1xdramakilla if there was any consistency to the cobia run the last few years I would've made the trip. It just hasn't been good enough for me to make a 9hr drive lol
My comparison is the same I use for any product of high quality. If you spend $20 on a zippo lighter vs $1 on a Bic. You throw the bic away when its empty. You use the Zippo forever, maintain it and change the wick and flints. It lights in wind and lasts forever. I'm of the opinion to spend the money. Not only will it last forever, but the feel, fit, finish etc. are of the best. My next purchase is a VR150 or 175 Gen 2. I service fishing reels for a living at Reel Quality SRQ. I've had them all open. I prefer the better to best rather than entry level product based on opening up hundreds of reels and seeing how they are made. Sure a $20 Walmart reel will work but will it work and not break when you have that catch of a lifetime on the other end of the line? Again, My opinion only.
I live in NE do not try a bail less reel with a full spool of braid in howling wind at night,when large striped bass are going berserk.Others may disagree, let them find out on their own.
JunoRyan Sorry if I sounded gruff,but others here at home use bail-less reels thinking it makes them a 'pro',under ideal conditions, fine,however ,seldom are conditions ideal such as at night in a maelstrom.Easier to slap down a bail than go prowling with a digit.A bail that stays up when casting and stays down when reeling is what you want ,especially with numb fingers. Excellent review,keep up the good work.
Steve Ganas You're fine! I have thicker skin than that lol. I'm also always willing to learn more. I have noticed fishing plugs into a strong wind is a pain in the ass, so that definitely makes sense!
I have 2 Van Staals a 200, and 250 it is a INVESTMENT. It depends on your style of fishing. Any fish in the northeast or pacific coast of gulf of Texas I would recommend one. If your catfishing on a lake I wouldn’t. But you left out 2 important things! Drag pressure on the van Staals are high. They put out at near 30lbs of drag pressure which is why tuna fisherman use them. I’m not sure why your VS has issues but it shouldn’t be sticky my Van Staal drags are not. The other thing was you mentioned. The reason why they don’t move like a shimano is due to the seals which are thick and have to be broken in. But again there not shimano smooth. Overall if you want durability and power and a lifelong reel! Van Staal is it! If you want a super smooth reel that you don’t mind getting serviced or taking care of there are better 200 dollar penn and shimano options out there. Just my feelings! But drag pressure on the Van Staals is a major pro which is another reason why Northeast Fisherman use it.
Yah I’ve been using Stradics forever and they haven’t failed me. I was thinking about a Van Stahl but I can get two for the price of one. I fish the NE but I draw the line at fishing in a wetsuit. I’m also not concerned with line capacity. I keep my shimano reels full up with braid and a little mono and I might not be Gadabout Gaddis but if a fish spoils me of 250 yards of 40 braid I would be honored!
Your right, for the Noreast or any type of rough water or chance of reel submersion. The reason (& u probably know this) is the shaft seals that keep the water & sand out create a resistance on the shafts. I own a brand new original VS200 sitting on a lammy 2 piece Ron Ara pro 11',1-3 oz rod. Purchased a few years ago & hurt my back. Haven't been fishing since. I might casting my smaller St Croix rod to loosen up first. If all goes good after I get my casting muscles in shape. If not, someone will get a bargain on a great combo. Out on LI,NY, they (mostly younger men) swim out to the rocks & some just swim out to no rocks with wet suits & fins to fish for the Stripes.
I have 3 ssv's and haven't looked back. I would be afraid to leave my truck with 3 600$ reels sitting in the bed. Same with the overpriced coolers. Bad enough I have 1k$ plus in there already.
As a northeast fisherman, van staals are a massive advantage for surf fishing and kayak fishing. It has such a solid feel from the surf and there is nothing to break or worry about breaking. Although I use a shimano Stradic and a penn spinfisher, which get the job done, van staals are such a massive advantage to getting to spots and staying on spots
I found a penn battle 2 rod amd reel combo that was under long island salt water for probably a year or so the rod was broken and had barnacles and muscles growing on it I took to reel and serviced it and cleaned it all out and lubricated everything and I'm still using it today.
This is a good video. Solid explanation on the pros and cons of a VS. I had wanted one for 2 years and saved up to get 2 of them. VS150 & VS200 purchased a few days ago. The manual pickup is awesome. I can get pinpoint accuracy and super soft lure landing once I learned control. However, just last night I was fishing a popular bridge in SE FL when the 150 completely seized up. Doesn't move at all. The spool and pinion had separated from the reel and if I had not been looking down when it happened the whole assembly would have gone for a swim. Today it was shipped to Saltwaters Tackle in NY. Looking forward to what they have to say and I'll keep you posted. I work in the industry and understand that there are defectives and failiures for no apparent reason sometimes. It's just bad luck. Hopefully Van Staal will approve of the warranty work as I can't imagine a $700 reel owned for 5 days, and fished with 5 times, wouldn't be covered with a failure like this. I absolutely love the reels! I just hope this insn't a sign of things to come since I know many people with these reels old and new and never had this issue.
Thanks for the vid. You talked me out of it. I've been striper fishing for 48 years. I own lots of Shimano Stradics and Sustains. I've landed tens of thousands of stripers and a few hundred between 30# and 53# all on plugs and plastics with no problems. The ONLY issue is I tend to get my reels wet. SO, I thought I'd break down and get a VS. After watching this video, I'm thinking it's overkill and more importantly, SMOOTH cranking and SMOOTH drag are EXTREMELY important because I'm trying to present lures with a smooth cadence in a river and I'm battling big stripers in often fast river current with relatively light tackle so I can't have a herky-jerky drag. Anyway, thanks again for sparing me a lot of disappointment...
