Help for a friend

[Patrick]

I have a friend who is looking to buy a new rod. He wants the GLoomis SUR1023S and wants to fit it with a Shimano Sustain or a Finnor Ahab. What size reel would be good for that? Anyone have stuff to say about the Ahab or the Sustain or the rod?

[Skip D]

Put a Shamano Sustain 4000 on the same rod last year. So far, it's worked out great.

[Patrick]

How about the Daiwa Z series? Those look like good reels too.

[Mike P]

The Daiwa Regal Z is a piece of junk. The Emblem Z is a better reel. The Daiwa Tournament SS II reels are new this year, but the older Tournamnet reels were excellent.

The Shimano Stradic 4000 costs $100 less than the Sustain. Finnor reels--at least the top of the line Ahabs, which are the only one's I'd condider--weigh substantially more than any of the other reels mentioned. With braid, the Ahab 8A should be enough reel to match with that rod.

[Patrick]

So Ditch, either the Stradic, Sustain or the Ahab 8A?

The cool thing about the Emblem Z is the spool isn't deep but it's a little longer. You still get the good line capacity, but you get a good cast too.