so while at my uncles house yesterday he gave me 2 rods and 2 reels he doesnt use anymore.

one is a penn spinfisher 6550 and the other is a sargus both on star rods.

Ive never used the spinfisher and was wondering what you guys thought of that reel?

I guess you mean a Spinfisher 650? Hey, I need an uncle like that, lol.

Is it a Chinese or American made one? The easiest way to tell, is if the handle is made out of rubber or plastic. If it is plastic, it is an older American model, and is bulletproof. If it is rubber, it is Chinese, and you will likely have issues. I have 3 Chinese ones sitting on my tackle shelf that I need to overhaul again (for like the 10th time). The antireverse and bail trip are the biggest weak points on them.

That's a nice score with the rods and reels you got.

I've had my Penn Spinfisher for years and found it to be a real work-horse. It's easy to maintain and the typical replacement parts are available the local tackle shops. You can get the parts schematic diagram on the Penn website, www.pennreels.com. A little oil and grease, and the reel should serve you well.

Sure beats buying a new one!

X2

Ah crap rubber handle