There's a difference between need and want. Where I fish in the northeast you need a van staal Like you said getting pounded by waves knocked over and such. I couldn't do without mine love it and would never go back. Took me urs to save up to get it but I'll never go back
I've always been a dawia fan. I would prefer to have a saltiga mainly cause i know they work. on what you said at the end, I can agree on that. I've out fished people that have Van Staal, ZeeBaaS, Stella's, and Even Saltiga's and all I main use is a Gosa 6k
great info on these +JunoRyan. I fish in the surf/beach casting mostly and been looking at VS for a while. but the more info I get, the more I realize its not for me. the fact that you cant have them easily serviced and they only come in left hand reel is a downer. and now you mention about the sticky'ish drag. thanks for sharing...
Love this video. Reel guy review👊! Price point.... this reel is up there with the Stella's and Saltiga's. I mean, if Staals were made in Japan, they would be $1200 easy. It's really a preference when buying a luxury reel. It's worth it for the enjoyment of fishing.
Happiest two days were when I bought one and then 3 months later sold it for a profit. I don't know what anyone sees in these reels. If you have big hands they feel like crap. You have to spend 75 bucks more to get a power knob. The manual pickup sucks, I owned a 706z back in the day and the pickup was much easier to use. I now own two Penn Slammer 3s and a 8k stella and couldn't be more happy.
Most guys don’t need one and would prefer a lighter and smaller reel. Seals equal less smooth. They’ve got poor line pickup, poor line lay and therefor uneven drag, they’re heavy, expensive, they’re a bitch to take apart, list goes on. I still fish one every day. Why? It works. I’m on the jetty or in the suds on rocks every morning, I probably put 150 days on min last year. My cheaper reels don’t hold up. You can pull a truck out of a ditch. They hold a ton of line and cast well. Best line roller I’ve ever used, simple and effective with no knots. If you’re on a boat, not getting your reel wet, need a lot of pickup or a lot of drag, get a different reel. If you want to fish every day in the surf you should think about a staal. Mine is worth about 100 more than I paid for it. Service is 50 bucks plus parts and shipping and I do it annually.
I kayak and beach fish. I beat reels up. I bought a Spheros 4000XG SW for like $140 and I bought a 4000 saltwater Seaknight reel for $35 on Amazon at the same time. The seaknight out lasted the spheros by a mile. My spheros rusted in 2 different spots and the drag clicker broke all in 2 years. It was light and nice n all but...that seaknight boy. Love it. Bought 2 more and if they went bigger than 6000 I'd buy those too. Highly recommend if u want just a punching bag/workhorse of a reel. I disrespected that thing and it's still smooth as ever.
No doubt they are great reels. BUT, unless you plan to push that thing to the limit, don't buy one. Like Ryan said, you don't need a $700+ reel to catch a snook (which is what most guys buy them for down here). Good vid Ryan, keep up the good work 👍. A question some may ask is how the x models compare/contrast to the older VS.. have they resolved some of the cons you mentioned such as the drag, line lay, and smoothness?
Jon W I've only played with a couple reels from the VSX series so I can't make an accurate review without fishing them hard for a year or two. But they definitely fixed the line lay problem, and they do appear to have a wider range of drag settings. Those are the only observations I've made. Really they feel like the exact same reel otherwise
Hi I have questions about fishing reels?? For North East (Cape cod canal) , what reel u prefer...drag,light and good cast. Plzz tell me. I like ur show.
When I crank my van staal and it's smooth, It worries me and I automatically think that there is something wrong with one or some of its seals. With your comment saying that it's not as smooth as other reels, there's a reason for it. It's because of the seals doing their job
They are good reels. I've owned one. But I'm really impressed with the new Penn Slammer III too. If you fish as you said in very wet conditions then maybe yes. But I don't fish in conditions where I have to reel underwater. I've dunked my slammers a few times and they didn't get wet internally. And I wouldn't dare turn the crank underwater as u can with the VS. Slammer vs Stella, I honestly like the slammer better. If nothing else the line capacity. I see no advantage of a Stella verse a Slammer. Again, my humble opinion. Good review thx. And yes always manually close the bail especially with braid.
I'm literally having a discussion about this with a guy on my surf fishing group I'm asking what is the benefit of a VS over any quality reel they both do the same thing I wouldn't reel underwater no matter what the company says splashing is one thing but not under water and I fish the north east on Long Island
Im the biggest klutz there is, I’ve literally dropped 7 reels. Sand and all , somehow i broke a rod as well. Ive probably paid hundreds in repair. BUT when i fish, i get good big ol fish. What do you think ? Should i pony up n get it?
question: in the vid when you were landing that fish from a pier, was that rope rigged with a gaff or a loop? either way, you may want to consider putting a snap link (caribiner or a dog leash type snap) at the gaff or loop, then snap to your line when you get the fish to the pier below you...then just lower the rope and it will lead itself right to the end of the line and you'll be able to snare or gaff the fish quickly. My uncle taught me that way long time ago and I've hauled up fish 30-40 feet up rocks off the San Francisco oceanside. Works great off piers too. Just a suggestion. oh and luv my VS150.
That's what I thought...do you have a snap ring at the gaff? If so, then you're already set up...but if not, consider an easy snap ring or carabiner where the rope connects to the gaff. then when you have a fish at the pier, the snap ring hooks to your main line... you can then just lower the gaff and rope with one hand and by bein' snapped to the main line, it will lower directly to the fish and when the gaff reaches the fish, it makes it easy to gaff and the fish is rarely lost this way. Just my suggestion. If you already got it down your way, I get ya.
Sounds like your trying to prove in the beginning that the Van Stall is better than a Stella. Which the points you made are true but the Stella beats it in pretty much everything else. Just my opinion. Good video.
