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

redlite · 10-28-2010, 11:31 AM

Aaron,
In all seriousness, dump the Penn dude.
My Dad was, and still is a Penn Guy. Buy USA. I grew up a Penn guy. My father's reasoning, when (not if) it breaks, you can get parts easily pretty much where ever you are and fix it quickly to be back in the game. Growin up fishin on the back side, the reels didn't take much abuse, but my 6500's made in the USA, were always breakin down on me. Got fed up with it and went to Shimano baitrunners (sealed drag, never used baot runner feature, they were just bullet . My Dad would ask what I was gonna do when it broke down like the Penns always were and I said "Dad, it's not a problem, cause they don't break down". Never did.
I use to bash the hell out of Van Staal. I always thought that anyone that would pay $700+ for a reel was an A-hole. Got in a drunken beligerant rant at the first Striper Cup years ago at their booth about how much of a waste of money it was, especially to someone standing on sand.. Then I really started wetsuiting and fishing rocks. the Shimanos just weren't cuttin it. Wife bought me a VS 200 for our wedding 3 years ago. I had to apologize to Craig at VS for my previous tantrum.
The thing has been bullet proof for 3 years now. It looks like it got dragged down the street behind my truck. I doubt there is anyone out there that is harder on their equipement and takes less care of their equipement than I do. I don't even rinse it off. For the life of me, I don't know how I used to fish without it, especially wading out through boulder fields and standing on bars gettin bashed by waves trying to keep my reel up out of the water.
The price of a VS is a big nut to swallow, yes, but the justification of "I could buy 10 Penn's for the cost of a VS and just throw them out when they crap out and I'd still be ahead of the game" just doesn't float, especially on those nites when you walk over a mile to fish, are into a school of supa cows, and that Penn craps out. Trust me, I used to use that justification.
Even though you aren't swimming, and givin the area you are fishin, maybe even the new VS that just came out that isn't completely sealed is an option.
Penns are still just like the reels our Dad's fished with. Antiquated.
Go with a proven winner.
Plus VS has the SWEEEEEETEST sounding drag in the world.

10-28-2010, 11:31 AM	#4
redlite Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kingston, Ma Posts: 2,294	Aaron, In all seriousness, dump the Penn dude. My Dad was, and still is a Penn Guy. Buy USA. I grew up a Penn guy. My father's reasoning, when (not if) it breaks, you can get parts easily pretty much where ever you are and fix it quickly to be back in the game. Growin up fishin on the back side, the reels didn't take much abuse, but my 6500's made in the USA, were always breakin down on me. Got fed up with it and went to Shimano baitrunners (sealed drag, never used baot runner feature, they were just bullet . My Dad would ask what I was gonna do when it broke down like the Penns always were and I said "Dad, it's not a problem, cause they don't break down". Never did. I use to bash the hell out of Van Staal. I always thought that anyone that would pay $700+ for a reel was an A-hole. Got in a drunken beligerant rant at the first Striper Cup years ago at their booth about how much of a waste of money it was, especially to someone standing on sand.. Then I really started wetsuiting and fishing rocks. the Shimanos just weren't cuttin it. Wife bought me a VS 200 for our wedding 3 years ago. I had to apologize to Craig at VS for my previous tantrum. The thing has been bullet proof for 3 years now. It looks like it got dragged down the street behind my truck. I doubt there is anyone out there that is harder on their equipement and takes less care of their equipement than I do. I don't even rinse it off. For the life of me, I don't know how I used to fish without it, especially wading out through boulder fields and standing on bars gettin bashed by waves trying to keep my reel up out of the water. The price of a VS is a big nut to swallow, yes, but the justification of "I could buy 10 Penn's for the cost of a VS and just throw them out when they crap out and I'd still be ahead of the game" just doesn't float, especially on those nites when you walk over a mile to fish, are into a school of supa cows, and that Penn craps out. Trust me, I used to use that justification. Even though you aren't swimming, and givin the area you are fishin, maybe even the new VS that just came out that isn't completely sealed is an option. Penns are still just like the reels our Dad's fished with. Antiquated. Go with a proven winner. Plus VS has the SWEEEEEETEST sounding drag in the world.