*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: Just a thought. I never said it was a good thought.
Well I just got back from a good tuna and grouper trip with a buddy and he just purchased 4 Okuma Titus Gold reels. He swears on and says they are the best but I never thought of Okuma as being a long lasting durable reel. Im in the market of buying some new gear, and im trying to see if anyone has any experience or opinions on this reel. Thanks
there are 2 reel manufacturers i would personnally avoid.one is okuma and the other is tica,the latter made in china.not sure where the okuma is made,but they can be had pretty cheap,so i believe you get what you pay for.but if thats all you can afford,go for it.
I've run the newer style Titus 50w 2spd for a month now with NO problems.. Okuma has made some changes to thier silver/gold series and they are holding up MUCH better than the old stuff.
Thats funny the only reels I had were Okuma golds and ticas.....had only minor pitting issues with the Ticas, and NO problems with the OG's what so ever!, great reels for the $$
When I called the local rep for Tica, about the pitting. he actually told me to send in all 5 reels, and he would fix em free, so I did. Turns out he sends me back 5 brand new reels back the next week!
Good reels never had a problem with any of the Okuma Titus Gold 2-speeds i have or the 3-Okuma V-series spinning reels,which i think is the best deal out there for a top of the line spinning reel.
I just bought 3 Titus Gold 50W IIs on Ebay for $270.00 shipped. It was an easy buying experience- talked with the vendor who I will use again. I have a collection of Avets and have had Penns and feel the new series of Okumas are built to last. I believe they are a quality reel. I read where someone on here said they needed to be greased before using so I pulled them apart (easy enough) and greased them up. They were somewhat short on grease. From a build standpoint they are simple enough but incorporate quality components. I see no problem with them being able to handle the job. I personally consider it a plus that they weigh about 20 oz. less than the Penns- it makes them easier to use while working on a large tuna for a long period of time. Some of the smaller Avets weigh less than their competitors as well. The other thing is if I lose one over the side or someone scratches it by mistake I won't worry about it as much as I would if I had paid double + for one of the others, nor will I feel the ned to hold a memorial service for it!. If they get serious reel rash or if they come out with newer more advanced reels in a few years I won't even consider what I paid for these if I want to upgrade. If you end up purchasing these you will definitely like the way they look- as good as any of the other competitors in my opinion. Great reel even if you paid retail for it.
MY 2 QUESTIONS ARE,HAS ANYONE EVER CAUGHT REAL LARGE FISH {0VER 400LB.S}ON THESE 50 CLASS REELS? THAT IS REALLY THE TEST.CATCHING 40LB.DOLPHIN OR SAILS ARE NOT PUTTIN IT THROUGH ITS PACES.ALSO CUSTOMER SERVICE,WHERE DO YOU SEND THEM,CHINA?IF NOT,HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THEM BACK?I KNOW ALAN TANI WAS'NT IMPRESSED,AND HE KNOWS HIS REELS.THATS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.BUT IF THEY WORK FOR YA,THATS GREAT.
OH,YOU'VE CAUGHT GIANT TUNA WITH THEM?I CAN SAY,I'VE CAUGHT 400-500LB.TUNA ON 50 PENNS, 50 AVETS,NOW I CAN SAY THATS PUTTIN THEM THROUGH THEIR PACES,AND THEY HAE PROVEN TO ME MORE THAN ADEQUATE REELS.
OH,YOU'VE CAUGHT GIANT TUNA WITH THEM?I CAN SAY,I'VE CAUGHT 400-500LB.TUNA ON 50 PENNS, 50 AVETS,NOW I CAN SAY THATS PUTTIN THEM THROUGH THEIR PACES,AND THEY HAE PROVEN TO ME MORE THAN ADEQUATE REELS.
Caps lock, please. Not everyone is going to catch 400 - 500 lb tuna on a reel. Honestly, I don't want to catch 400+ lb fish on a 50, anyway. That's why god invented 80's and 130's. You say you've caught those fish, but have you used an Okuma reel? If not, then you're not adding much to the conversation by stating your experience with other reel manufacturers....
Hollywoodfish won a 50w Okuma gold in a tournament a few years ago, and we've used it a few times. It's not a bad reel, but I do tend to agree that I wouldn't want to hook a 300+ lb swordfish or Tuna on it (then again, as I wrote above, I don't know that I'd want one on a Tiagra 50, either).... His is one of the older reels, and I've heard that they have made some good changes since then. After using it for bottom fishing in the tortugas, the drag was completely fried and the clicker barely worked. He sent it back to the factory (which is in the California, not China) and they repaired it for free... The five year warrantee is also a good selling point for them... If they do fail, they'll fix 'em.
If you're a tournament fisherman wanting to boat 300+ lb. fish repeatedly, I'd go with an Accurate. If you're a weekend angler who wants a good value reel that will probably be used for smaller fish, but may encounter a big fish here or there, the Okumas are a good overall value... It all depends on what you want to spend and what you expect them to do...
__________________
2011 Contender 21 Open w/ Yamaha F250B
MY 2 QUESTIONS ARE,HAS ANYONE EVER CAUGHT REAL LARGE FISH {0VER 400LB.S}ON THESE 50 CLASS REELS? THAT IS REALLY THE TEST.CATCHING 40LB.DOLPHIN OR SAILS ARE NOT PUTTIN IT THROUGH ITS PACES.ALSO CUSTOMER SERVICE,WHERE DO YOU SEND THEM,CHINA?IF NOT,HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THEM BACK?I KNOW ALAN TANI WAS'NT IMPRESSED,AND HE KNOWS HIS REELS.THATS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.BUT IF THEY WORK FOR YA,THATS GREAT.
Largest fish I caugth was 293lb thresher, 250lb mako and a lot of <100lb tuna.
You need to do another search as Alan Tani gave the Okuma Golds good reviews during one of his famous disecting and cleaning posts.
we used to use 80's &130's here in the n.e.but found out,{by accident actually} that big fish can be caught on smaller reels,thanks to the emergence of super braids,hence much increased spool capacity.i guess if someone gave me one or i won one i would give it a shot.and if impressed i would probably be more apt to buy a few,they are reasonably priced.i could have bought 2,50 2-spd.s for 450.0 a while back off some oriental guywho claimed he worked for tica.sales must be pretty bad if you have to spy on forums to get buisness.
Thanks for all the help. I think Ill purchase a couple. Should I go with 30 or 50s? We fish alot of AJ, tuna(30-100lb), grouper, and troll alot for king. Do I really need the 50's for all that?
The 30s will be fine for 100+ lb. tuna. I have a friend that bought the new series of Okuma Titus Gold 50W IIs several months ago. He has caught numerous Blues over 400 and several Yellowfin approaching 200 along with a mix of large sharks. That is what prompted me to buy a few. After taking them apart to grease them I didn't see where they were inferior.
Okuma Titus Gold reels? Any opinions? 
