My #1 rod/reel.

PENN Int'l 955 on a custom built (by yours truly) white eglass 7' rod. I built this to be a 8-15lb class rod that looked like a big gamer. I now picture myself fightin tuna on the high seas when pulling smallies out of the river.

Nice. looks like your ready for anything.

Say andy
Where ya planing on testing it?
I could be of some assistance, like your net man.

Tested;

35 lb Tarpon under a bridge in Islamorada, Fl Keys.

All that I caught under that bridge was a hammerhead shark and a stingray. They both put bruises on me.

Best is fishing at night.

But Hammerheads are great fun to catch, and so are stingrays.

Nice setup. I love Penn reels. Have a couple of heavy duty (in freshwater terms) reels that I use for big pike.

J

Nice rig but I bet my wife could tear it up in no time. We wade fish a lot and she's not very tall and has a tendency to fish under water most of the time! LOL

Barry

BMW,

Your wife would do well to have a PENN reel. These, and the higher end Shimanos hold up VERY well against he elements. Also, most PENN reels are still made right in Philly (the cheaper lines are made overseas).

LOL, Yup, she's toatsed a couple of Penns over the years too. It'as amazing that my reels outlast hers about 5 to one. I give up on spending much money on reels for her and just go with something decent and replace it once a year or so.

Barry

Those are some fine reels I have a 965 on a star hand crafted rod. caught 60lb yellow fin with it.

Heck, I though this was a football thread about tackles.

OK, I caught a 7lb HUGE rainbow with 4lb test line. I was at a lake on the shore with about 10 other guys. This fish hit hard. It was a good thing my drag was set fairly loose. I was using a Baitmaster chrome lure. I was casting it out and reeling it in, giving it a little jerk here and there as it came in. Then he hit!

It took about 10 munutes to wear him down, bring him in and net him. It felt like a half hour. Everybody pulled their lines out of the water because at first this fish took my line all over the place!

OK, thats it... resume previous activity...hehe!!

Wilberdew: Thats a hell of a haul for a 965......nice job. I have 50 lb dyneema (spectra) line on mine; do you use something similar?

Tranny MK: You gotta love them biguns on light line. My little pond is only about an acre, so I can't be spooled. I used to love to work big bass on two lb test.

(disclaimer - do not fight a fish you intend to release to the point of exhaustion if you can help; it will kill it).