Let me start out by saying I have been fishing with Penn reels since I was four years old. My first reel was an old first generation Spinfisher that my grandfather gave me when I was 5 years old. I am now in my twenties and we are currently at the fifth generation of the Spinfisher series, the Spinfisher V. What can I say about this reel? It is in honesty one of the best reels that I have ever used. I am being sincere and not biased at all as I am not sponsored and I have used many reels from Okuma, Avet, Shimano and Daiwa to Quantum, Abu Garcia and even the Bass Pro series.
The two reels I will review are the SpinfisherV 3500 and 4500.
To overview here is a cap from the Penn website on the models that are available and the specs.
| Model | Mono Cap. (yds/lb) | Braid Cap. (yds/lb) | Bearings | Max Drag | Gear Ratio | Line Retrieve | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSV3500 | 390/4 • 250/6 • 210/8 | 230/10 • 215/15 • 165/20 | 5+1 | 20 lbs | 6.2:1 | 30(in) | 14.4(oz) |
| SSV4500 | 300/8 • 250/10 • 185/12 | 365/15 • 280/20 • 200/30 | 5+1 | 25 lbs | 6.2:1 | 34(in) | 15.4(oz) |
| SSV4500LL* | 300/8 • 250/10 • 185/12 | 365/15 • 280/20 • 200/30 | 5+1 | 25 lbs | 6.2:1 | 34(in) | 16.9(oz) |
| SSV5500 | 360/10 • 270/12 • 240/15 | 425/20 • 320/30 • 250/40 | 5+1 | 30 lbs | 5.6:1 | 35(in) | 21.6(oz) |
| SSV6500 | 330/12 • 300/15 • 210/20 | 430/30 • 340/40 • 280/50 | 5+1 | 30 lbs | 5.6:1 | 39(in) | 22.3(oz) |
| SSV6500BLS ** | 330/12 • 300/15 • 210/20 | 430/30 • 340/40 • 280/50 | 5+1 | 30 lbs | 5.6:1 | 39(in) | 23.0(oz) |
| SSV6500LL* | 330/12 • 300/15 • 210/20 | 430/30 • 340/40 • 280/50 | 5+1 | 30 lbs | 5.6:1 | 39(in) | 25.1(oz) |
| SSV7500 | 440/15 • 300/20 • 210/30 | 430/40 • 360/50 • 320/65 | 5+1 | 35 lbs | 4.7:1 | 36(in) | 28.7(oz) |
| SSV8500 | 440/20 • 300/30 • 250/40 | 650/40 • 540/50 • 470/65 | 5+1 | 35 lbs | 4.7:1 | 42(in) | 31.6(oz) |
| SSV8500LL* | 440/20 • 300/30 • 250/40 | 650/40 • 540/50 • 470/65 | 5+1 | 35 lbs | 4.7:1 | 42(in) | 34.3(oz) |
| SSV9500 | 360/30 • 300/40 • 220/50 | 630/50 • 540/65 • 490/80 | 5+1 | 40 lbs | 4.2:1 | 39(in) | 41.9(oz) |
| SSV10500 | 415/30 • 350/40 • 255/50 | 750/50 • 670/65 • 580/80 | 5+1 | 40 lbs | 4.2:1 | 42(in) | 43.5(oz) |
These reels hold a ton of line, I ended up using 20lb braid on my 3500 and 30lb on my 4500. I was able to pack about 300 yards on each reel which is more than enough. The rubber gasket helps to put superline without any trouble at all. These bad boys offer a massive amount of drag. The smallest reel offering a whopping 20lbs of drag all the way to the largest SSV10500 offering 40lbs. These use the HT-100 drag washers that are sealed and give these reels more than enough stopping power.
Another Great feature of this reel is the oversized bail and friction trip ramp that helps to prevent the bail from closing while casting. Also the fact that these reels have a watertight design is extremely helpful with maintenance, especially when you fish hard and kayak fish as I do. The watertight design isn't necessarily waterproof but it does help a ton in preventing water from getting in.
I feel that these are some of Penns most affordable reels for their class. They range in the $110-$150 price range, I buy from amazon.com because they usually have the cheapest prices. For this price range you get more than enough out of a reel that will last years and perhaps decades if you use the correct maintenance.
I have never had a problem with these reels an I am going on using them for 6 months and perhaps more than 3 dozen trips out with them. The drag is perfectly fine, no wobble when reeling and no wind knots whatsoever!!!! A change from the battle series which caused wind knots if the line lay wasn't tight. (Check out my Penn Battle Review Here). I have opened up the reels twice since I have gotten them and I am impressed! There hasn't been any water inside or even salt residue as some reels have. Plenty of grease to help prevent this as well. I haven't even had to really take it apart aside from normal maintenance such as regreasing.
Upon closing of this review let me say that this is one of my favorites. Im not sure that I really need other reels right now since these two cover such a broad spectrum of fish I can catch. It is a solid reel that is heavy but not so that you will get tired. It has the strength and durability to last as well as an insane drag system that can fight the most stubborn fish. The watertight design is great and the smoothness of the reel is a godsend.
I would have to give it a 4.8 out of 5 stars!
Pros: High Drag Output, Water Tight features, Super-line capable, durable, smooth
Cons: Slightly heavy but not so to make uncomfortable.
Tight Lines!
-Tim-
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