by Brad S » Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:31 pm
sonny.barile wrote:
> I use a Quantum PT Cabo 40 with 20 to 30 pound Power Pro and have no
> problems.
I agree with Sonny. The Cabos are not cheap (still less than $200.00), but I've been using that exact same reel for the past 3 seasons with braid (usually 20 lb Power Pro) ) & a Shimano Trevalla ML 7' rod for striped bass, bluefish & everything else inshore salt water here in Rhode Island. It's been a perfectly matched outfit, & no problems with the braid at all.
With that same combo I've cast everything from 4.5" baby sluggo on a 1/8 oz jig head, to a 2-3 oz spoon, jig or plug (heavier if I choose) plus live eels from my kayak & a friend's boat. The rod & reel have worked beautifully. The reel has a smooth powerful, waterproof drag, unbreakable (magnetic) bail, very corrosion resistant, etc. and that light slim rod has has been a power house in disguise, able to whip everything it connected with.
I sold my older older Penns (ss & ssg series) because of all the problems I had with braided line, but I've heard some of the newer ones do real well with braid.
As far as the Penn reels are concerned, I think Henry Schmidt is right on the money about the Penn Slammer. A man who lives here in R.I. (Peter Vican) this past year caught a striped bass just a couple pounds shy of the world record, & his bass was about 78 lbs (sorry Peter if I'm off a pound or two).
Peter is famous (& modest too, believe it or not) in the New England area for consistently catching huge striped bass (on eels) & has broken the R.I. record more than once that I know of. You can imagine how long the line is of guys wanting to go fishing with him.
Peter & I belong to the largest salt water fishing club in New England (about 6500 affiliated members). I don't know him very well but but I know that nobody catches the number & size striped bass that Peter & his fishing partner Don Smith do.
Anyway, he fishes with a Penn Slammer spinning reel & braided line. I believe it's the Slammer 460, which is not a huge reel by any means, & a light spinning rod. Peter's has been using the same reel for many years (with braid) & has taken litterally hundreds of 30-60 lb striped bass, and he swears by the reels.
Last time I checked they were less than $150.00.