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Extreme Jigging: Dogtooth Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish (Hiramasa), Amberjack, Samson Fish => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: Sydney Neal on March 12, 2011, 10:24:04 PM
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Has anyone had a play with one of these
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Had a little play with a Canadian friend's. It was the big model... size 7 I think?
Design and look is fairly horrible - spaceage bling gone mad, and I hated the under-sized knob.
But, had a few jigging drops with it and it handles nicely and feels like a decent quality reel. Unfortunately did not get a fish on.
Can't really add much more than those bare bones I am afraid.
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Cheers mark
The reels are half the price of the stellas and saltigas and I agree that they look ugly,
JM probably have a after market handle for it so it might end up as part of my tackle collection. Just wanted to know if it was comparable to the above mentioned reels like smoothness anti-reverse and so on cause I couldn't find any info from that Allan Hawke guy or anyone else
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The mistake with the case seal was pretty hilarious. The body o-ring seal goes outside the sideplate screws, so it leaks through the screw-holes.
Penn is represented in Australia by Jarvis Walker, not really an outfit known for top quality sales and support.
Bit odd that neither Alan Hawk or Alan Tani have reviewed it.
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My main concerns would be:
- how sealed is it really?
- the drag (I have yet to come across any America spinning reel that lays out drag satisfactorily)
- only 7 bearings
A better comparison might be to Twinpowers rather than to Stella and Saltiga.
And you would have to leave the house with something that looks like this:
(http://www.alltackle.com/penn_torque_spinning_reel.jpg)
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It's so ugly that its beautiful.
No I have the twin power and most of the other top end reels but if it leaks then maybe not the one to get. Being a landbased fisho I tend to be in the water a lot
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Reminds me of the old shakespear sigma reels what a ugly reel would have looked good 20years ago maybe :-[
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Sydney - If you are looking for a land based "tough as nails" water proof spinner, it might be worth checking out the Van Staal reels... These have been well proven over time in harsh saltwater environments, and are pretty mkuch 100% waterproof... they are also pretty "different" looking, but nowhere near the Penn's "Drag Queen on Halloween" looks... man that thing is UGLY!!
I had a play with the Penn Torque's at a Tackle Trade show here in SA last year and the agent was going on about how it was "built to take on the Stella's and Saltigas, and is actually way better" and I just smiled.... I would not put this in the same building, never mind the same class...
The handle had a fair bit of back play in it, which for me is an instant "no-no" on ANY spinning reels... instant anti-reverse is not an optional function in my books... that bearing will take way too much starin, and be way too annoying to be used in any jigging or popping applications in my opinion...
They have been out for a goodly while now, and i have seen absolutely nothing in regards to the on water reports using them anywhere on the net, and I've done a fair bit of looking around...
I reckon you'd be better off with the OG SPinfishers or Slammers from PENN if you wanted to go that route... otherwise check out the Van Staals...
My 2 cents anyway..
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Andre, won't a Van Staal VSB cost just about the same as a Saltiga or Stella though (maybe even more in Asia and Australia) and more than a Twinpower? In which case, surely, why bother?
I mentioned earlier that I had briefly used a torque for jigging and although I certainly did not love the reel, I did not get any noticeable back play on a fast jigging retrieve. I did find the cranking harder work that is should be though, with the handle and knob feeling too small. And the thing is just too ugly for words.
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Mark - Not sure on pricing where you guys are with regards to Stella vs Van Stall... here in South AFrica the Torque was going to be priced almost at the same as a Stella!!!!!! :o
I suggested the VS as specifically a Surf fishing option as these are pretty much 100% waterproof.... designed specifically for surf fishing, so suggested it on that strength... but like you say, the costs may be the same as a Stella.... and unless you are actually wading and "in the water" all the time, Stella would defintely be my choice... but I would probably choose a Stella for pretty much everything! 8)
I mentioned the handle play on the Torque to the agenct when I picked it up, and he said " oh, that must be the prototype, here, this is the new one" and handed me another reel, and the back play was even worse!!!! >:(
But perhaps these were both dud versions.... I dunno... at the price its said to be released in SA, I didn't bother actually doing more research...