Seen a Stella reel seat shredded from a big fish. I've never had issues with any Penn slammer 3, and have caught 200lb yellowfin tuna on my 7500. If I do upgrade it's gonna be to a dogfight
(Not Henry/ Henry's Dad) using his computer) I grew up fishing Navarre and Pensacola Beach Pier in the 70's. I was only in middle but it was very competitive. At that time all the good fishermen used Penn706 or Mitchell 302 with Manual. The Van Stall is a logical progression and I'm sure many of the good fishermen there now use them... indeed they are cool well made reel. Your Cobia at the gaff brought back many memories, I once caught a 48 lb Cobia on a jig from the Pensacola Beach Pier on my Mitchel 302 with 17 lb lest, on a custom 8'6" gold lamiglass I wrapped myself...got the blank at Wrights tackle shop. However, Penn still makes two Spinfisher models with a manual. I have used those to catch hundreds of small yellowfin tuna on the west coast (where spinning reels are despised) and surf fishing in mexico and costa rica. Your video was useful and honest, Well done. I'd own one if i lived inN florida.....or move . to mexico one day. For now my Penns and shimanno's suffice.
i have quit a number of reels several bailes ,one is a silstar ET 80 and it is over 40 may be over 50 yrs old made in aluminum body ,and it served me since day one until now nevr failed me and it has seen realy ruff conditions ,ya wanna know the joke ,it costed in tody prices les than 75$ so one can buy 10 silstars for the price of one van staal and they will perform just as wel
Hey there, very informative video, tanks. I surf fish in central and southern Baja exclusively; some of the toughest conditions anyone can imagine. Salt, sand, and crazy winds (up to 40 knots in spring time are very common). My reels are Penn Spinfisher V's, in a few different sizes, but they can't last more than one or two trips usually. Being on the west coast, we never see VS reels, but I'm seriously thinking of buying a VSB200 for my 11" Lamiglas surf casting rod. I usually cast 1oz to 2 oz lures at most. VS150 vs the VS200? Also, because of the crazy winds, I think I want a bail, but my surf buddies call me a total kook for wanting the bail. Any advice is much appreciated.
stealing my line" I know little bit about a little bit" lol. one thing I knave noticed about fishing gear over the years is some people don't care about the performance or what they want they just buy it to say they have it cause everyone else has it. I fishing tsunami classic 3000 inshore shit they were 30 bucks and I have stop big jacks and shook with them. people don't need a lot of money to catch quality fish.
PENN SLAMMER FOR ME !!!! I own 2 slammers a 5500 And a 3500 also I own a spinfisher vi with a slammer handle and I own a penn fierce 2 liveliner with a gomexus matching handle LOVE PENN !!!!!!! Super tough USA made and smooth super tough drag
Oh ok I was wondering about that and even contacted Van Staal. I bought a x series vs 100 and out of the box the resistance when reeling scared me. Thought a bearing was bad right away.
Best reels on Earth, a necessity if youre fishing the northeast surf. Its amusing to go down to montauk to see 80% of guys fishing these and old school lamis.
Great video and great info!...Funny you should say you don`t need a $700 to catch a Snook. lol.....It`s a common mistake but I think the majority of people overspend on equiptment they don`t really need.
yo us ny fishermen get indawater to fish we dunk our reels van staal is the truth idk what u r talking about juno these reels take a beating we fish the hot weather which is rare but we fish the cold weather which is more often van staal is the real deal out here not to many other brands compare they were made for abuse
Penn Slammer 3 is the best all around reel. I have 2 Torques and Daiwa Exist. It’s night and day in types of fishing. Torques and pull anything out of your mothers snatch while the Daiwa’s can pull any Bass and crappie. VS, is cosmetically gorgeous but not my flavor.
Van staals are good for montauk if you're gonna go rock hopping. But their drags are really poor and jerky. I'll take a saltiga or a saragosa. I striper fish every day for trophy river fish here in Tennessee. We got monsters here. I do miss montauk but way too many yahoo's now, especially in the fall. Don't even get a stella. They have a million little plastic parts. Saltiga way better. I mostly use my dogfight and saragosa...Daiwa has so many good reels now. Bg, bgmq. Saltist mq mavericks saltigas...
van staals are catching on in Florida? i use 3000 4000 size reels when im fishing in the south and i never get wet. up north where i live i need a vs cuz i get pounded by waves and my reel takes dunks all the time imo i wouldnt own a vs in the south
All shimano models have smaller spools so there always gonna hold less line then other company's but what u get out of shimanos is better drag numbers in my opion I also fly fish so I fish shimano for spinning I use reddington for flyfishing cause I just started but I'll tell u most saltwater fly reels are usually anywhere from 400 to 1000 dollars it has to do with the fact that most saltwater fly reels are sealed so there pricey I paid 100 on sale for my reddington behemoth now it's not sealed but had a guard around the drag to keep water out
there is no other way than comparing line capacity of reels with line diameter! The diameter of 50lbs line can differ from 0.28mm to 0.40 mm depending on the brand and price of the braid. If the breaking strengths that are written on these products is correct is then another story...
Zauni16 most reel company's actually use power pro which is made by shimano, and the probably the most popular braided line out... penn sometimes uses spider wire but will say it in the specs, diawa uses j braid which is made by diawa. The van staals dont give u line ratings on the spool like most newer reels but if u get a box with your reel it certainly will tell u exactly what millimeter and pound braid it is rated for🤙
van stall 700 dollars. my penn spinfisher 140 dollars. my penn will last at least 10 years. since it is one fifth the price. 5 times 10 equals 50 years for the same price of one van stall.
you ever use bait runner reels?? I have multiple shimano baitrunner reels that are 15 years old that I have never taken apart or broken and I fish stripers in.nh
KingWaterThose 10 solid reel, built well. They have a lot of Handle back play and the line roller is too small. Those combined leads to the line falling off the roller more than it should. They're decent for the price though. They used to be like 120 back in the day lol
Thanks for the feedback and your right the van staal is trending cause I would be on of those 16yr old kids with VS's but I realized that I'm not gonna be abusing any of my reels and I'm just gonna be sick fishing a pier fishing
Hey bud I am trying to figure out what van stall I just had obie build me a Thrasher 8104. It's 8'10 I was thinking of a VR150 or the VR200 what do you think and see you out on novar pier
@@Tofasttodrive Trust me, Nobody needs to jump on the ban wagon of Van Staals unless they desperately need it. I would recommend something from Penn such as their spinfisher or slammer 3. Don't be pressured to get it just because others have it.
