# Aluminum vs graphite frame reels



## Kachok (May 1, 2012)

I know that aluminum frame reels are more rigid then graphite but what does that mean in the real world? I have pulled in some very large fish/sharks on graphite frames with no noticeable issue with any sort of flex. Now mind you none of them were huge bluefin tuna or mako sharks but still some pretty powerful fighters. At what point are metal frames needed? Now I have had one remarkable failure of a graphite reel, some torpedo of a fish slammed my mullet offshore in about 40 feet of water and whatever it was ran so fast he MELTED the spool to the frame! Anyone else ever had that happen? Several reputable manufactures (Penn, Shimano, Diawa, Okuma) offer 50 Weight lever drag offshore reels with graphite frames, what are your oppinion of these reels? Are their aluminum counterparts vastly better?


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

The general rule is if you'll be using more than 18lbs of drag on a regular basis then you'll want a metal bodied reel. This means that you can fish those 50 size graphite reels with 50 or 60lb mono and fish them effectively.


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## doggfish (Oct 30, 2009)

*No more graphite frames for me*

While fishing for Snapper last year I noticed that my reel (Diawa Emcast 6000) was getting harder to turn.... When I look down the reel is twisting to the left like a divining rod (WTF?????); i check the reel seat to make sure it was tight...it was.
I have used graphite reels for years(mostly Shimano) and never had a problem. i have came to the conclusion: graphite frames are fine for little fish...just not for real fish that lurk in the gulf. This year when i come down I have two brand new 9500ssm Penns with extra spools for each.. I know people will say the are chinese made...so are those Diawa's Van Staals are chinese made too!!! No more flex for me.:thumbup:

Doggfish


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I have used my set of TLDs for almost 10yrs now on swordfish, marlin, tuna, etc without any hiccups. We have fished up to 36lbs of drag with them and haven't had any of the issues that are commonly associuated with a graphite framed reel.

I will say that in being in a tackle shop for nearly 10yrs, I have seen 3 graphite framed reels now with the reel foot broken off completely from the body. In one instance, the owner admitted it was dropped from the bridge onto the deck when it broke. In the th other 2 cases, they said it simply came apart while fighting a fish. Those 2 reels had a lot of wear and tear to them and possibly some mishandling at times but I can't say that for sure.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

I had one break away at the reel seat once while striper fishing.


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