penn slammer vs. shimano spheros

[Pete_G]

Penn 704 or 706 if it's actually going to get submerged but you'll have to clean it out from time to time. Pack it full of grease. Shimano Spheros will also take it better then most but it to will have to be cleaned occasionally and it's not quite as easy to take apart as a Z. Best part about the Spheros is the customer service; if you send it back at the end of the year mangled the worst that will happen is they will charge you $20 or $30 and send you a rebuilt reel. All these reels are a good value and will serve you well for years with good maintenance. The Penn's I mentioned will be a bit heavy for most 9 footers though. Maybe even a used 710 ?

I know you said you didn't want a one, but for true peace of mind when it comes to submersion step up to a VS. Your description of abusing your reels and dunking them definitely makes you a candidate for one. Rinse it off every once in a while and otherwise don't worry about it at all. The Saltiga has it's supporters too but I don't have much experience with that reel. Be sure to check the math as to how many reels you replace over a decade and suddenly the VS doesn't seem so expensive if you fish hard and kill reels. 10 years is a very conservative lifespan for a VS, for most people it's a lifetime reel. Few reels have as long a service life. Even if $$ spent over a decade are equal, it's tough to put a price on never having to open your reels or think twice about dunking it. IMO, for true regular submersion, it's the only reel out there.