im sending back my slammer 360 and having it replaced with a SS4500. will this reel match up well with a 7ft ugly stik or should i go with a 5500? i used that rig(360/7ft US) to throw slug-gos and small swimmers before, will the 4500 be a good match for these applications? thanks in advance.

Rob

i say go with the 5500 cant hurt to have a bit more line capacity.. and the overall weight difference between them is minimal.

4400ss 250yards 10lb test 4.6-1 ratio 14oz.

5500ss 275 yards 12lb test 4.6-1 ratio 15oz

I used the 4500ss with a 7ft allstar and I thought it was balanced very well. I would think you wouldn't have any problems.

I am curious why you did not like the slammer, I would say that reel is a step up from the SS?

RIwillhelm-i must say that i was not impressed with my slammers one bit, to put it nicely. i have a 360 and a 560 and both IMO are pieces of garbage. i got the 560 as a gift for xmas, not this past winter but the one before. i had countless problems with it last season like the anti-reverse not working and tons of crap built up on the inside of the reel even when it was never dunked and cleaned fairly often. i ended up just using my 704 for the rest of last season because i did not trust that my reel would hold up if i got into a big fish. my 360 i bought last june and 2 days after buying it i had to return it to get it fixed. same problems as 560. the past winter i sent both my slammers back to Penn, they said they would install "updated parts", fix the reels and return them at no cost. i've used them both 2-3 times this season and again the anti-reverse isn't working and a bunch of crap got built up inside the spool.....after 2 trips.
anyways, i just got off the phone with Penn today and they said the company just changed hands a few monthsa ago and that theyre in the process of trying to rectify the problems. they said they've had tons of complaints about the slammers and are doing their best to get their act together.
i'm just very disappointed, everyone knows how good the 704's are for the money and i've always heard good tthings about the SS's which is why im going with them. the slammers IMO are just not of the same quality that i have come to expect from Penn. if i had the money i would just buy a fin-nor 12A, but thats a diferrent story......

I had a Penn 7500ss last season and had the bail close a couple of times so I went with no bail. But then I realized that reel was just too heavy to plug with so this winter I bought a 560 slammer. I have only used it once so far but I like the feel of it. Nice and smooth and pretty light. That sinks all the problems you have had with your slammers.

do you think the 6500 would be better for plugging? im gonna be matching mine with 9ft Loomis(factory made rod, don't know the numbers)? thanks

I would say go with another 704Z if you were happy with that they are about the same weight. If you want to go with the 6500ss I would recommend converting it to no bail because the bail will close sometimes.

thanks-yeah i love my 704 but its too bulky for my Loomis.

If you think the Slammer has a crappy anti-reverse, wait'll you get a load of the one on the 4500 :wall:

Last year another guy from RI was complaining about his Penn Slammer 360 and I traded him a like new Fin-nor Megalite 3000. I cleaned and oiled the 360 a little and its working fine for me. :) He likes the ML a lot so we both made out.

I also have two other Slammers: 260 and another 360. Never had any kind of problem with them in two previous yrs. My only complaint is the cost of the extra spools! No one carries them since they are so $$. Cost is due to the drag being built into the underside of it.

I've been thinking of buying the larger sizes, but I have some many other reels right now I can't justify it. ;)

Reels are like cars. Now and then you get a lemom. :(

If you want to do a trade for the 560 Slammer you have send me a private message. :)

well i don't have many options here. i can either stick with a reel i know has failed numerous times or i can go with something that people have been having success with for years now. fact is i don't have the money to buy a new reel, if i did i wouldn't be asking these questions.

I never owned a slammer but I must say I love my 560 liveliner. I bough that 2 years ago now and haven't had any problems with it either. But I have always owned Penn 5500ss I have never had any problems landing fish. I also own a Penn 704z and I think thats great to. But I did buy a newer penn 5500ss and fell and busted it up and I have been having problems with it since. now when I cast every now and then the bail closes on me. I have owned lots of penns and I would buy another one in a heartbeat. I feel they are just that good.

whatabout those new live liners price is right . those ss drag sys. is awfull blew one up on a 20#er last year !!

Originally posted by Mike P
If you think the Slammer has a crappy anti-reverse, wait'll you get a load of the one on the 4500 :wall:

I'll go with Mike on this one.
You're stepping down by going with any of the smaller SS reels.
Look into a Shimano Spheros.Comparable in price to the Penns,
a little cheaper than a Slammer actually.Without a doubt a much better reel than either of the Penns.