Michigan Muskie Alliance

I want to get one or the other before summer hits. Most shops don't carry them, and I've never actually held either.

Any feedback on these reels?
I like that the AVET seems to be a solid reel, and is made in the USA
I like that the Daiwa is a levelwind reel, and has a star drag.

http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/f ... 58&start=1

I added my 2 cents here...

I have liked the Saltist a lot, about a year of use. Kinda' heavy and big to palm, but built like a tank, casts great, and 3 feet of line per crank without that much resistence, even with big blades etc. You have to engage it manually but got used to that easy enough, level wind and other features all very nice. I think Jim T. has one and likes it too.

pikerule2 wrote:I have liked the Saltist a lot, about a year of use. Kinda' heavy and big to palm, but built like a tank, casts great, and 3 feet of line per crank without that much resistence, even with big blades etc. You have to engage it manually but got used to that easy enough, level wind and other features all very nice. I think Jim T. has one and likes it too.

Ditto to everything. I don't have mine anymore. I had the size 40 and it was a little too big for my liking. If I get another, it will be the 30 or even the 20. I think the 40 had around 46" of line pickup per turn which was crazy. Burning double tens was effortless, and it was nice to suck up line on Pounders with 1 turn.

I liked my Saltist for a bit, then after 3 broken springs I finally found that they are not designed for casting.... Uncomfortable reels, IMO you can do everything with a 5:4 Revo Toro 60. Power to crank on fish and pull dbl 10's with ease.

Corey K wrote:I liked my Saltist for a bit, then after 3 broken springs I finally found that they are not designed for casting.... Uncomfortable reels, IMO you can do everything with a 5:4 Revo Toro 60. Power to crank on fish and pull dbl 10's with ease.

I asked about this on muskiefirst....can you get the same amount of speed with the 5:4 Toro?

Probably not match the line recovered but, you can still move dbl 10's plenty fast with a 5:4 Toro. The power handles on those big Saltwater reels seem to cramp my fingers up because you actually have to wrap you fingers around them. And with the long double paddle handle on a Toro there is really no need for the power handle.

Sorry to hear that about the Saltist spring problem. Mine is good so far (just a size 20 since the others were too big), but not a full year of use yet so the jury is still out. I have heard other very good reports about the Revo winch reels, I'll probably be trying one before long.

To me, the spring issue sounds like something minor enough, that I could probably find a fix for it.
The winch would be nice, and I would like to have one of those too for big blades. But I also want the ability to burn them in.


You know, if might be cheaper to buy one of the Avet two speed reels.
The lever drag, and lack of a levelwind kind of scares me away from them though.

LonLB wrote:To me, the spring issue sounds like something minor enough, that I could probably find a fix for it.

I've heard the fix is to remove it completely. The lever doesn't need the spring to work, it is only an assist spring.