Oh ya I get it I am a old boy here I don't get things because others have it I do have a Penn slammer lll 5500 I use on my king rod I am looking at the van as I do get my outfits wet and I am looking to keep this new rod as light as possible it's not a having the best toys I am looking for that going to be what's best for me for the long haul
@@Tofasttodrive I'm from the NE as it's almost a staple to see a Van Staal while fishing everywhere you go, heck I'm guilty of owning a couple but the fishing you guys have over there never really requires it. Shimano will serve you guys well as it has exceptional drag performance and will still keep your setup very light. A Twinpower or even a Stella will do you wonders. I would also look at the Daiwa's such as their Saltiga line of reels. I'm not tying to stop you from getting a Van Staal but with the fishing down there corrosion in your reel from not enough sealing is not a problem as it would just take a couple splashes which almost every Penn and Shimano would more than definitely take. You also need that smooth drag from fighting the Tarpons and snooks that run you for a long time. If you do end up going for a Van Staal I would recommend you look at the X series before you purchase the VR line of reels and maybe you could reconsider for A Staal that has slightly better drag but not great and a little smoother.
Damn u rather go for VS in Florida than Stella or saltiga (dogfight maybe)??? Because a lot of people in Florida would Choose these Japanese reel. I still can't believe you go VS. I own VR, pretty smooth reel even I dunk it couple time.
just don't see the point in them, that last point you made about bail flipping seems redundant as any skilled angler and whip a lure out and have the bail flipped back the second it hits the water, but hey it's all in preference, I've always wondered about these reals and this video helped me figure out about em, don't get me wrong if I had expendable cash to spend and test one out I would
Line brand, spooling method, tension, spool filling, as well as other factors all contribute to differences, Van Staals severely overestimate their own line capcity in my experience. In this video all I did was state what the companies claim their reels can hold. No hate on Stellas, I own a 14k myself.
What are y'alls opinions on these reels?
JunoRyan don't own one. But seems very pricey
JunoRyan best spinning reels ever
JunoRyan love em!. when ya coming back to Navarre
1xdramakilla if there was any consistency to the cobia run the last few years I would've made the trip. It just hasn't been good enough for me to make a 9hr drive lol
JunoRyan true we've only got a few so far
Fish don't care and I can't afford one. LOL. I am always scanning the ocean floor looking for one though.
Key West Kayak Fishing you never know what treasure you'll find down there!
Hey if your ever fishing jersey I dropped mine off the jetty fishing at night never to be seen again.
My comparison is the same I use for any product of high quality. If you spend $20 on a zippo lighter vs $1 on a Bic. You throw the bic away when its empty. You use the Zippo forever, maintain it and change the wick and flints. It lights in wind and lasts forever.
I'm of the opinion to spend the money. Not only will it last forever, but the feel, fit, finish etc. are of the best.
My next purchase is a VR150 or 175 Gen 2. I service fishing reels for a living at Reel Quality SRQ. I've had them all open. I prefer the better to best rather than entry level product based on opening up hundreds of reels and seeing how they are made. Sure a $20 Walmart reel will work but will it work and not break when you have that catch of a lifetime on the other end of the line?
Again, My opinion only.
I live in NE do not try a bail less reel with a full spool of braid in howling wind at night,when large striped bass are going berserk.Others may disagree, let them find out on their own.
Steve Ganas you know better than I do!
JunoRyan Sorry if I sounded gruff,but others here at home use bail-less reels thinking it makes them a 'pro',under ideal conditions, fine,however ,seldom are conditions ideal such as at night in a maelstrom.Easier to slap down a bail than go prowling with a digit.A bail that stays up when casting and stays down when reeling is what you want ,especially with numb fingers. Excellent review,keep up the good work.
Steve Ganas You're fine! I have thicker skin than that lol. I'm also always willing to learn more. I have noticed fishing plugs into a strong wind is a pain in the ass, so that definitely makes sense!
Steve G I
Could be a number of things but if your trying to throw light lures at night your not gonna do well depending on your experience.
I have 2 Van Staals a 200, and 250 it is a INVESTMENT. It depends on your style of fishing. Any fish in the northeast or pacific coast of gulf of Texas I would recommend one. If your catfishing on a lake I wouldn’t. But you left out 2 important things! Drag pressure on the van Staals are high. They put out at near 30lbs of drag pressure which is why tuna fisherman use them. I’m not sure why your VS has issues but it shouldn’t be sticky my Van Staal drags are not. The other thing was you mentioned. The reason why they don’t move like a shimano is due to the seals which are thick and have to be broken in. But again there not shimano smooth. Overall if you want durability and power and a lifelong reel! Van Staal is it! If you want a super smooth reel that you don’t mind getting serviced or taking care of there are better 200 dollar penn and shimano options out there. Just my feelings! But drag pressure on the Van Staals is a major pro which is another reason why Northeast Fisherman use it.
Yah I’ve been using Stradics forever and they haven’t failed me. I was thinking about a Van Stahl but I can get two for the price of one. I fish the NE but I draw the line at fishing in a wetsuit. I’m also not concerned with line capacity. I keep my shimano reels full up with braid and a little mono and I might not be Gadabout Gaddis but if a fish spoils me of 250 yards of 40 braid I would be honored!
