Shimano Symetre ... Anyone Rate Them

[TimD]

Going to get a 2-4kg Pflueger trion rod for estuary and bay sp fishing. I don't do that much estuary or bay fishing these days so im not wanting to spend a fortune on a reel. How good are the Symetre FJ reels, noticed they retail for about $150.


cheers tim :)

[Chas & Clarry]

We think they are great!

I have a 1000 matched with 4lb braid on a 1-3kg Pfluger Trion and LOVE IT, it has handled flatties to mid 60cm mark.

We also have 1500s matched with 6 and 8 lb braid on our 2-4 and 3-5 rods respectively. They have handled flattys to 74cm and jew to 68cm no worries.

All of the above on plastics. We rate them :)

Tim and Trace

[TimD]

Thanks for the reply, how do you think they will handle bay Snap's to 80-85cm as i will probably target big Snap's quite often. Was thinking a 3000 size spooled with 10lb braid on a 2-4kg trion.


cheers tim :)

[Chas & Clarry]

LOL that is outside our league, however we are keen to give it a go one day soon after reading all of the reports on here about snapper lately!

Having said that , I'd go a 3-5 kg rod of 10lb braid...??

[TimD]

Noticed Pflueger do a 3-6kg trion but i think thats a bit to heavy for throwing small jigheads around the bay. I might buy a 3-6kg trion in the near future for light offshore soft plastic work though.


cheers tim :)

[tunaticer]

I have several Symetres and cant fault them for the price.
They are a kilo down in drag pressure from the stradics but when fishing light string you will not be looking to max the drag out.
My best snapp on my symetre 3000 is 82cm and it was no probs at all.

[wave dancer]

Hey Tim, not sure if you have checked out mo tackle but they have the symetre 3000fj and 4000 fj for $119. I have bought heaps of stuff from these guys, good service, great advice and fast delivery. They will also beat any advertised price. Happy shopping mate.

Cheers Mick.

[bennykenny]

yeah i love mine, i have a 3000, best fish to date is a 117cm jew from the pin, handled it so well im going to get a few more, very impressed.

[nezevic99]

I've got 6 of them of various ages. The 4000 size i use for pretty much everything. It'll take just under a full 300yd spool of 14lb fireline. I use it at Deep Tempest to bomb plastics on 14lb fireline and have stopped up to 40lb samson fish (avatar) on it in 85m. Have also stopped 10kg longtails, 120cm Mahi Mahi, 35lb Spanish mackerel and countless snapper on them. I also use them bait fishing in shallow water.

The 2500 size i use to soft plastic in the shallows with. These are spooled with a full 300yd spool of 6lb fireline. Again i've stopped countless snapper and sweeties on it. The biggest fish i've stopped so far would be a 8kg mack tuna. I've also caught jellybean yellowfin on it. I hooked and lost a cobia of unknown size as part of a double hook up in a kayak at south west rocks in feb which took a yellowtail on a bait jig. I played it for 15-20 min before the bait jig knots parted. I landed the second fish, a 20kg cobe, on heavy gear. I can only assume that they were of similar size. The anti reverse bearing was stuffed after this fight though. It cost me less than $30 to replace it though and the reel is good as new.

I give them a fair bit of abuse and they stand up to most things I’ve thrown at them. I buy them from the States off fleabay for around $90-$95 delivered depending on the day/dollar at the time. I am in the process of putting carbontex drags in and lapping the drag washers to try and make them even better. A sheet of carbontex from the downrigger shop . com costs $20 and I’ve changed the drags on 7 reels so far and I reckon I’ll be able to get at least another 3-4 reels worth of washers out of it. Worth the time and expense if you ask me.

For the price, I think they are hard to go past. They are not a stradic, a ci4 or a stella, but they are a reasonably priced reel that’ll take a fair beating.

[scuttlebutt]

Mate I've got a couple of Stellas and a Saltiga in the bigger sizes. Bought a little 1000 Symetre the other day and it's awesome.

Really doesn't feel an awful lot worse than a stella (to me anyway). How long it will last I don't know but it feels pretty solid.

Even managed a couple of Barra on its first trip out. Nice smooth drag, was great fun.

[TimD]

I have several Symetres and cant fault them for the price.
They are a kilo down in drag pressure from the stradics but when fishing light string you will not be looking to max the drag out.
My best snapp on my symetre 3000 is 82cm and it was no probs at all.


Thanks mate, good to hear they can handle decent Snap's :thumbsup:



Hey Tim, not sure if you have checked out mo tackle but they have the symetre 3000fj and 4000 fj for $119. I have bought heaps of stuff from these guys, good service, great advice and fast delivery. They will also beat any advertised price. Happy shopping mate.

Cheers Mick.


Thanks for the heads up Mick, i have bought a few things from MO and agree that there service is great ;)



yeah i love mine, i have a 3000, best fish to date is a 117cm jew from the pin, handled it so well im going to get a few more, very impressed.


Good size jewie, what rod are braid strength are you using with your 3000 symetre ???



I've got 6 of them of various ages. The 4000 size i use for pretty much everything. It'll take just under a full 300yd spool of 14lb fireline. I use it at Deep Tempest to bomb plastics on 14lb fireline and have stopped up to 40lb samson fish (avatar) on it in 85m. Have also stopped 10kg longtails, 120cm Mahi Mahi, 35lb Spanish mackerel and countless snapper on them. I also use them bait fishing in shallow water.

The 2500 size i use to soft plastic in the shallows with. These are spooled with a full 300yd spool of 6lb fireline. Again i've stopped countless snapper and sweeties on it. The biggest fish i've stopped so far would be a 8kg mack tuna. I've also caught jellybean yellowfin on it. I hooked and lost a cobia of unknown size as part of a double hook up in a kayak at south west rocks in feb which took a yellowtail on a bait jig. I played it for 15-20 min before the bait jig knots parted. I landed the second fish, a 20kg cobe, on heavy gear. I can only assume that they were of similar size. The anti reverse bearing was stuffed after this fight though. It cost me less than $30 to replace it though and the reel is good as new.

I give them a fair bit of abuse and they stand up to most things I’ve thrown at them. I buy them from the States off fleabay for around $90-$95 delivered depending on the day/dollar at the time. I am in the process of putting carbontex drags in and lapping the drag washers to try and make them even better. A sheet of carbontex from the downrigger shop . com costs $20 and I’ve changed the drags on 7 reels so far and I reckon I’ll be able to get at least another 3-4 reels worth of washers out of it. Worth the time and expense if you ask me.

For the price, I think they are hard to go past. They are not a stradic, a ci4 or a stella, but they are a reasonably priced reel that’ll take a fair beating.


Mate sounds like you give them hell and they stand up to the punishment alright, think im pretty much sold on a couple of them after your post :thumbsup:



Mate I've got a couple of Stellas and a Saltiga in the bigger sizes. Bought a little 1000 Symetre the other day and it's awesome.

Really doesn't feel an awful lot worse than a stella (to me anyway). How long it will last I don't know but it feels pretty solid.

Even managed a couple of Barra on its first trip out. Nice smooth drag, was great fun.


Yeah im the same i have a 4500 Saltiga s extreme on a 8-15kg Egrell bear essentials rod (deep water sp combo) and a 3000 Caldia fitted to my xzoga micro jigging rod. Both of these combo's are great to use. I mostly fish micro jigs these days so thats why im after a couple of cheaper half decent sp combo's instead of spending $500-$1000 for each combo like i usually do.


cheers tim :)

[bennykenny]

Good size jewie, what rod are braid strength are you using with your 3000 symetre ???


cheers tim :)

Hey Tim, im using it on a 4-6kg Soron STX rod with 10lbs Braid, and its balanced very well.

[TimD]

How big are 3000 sized Shimano reels compared to 2500 size Daiwa reels ???


I find 2500 sized daiwa reels balance well on most 2-4kg rods.


cheers tim :)

[timddo]

Don't be a cheap ass, just buy a daiwa sol or terria.

My symetre lives at home

[TimD]

Don't be a cheap ass, just buy a daiwa sol or terria.

My symetre lives at home


Nar the repayments on my new Lamborghini are draining most of my pay :(


Your symetre lives at home because you own about 100 combo's and cant fit them all on your boat..


cheers tim :)

[metaloid]

Don't be a cheap ass, just buy a daiwa sol or terria.

My symetre lives at home

Depends what you're chasing... For inshore work on 10-15lbs the Sol is better, but for standard estuary species (bream, flatties) on 4-6lbs, the symetre 1000/1500 is just about perfect.

Don't get the cheap price fool you, it just keeps on keeping on! ;D (maybe change the bail arm spring every couple of years, and a spray of inox/lanolin every now and then).

[Yellowjack]

Mate i got a 2500 symetre, good first reel but definitely recommend stradic fj's

[Richo1]

I've got the 1500 & 2500 and love them, 2500 has caught everything from 89cm Barra, 1m+ Threadies, spangled emperor and as of yesterday an 86cm snapper. 7 years old and still going strong. Will out live my Sol for sure!

[TimD]

Mate i got a 2500 symetre, good first reel but definitely recommend stradic fj's


Probably wouldnt get a stradic, if i was going to spend more then i would probably just get a new model caldia which i can get for $230


cheers tim :)

[rosco1974]

i use a 4000 on my deadstick plastic offshore and have caught a few on it ..it did the job well....should be a good reel for u tim...u will never wear the bugger out with the huge amounts of fish u get.lol

[TimD]

You'll eat your words rosco when i start catching some big bay Snapper :P


I used to do quite well in the bay on my lightly weighted plastics :thumbsup:


cheers tim :)

[rosco1974]

well you couldn't do any worse than u have been offshore i guess...should be a good fish off for the plastic boys in the bay.... for grinners that is..

[Daintreeboy]

I found mine corroded but I did use it in open boats and it copped some salt spray. From a performance perspective it was great and for 100 bucks could not ask for more. It caughht a dozen Mack Tuna to 7 kilos on it's first trip and was excellent. Mine was the Previous model though so maybe the new model lasts a bit better?

[TimD]

Yeah i have OCD and keep all my gear in A1 condition these days so i should be able to keep the corrosion at bay :D


cheers tim :)

[kingcray]

I've got the 1500 & 2500 and love them, 2500 has caught everything from 89cm Barra, 1m+ Threadies, spangled emperor and as of yesterday an 86cm snapper. 7 years old and still going strong. Will out live my Sol for sure!

thanks richo. You just made a decision for me :) i now have a nice little reel to couple my new pflueger trion 2-4kg ,, been tossing up between a couple ... now jus to get a mate for my zing.

[TimD]

Anyone know how much 8 or 10lb fireline will fit on a 2500 symetre ?


cheers tim :)

[Daintreeboy]

I reckon the whole 300 yard spool would go close to fitting mate. Certainly a lot more than 150 yards anyway.

[Richo1]

thanks richo. You just made a decision for me :) i now have a nice little reel to couple my new pflueger trion 2-4kg ,, been tossing up between a couple ... now jus to get a mate for my zing.

Have mine on a Trion as well, great set up.
On the 2500 I have 300m of 12 lbs Platypus Pre-test braid.

[kingcray]

that much hey Richo ? im spooling with sunline super pe 8lb 300 yd today.

[Richo1]

Yep surprised me, the platypus pretest braid is pretty fine.

[nezevic99]

You won't get the full spool of 8 or 10lb fireline on. The 300yd spool of 6lb fireline exactly fills a 2500 symetre without backing. Couldn't tell you how much you will get on though.