a previous gen 4000 size stradie with not enough of 20lb bionic. My mate has a 5000 stradie on the same rod and with a reel body the same size has more capacity then I have. I was quite looking forward to the 5000 saragosa but it turned out to be a bigger body then the 4000 saragosa and felt very big on the rod....I wish they had made a bigger capacity spool for the 4000 instead. Now that 5000 saragosa felt to me to be similar size if not the same as the 6000 saragosa...

[Eriko Susanto]

good construction for the 14000 and 18000 series but not the smaller size. but i would rather use it for jigging than popping ( this reel series have ratios +- 5:1 )
using the last technologies that makes stella except the twin disc drag and no ball bearing support at the spool .

[Nathan Cefai]

Great reels for the people who dont wanna spend the big doller on a stella,i used one with 130lb braid and handled really well,landed GT"s to 35kg mark!!

Great buy i say..
Go shimano...

[John Westcott]

I bought one recently as after researching and balancing the bang for buck! argument really couldn't be beaten in the current market. I have given it a fairly hard work out and found the it to be capable and the drag very smooth under pressure. It's only fairly new maybe it may wear after a couple years, but knowing myself I will have bought a new toy by then. But at this stage nothing but praise for it's performance. Awesome Entry level equipment.

[Tom Grubb]

i run a 1400 with 80pnd braid, does the job great, pulls up those 20-30kg fish. had a slight squeek but i pulled the spool off and it hasnt done it since!

[Greg Burt]

After nine months of jigging 70lb with 200-260gm jigs in 60-90m of water my 18000 hasn't missed a beat, very happy

[Aaron Concord]

If these things were around in the 80's and 90's when Spinfishers ruled, it would have made Penn redundant!

An awesome reel...value for money considering there were no reels capable of 20kg drag settings in a reel under a grand even a couple seasons ago.

Something to certainly consider if getting into the sport of popping or jigging.