![]() ![]() The star drag wheel has clicking detents so once the drag is set it won’t slip. The drag is buttery smooth, and there’s plenty of it – 28 pounds! This awesome power can stop fast-running school tuna, turn a powerful striped bass away from a jetty or win the argument when hauling a blackfish away from a wreck. When short stroking fish from deep water, the ratio is just perfect for gaining line and keeping it tight on every down stroke of the rod. It’s plenty fast for bluefish jigging at a quick pace, or with slowed down handle cranks it’s great for slow-pitch jigging. The Hybrid’s 5:1 gear ratio really hits the sweet spot. When bass or blues hit the jig on the drop down in free spool, you come tight to the fish in a nano second soon as you crank the handle. Re-engaging back into gear is instantaneous with a forward crank of the reel handle, which is great for jigging. While palming the reel in my left hand, I could quickly depress the thumb bar with my right thumb with no fumbling at all. I fished a Hybrid 25 for bottom fishing and also for jigging, and really liked the thumb bar spool release feature. ![]() The overall handle length is perfect for rapid line retrieval without being awkward. The round handle knob has a non-slip surface, and a small but very fisherman-friendly feature is the machined hourglass shape of the handle knob shaft that helps the angler’s fingers get the best grip on the knob. At only 13 ounces, it balances nicely with rods from 6 to 7-1/2 feet."Īdding to the comfort and superior design is an S-shape handle that keeps the handle knob closer to the center of the reel to minimize reel wobble while the angler is cranking fast for speed jigging. "You can buy one reel and use it for just about everything," said Jerry Gomber, Director of Development for Bimini Bay Outfitters, the Maxel distributor, "and the round shape and recessed reel foot positions the Hybrid low on the rod so it’s very comfortable to fish whether bottom fishing or jigging. The Hybrids are true multi task reels equally at home drifting for fluke, live lining for stripers, chumming or jigging bluefish, bottom fishing for sea bass and tog, and light trolling for dolphin and albies. And you can find them on the bay at a good discount.They’re called Hybrid because they combine the engineering, machining and impeccable high standards of the company’s Ocean Max lever drag reels, but in a star-drag configuration. But for the price, the build, and durability, they are really not a bad choice. I know a few people who either returned or sold them for that reason. The BV’s aren’t the smoothest reels (stainless gears) compared to saltigas and trinis, and the Terns are even rougher than them. I think people were expecting BV’s with a star drag and were disappointed when they found out it just wasn’t as good. The Terns are very well made but are a serious drop off from the Boss Valiants. I have a Boss Fury which I like but the lever drag is a PITA trying to slow pitch jig sea bass. Not sure if somethings wrong with them or people just don’t like them. I’ve seen a lot of them used for sale which concerns me considering it just came out. I had a few recommendations to go with the Accurate Tern. Any one actually see if it dishes out 28lbs of drag? I’ll probably match it with 30lb Jerry Brown. ![]() Seriously considering it now especially since The Reel Seat is a dealer. I’m hoping to get one and use it primarily for fluke/sea bass/tog with the occasional use on stripers/bluefish. It’s funny I posted on a west coast website as well and got nothing but negative reviews on it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |