These two reels share a lot in common. Including most of their internal parts. In my experience, the Shimano Sedona (and its enhanced brother the Sahara) are the most durable trout spinning reel on a budget. Until the release of the upgraded Shimano Sahara FJ the quality of the gearing and tolerances of these two reels…
For all the praise premium price reels like the Stradic and Vanford get, most of us fish with reels that cost under $100, it is likely the most competitive segment of the market. Earlier this year Shimano refreshed the Sahara line-up and released the FJ. The FJ represents a nice improvement over the older Sahara…
The Shimano Stradic is one of the best spinning reels ever made, and it has developed a cult like following of fans. It is simply a well-built reel that is not only smooth but extremely durable. If there is one complaint regarding the Stradic it is the price, at close to $200 it is a…
Welcome to my review comparing two of the best metal body spinning reels that are available in sizes suitable for trout and steelhead. In this review, for the most part, I will be comparing the smallest sizes, these being the Penn Battle III 1000 and the Daiwa BG BG1500. While the emphasis, is on the…
The length of a leader, when targeting trout or steelhead should at a minimum be a couple of feet longer than the length of your rod. While the length of the leader when bait fishing really depends on the depth of presentation. How long should a leader be when spinning for trout? When spinning for…
Looking for some good lures for late fall trout fishing, well the year round staples such as Mepps Agila, Panther martins and Bluefox Vibrax, and Kastmasters still perform well. It is all that many fishermen ever fish, and that is fine. But in this article, I will share some less well known trout lures that…
What is the best line type when fishing for trout, how does braid compare with monofilament? Does the choice even matter? In the chart below, I have highlighted the key differences. In the next part of the article, I will discuss why each of these points may or may not matter. Braid Floats Does not…
When buying spinners of unknown brands, a lot can be learned about their likely performance and action based entirely on the blade design they used. The shape or design of the rotating blade on an inline spinner not only influences the action, and sink rate, but also the optimal speed the spinner should be fished…
Spoons and spinners must be among the most popular hard body trout lures, and the reason is simple. They catch trout and they catch them consistently. I always consider it a good idea to have both types of lures when fishing because a trout’s preference can easily change hour from to hour, day to day….
Penn is one of the biggest names in offshore reels, they built their reputation on classics like the Senator, International, and the Spinfisher. These are all heavy duty reels designed for catching powerful fighting fish in the salt. So whether you are a Penn loyalist, or just want to try something a little different, what…
