I am new to fishing in the NW and am in the
process of getting my Mooching tackle.
I have a GL STR1025C rod, and am looking for a reel for it. I have heard the best Mooching
reel is the Shimano Bantam 1000, but also
heard that Shimano Calcutta 250 is as good
for Mooching but can also be used for river
fishing. I am thinking of using this set up
with 2 to 4 oz banana weights and plug cut
herring in the sounds. Any info would be
appreciated.

Thank you

If you want a reel that will double for river fishing, yet meets needs for the sound, I would go with the Ambassador 6500. It has sufficient line capacity for the sound (a lot more than the Calcutta) and is much more durable in saltwater. It's not as smooth as the Calcutta, but this is the sacrifice of having a larger spool. It'll throw a 3/8ths oz without too much difficulty and anything larger with no problem.

Try the penn mag 10. I've never had a problem with it and it only costs about 50.oo. That should leave you enough to buy a baitcaster for your river fishing. The direct drive feature on the mag 10 really comes in handy while mooching. Good luck with the reel and the fish.

I've got a Penn 210 reel.. quite nice saltwater reel, However, if you get the Ambassadeur 6500 series reel, get an Ultra-Cast model... They run around $130-$150, and cast VERY smooth.. Quite the sharp looking reel too!

Tom

If you are going to really get into single action reels & mooching then go with Shimano reel and mooching rod, but you really need a level wind for the river and the mooching rod will probably have too soft of a tip for the river. Using the same rod for the river and saltwater is difficult. Make yourself feel good about fishing and get one of each, the best that you can afford and you will get many years of service out of them. It's a lot of money but then again, you only live once.

I do alot of mooching out here in the sound and I suggest you get a reel that has direct drive that you can either turn on and off or full-time direct drive. It is a thrill to master the use of your thumb to control the fish instead of the standard drag. You can also opt for the direct drive Wynona reels or the Canadian style mooching reels. I would not suggest using a Wynona as a novice though, it is hard on your fore-arm and takes some mastering, they are fun though and a true one to one from you and the fish.
My favorite is my old Daiwa PMA 35, which they no longer make of course, but Shimano does make a few with the direct drive switch. And there is always the old stand-by penn grinders. I personally do not like the Penn 10, because it is heavy and if you mooch all day, you want a lighter reel to match that Loomis or Lamiglas rod.
If you were to were to visit my garage you would find all kinds of reels, Shimano, Daiwa, Penn, Quantums, Ambassadors, etc. I have tried almost all, and even have discovered that some that are advertized as salt or fresh water, have some parts that internally actually start to rust.....Bummer!
Hope this helps.

------------------
Steve Ng....The FishNg1
99 F-350 4x4 SD, 18ft Alumaweld Formula Vee Sled, 115 Yamaha.

STR1025 is a very nice rod, but it might be a little light for mooching with weights over two oz. I personaly use the HSR 1021 for mooching with weights up to four oz.and also find this rod to work very well in big river and heavy water applications for steelhead and salmon. As far as reels, I find the Penn International 965 to be a great crossover reel. The stainless steel gears and anodized aluminun frame handles the saltwater well, and it casts light weights well in river use. It also sports an amazing drag. Its A little expensive[$185] but well worth it. Have fun out there.

[This message has been edited by sebastian (edited 11-13-1999).]

Calcutta 250 is to small for a mooching reel. Not enough line capacity. I have the bantam 1000p and use it for my steelhead reel. I have also used it for mooching and it preforms nicely. The most common mooching reel is the penn 109, but is not practical for river fishing.

Thanks for all the comments, I went out Sunady morning at about 6 am off of Alki, we went to Allen Bank, just southeast of Blake island. We trolled and mooched for a while (6hrs) caught and released a couple of shakers. It started with a beautifull sunrise and ended with a pretty nasty fog on the way back. I used my rod with his Calcutta 250. Its really smooth. My rod is too light for a 4 oz banana weight, but its sensetivity for bites is amazing when the baits on its way down (with 3 oz or lighter weights). Washing and oiling the reel afterwards was a pain, I might just have to get two reels.

I have been fishing the sound for 30 years I use one rell only for the sound all that time PEEN 109

The nicest thing about the PENN's is that they rarely need care. I too have fished salmon and steelhead here for 30 years. I rinse my Penn's off with the hose and that's it. Oil them maybe once a year if that. They all still work fine. Right now I mooch with the Penn 9, if I remember right, the left handed version of the Penn 10. Has a fast retrieve and all around a very smooth reel.

My apologies..I do use the PENN 10 (right handed) I guess I have too many reels.

Take it back or I will have to sell some reels. You can never have to many reels!!!!!