As a few of you know today was my Bday. My fiance bought me another reel she got me another Penn Battle 5000. I remember looking at them in the store while she was with me before I purchased mine earlier in the year. My theory was its a salt reel, its gonna get the crapola beaten out of it on a daily basis and it seemed best bang for the buck at the time. However it is heavy as hell and I would like to get something lighter. I have several Baitrunners we chunk with. I like to have non-chunk reels for throwing swimmers and plugs to kill time while chunkin. I was thinking a Stradic FJ but don't want to spend $200 on something I will literally drop to the ground to grab my BR when the drag starts buzzin. Any of u guys who SW 5000-6000 size please chime in.

Sidenote I just realized with this one its made in China and when I bought the other one I couldve sworn it was made in PA, USA. Does anyone know if they were always off shored or just recently? If mine was made in China I'm shocked because its really not that bad of a reel. I've had some great fights with Blues and Stripers on it.

That reel is fairly average in weight for what is and Battles do get some good marks down here. The reel is fine, the question is what are you going to put it on. If it were me I'd be looking at 8-10' rod, want lighter, get a 7 or 7'6 rod and 4000 reel.

I don't recommend except to say check a saltwater board in your area, they would be able to shed better light.

That's the thing 1 have it already so say she surprised me with a stradic fj I would be pulling the battle off and stuffin it in closet. Rod is Crowder E Series Lite 8' MH/Mod. I average maybe say 13-15# fish on this set up. -- all the local forums guys live by $15 reels and Ugly Stiks.

Problem?.............sell it buy want you want.

Yea, well I can return it and put $ towards something else. Don't know what to go for.