Bull Red Pics and Summary (Cameron Jetties)

[breambuster]

Not to get off topic, but what made you choose the symetres? And why not go with a 4000?

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by breambuster

Not to get off topic, but what made you choose the symetres? And why not go with a 4000?

When I bought the set of eight reels two years ago, I was thinking general inshore use and occasional bull reds, so I paired them up with 7 and 8 ft ugly sticks and 30 lb power pro. But my kids kinda fell in love with catching the big fish, and we sorta got good at it. So we've respooled 5 of the reels with 50 lb power pro. If I had it to do over I would go with the Symetre 4000 for the extra line capacity (140 yards of 50 lb pp instead of 110-120 yards.)

I chose the Symetre because the guys on the board here recommended it highly as a tough durable reel for general purpose boat rods. The Penn Battle was strongly considered instead, but some recent reviews indicated some quality issues with Penn Battles of recent vintage. When you're buying eight reels to put on your boat rods, you want them to last without a bunch of repairs. The Symetres have been up to the task for the first two seasons. If they continue to handle the big fish for two or three more seasons I expect to replace them with Symetre 4000s when the time comes unless my children have shifted their likes to smaller fish.

But the children are talking about sharks and mackerel and snapper and grouper and stuff of that sort rather than the finesse inshore game chasing specks, smaller redfish and flounder.

[MathGeek]

I thought I would repost a map of our favorite bull redfish spots at the Cameron jetties. 3 has been the hottest spot recently. 1 has done really well when we can't get through the cut. 2 is good on an incoming tide. 5 can be awesome, but it is less protected and has a lot of snags and you'll catch more black drum.

[breambuster]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

When I bought the set of eight reels two years ago, I was thinking general inshore use and occasional bull reds, so I paired them up with 7 and 8 ft ugly sticks and 30 lb power pro. But my kids kinda fell in love with catching the big fish, and we sorta got good at it. So we've respooled 5 of the reels with 50 lb power pro. If I had it to do over I would go with the Symetre 4000 for the extra line capacity (140 yards of 50 lb pp instead of 110-120 yards.)

I chose the Symetre because the guys on the board here recommended it highly as a tough durable reel for general purpose boat rods. The Penn Battle was strongly considered instead, but some recent reviews indicated some quality issues with Penn Battles of recent vintage. When you're buying eight reels to put on your boat rods, you want them to last without a bunch of repairs. The Symetres have been up to the task for the first two seasons. If they continue to handle the big fish for two or three more seasons I expect to replace them with Symetre 4000s when the time comes unless my children have shifted their likes to smaller fish.

But the children are talking about sharks and mackerel and snapper and grouper and stuff of that sort rather than the finesse inshore game chasing specks, smaller redfish and flounder.

ah gotcha. I thought you had bought them intentionally for bull reds, which is why I was asking about the 3000 instead of the 4000. I have two 2000 spinning reels with 20lb power pro and I can throw them all day. I was also looking into the penn battle but have heard mixed reviews. and the fierce doesn't seem to be very smooth. I tried about 4 at academy and they all felt the same.