Penn Spinfisher SSV 5500

[Chris]

received this reel in the mail two days ago. spooled it up with 300yrds of 30lb Power Pro Super slick 8 and a top shot of 20lb Berkley big game. the top shot pictured is about 80yrds, I could fit a little more but I was in a hurry and doing it under finger tension.

300yrds 30lb braid


with top shot of 20lb mono


first thing I noticed about the reel is how smooth it is! it was smooth as silk while spooling. tonight while throwing various lures (rapals X rap 14, 12 and Daiwa SP minnow) it was smooth to start out but I began to notice a bump while reeling. about every turn I could feel that somewhere in the gears something was catching or missing. it wasn't coinciding with the up and down oscillation of the spool but I could def. feel something inside the reel.

I wasn't fortunate enough to hook into anything while testing it out tonight so I will have to report back on that. hopefully I can get into some GT in the next few days or get on a boat and test it on some Mahi. 

[Chris]

re did the topshot and got about 100yrds on there of 20lb mono. had the drag pretty tight so whatever I hooked wouldn't be able to get down into the rocks or out to the reef I was casting near.

hooked this guy. took a couple feet of drag and it had a smooth start up and nice loud clicks to warn me the fish was gaining an advantage. hopefully the next one isn't so little.

[Latimeria]

Little or not, that looks like a hard fighting Trevally!  Nice one Chris!

[Chris]

they sure do fight hard no matter the size!

that click I mentioned only happens when using the Xrap 12. I think it might actually be part of the lures action. I don't feel it with any other lures or when I was hooked up (not that I was paying attention to it though...).

Also, I have no intention of cleaning this reel. the rain is about the only freshwater rinse it will get until its too cold to fish I'll do a tear down to see what it looks like. Penn hyped this reel up a lot so I want to see what its all about.

[Pinoyfisher]

They're definitely not water proof! A slather of grease on the internals helps a bunch. I love my 3500 and 6500LL though! I slayed a bunch of 20-35# YFT on the 3500 last year. Smooth and powerful! The 6500LL has landed me a few bats in the high 40" range. I wish they'd make a live liner model for the 3500.

[Chris]

They're definitely not water proof! A slather of grease on the internals helps a bunch. I love my 3500 and 6500LL though! I slayed a bunch of 20-35# YFT on the 3500 last year. Smooth and powerful! The 6500LL has landed me a few bats in the high 40" range. I wish they'd make a live liner model for the 3500.

I know they aren't water proof, but they are water resistant. tests on others have shown that as long as its not reeled underwater for very long it will keep the water out. so dunking and swimming should be OK.

[vdisney]

I fished a 7500 for two seasons, and my nephew has had it the last two years.  Rinsed off after each trip and the reel is as smooth now as the day it came out of the box.  JMHO...........V