To be fair the slow gear ratio is great for when you’re working plugs in the surf
Your right, for the Noreast or any type of rough water or chance of reel submersion. The reason (& u probably know this) is the shaft seals that keep the water & sand out create a resistance on the shafts. I own a brand new original VS200 sitting on a lammy 2 piece Ron Ara pro 11',1-3 oz rod. Purchased a few years ago & hurt my back. Haven't been fishing since. I might casting my smaller St Croix rod to loosen up first. If all goes good after I get my casting muscles in shape. If not, someone will get a bargain on a great combo. Out on LI,NY, they (mostly younger men) swim out to the rocks & some just swim out to no rocks with wet suits & fins to fish for the Stripes.
Amen to the van staal band wagon with south east Fl snook fishing, love my penn spinfishers
I have 3 ssv's and haven't looked back. I would be afraid to leave my truck with 3 600$ reels sitting in the bed. Same with the overpriced coolers. Bad enough I have 1k$ plus in there already.
But those VI tho. Spinfisher V and VI are awesome
thanks Adam Sandler, good info
justedbin HAHAHAHA
As a northeast fisherman, van staals are a massive advantage for surf fishing and kayak fishing. It has such a solid feel from the surf and there is nothing to break or worry about breaking. Although I use a shimano Stradic and a penn spinfisher, which get the job done, van staals are such a massive advantage to getting to spots and staying on spots
Marco P thanks for the insight!
Right with ya cap
I found a penn battle 2 rod amd reel combo that was under long island salt water for probably a year or so the rod was broken and had barnacles and muscles growing on it I took to reel and serviced it and cleaned it all out and lubricated everything and I'm still using it today.
yes , the battle 2 is a great reel in my opinion!
This is a good video. Solid explanation on the pros and cons of a VS. I had wanted one for 2 years and saved up to get 2 of them. VS150 & VS200 purchased a few days ago. The manual pickup is awesome. I can get pinpoint accuracy and super soft lure landing once I learned control. However, just last night I was fishing a popular bridge in SE FL when the 150 completely seized up. Doesn't move at all. The spool and pinion had separated from the reel and if I had not been looking down when it happened the whole assembly would have gone for a swim. Today it was shipped to Saltwaters Tackle in NY. Looking forward to what they have to say and I'll keep you posted. I work in the industry and understand that there are defectives and failiures for no apparent reason sometimes. It's just bad luck. Hopefully Van Staal will approve of the warranty work as I can't imagine a $700 reel owned for 5 days, and fished with 5 times, wouldn't be covered with a failure like this. I absolutely love the reels! I just hope this insn't a sign of things to come since I know many people with these reels old and new and never had this issue.
What’s the verdict?
Zeebaas ZX2-27 - Dual Pickup Bailless
1) Fully sealed. Heirloom quality.2) Self serviceable 3) 40lb silky smooth drag4) Billet aluminum body, w/titanium spiral bevel gears5) 4.75:1 - 39.5" retrieve 6) Handle turns like butter7) Made in America
Aren't those even more expensive?
How is this reel holding up ?
I respect everyones opinion but van staals have power people I keep hearing u only get them cause there submerable they have great power
Thanks for the vid. You talked me out of it.
I've been striper fishing for 48 years. I own lots of Shimano Stradics and Sustains. I've landed tens of thousands of stripers and a few hundred between 30# and 53# all on plugs and plastics with no problems. The ONLY issue is I tend to get my reels wet. SO, I thought I'd break down and get a VS. After watching this video, I'm thinking it's overkill and more importantly, SMOOTH cranking and SMOOTH drag are EXTREMELY important because I'm trying to present lures with a smooth cadence in a river and I'm battling big stripers in often fast river current with relatively light tackle so I can't have a herky-jerky drag. Anyway, thanks again for sparing me a lot of disappointment...
tens of thousands of stripers ? you must be a thousand years old.
There's a difference between need and want. Where I fish in the northeast you need a van staal Like you said getting pounded by waves knocked over and such. I couldn't do without mine love it and would never go back. Took me urs to save up to get it but I'll never go back
I've always been a dawia fan. I would prefer to have a saltiga mainly cause i know they work. on what you said at the end, I can agree on that. I've out fished people that have Van Staal, ZeeBaaS, Stella's, and Even Saltiga's and all I main use is a Gosa 6k
saltiga's and stradic's!
Kirihara Okikawa daiwa rules
great info on these +JunoRyan. I fish in the surf/beach casting mostly and been looking at VS for a while. but the more info I get, the more I realize its not for me. the fact that you cant have them easily serviced and they only come in left hand reel is a downer. and now you mention about the sticky'ish drag. thanks for sharing...
wickedEP Racing I do believe the 150 and 250 come in left handed (Handle on the right side models)
Thanks for the comment!
+JunoRyan yes, thank you..just had another look and you are right about the handle.
Love this video. Reel guy review👊! Price point.... this reel is up there with the Stella's and Saltiga's. I mean, if Staals were made in Japan, they would be $1200 easy. It's really a preference when buying a luxury reel. It's worth it for the enjoyment of fishing.
Thanks for the comment sir!
Happiest two days were when I bought one and then 3 months later sold it for a profit. I don't know what anyone sees in these reels. If you have big hands they feel like crap. You have to spend 75 bucks more to get a power knob. The manual pickup sucks, I owned a 706z back in the day and the pickup was much easier to use. I now own two Penn Slammer 3s and a 8k stella and couldn't be more happy.
I own them both, Stella SW and Van staal. I completely agree with every comment you made. Great review
This review is a lil outdated IMO, be on the look out for my comparison of the stella, staal, and Saltiga in a few weeks!
Most guys don’t need one and would prefer a lighter and smaller reel. Seals equal less smooth. They’ve got poor line pickup, poor line lay and therefor uneven drag, they’re heavy, expensive, they’re a bitch to take apart, list goes on. I still fish one every day. Why? It works. I’m on the jetty or in the suds on rocks every morning, I probably put 150 days on min last year. My cheaper reels don’t hold up. You can pull a truck out of a ditch. They hold a ton of line and cast well. Best line roller I’ve ever used, simple and effective with no knots. If you’re on a boat, not getting your reel wet, need a lot of pickup or a lot of drag, get a different reel. If you want to fish every day in the surf you should think about a staal. Mine is worth about 100 more than I paid for it. Service is 50 bucks plus parts and shipping and I do it annually.
