Stella vs Saltiga

[fishr1989]

I am currently in the market for a spinning reel to jig for tuna and to livebait for sharks (Makos, Blues, Threshers) off the Rhode Island and Massachusetts coast.

I am torn between the Saltiga Z 6500 Expedition and the Stella 20000. I normally fish all Shimano, but am looking to possibly expand my reel selection to include other brands/or getting a reel like the Stella and then upgrading later. I will be filling the reel with 80lb Power Pro or 80lb Jerry Brown.

I am not worried about having enough line, as either will hold more than enough for my needs. I would also be interested to hear what rods you would recommend to pair with the reel.

Tuna Jigs: 200-400
Sharking: 450lb mono shock leader/topshot, 300lb single strand wire

[SpecialK]

Originally Posted by fishr1989

I

also, the accurate only pulls 44lb of drag while the stella and saltiga both pull over 50.

It takes a big ole boy to handles more than 40 lb of drag for any amount of time...

[fishr1989]

I'm 5' 6" 170 and fished 40lbs to catch a 250lb Blue Shark in under 15 minutes last summer.

You aren't kidding about the strain it puts on you, even for a short period of time, but it's worth it to get the fish to the boat and released as quickly as possible.

that day I caught and released 7 blues, and the total # of releases for the boat was 13. There were sharks EVERYWHERE!!, we even managed to land on on 30lb with a spheros 8000. now that is a hell of a fight!

[Ragman]

I've fished with the 3 spinners you mention and own the Stella. Nothing against the other 2 brands, as they are top quality gear, but the Stella just has a smoothness about it. Kind of like how a BMW feels on the road.

I've owned the Tib too, and the auto 2-speed is really nice. I don't know if you'll get the drag you want though.

OTI will have a butt-joint 80# spinning rod in stock in about 3 weeks and, if you go spinning reel, it would IMO perfectly match up to any of those spinning reels.

Since we haven't signed on any NE dealers yet (we're trying!), you can check it out at 360Tackle

[fishr1989]

Originally Posted by Ragman

I've fished with the 3 spinners you mention and own the Stella. Nothing against the other 2 brands, as they are top quality gear, but the Stella just has a smoothness about it. Kind of like how a BMW feels on the road.

I've owned the Tib too, and the auto 2-speed is really nice. I don't know if you'll get the drag you want though.

OTI will have a butt-joint 80# spinning rod in stock in about 3 weeks and, if you go spinning reel, it would IMO perfectly match up to any of those spinning reels.

Since we haven't signed on any NE dealers yet (we're trying!), you can check it out at 360Tackle

I am planning on ordering the blank for the 7.5' 80lb, but will try and wait till the rod itself comes out. I'm really excited for it's release, and may have a custom wrapped on the blank.

I agree that the tiburon is nice, but to me the auto part of the reel seems like one more thing to break. The stella is definitely my dream reel, but, in the meantime, if I can get the Saltiga for less, I may fish it and put the carbontex washers in. I'm definetly interested in the OTI, as well as the possibility of a custom.

I have a Shimano t-curve in the mail currently, I can't wait to see how it fishes, even though the lure rating seems a bit light for the rod.

Bluewater Spin 15/24kg
7'6"
2pc butt joint
15-24kg
40-100g

[Gunsmoke]

Originally Posted by Ragman

I've fished with the 3 spinners you mention and own the Stella. Nothing against the other 2 brands, as they are top quality gear, but the Stella just has a smoothness about it. Kind of like how a BMW feels on the road.

I've owned BMW's and Jaguar's. Always buy two. That way you can drive one while the other one is in the shop!!!!!!!!

As far as spinners, the stump puller of the three mentioned is the Accurate. It's not as smooth as the Stella, but it's built like a brick chit house. Pull out a micrometer and measure the thickness of the spools and other exterior parts. I would say 30% stronger than the others. If Accurate ever gets the twinspin series as smooth as Shimano does with Stella series, it would be a no brainer to buy one. The Saltiga is also a premium spinning reel. It's the only Dawia I own. The rest of their stuff is marginal.

[fishr1989]

Originally Posted by Gunsmoke

I've owned BMW's and Jaguar's. Always buy two. That way you can drive one while the other one is in the shop!!!!!!!!

As far as spinners, the stump puller of the three mentioned is the Accurate. It's not as smooth as the Stella, but it's built like a brick chit house. Pull out a micrometer and measure the thickness of the spools and other exterior parts. I would say 30% stronger than the others. If Accurate ever gets the twinspin series as smooth as Shimano does with Stella series, it would be a no brainer to buy one. The Saltiga is also a premium spinning reel. It's the only Dawia I own. The rest of their stuff is marginal.

I could tell when I picked up the Accurate how well built it was, but, as funny as it sounds, what's putting me off slightly is how shiny the reel is, there's a bit to much silver there for my liking. On the other hand, if they made it in BLACK, I would be much more willing to buy one.

Have you had any problems with your Saltiga since you bought it, and is it a manual or automatic bait trip?

[thenewkid]

Hey tom dont hink ive given up im still working on signing a dealer up here for you guys but its hard because i have no product to show them and very limited info about the products if you could send me a dvd or product catalog that would make thigs easier

[fishr1989]

how would the cabo 80 compare to the stella or the saltiga, both in terms of line capacity and drag pressure?

[hatidua]

If you plan on putting as much drag on the reel as you indicate, I'd recommend surfing around a bit to various other forums where there are more than a couple of photos of Saltiga reel stems snapping under load. I've not heard of that happening with either the Accurate or Stella.

I bought six new spinning reels last year and had the same choices in front of me that are discussed here. I made my bet and bought all the same brand, here's four of them:

[fishr1989]

what rods are you fishing those stellas o in the picture?