Saragosa

[Snooker0215]

Okay guys, Quick question for all of you and i need your input. I am a pier regular at Juno pier and I was thinking about buying the saragosa 8000 to use on the bottom snook, the cobia, the mackeral, etc. Medium tackle for the other fish. I also need to know what rod i should get. I want atleast an 8ft with a nice backbone.. For the snook ovcourse. I would also use this reel for offshore aswell. P.S- I will also be using it for the small spanish and whatever else comes my way. Thanks

[Miamipescador]

Hey man, ive heard nothing but good things about the saragosa but i do think its overkill for small macs etc.

Have you ever tired the Spheros?
Im asking you because you can pick up a spheros 3000/4000 for lures/macks and an 8000 for snook for a little over the price of the saragosa.

I would definately go conventional for the snook there but if you decide to go spinner, the spheros has a beast drag and is very smooth.

I personally own a 5000 spheros with 30 pound braid and love that thing, its a workhorse, you can dunk it in saltwater and just with a little rinse its as good as new.

Sure the spheros wont be as smooth and maybe an ounce heavier than the saragosa, but the drag is as smooth and powerfull.

Just something to consider .

[Snooker0215]

Well for the snook i have an avet mxl that can easily take care of that. Paired up with an 8ft star delux 20-50. Ive heard good things about the spheros as well. But are you sure the 4000 model could tackle a large cobia and kingfish? let me know. And What are some rod suggestions?

[Miamipescador]

Id probably go for 6000 size for big cobia and kings, i thought you meant like for spanish macs, the 3k/4k size would be perfect.

As far as rods, you can get all the recommendations you want but its what feels right in your hands. Go to bass pro and play around with some rods in your price range.

[Snooker0215]

What bad things have you heard about the saragosa?

[Miamipescador]

What bad things have you heard about the saragosa?

none.
Ive tried it out in bass pro before and it seems solid, its definately smoother than the spheros.
But you can pretty much get 2 spheros for the price of 1 saragosa..

[Snooker0215]

True statement. But heres a question for you. Will the spheros be able to handle the bigger fish? Because i will be using it for offshore aswell. Thats why, even though it may cost a little more money , a saragosa would be the best choice for me when i go jigging and stuff. if otherwise please tell me more .

[Miamipescador]

If youre going to go jigging the saragosa would probably be better it has a better quality frame that wont bend under pressure and its smoother.

Although i know a few guys on FS that use spheros 8000 with carbontex drag washers and get upwards of 40 pounds and they nail big ajs like theirs no tommorow.

[Snooker0215]

That would be fun wouldnt it? The things i like about the saragosa are that it has the big handle and i have really big hands so it would be hard for me to reel that little handle on the spheros. I could always change the handle but thats a pain. I also like how smooth the reel is and the drag. I can also cast farther with it than any other spinning reel ive used. Heres a dumb easy question for you aswell. What reel do you suggest for catching just the spanish mackeral. I mean im a tackle guy. I always want the best of the best. I could always go to walmart any buy a 15 dollar rod for that buy who cares. Maybe ill buy a spheros 3k for the macks.

[Miamipescador]

Stradic 2500/3000 simply the best

Some people say sustain but its like 100 bucks more and IMO not worth it.
Ive tried both in my hands and cant tell the difference.

I have my stradic 2500 spooled with 150 yards of 10 pound orange suffix braid with some mono backing.
A great rod for this would be St.Croix Avid or the shimano Crucial.

I have the crucial 7'2" 6-15 lb rating rod. I can cast 2 days straight with this setup without my arms hurting. You wana talk about lightweight, this is as light as it gets lol. Definitely my favorite fishing setup out of everything i have.

Get the 300 size if you can, i got the 2500 because i was mainly going to be doing mangrove snapper and some trout fishing in the bay. You never know when a king or bonie might hit while your getting macs, the 3000 gets you like 100 more yards of 10 pound braid capacity.

[killula]

I have a friend that went threw two saragosa 8k, he said unless you buy the bigger ones it ain't worth the money.

[bolo]

Id probably go for 6000 size for big cobia and kings, i thought you meant like for spanish macs, the 3k/4k size would be perfect.

As far as rods, you can get all the recommendations you want but its what feels right in your hands. Go to bass pro and play around with some rods in your price range.

6000 series is a bit small for big Kngs at Juno. Go with the 8000 series for more line capacity. Juno has some big Smokers and they can empty your spool in a blink of an eye. As for Big Snook during the Summer that will be tough. You will probably be under gun. I would go heavy mono or go conventional. This way you don't stress out the females during a long fight on light tackle.

I have the Saragosa 8k for 2 years. No failures at all. Use it for jigging for AJs, Grouper, and live bait Kingfish, Tarpon, and Snook. Just like any fishing gear you have to match it to the size of spices you are targeting for.

[Snooker0215]

I have an avet mxl for the snook . I think im leaning towards the saragosa 8k for the kings.

