Thoughts on Newell Reels

[BretABaker]

yup, replied!

[bunile]

They are just right for KAMIKAZEE tuna's and making a nice video when they fall apart at the last minute!!!! Bill has one in the movie and so does that other guy, inside sportfishing. I laugh at them everytime, now, not then.

[getsome]

A friend of mine that used to work on the Red Rooster III caught a 200 lb yellowfin on a Newell 533. He broke 3 handles during the fight and due to running out of available handles, he resorted to using a pair of vice-grips on the broken handle knob during the last few minutes of the fight.
See, they do work for big fish...

[lite-liner]

Well, here's my .02.
I had a penn 501 that I wanted to beef up for big yellowtail
(this was the '80s) My Dad was Mgr of Turners in Tustin at the time.
He Had The "trick stuff" & hooked me up w/ a Newell narrow-spool/frame conversion. also put some wierd drag washers in it, like fiberglass mat, not CF
Made 21# smooth @ lockdown, and killed yellows up to 22# forever, no problems. took care of it, though.
Now it has Accu-plates & brg's, CF drags, Smoothie plates, Accurate pwr handle, & Newell ss 5:1 gearing.
guess what? it makes 24# @ lockdown, has only 5 orig. Penn parts left, and
still needs a 12 tooth anti-reverse sprag, which nobody makes, only to bring it to the level of an Avet JX. total spent over the years? well over $400
Every reel has it's limit, & technology has advanced past Newell's product.
they were, and still are, a caster's dream. but there's better, for the same $$
nowadays
I Know I'm gettin Flamed by the Cali-boys for this......
-B

[getsome]

Originally Posted by lite-liner

I Know I'm gettin Flamed by the Cali-boys for this......
-B

Don't worry, most of us "Cali-boys" gave up on Newells a long time ago.
At least those of us that fish seriously.

There, now they can flame me...