Saltist Casting overhead reel Benefits of 2 speeds?

[MudRiverDan]

I have posted links below to the Daiwa Saltist overhead reel.

I am thinking of buying one for bait-fishing off the rocks for Mulloway and what not.
Just wondering is great benefit of 2 speed or will your average Joe like me get away with the cheaper 1 speed?

Yes I know there are better quality around (but this is in my price range), and may not be the greatest for Jew fishing but I will also be using it as a bit of an all-rounder for bait and live baiting larger fish.

Links to both are below, I am looking at the LD20.

Single speed.

http://www.daiwa.com/reel/detail.aspx?id=508

Two Speed

http://www.daiwa.com/reel/detail.aspx?id=507


Thanks

[frankgrimes]

Single speed would be fine....save your $

Mick

[reggy]

Because the single speed reel has quite a high gear ratio@ 6.3:1, I would think the lower gear of the 2 speed reel could be very handy if you are targeting big fish on the bottom.
Mid to low gear ratio is getting hard to find in small single speed lever drag reels these days.

[MudRiverDan]

Just using it land-based.
For Jewfish and what ever comes along.
But it will also be there for boating, I don't do much so it would be my only one.

Looks nice and solid, also like the lack of bail and the compact lower profile.

It would cast ok I think, the spool looked pretty nimble.
The 20 is quite small.

[robvee]

single speed is all you need.
If land based from the rocks a 6:1 ratio is perfect coz you can skip your terminal gear across the surface when retrieving to check bait, instead of dragging it mid water and losing rigs to those rogue bommies :-)
I use a Daiwa XSHA 50 and a Shimano Speedmaster IV for my surf gear ..... LOVE them both.

[Daintreeboy]

Just went through this process for the same sort of thing for my sister in law. I reckon the Saltist 30 Hyper speed is the way to go, you should check it out. Let's face it, it needs to be a very big fish to warrant the low gear ratio when fighting a fish. I prefer the high speed and pump and wind method to really get them coming towards you when you turn them. The 30 is hardly any heavier than the 20 so a little bit of extra line capacity is worth it for no extra weight. Plus the Red bling is better than the plain black!!

[MudRiverDan]

Just starting to wonder if I would be kidding myself buying this?

Basically what I need is something for Jew off Rock walls and banks.

You see I don't fancy myself scrambling round the rocks at night with waves breaking around my waist trying to manage a huge bloody rod and a
massive great bulky spin reel.

Kind compact rig I want for chucking livies and dead baits, but of course has to have some drag and line capacity.

But I am wondering if I will spend most of my night fishing for Jew untangling birds nests.

Mainly what I want is a nice compact overhead that will cast.

Would a Calcutta 400 be easier to cast?
And would a Calcutta 200 be too small?

Realistically I would be targeting Jew around 9 -15kg, so if I was lucky enough to hook a 30kg monster I would take my chances.

I mean often off rock walls a 40-50 meter cast is fine, the trouble with overheads and bait cast rod is they are all too short, no casting power what so ever and no bend in the tip on the longer ones for live bait casting.... Im thinking of making an overhead rod myself for this reason.


I have already ordered one but the shop would let me exchange it for a similar priced reel.

[tunaticer]

You looked at a Abu 7000?

Personally I think the dual speed is worth getting if you will regularly encounter hard pulling fish, lower gear ratios are great for bringing the fish to the shore but terrible for spinning with lures or livies for them. If you decide to go after Macks from the stones you will really like the high retrieve rates.

It is not like these reels will only last a season or two, they are a long term investment.

I built up a Snyderglas JS1029w specifically for targetting big fish from the rocks with lures and livies and whilst it is heavy it performs remarkably well. It was extended at the butt to take it to 9 feet. I can easily deadlift 60lbs on a test with the rod to know its capabilities. I run 15 and 20kg lines over it.

[MudRiverDan]

Ill have to go and have another look.

Cheers

[MackerelMan]

I have an old automatic 2 speed Abu 9000CL which I use for everytning from bottom bashing to trolling to chucking poppers and baits. They are a great reel which are unfortunately not produced anymore but see used ones around now and again. Sounds like a large baitcaster may suit what you need.