[Snooker0215]

Well i realy dont know what to do guys. I want the saragosa but i would be doing more pier fishing with it than i would with offshore. And IMO its a little too heavy tackle for catching cobia, I dont know i need someone to come explain.

[bolo]

Well i realy dont know what to do guys. I want the saragosa but i would be doing more pier fishing with it than i would with offshore. And IMO its a little too heavy tackle for catching cobia, I dont know i need someone to come explain.

Why do you think a 8000 reel is consider heavy tackle? If you are Cobia fishing of the pier with a spinner you are most likely sight cast for them. That means you are not constant blind casting like you do for Macs. Any 8000 series is perfect size reel for medium to large fish from the pier, bridge, or boat. If you feel it is too heavy then go buy a 6000. All the experience people I know who fish for Snook, Cobia, and Kingfish at Juno do not carry a 6000 series reel.

[Miamipescador]

Yea Bolo is spot on as usual.

8000 size for sightcasting cobia would definately be better. I dont know how your physique is, but if your a small guy the 8000 can get heavy but you have to get used to it. The 6000 might get the job done, but for those fish that only come around so often you want your best catches at catchign them, id go with the 8000 for extra line capacity and extra drag.

Pretty sure the reel comes with 2 spools, spool one up with mono for the kings and braid for the cobes, as you will need all the casting distance you can get.

[bolo]

You need to keep in mind that you are not the only one who sight cast for them. So you need to be able to cast far out with your 2-3oz jig before others are able to get a shot. If the Cobia or Kings are that close to the pier, every angler will be casting to them and you will lose your chance. Also, with you casting our far and hooking up the extra line capacity will come to play. Another thing the bigger reel will allow you to apply more pressure.
This why most people at Juno use Van Staal. Great light weight casting reel with high capacity spool and excellent drag.

[Miamipescador]

Yea most people have a van staal on an 8-9 foot rod with a cobia jig on it just sitting on the side.
Waste of the reel if you ask me since there are many days where cobia dont come through, but hey they must know what their doing.

[Snooker0215]

Alright here's what im going to do. Ill buy a spheros 3k on a stellar lite. And ill buy a saragosa 8k on ..... I have no idea. Rod suggestions.

[PhishingPhanatic]

Alright here's what im going to do. Ill buy a spheros 3k on a stellar lite. And ill buy a saragosa 8k on ..... I have no idea. Rod suggestions.

Most of the serious cobia guys use 8-9 ft custom rods for pitching cobe jigs. If a custom is out of your budget, think about the Offshore Angler (Bass Pro Brand) cobia rods..I have heard decent things about them, and they are priced well.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... tname_link

[Snooker0215]

Thanks man , looks good , should balance out nicely with the 8k ill hold in when i go to bps. Thanks man and what do you think about the spheros 4k on a stellar lite for the small fish?

[PhishingPhanatic]

For macs, pompano and other smaller fish I like a smaller reel then a 4k. I have a Sustain 3K that I love for throwing jigs and gotchas for macs, etc.

[Snooker0215]

Sounds like a nice setup you got there. But way out of my price range for a sustain

[Boatless Cuban]

They have a saragosa 3k and 4k at dicks in Pembroke Pines. I think its around the same price as a stradic.

[Miamipescador]

Stradic 3000 is 9.5 oz and is at 159.99 at BPS
Saragosa 3000 is 12.7 oz and is 189.99 not available at BPS through online.

So the difference is that the stradic is made as an inshore reel and the saragosa is more rugged therefore adding extra weight which you dont need. The saragosa has more drag at around 20 pounds i believe while the stradic has 15 pounds.

But either way you are most likely going to be fishing 10 pound braid and you will probably never put 10 pounds of drag on a fish.

Id go with the stradic for being over 3 ounces lighter.

[Snooker0215]

Got the first setup on lock guys. Lets try to keep the 2nd setup as least costly as possible.

[crashmister]

I went with the Sustain 6000. I love it! The spare spool is a great extra as well. Not sure if the Saragosa or the Stradic come's with one. About the same price as the Stradic.

[Snooker0215]

Well the spheros is really all i need for the small stuff right. And only costs a fraction of what the ones your naming is. I can also get another spool homehow for it.

[crashmister]

Well the spheros is really all i need for the small stuff right. And only costs a fraction of what the ones your naming is. I can also get another spool homehow for it.

If that's what you want it's a popular reel. Must have something going for it. I considered it but went with the Cabo 20 by Quantum. Yeah it's more money, but I watched FF73 land a 4' bull shark with one at Juno beach and kept right on fishing with it. That was a little over a year ago and he's still using it no problems. My kind of reel, Buy it and beat it. Rob 762 has like 4 of em. Gotta admit I see a lot of Spheros on the pier. All sizes.

[Miamipescador]

Spheros is bulletproof, i think that for the price you cant get a better reel.
Sure the penn SS are awesome but are nowhere near as smooth or have the drag that a spheros has, not to mention the weight.