Reels: Saltwater rated, LH RetrieveLevel-Wind, Baitcasters

I'm lovin' this thing! I've got my sights on another Lexa fer-sher!

I'm lovin' this thing! I've got my sights on another Lexa fer-sher!

They are making some internal improvements on them soon.

I have an Avet and it is left handed but it doesn't have a worm drive. You have to use your thumb to guide the line evenly on the reel. I wouldn't recommend this reel to anyone. It was awesome at first, I really like the lever drag and release. The design allows for saltwater to really get inside the reel and that has wreaked havoc on my reel's performance. I tried to be good about rinsing it out after every use but that doesn't seem like it is enough. I have had my Avet for less than six months and I'm having problems with corrosion/pitting on the main housing. I'm pretty bummed about it and I'm also exploring other options in salt water reels.

I had the same issues with an Avet MXL 5.8 I used to fish for salmon all last fall. I was a happy new Avet owner until I took multiple trips to the salt & had larger fish taking out more line. I didnt have the motor muscle memory to thumb guide the line on the reel while retrieving & fighting bigger fish. I'm also a paddler so I'm usually always retrieving line on the same side as controlling which side & how I retrieve the fish isn't an option.
 I'm careful not to dunk my reels in the water and I followed the manufacturers instructions for quick maintenance after each use, although I still had corrosion issues. The company is great & quickly returned the reel no questions asked after replacing the bearings for free. Nonetheless, I sold that reel and have since been fishing with a Release SG for the last 3 months. The Drag on the SG takes some time to break in its variability & unlike the Avet the lever drag doesn't have a set marker for presetting your drag memory. So far I'm very pleased with the SG and learning to thumb guide while fighting fish that takeout more line. I'm still a believer in the Avet & curious to hear about other kayak fishermens' experience with it.

I've been using the baby Avet SXJ a little over a year and am very happy with it. The narrow jigging frame makes laying the line on the spool much less of an issue. I haven't had much corrosion in it yet, but I religiously dunk / rinse my reels afterwards.

I also tear down and inspect every so often. Evenso, I've rusted up my fair share of pinion bearings in my high-end Daiwas. Unless you go to a reel that only has bushings, fishing in the salt is going to get you sooner "and" later. In my mind, it's a fair trade-off of precision for durability.

If you're having issues, it's likely a bearing. Boca has ridiculously high prices, but they have an excellent widget to find the bearing you need and will most likely have it in stock. Keep in mind that a high ABEC rating is nice if you're a competition caster, but not necessary. Check hobby stores or McMaster for a decent place to pick them up on the cheap.

I have the Avet SX5.3 and I like it. I had some problems with salt getting into it at first, but have started doing a better job rinsing and now its been working great. They arent sealed up very well, so they need more thorough rinsing than other reels. A lot of people recommend dunking them in a bucket of fresh water for a few seconds. At Sunset Bay AOTD last year, I dunked it over the side and never got to rinse it afterwards because of the festivities. A couple weeks later I went to use it and it was completely frozen up. I took it apart at the launch and cleaned it with wd40, then cleaned it again when i got home and its been working fine since. Other than that, its been great. Has a lot of cranking power for bigger fish. I never thumb the line when reeling in and havent had problems. it spools on even enough by itself unless i have a lot of line out. If I were buying it over again, I would probably get the SXJ MC (Narrower spool, Magnetic Cast). Here is a video of a couple nice Lings I caught last weekend on live bait.

I'm lovin' this thing! I've got my sights on another Lexa fer-sher!

They are making some internal improvements on them soon.

Do tell! What would they improve? Based on reported problems or additional features/options?


Nice Video Evan! Perhaps we can trade rod/reels for a bit next time we are out at Sunset. Maybe I would get a better appreciation for Avets. I will admit I'm hung up on level winds just because I am lazy. I would consider Avets much more seriously if they made a level wind option.

You are welcome to borrow it anytime. I think you will find that the level wind isnt as necessary as you think, unless you fish deep water often (over 120ish feet). The only reason its ever a problem for me is because my Trevala is a two piece. There arent any guides on the bottom half, so the top has to be aligned straight or it will cause the line to pile up on one side. Easy to adjust once i notice it. Im not trying to push Avets either. There are a lot of good reels out there. This is just what I'm using at the moment and I'm happy with it. I may try another brand next.