by Mark Lozier, July 2016
Casting and retrieving lures all day long is my favorite way to fish. But without the proper spinning reel, it can become fatiguing. That is no longer a problem with the new Clash spinning reel from Penn Fishing Products. The lightest spinning reel Penn has made was designed with the artificial lure user in mind. With enough size ranges to satisfy everyone from the sea trout angler to the mighty silver king tarpon chasers.
The reels are broken down into basically two categories, the 2000-5000 inshore class reels are constructed with a Rigid Resin rotor which equals high strength with a super light weight feel. The two bigger brothers are the 6000 and 8000 sizes these two come with aluminum rotors but weren’t necessarily designed to be casting all day reels, these are your big fish head turning reels.
One of the biggest advancements of this reel is the gear system, which Penn is branding as CNC Gear Technology. What does that mean to you? Traditionally gears are casted or poured which is not as strong or evenly constructed as machining. The 2000-5000 models feature CNC machined aluminum gears and the larger 6000-8000 has the same CNC machining but with brass gears. Both have machined brass pinion gears. All equaling smooth cranking pressure through out the fight.
Some other key qualities of the Clash reels are the HT-100 Drag System which is sealed from both the top and the bottom. Offering 10-20lbs. of drag for the inshore models and 25-30lbs on the larger reels. Also all reels come with 8 sealed ball bearings keeping out corrosive saltwater, which is usually death for any reel. Braid ready spools along with line capacity rings on the spool for easy filling and capacity left indication. Along with a rotor brake handle and lightweight aluminum bail these reels are read for all day fishing.
If all of these key features are not enough for you to lighten your spinning reel weight go put one in your hand and feel the difference for yourself.
’Til Next Tide