[MudRiverDan]

I have an old automatic 2 speed Abu 9000CL which I use for everytning from bottom bashing to trolling to chucking poppers and baits. They are a great reel which are unfortunately not produced anymore but see used ones around now and again. Sounds like a large baitcaster may suit what you need.
Yeah thanks

The Abu has some pro cast model in 7000ics Pro Rocket looks ok.
Price is cheap too, I might go that way until I get some fish.

Sure is a hell of a lot of conventional reels out there to choose from.

[reggy]

If I was doing this at night. I would be using a medium size spin reel (something like my 6500Spinfisher) with 50 pound braid and a 60lb mono leader or an 8500 with 30lb mono.

[robvee]

Mate, unless you are prepared to put in many hours of casting practice with an overhead, you are best to stick with reggy's idea of a Spinfisher or similar.
Casting overheads (especially at night) can only be done effectively with many hours of practice BEFORE hitting the rock walls - otherwise you will have many hours of frustration undoing nests and cutting line off.
BUT .... the feeling of fishing with overheads in the surf is the ONLY way that I know how .... so I love it and will highly recommend it.

Australia has a feeble selection of overhead surf rods ... NZ or South Africa have the best rods in this range. The so-named "BullDog" found in some local tackle stores feels like a poodle in terms of pulling power when compared to these modern Graphite surf rods capable of casting 8 oz weights + bait :-)

[Horse]

I would be going for a Penn Live Liner 760L for this sort of work. Baitrunner feature in a tough reel. I use a Spinfisher 8500SS for the same sort of work but would appreciate the baitrunner mode

[tunaticer]

If you can comfortably use a baitcaster with minimal problems, stepping up to a overhead is not that much of a drama. I used to regularly spin 15kg at night using an Abu 12 (no brakes or anything except for thumb control and did not have any dramas with that. Also used to high speed spin at night using a Diawa SL250HA overhead with 12kg lines and it was a beast to cast being fully bearing supported and cast like a rocket, but had a tendency to over run if you were a tad slow with the thumb. Only took two or three casts to get used to it again and no more dramas.

Don't be afraid to use an overhead if you are proficient with baitcasters.

[MudRiverDan]

Thanks very much.

Well there is some truth in the questions on my casting ability with an overhead.
I do find the term "casting reel" a bit deceptive when as stated above very few of the rods are suited to casting, though there are some large ones out there, quite big and would not want to scramble rocks trying to manage one at night.

I mean Wilson has a Live Fibre at 9 foot which was still a bit long, but it was a very thick rod, I would have needed some serious weight to cast it.

Yes Tuna I have a Daiwa Alphas R low profile reel.
I can use it and cast with it though still I think I will have trouble on the rocks at night time.

I actually ended up getting a Rovex carbontec 15lb rod and put an Exceler 4000 on it with two spools one with 20lb Platypus super 100 fine mono for Bait and Livies, and the other with 10lb Fireline for plastics around 3/8 -5/8 (Thanks Dayoo, some very nice Jigs).

So I am still relatively light if a big one gets on, just have to try it out first I guess and if it doesn't work upgrade some months down the track.

I'll see how I go this winter, just have to test out some different locations.

Thanks for the replies

[mattooty]

I run a saltist 40h for all my jew work/live bait for tuna/mackeral work and love the thing. It's hardy, casts well and rarely get overruns if I'm concentrating on the cast.
Don't bother with the 2 speed, you'll never need it for chasing jew. I run 40lb mono on mine for jew, and top shot it with 20lb when chasing tuna/macks.
Check out the FSU4120g in an overhead configuration. Great cheap, brute of a rod for the above applications. I built mine up as a custom job on that blank, and cut about a foot off the tip and a little off the butt so it's about 8.5ft and has stiffened it up a little which has been good for casting heavy baits/sinkers and big lures.

Here it is in action
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/Mattooty/IMG_0731.jpg

Butt section

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/Mattooty/Stromlet068.jpg

Rod work

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/Mattooty/Stromlet069.jpg

And the spoils

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/Mattooty/Stromlet0701.jpg

[MudRiverDan]

Yeah nice one.
The gear I bought is really just another medium general purpose live bait/bait rod and reel to interchange with another cheap rod 8kg rod and reel I got.

Yeah rod looks good, I will be doing up a custom on a blank myself I think, as nothing I found I felt even remotely comfortable in hand.
Either way too long and thick or too stiff.


Good pics.

Cheers