Penn Spinfisher SS 8500SS

Pros: A tough reel, well built, and plenty of dealer support
Cons: Hold on, this baby really wobbles, and tends to lock up. Not for the timid

The 8500SS Spinfisher is my big momma (there is only one reel bigger in the SpinFisherseries: the 9500SS). To be honest, I thought I was going to use this reel in tough weather, which I do, but I don’t use it as much as I thought I would. This is a ...

Pros: Line capacity. Smooth drag.
Cons: Lack of bail lock. Poor durability

I had a pair of older Penn 8500's that lasted 20 years. I bought a pair of new ones a couple years ago and found that the quality is not as good as the old ones. When I first bought them, I found that the nut holding the main spool was loose and had to ...

Pros: Tough, excellent line capacity, perfect drag
Cons: heavy, no line clip on spool

This reel is a bit agricultural but it will handle anything thrown at it with ease. I use mine with 10kg mono, but it could fish 15kg if you wanted to be a bit brutal.