Description
The Shimano Stradic Saltwater SW B 8000PG is a heavy-duty spinning reel engineered for the challenges of offshore and heavy inshore saltwater fishing. The “PG” in the model name stands for Power Gear, indicating a lower gear ratio that emphasizes winding power and torque over speed, making it ideal for fighting large, powerful fish and working heavy lures or jigs.
The Stradic SW B series is designed with strength, robustness, and water resistance comparable to Shimano’s higher-end saltwater models, offering exceptional performance for its class.
Key Specifications
In-Depth Description and Features
The Stradic SW B 8000PG is built upon a platform of core Shimano technologies to ensure durability, power, and smooth operation in harsh saltwater conditions:
Power and Durability
- HAGANE Gear: Created with Shimano’s cold-forging technology, the HAGANE Drive Gear is at the core of the reel, providing exceptional durability and strength for long-lasting smoothness under extreme pressure.
- HAGANE Body: A rigid metal body that minimizes deflection and warping, protecting the internal components and ensuring efficient power transfer from the handle to the gears.
- X-Ship: This system supports the pinion gear on both ends with bearings, increasing gear efficiency and durability. It provides lighter and smoother winding even under load.
- Infinity Drive: A main shaft supporting structure that significantly reduces sliding resistance and improves winding torque, resulting in an incredibly smooth and light rotation.
- X Tough Drag (Models 5000-10000): This robust drag system features metal and carbon washers supporting the spool from both the top and bottom, enhancing heat dissipation, durability, and providing stable, smooth drag performance with a high maximum drag of .
Water Resistance
- X-Protect: Provides superior water-resistance without increasing rotational friction. In the large Stradic SW models, a contact-type seal is used for critical areas like the stopper bearing and line roller, achieving a high water-resistant rating (up to IPX8 equivalent for the stopper bearing).
- X-Shield: Water-resistant seals are placed in all critical locations throughout the reel’s body and side covers, providing a high level of water ingress protection to maintain performance against saltwater corrosion.
Casting and Line Management
- AR-C Spool: An angled lip design on the spool allows the line to leave the spool with less friction and in smaller coils, leading to longer and more accurate casts while reducing the chances of line issues.
- One-Piece Bail: A seamless design that allows line to travel unimpeded to the line roller, reducing friction and minimizing the chance of tangles or snags on the bail arm.
Smoothness and Refinement
- SilentDrive: A technology that reviews the fundamental design of the entire body and drive-related parts to eliminate minute rattles, gaps, and shaking between components, resulting in smooth and quiet reeling.
- S A-RB Bearings: Shielded Anti-Rust Bearings, which are high-corrosion resistant ball bearings that feature shields on both sides to protect them from salt and sand.
The 8000PG size is a versatile workhorse, perfect for heavy jigging, bottom fishing, and casting for large species such as Kingfish, Tuna, Amberjack, Snapper, and other challenging game fish where power and drag capacity are paramount. The low gear ratio ensures maximum cranking power when retrieving heavy lures from the depths or turning a stubborn fish away from structure.
