Products We Rely on at Castafari
The PENN 70 VS ReelIf there is one reel that has become a staple item in the Castafari arsenal of tackle it is the Penn 70 VS. I have been using this reel for the past 5 years in several different applications. Currently we are employing the 70 as the reel in all of our blue marlin set ups. I have matched the Penn 70 with short butt 50 to 80 pound Biscayne stand-up rods. This particular set up has stood the test against some very big fish, including two blues over 800. The Penn 70 is a very well constructed reel, ergonomically designed with stainless steel parts including four aircraft-grade ball bearings. The newly upgraded double disc drag system is smooth and powerful when push comes to shove. The reel also has a push button on the crank handle to switch gears on the fly, and a very solid lever drag system. I have honestly not experienced any problems with the Penn 70, and this particular reel gets more than enough use on the Castafari. I recommend spooling the reel with 700 yards of braid backing top shotted with 150 yards of 80 to 130 pound mono. SUFIX Braided LineDuring the 2006 season, I tried out the new performance braid line manufactured by Sufix. I spooled all of my Penn 70's with 130 pound backing. I was able to pack roughly 700 yards of braid on the spools. One of the interesting properties of this particular line is it's shape. Unlike most braid lines, the Sufix braid is round. I was a bit skeptical at first as to whether the line would slip in a connecting knot situation. I learned that this is not a concern. I caught a 250 pound class yellowfin tuna in Panama that put this theory to the test. We continued employing the Sufix braid on the Castafari. A lot more big fish were caught, including an 800 plus blue marlin. The line is not only ultra thin, but it's built like Fort Knox. It comes in green or yellow from 6 to 130 pound test. SUFIX Superior MonofiliamentI have been using Sufix Superior line on all of my reels on the Castafari for the passed two years. I have only positive results to show for it. This particular brand of Sufix line is made for big game applications. It has been put to the test repeatedly on the Castafari. The Sufix Superior gained one of the highest tensile strength ratings of any line ever made. It's incredibly strong, durable, and abrasion resistant. All of my Penn International reels are topshotted with Sufix Superior. There are five color options available. (Blue, clear, smoke, pink, and yellow) I prefer the blue. The line class options range from 6 to 130 pound test. PELAGIC Performance GlovesCheck out the new kevlar reinforced gloves put out by Pelagic. There are two styles of gloves. The End Game glove series is a closed fingertip glove built with rugged construction, and made for wiring big fish. The Battle Glove series is an open finger tip glove designed for increased dexterity to assist anglers when battling big fish. Both gloves are velcro adjustable, and have superior gripping ability. |
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The new Castafari entered Cape Cod waters in early June...
Fish ranging from 50 to 900 pounds have been showing up in June...
Three day offshore trips to the gulf stream...
Giant fishing, there truly is no substitute...
Products We Rely on at Castafari...