I kayak and beach fish. I beat reels up. I bought a Spheros 4000XG SW for like $140 and I bought a 4000 saltwater Seaknight reel for $35 on Amazon at the same time. The seaknight out lasted the spheros by a mile. My spheros rusted in 2 different spots and the drag clicker broke all in 2 years. It was light and nice n all but...that seaknight boy. Love it. Bought 2 more and if they went bigger than 6000 I'd buy those too. Highly recommend if u want just a punching bag/workhorse of a reel. I disrespected that thing and it's still smooth as ever.
I like them for snook jigging because of the low gear ratio, hard to find in other reels
No doubt they are great reels. BUT, unless you plan to push that thing to the limit, don't buy one. Like Ryan said, you don't need a $700+ reel to catch a snook (which is what most guys buy them for down here). Good vid Ryan, keep up the good work 👍. A question some may ask is how the x models compare/contrast to the older VS.. have they resolved some of the cons you mentioned such as the drag, line lay, and smoothness?
Jon W I've only played with a couple reels from the VSX series so I can't make an accurate review without fishing them hard for a year or two. But they definitely fixed the line lay problem, and they do appear to have a wider range of drag settings. Those are the only observations I've made. Really they feel like the exact same reel otherwise
Hi
I have questions about fishing reels?? For North East (Cape cod canal) , what reel u prefer...drag,light and good cast. Plzz tell me. I like ur show.
When I crank my van staal and it's smooth, It worries me and I automatically think that there is something wrong with one or some of its seals. With your comment saying that it's not as smooth as other reels, there's a reason for it. It's because of the seals doing their job
Marvin Alovera agree 100%
Should i stick to spinfishers if i know how to service it myself
Good vid bro thanks i was deciding
Thanks for watching!
They are good reels. I've owned one. But I'm really impressed with the new Penn Slammer III too. If you fish as you said in very wet conditions then maybe yes. But I don't fish in conditions where I have to reel underwater. I've dunked my slammers a few times and they didn't get wet internally. And I wouldn't dare turn the crank underwater as u can with the VS. Slammer vs Stella, I honestly like the slammer better. If nothing else the line capacity. I see no advantage of a Stella verse a Slammer. Again, my humble opinion. Good review thx. And yes always manually close the bail especially with braid.
Too many people fish them for there looks an to just say that they have one
Austin Gulash true
Hey bro, I have one. Wanna see it?
I'm literally having a discussion about this with a guy on my surf fishing group I'm asking what is the benefit of a VS over any quality reel they both do the same thing I wouldn't reel underwater no matter what the company says splashing is one thing but not under water and I fish the north east on Long Island
Im the biggest klutz there is, I’ve literally dropped 7 reels. Sand and all , somehow i broke a rod as well. Ive probably paid hundreds in repair. BUT when i fish, i get good big ol fish. What do you think ? Should i pony up n get it?
question: in the vid when you were landing that fish from a pier, was that rope rigged with a gaff or a loop? either way, you may want to consider putting a snap link (caribiner or a dog leash type snap) at the gaff or loop, then snap to your line when you get the fish to the pier below you...then just lower the rope and it will lead itself right to the end of the line and you'll be able to snare or gaff the fish quickly. My uncle taught me that way long time ago and I've hauled up fish 30-40 feet up rocks off the San Francisco oceanside. Works great off piers too. Just a suggestion. oh and luv my VS150.
Rigged with a gaff
That's what I thought...do you have a snap ring at the gaff? If so, then you're already set up...but if not, consider an easy snap ring or carabiner where the rope connects to the gaff. then when you have a fish at the pier, the snap ring hooks to your main line... you can then just lower the gaff and rope with one hand and by bein' snapped to the main line, it will lower directly to the fish and when the gaff reaches the fish, it makes it easy to gaff and the fish is rarely lost this way. Just my suggestion. If you already got it down your way, I get ya.
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Sounds like your trying to prove in the beginning that the Van Stall is better than a Stella. Which the points you made are true but the Stella beats it in pretty much everything else. Just my opinion. Good video.
stella is much better. The only thing worth it on these reels is the seals. If you don't swim to rocks you don't need it.
Seen a Stella reel seat shredded from a big fish. I've never had issues with any Penn slammer 3, and have caught 200lb yellowfin tuna on my 7500. If I do upgrade it's gonna be to a dogfight
(Not Henry/ Henry's Dad) using his computer) I grew up fishing Navarre and Pensacola Beach Pier in the 70's. I was only in middle but it was very competitive. At that time all the good fishermen used Penn706 or Mitchell 302 with Manual. The Van Stall is a logical progression and I'm sure many of the good fishermen there now use them... indeed they are cool well made reel. Your Cobia at the gaff brought back many memories, I once caught a 48 lb Cobia on a jig from the Pensacola Beach Pier on my Mitchel 302 with 17 lb lest, on a custom 8'6" gold lamiglass I wrapped myself...got the blank at Wrights tackle shop. However, Penn still makes two Spinfisher models with a manual. I have used those to catch hundreds of small yellowfin tuna on the west coast (where spinning reels are despised) and surf fishing in mexico and costa rica. Your video was useful and honest, Well done. I'd own one if i lived inN florida.....or move . to mexico one day. For now my Penns and shimanno's suffice.
Nice review mate . Thnx surely i did enjoy ur video but still a shimano guy.
Dhofar sam thanks for the comment!
If your a big surf fisherman there great I am I want one if u want a cheaper option tsunami shield there fully sealed an 110$
Nick Martyn i agree on the shield. Its my backup to my 150
i have quit a number of reels several bailes ,one is a silstar ET 80 and it is over 40 may be over 50 yrs old made in aluminum body ,and it served me since day one until now nevr failed me and it has seen realy ruff conditions ,ya wanna know the joke ,it costed in tody prices les than 75$ so one can buy 10 silstars for the price of one van staal and they will perform just as wel
Hey there, very informative video, tanks. I surf fish in central and southern Baja exclusively; some of the toughest conditions anyone can imagine. Salt, sand, and crazy winds (up to 40 knots in spring time are very common). My reels are Penn Spinfisher V's, in a few different sizes, but they can't last more than one or two trips usually. Being on the west coast, we never see VS reels, but I'm seriously thinking of buying a VSB200 for my 11" Lamiglas surf casting rod. I usually cast 1oz to 2 oz lures at most. VS150 vs the VS200? Also, because of the crazy winds, I think I want a bail, but my surf buddies call me a total kook for wanting the bail. Any advice is much appreciated.
if you buy VS with a bail its like surfing a Tyler with a leash, no bueno
MODEL # SSVI6500BLS Penn Spinfisher but the VS is cooler
stealing my line" I know little bit about a little bit" lol. one thing I knave noticed about fishing gear over the years is some people don't care about the performance or what they want they just buy it to say they have it cause everyone else has it. I fishing tsunami classic 3000 inshore shit they were 30 bucks and I have stop big jacks and shook with them. people don't need a lot of money to catch quality fish.
PENN SLAMMER FOR ME !!!! I own 2 slammers a 5500 And a 3500 also I own a spinfisher vi with a slammer handle and I own a penn fierce 2 liveliner with a gomexus matching handle LOVE PENN !!!!!!! Super tough USA made and smooth super tough drag
Oh ok I was wondering about that and even contacted Van Staal. I bought a x series vs 100 and out of the box the resistance when reeling scared me. Thought a bearing was bad right away.
Best reels on Earth, a necessity if youre fishing the northeast surf. Its amusing to go down to montauk to see 80% of guys fishing these and old school lamis.
garcia1170 something I hope to one day see!
Great video and great info!...Funny you should say you don`t need a $700 to catch a Snook. lol.....It`s a common mistake but I think the majority of people overspend on equiptment they don`t really need.
My Shimano Spheros and Penn 706 is doing plenty fine by me. I see the benefit but don't have a need.
What about casting? Is Van Staal better in casting than other reels?
Is the 150 equivalent to a 5000 size? And how much drag does the 150 put out?
Pensacola here. Vanstaal vm 150 black cyber monday deal 40%off
Chad Linton. The VM isn’t worth the money tbh, very inferior construction
VR and VS are the only models worth buying and that really only if you fish surf-like conditions
@@RyanMorie so i hear. Thanks.
What model vanstaal do you recommend when fishing for spanisg mackerel?
yo us ny fishermen get indawater to fish we dunk our reels van staal is the truth idk what u r talking about juno these reels take a beating we fish the hot weather which is rare but we fish the cold weather which is more often van staal is the real deal out here not to many other brands compare they were made for abuse
Penn Slammer 3 is the best all around reel. I have 2 Torques and Daiwa Exist. It’s night and day in types of fishing. Torques and pull anything out of your mothers snatch while the Daiwa’s can pull any Bass and crappie. VS, is cosmetically gorgeous but not my flavor.
Penn Slammer 3 will last one season at best and then that's it.
Van staals are good for montauk if you're gonna go rock hopping. But their drags are really poor and jerky. I'll take a saltiga or a saragosa. I striper fish every day for trophy river fish here in Tennessee. We got monsters here. I do miss montauk but way too many yahoo's now, especially in the fall. Don't even get a stella. They have a million little plastic parts. Saltiga way better. I mostly use my dogfight and saragosa...Daiwa has so many good reels now. Bg, bgmq. Saltist mq mavericks saltigas...
I have four of the original Van Staals, but now that Zebco bought them out I'm hesitant to buy another one.
HawkN3lson in my experience they're essentially the same thing. But, that is anecdotal. So I can't say it's for sure
Line lay problem on the VS is an easy fix. Look it up.
I don't know anyone who is really good at fishing that owns one. How many commercial guys do you see with one?
I really like cadillacs? Really expensive and break down all the time period.
van staals are catching on in Florida? i use 3000 4000 size reels when im fishing in the south and i never get wet. up north where i live i need a vs cuz i get pounded by waves and my reel takes dunks all the time imo i wouldnt own a vs in the south
All shimano models have smaller spools so there always gonna hold less line then other company's but what u get out of shimanos is better drag numbers in my opion I also fly fish so I fish shimano for spinning I use reddington for flyfishing cause I just started but I'll tell u most saltwater fly reels are usually anywhere from 400 to 1000 dollars it has to do with the fact that most saltwater fly reels are sealed so there pricey I paid 100 on sale for my reddington behemoth now it's not sealed but had a guard around the drag to keep water out
there is no other way than comparing line capacity of reels with line diameter! The diameter of 50lbs line can differ from 0.28mm to 0.40 mm depending on the brand and price of the braid. If the breaking strengths that are written on these products is correct is then another story...
Zauni16 most reel company's actually use power pro which is made by shimano, and the probably the most popular braided line out... penn sometimes uses spider wire but will say it in the specs, diawa uses j braid which is made by diawa. The van staals dont give u line ratings on the spool like most newer reels but if u get a box with your reel it certainly will tell u exactly what millimeter and pound braid it is rated for🤙
I have one and a Stella but I do prefer a Stella tho
van stall 700 dollars. my penn spinfisher 140 dollars. my penn will last at least 10 years. since it is one fifth the price. 5 times 10 equals 50 years for the same price of one van stall.
