Bring them on! (read carefully what I said before I take your lunch money). I started working as a pinhead deckhand when I was 14 and have won several casting contests for both accuracy and distance (freshwater baitcasting reels or conventional salt water reels... pick your poison). Was a rep for Newell at one time (many years ago) so I have fished on LR & day boats for over 35 years with the best of the best including Carl Newell himself who could cast pretty darn well. I got one of the very first 220 graphite reels Carl made over twenty years ago so I have been using this product for a long time. There is NO competition when using the super light weight Newell graphite spool vs. any of the other aluminum spool reels for throwing your typical live bait, and lever drags don't stand a chance. Based on the reel choices given in this survey I could throw a chovy as far as most of the other reels can cast a larger sardine with their heavier aluminum spools. Throwing heavy iron, well that is a different story, but I would just switch to a "P" series Newell with a heavier aluminum spool for that application.
I'll bet if you took a poll of your "deckie & captain" freinds you say you know (or know of) and asked them what they thought the best casting reel was for 30lb or 40lb bait fishing and/or light surface iron you would hear the name Newell mentioned more frequently than any other reel. IMO, you dont need a leverdrag or a 2-speed for fishing 30lb (it's truly overkill) and 40lb it's still not necessary unless you are into some larger grade YFT or some brute homeguard yellowtail. So I will take the supperior casting advantage of a star drag reel with a super light spool any day of the week for fishing bait or small light surface jigs on 30lb or even 40lb. For 30lb bait fishing, I would use a Graphite S332 in 3.6 to 1 - For fishing small jigs on 30lb a P332 in 5 to 1. Like I said in my post I change out the factory drag washers and then eventually go to high performance ceramic bearings with synthetic lubrication when the originals B's wear out. Killed a whole lot of tuna, yellowtail, dorado, bonita & barries on both of these reels in 35 years of saltwater fishing.
I read carefully what you said the first time. I know where you're coming from too. But, I think you need to take a look around at some of the improvements made by some of the reel manufacturers out there. I started pinheading a few years later than you in life, but I learned a lot. I became a deckhand pretty fast and stand by my own Newells to this day. For 20lb I still fish a C220 0n a 270 and I still toss light iron with a G332 or P332. I learned to fish SoCal during the time of a "net full of hair" "pinner chovie" days. Since then, I've watched the likes of a deckhand or skipper or two pick up some of the light Japanese reels and fling a dine or chovie with some authority. I love my Newells, but I'm not so blinded by my emotional attachment to them to miss the advantages of some of the newer gear.
Notice also that my choice for a 30lb reel was no lever drag or two speed nor any of the ones listed in the poll. It's still a bit overkill for 30, but it has and will always get the job done....
Don't get caught up by your own experience and ego, I may be 20 years younger than you but I'm still quite aware that I don't know it all...
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"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, which holds forth the proposition, that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
i have to concur Matt
no matter what Garry says the pro gear seems the better choice
now granted the plastic and graphite is gonna sit on a party boat, be cheaper, and, be most corrosion resistant and cast a mile
so, to that extent i can see why it's a skipper's most desired reel
but, on the flip side the pro gear can cast almost a mile, not have the penn 500 drag stack, but, a 4/0 drag stack, and, a machined aluminum frame, not a pieced together plastic one
i have a newell, but, only opt for the smallest size as the drags are the same or the 5 series, which is the first bump up in balls
hell, alan tani gave pro gear a 10
seems a no brainer for the pro gear
I'd go Trinidad if you want a refined retrieve, great power, and great customer service to back it up.
Customer service?
I've got three shimano reels they can't fix because there no parts for them. I've got a broken shimano bass rod that says "lifetime guarantee" right on the rod, that broke on the hookset out at the breakwater one night. They wouldn't replace it either.
I've got 13 left handed Penn's here at home and all are older than the three shimanos. And I can get any part needed for any of them.
Haven't been able to break an Avet yet. I love 'em, alot more maintenance than a jigmaster though. Also alot more capable. My vote is JX for 30 Lb.
Customer service?
I've got three shimano reels they can't fix because there no parts for them. I've got a broken shimano bass rod that says "lifetime guarantee" right on the rod, that broke on the hookset out at the breakwater one night. They wouldn't replace it either.
I've got 13 left handed Penn's here at home and all are older than the three shimanos. And I can get any part needed for any of them.
Haven't been able to break an Avet yet. I love 'em, alot more maintenance than a jigmaster though. Also alot more capable. My vote is JX for 30 Lb.
Unless you need the "left handed" main gear or pinion gear, all the other parts for Penn conventionals are usually the same, and parts readily available, unless what you've got is REALLY old.
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"The best kind of fish in the world is the one on the end of your line"
Penn Pro Staffer
I use Avet MXL with 50lb Power Pro and pick and chose between 25-35lb mono for short topshot. It'll bring in a 50lb fish no problem. I don't like fishing with a rocket launcher I like fishing. Not to say a jx would be overkill just saying MXL is perfect fit, I'm living proof.
I have both MXL and JX. I use the JX for casting stickbaits and irons with 65lb braid and 50lb mono.
Acually, make that the TSD 3GT. Same inside as the TLD 20/40, but with a narrower frame. Stainless gears, 5:1, good anti reverse with no silly one way roller bearings., and corrosion proof frame.
just add carbontex drag and a Torium or Calcutta700 handle.
8Likes
I started working as a pinhead deckhand when I was 14 and have won several casting contests for both accuracy and distance (freshwater baitcasting reels or conventional salt water reels... pick your poison). Was a rep for Newell at one time (many years ago) so I have fished on LR & day boats for over 35 years with the best of the best including Carl Newell himself who could cast pretty darn well. I got one of the very first 220 graphite reels Carl made over twenty years ago so I have been using this product for a long time. There is NO competition when using the super light weight Newell graphite spool vs. any of the other aluminum spool reels for throwing your typical live bait, and lever drags don't stand a chance. Based on the reel choices given in this survey I could throw a chovy as far as most of the other reels can cast a larger sardine with their heavier aluminum spools. Throwing heavy iron, well that is a different story, but I would just switch to a "P" series Newell with a heavier aluminum spool for that application. 
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