Anyone have the opportunity to pick up or use one of these yet as I'll be looking for a new toy this season ?

I hear the Ahab 12 is very nice.

They feel like the old ones. Heavy but solid. Same smooth drag.

I don't know anyone who has fished a new one for a long time though, but I bet they'll be tough and popular like the old ones.

Will be purchasing an 8 in the springtime. The ones I've checked out are like Pete said, just like the old, only new.

the one difference i noted in the newer ones was the body of the reel ... i think it's made of some hard plastic as opposed to the ceramic composite type (?) it was before. I think.

they do feel very good.

The old reels were nice but did NOT hold up at all to getting wet in saltwater. Mine and my buddy's would seize up within a few months each season. Not the best reels to use in the surf in my opinion.

My wife got me a 16 for Christmas. The body feels like metal, not plastic. They have a Saltiga type handle knob and a bigger, bearing equipped line roller for braid.

I'm going to see how it holds up to the Canal.

i like the drag on these- for those who havent inspected them, there is a large cork washer under the spool that is just laying there - also, from what i could tell, you can remove the spool without changing your trag tension

The old reels were nice but did NOT hold up at all to getting wet in saltwater. Mine and my buddy's would seize up within a few months each season. Not the best reels to use in the surf in my opinion.

they work fantastically well ... IF you pack the housing with lithium grease.

My Ahab 16 (packed) is a good backup for my VS 250.

I have fondeled the fin-nor inshore reels. the model 12 weighs in at 19.8oz. I've been told the body may be magneseum. The reel feels solid , smooth, positive bail action and the spool does come off w/o disturbing the drag setting. I also will be packing the gear body w/ superlube if I purchase this reel. I would add that very frequent dunkings would definetly require the side cover to be removed and the reel checked for water penetration. The drag being under the spool and out of direct water contact should make it "waterproof" under non-dunkable use.

I have the old # 12's and had great luck with mine.You need to keep up with maint. I stopped fishing with them because they were't braid friendly.

I took a closer look at the reels today because of this thread.

They do seem to be slightly lighter then the old models (I had an old one on hand so I could directly compare), but they still have that heavy, quality feel of the old ones.

According to the box:


forged aluminum spool
stainless gears and main shaft
all aluminum body and rotor
magnetic continuous anit-reverse
full main shaft support
Mega Drag
and 5 ball bearings