Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

tlapinski · 11-04-2007, 12:19 PM

I have had a rocky relationship with my Saltiga over the past couple of seasons....

I bought the reel in the spring of 2005, and purchased the 4500 model. Initially, I absolutely loved the reel. It casts great and has an awesome drag. By September, and a trip to Cutty, the reel started showing signs of the abuse I put it through. The reel was used in the surf and was frequently dunked. I landed several 30's, and a ton of 20's up until that point. Somehow, after the Cutty trip that year, a small piece of the reel foot broke off. I fished the reel for another week or two as I left for the Block right after, and it worked ok with a little electrical tape to secure it to the rod. After the Block trip, a few noises developed in the reel. Sort of like a whirring as it was cranked. i sent the reel back to CA for service, and it took roughly 30 days to get back. The body was replaced, and the internal bearings were destroyed and replaced.

2006 came around and I again put the reel through the works. As with 2005, the reel kicked butt until September and the trip to Cutty. The reel was submerged a lot throughout the season, and started again with the whirring noise. On the second night out there, I set up on what I thought was a fish (turned out to be a rock) and the reel "clunked". It was hard to explain this sound/feeling, but after that moment the reel had what I could best describe as a hitch in the gears as it was cranked. If the reel was cranked slow, it would hang up at this spot. If it was cranked faster, it would just kind of hesitate. After that trip, I retired the reel for the season and went back to the VS. Some time in the winter, I took the reel out to send back. It was totally seized up. Again the internal bearrings were replaced and I think something had to be fixed with the gears and/or the spool syncronization. When the reel came back, it was once again working as smooth as silk.

On to 2007. After the previous 2 years, I decided to use the Saltiga as a special situation reel. If I was primarily fishing slug-go's or if I felt I needed extra distance, out came the Saltiga. Otherwise, it has been all VS this year. Now, after 3 seasons of use, I feel the Saltiga is more of special situation reel for me, rather than an all around option. The reel truly excells at throwing and working slug-gos and handles braid extremely well. I did not experience any wind knots with it, and you can really launch the little rubber guys. The reel is extremely smooth, and casts like a dream. If your intention is to fish your reel under water more than say 50% of the time, opt for a VS, ZB, or get used to cleaning a Penn after each trip. If your reel only goes under water a handful of times per night at most, and you are willing to give it a good fresh water rinse after each outting, the Saltiga should serve you well.

Pat, I'll bring my Saltiga to the November CSA meeting for you to take a look at. I'm probably not doing myself any good here as far as looking to unload this reel, but I don't think enough has been written about the ability of this reel in the surf.

11-04-2007, 12:19 PM	#1
tlapinski All up in the Interweb! iTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the dog house. Posts: 5,205	I have had a rocky relationship with my Saltiga over the past couple of seasons.... I bought the reel in the spring of 2005, and purchased the 4500 model. Initially, I absolutely loved the reel. It casts great and has an awesome drag. By September, and a trip to Cutty, the reel started showing signs of the abuse I put it through. The reel was used in the surf and was frequently dunked. I landed several 30's, and a ton of 20's up until that point. Somehow, after the Cutty trip that year, a small piece of the reel foot broke off. I fished the reel for another week or two as I left for the Block right after, and it worked ok with a little electrical tape to secure it to the rod. After the Block trip, a few noises developed in the reel. Sort of like a whirring as it was cranked. i sent the reel back to CA for service, and it took roughly 30 days to get back. The body was replaced, and the internal bearings were destroyed and replaced. 2006 came around and I again put the reel through the works. As with 2005, the reel kicked butt until September and the trip to Cutty. The reel was submerged a lot throughout the season, and started again with the whirring noise. On the second night out there, I set up on what I thought was a fish (turned out to be a rock) and the reel "clunked". It was hard to explain this sound/feeling, but after that moment the reel had what I could best describe as a hitch in the gears as it was cranked. If the reel was cranked slow, it would hang up at this spot. If it was cranked faster, it would just kind of hesitate. After that trip, I retired the reel for the season and went back to the VS. Some time in the winter, I took the reel out to send back. It was totally seized up. Again the internal bearrings were replaced and I think something had to be fixed with the gears and/or the spool syncronization. When the reel came back, it was once again working as smooth as silk. On to 2007. After the previous 2 years, I decided to use the Saltiga as a special situation reel. If I was primarily fishing slug-go's or if I felt I needed extra distance, out came the Saltiga. Otherwise, it has been all VS this year. Now, after 3 seasons of use, I feel the Saltiga is more of special situation reel for me, rather than an all around option. The reel truly excells at throwing and working slug-gos and handles braid extremely well. I did not experience any wind knots with it, and you can really launch the little rubber guys. The reel is extremely smooth, and casts like a dream. If your intention is to fish your reel under water more than say 50% of the time, opt for a VS, ZB, or get used to cleaning a Penn after each trip. If your reel only goes under water a handful of times per night at most, and you are willing to give it a good fresh water rinse after each outting, the Saltiga should serve you well. Pat, I'll bring my Saltiga to the November CSA meeting for you to take a look at. I'm probably not doing myself any good here as far as looking to unload this reel, but I don't think enough has been written about the ability of this reel in the surf.
	Co-Host of The Surfcast Podcast "Out there in the surf is where it's at, that's where the line gets drawn in the sand between those who talk fishing and those who live it." - a wise man. One good fish, a sharpie does not make... Certified rock hopping billy goat.