Cabela's Salt Striker reels on sale

If anyone is looking for a solid saltwater spinning reel, Cabela's Salt Striker reels are on sale right now. I own 2 of these and just ordered 2 more. They perform outside their price range and I have nothing but good to say about them.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1432814

Thanks for the tip!  Recommendation on sizes?  I'm no expert at salt gear.  Surf perch on my steelhead gear is about it so far.

When do you prefer a spinning reel over conventional or level wind?

When do you prefer a spinning reel over conventional or level wind?

Salt rated spinning reels are great for smaller/lighter tackle, or surf casting. There's also quite a few people who just prefer them. My go to is a 4000 size battle. It's perfect for >1oz bottom fish jigging, throwing Vibrax spinners for coho, squid jigging, or casting tiny marabou jigs at pinks.

The Salt Strikers are definitely worth buying when they go on sale. I'm a little disappointed with their longevity, but they perform above their price point for sure! In all fairness, the ones friends and I owned were a gen or two back. The current models are likely more durable.


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They are decent reels at a great price. They do not hold up to being submerged very well. Recommend opening them up and rinsing/drying if they go for a swim or you huli in the surf.

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Are there really reels you can dunk in the salt and not clean out later? There probably are and I'm too cheap to buy them.

I generally take pretty decent care of my gear and besides normal maintenance (stripping them down to re-lubricate once) I've done nothing to mine and they're going strong at 3+ years now. I can say that with proper lubrication they are smooth and I like the drag.

Re: size - it depends of course on what you want to do. As mentioned above the 4000 size is a good mix of function and smaller size. I'm putting 3000s on my lighter rods now and moving my 4000s to my heavier rods. I realize it's a matter of opinion but unless you're targeting shark or halibut I don't really feel like there's anything on the Oregon coast that requires more than a 4000 size.

When do you prefer a spinning reel over conventional or level wind?

There's been some threads before regarding this topic. For me it's mostly preference. I really like that I can just open the bail and drop my jig without thinking about it (even with the rod in the rod holder) while I'm putting up a fish or paddling. I also like that I can switch out to a light/small jig and cast at rocks or diving birds.

Conventional reels are great for the salt and generally easier to maintain and I use them sometimes too. I usually only use conventional reels when I'm dropping a lot of weight deep or if I am prospecting for bigger fish.

To each their own!

When do you prefer a spinning reel over conventional or level wind?

For me, having the weight below the rod is less fatiguing on my wrist, and I'm don't need to use my thumb to keep the reel upright.  But basically, I'm a fly fisher, and that's where the darned reel is supposed to be.

The fellow who taught me to surf fish had an old Salt Striker 4000 that he carted back-and-forth between here and Alaska and I'm not sure he even bothered to rinse it more than once a year.

Are there really reels you can dunk in the salt and not clean out later? There probably are and I'm too cheap to buy them.

I generally take pretty decent care of my gear and besides normal maintenance (stripping them down to re-lubricate once) I've done nothing to mine and they're going strong at 3+ years now. I can say that with proper lubrication they are smooth and I like the drag.

Re: size - it depends of course on what you want to do. As mentioned above the 4000 size is a good mix of function and smaller size. I'm putting 3000s on my lighter rods now and moving my 4000s to my heavier rods. I realize it's a matter of opinion but unless you're targeting shark or halibut I don't really feel like there's anything on the Oregon coast that requires more than a 4000 size.

Yup, I just rinse most of my reels unless sand gets in.  The Cabellas reels don't stand up to that level of abuse. Gotta take them apart and rinse, dry, lube them.  Still though, at that price point they are a good deal.

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Yup, I just rinse most of my reels unless sand gets in.  The Cabellas reels don't stand up to that level of abuse. Gotta take them apart and rinse, dry, lube them.  Still though, at that price point they are a good deal.

I had to break down my Pflueger every time, too, but I figured it was no big deal to do a minimal break-down and keep water spraying over it while I cleaned the fish and do a twice yearly lubrication.  It was six years old and going strong when my kid claimed it.

I actually liked doing it.  And it was a lot easier to do clean that reel than it is to get home and clean a fly line and a fly reel.

Everyone has their preferences.  I prefer having an explanation for why I'm fondling my reels.

I have one of these of every size up to the 65.  The 65 will easily handle oversized sturgeon. I have caught sturgeon with the 50, but I can't remember how big.  I have used the 40 and 50 for chum at Hoodsport. Both work well.  I used to use them as back-ups for salt water jigging, but now have plenty of conventional reals for that. I will sometimes bring the 30 size for casting to rockfish.  Mine have all worked reliably since 2008 when I first bought them and I may have taken them each apart once to clean and lube them since they were purchased. I usually just rinse with fresh water. The 40 and 50 have both been dunked in salt water. The only problem I have noted is that the 65 will sink to the bottom of the Columbia real (reel) fast when attached to a sturgeon rod that you knock out of your rod holder with your paddle.  I do have one of the newer models which is a 25 that I won in a raffle at the ORC 2 years ago.  I haven't used it much yet.