I'm from Navarre and almost everybody out there that fish a lot have one
JR what rod is the corck split grip with fuji k's on the you always have the black staal on cheers
Christopher Bingle blank is a Phenix Black Diamond Hybrid 9'2
15-40 with an inch off the tip
Wrapped By Juno Bait and Custom Rods
Anyone know anything about the og ones? I've got a below 1,500 serial number vs300. I heard the us made ones have a lifetime warranty.
you ever use bait runner reels?? I have multiple shimano baitrunner reels that are 15 years old that I have never taken apart or broken and I fish stripers in.nh
I own the older 6500 . It's a beast pulled multiple 40's up outta the rip without an issue . A good buy @ $150-200 .
How do you cast them? lol I sound dumb but how?
Would a 9 foot rod be good for slinging bait for king mackerel on the 150
nicholas mastrilli yes
what is a good rod for a staal 200
I have the VS, one of the first ones, never used it yet. Have you made a video on the VR, I have not got it because it is made in China..
bruceborges no, however I never found a problem with the Chinese VS either
They are good reels, but I would never ever choose one over a Stella or saltiga
I would only get the smaller ones like the 50 or 150 for surf fishing
Curtis Medina I would rather have a staal
I stick to a Saltiga 4000
One of the best spinning reels ever made^
How do you clean your reels when coming back from fishing
SEAN DWYER hose
Water hose
I use BGs, saltists, clashes and conflicts and all I use is the water hose
Australian seamartin kicks ass
What do think about the bailess penn 706z it's kinda just like the van staal but it cost $199
KingWaterThose 10 solid reel, built well. They have a lot of Handle back play and the line roller is too small. Those combined leads to the line falling off the roller more than it should. They're decent for the price though. They used to be like 120 back in the day lol
Thanks for the feedback and your right the van staal is trending cause I would be on of those 16yr old kids with VS's but I realized that I'm not gonna be abusing any of my reels and I'm just gonna be sick fishing a pier fishing
do a review on Z Baas reel
Get yourself a daiwa bg they are about a 100 dollars on average and they feel as good as 500 dollar reel
i would rather keep my daiwa bg or my fin-nor lethal. alot cheaper and just as good for what im doing
They are like the Rolex of the fishing world. Its a statement reel lol!
You figure with it being stiff it would be because of a high ratio so yeah stiff with a low ratio is not cool
Hey bud I am trying to figure out what van stall I just had obie build me a Thrasher 8104. It's 8'10 I was thinking of a VR150 or the VR200 what do you think and see you out on novar pier
You don't need a damn van staal for the pier
Well I plan on doing a lot of beach fishing as well
@@Tofasttodrive Trust me, Nobody needs to jump on the ban wagon of Van Staals unless they desperately need it. I would recommend something from Penn such as their spinfisher or slammer 3. Don't be pressured to get it just because others have it.
Oh ya I get it I am a old boy here I don't get things because others have it I do have a Penn slammer lll 5500 I use on my king rod I am looking at the van as I do get my outfits wet and I am looking to keep this new rod as light as possible it's not a having the best toys I am looking for that going to be what's best for me for the long haul
@@Tofasttodrive I'm from the NE as it's almost a staple to see a Van Staal while fishing everywhere you go, heck I'm guilty of owning a couple but the fishing you guys have over there never really requires it. Shimano will serve you guys well as it has exceptional drag performance and will still keep your setup very light. A Twinpower or even a Stella will do you wonders. I would also look at the Daiwa's such as their Saltiga line of reels. I'm not tying to stop you from getting a Van Staal but with the fishing down there corrosion in your reel from not enough sealing is not a problem as it would just take a couple splashes which almost every Penn and Shimano would more than definitely take. You also need that smooth drag from fighting the Tarpons and snooks that run you for a long time. If you do end up going for a Van Staal I would recommend you look at the X series before you purchase the VR line of reels and maybe you could reconsider for A Staal that has slightly better drag but not great and a little smoother.
Don't bother if u live in Florida. If you live in the northeast and wanna get into striped bass surfcasting they are worth it
Cough, Okuma Makaira
Music why why.
Thought about one until I found out zebco owns them. fuuuuck that.
Now I want one lol
Nice but It's too heavy though and drags not smooth
Just today I got screwed out of a deal for a gold Van Staal 300. Super disappointing.
what do you need a 300 for? sharks? most guys in the NE use a 200 now.
I read the same story!
So crazy to think about!
Damn u rather go for VS in Florida than Stella or saltiga (dogfight maybe)??? Because a lot of people in Florida would Choose these Japanese reel. I still can't believe you go VS. I own VR, pretty smooth reel even I dunk it couple time.
vsonic86 well there is like a $400 price difference lol
JunoRyan Buying a Stella online can be much cheaper than in store lol. But regardless, who cares, not the fish.
best VS tip 12:18
mannn idk i'd rather buy a stella
Sooooo...are "Dam" Quik reels still in use there in heaven (Florida)?
robert buck I've never heard of them but that definitely doesn't mean they're not around!
Dam quick mo better
Dont use krazy glue it dissolves in wtaer
just don't see the point in them, that last point you made about bail flipping seems redundant as any skilled angler and whip a lure out and have the bail flipped back the second it hits the water, but hey it's all in preference, I've always wondered about these reals and this video helped me figure out about em, don't get me wrong if I had expendable cash to spend and test one out I would
I love em but the price
yo juno u should spend some money on some new blinds in ur windows lol
No reel is worth 700 outside of the reels ment for deep sea 1000lb fish
Hmm my new stella 5000 takes 360 yards of 29 pound braid and its not even full....
that seems pretty inaccurate
Line brand, spooling method, tension, spool filling, as well as other factors all contribute to differences, Van Staals severely overestimate their own line capcity in my experience. In this video all I did was state what the companies claim their reels can hold. No hate on Stellas, I own a 14k myself.
not full means its up to the angled edge of the spool but not on it
You buying Japanese braid/Chinese braid who the hell makes 29lb?..
What sizes do they come in? Are they good Walleye and pike reels?