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The VS are on special here in Aus ATM, you can get a VS 300 size for $820. Still a long way towards a stella ;)
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Even priced at "FREE", I think may be a little bit too much for this reel too :P
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Why not look at the Tuff Tackle Diablo?? ::)
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Why not look at the Tuff Tackle Diablo?? ::)
I have never actually fished with one but I know of two shark fisherman in VIC that have destroyed of few of these after a few blistering mako shark runs.
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You missed the "rolls eyes" emoticon.
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A month after this thread started, have anyone here put it to test or heard from anyone who did? I am thinking about a 7 size but the lack of real life feedback is worrying me
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It's dead weird that there are not lots of independent user reviews of this reel on the American sites.
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A month after this thread started, have anyone here put it to test or heard from anyone who did? I am thinking about a 7 size but the lack of real life feedback is worrying me
What sort of money are you looking to pay Adrian and what will you use the reel for? I would not mind betting that you can find an established star reel for the same function and similar money without taking a punt on this relatively unknown thing.
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A month after this thread started, have anyone here put it to test or heard from anyone who did? I am thinking about a 7 size but the lack of real life feedback is worrying me
What sort of money are you looking to pay Adrian and what will you use the reel for? I would not mind betting that you can find an established star reel for the same function and similar money without taking a punt on this relatively unknown thing.
Thanks Mark. Unfortunately I am looking for a spinning reel, not a conventional one. I will be using it mostly for hi speed popping and I am going on my first GT trip with 2 friends in June. They all have Stellas and I was wishing this reel at nearly half the price would be a good match. I have a Saragosa 18000F that has 5.7:1 ratio. I guess it will have to do it because I can't risk buying aPenn before I read enough user feedback. I wish I could afford a Stella SW. I used one of my friend's and it was like a dream.
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By "star", I meant very good rather than star drag :) :).
Nothing wrong with a Saragossa 18000F Adrian - I have one which goes on every trip as a workhorse backup reel. Of course nothing like the standard of my first choice big Stellas and Saltigas, but a really good value reel for sure. Given the price of a Penn Torque new, you might be able to find something like a Saltiga 6000 GTZ 2nd hand for similar. Or a Twinpower 12000 maybe?
Eg this Saltiga 6000 sold here recently for about the price (?) as the larger Penn Torques: http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=3491.0 (http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=3491.0)
I thought the larger Penn Torques were quite slow speed, aimed at surfcasting and jigging?
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The penn 7-9 are 5.1:0. Not slow but not fast too.
Of your Stellas and Saltigas, which one do you consider better or more reliable? Stella or Saltiga?
By "star", I meant very good rather than star drag :) :).
Nothing wrong with a Saragossa 18000F Adrian - I have one which goes on every trip as a workhorse backup reel. Of course nothing like the standard of my first choice big Stellas and Saltigas, but a really good value reel for sure. Given the price of a Penn Torque new, you might be able to find something like a Saltiga 6000 GTZ 2nd hand for similar. Or a Twinpower 12000 maybe?
Eg this Saltiga 6000 sold here recently for about the price (?) as the larger Penn Torques: http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=3491.0 (http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=3491.0)
I thought the larger Penn Torques were quite slow speed, aimed at surfcasting and jigging?
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Oh, not that question again :).
I really like both ranges Adrian and would not really care to choose between them. I suppose it would be fair (in my mind at least) to say that Saltigas have less to go wrong with them and probably win on reliability. Stellas though are a whole lot sexier and just more pleasant to use. You would not be disappointed with either.
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Oh, not that question again :).
I really like both ranges Adrian and would not really care to choose between them. I suppose it would be fair (in my mind at least) to say that Saltigas have less to go wrong with them and probably win on reliability. Stellas though are a whole lot sexier and just more pleasant to use. You would not be disappointed with either.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Much valued :)
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Hi
You get what you pay for is an old saying here in the uk. i have the PENN slammer reels in the largest model and they performed well in the florida keys on some decent bull sharks. I know a chap who has worked with Penn for over 30+ years and he was an engineer too and what he dont know about reels probably aint worth knowing. I know the penn reels that I have used only go to about10kgs drag and were from the u.s and they reckon that the reel yr talking about goes to about 20kgs drag max. if you email him he will give you the low down.
there TRQ multipiliers are the NUTS though!
You can get him on pennservicing@hotmai?l.co.uk
He is as honest as the day is long, and will let you know what you need to know. ;)
if its cheaper by a way there's a reason.........