Gear Review: Seigler SG
The Seigler SG - American Ingenuity at it’s finest!
At their foundational level, fishermen are a crew made up of curious characters. We love to recognize a situation, analyze it, and strive to create a better mousetrap. Advances in technology and communication have placed us in the Nirvana of fishing gear. The competition between companies is fierce, which benefits us with better and less expensive products. There are so many great options at reasonable price points that no angler is left behind to own quality gear.
Entering my 10th year as a charter guide, I have been fortunate enough to do a LOT of fishing over the years. One of the most exciting parts of my job is trying new gear and looking for ways to improve our enjoyment and efficiency. If there is one place tackle can go to die, it is a charter boat! Guides put their equipment through the wringer every season, and that kind of experience can narrow down our search for what we feel are the best products for how we conduct our operation.
Today I want to talk about conventional reels for striped bass fishing and write up my experiences with Seigler Reels. In 2021, I refitted my boat to feature a set of Seigler SG's as our primary striped bass conventional setups.
Before I continue with the actual breakdown of the reel, it is necessary to discuss my needs and wants when looking for a new conventional reel to catch stripers with the reasoning behind my choices.
Top Characteristics of Conventional Reels
Small Sizes/Comfort - I like small lever drags that can fit in the palm of your hand for comfort, lightweight, and to match the newest rods, which are getting thinner and lighter by the day. In my opinion, the reel should weigh no more than 15 oz, with 10 - 12 being optimal but not necessary.
Lever Drags (With a detented style lever ramp)- I find lever drags to be more versatile than star drags for my style of fishing. The ability to set light tension on a preset drag is a game-changer (An example would be slow trolling live bait). Star drags reels are certainly capable reels; however, lever drags get the nod on my boat for their relative versatility over a star drag.
Inches Per Crank - Between 38" - 42" is ideal regardless of gear ratio. Gear ratios are not as vital since they are all similar in these classes of reels. So Inches per Crank is the better number to consider. Speed is essential as it allows the angler to reel up any slack when a big girl shakes her head and runs at the boat. Inches per crank are something I never thought about until my late teens, when I was predominately fishing a Penn International 975LD, a discontinued round low-profile baitcasting reel. I lost quite a few big fish in situations where a 20" wasn't fast enough to reel in the slack, and the hook just fell out. When I figured out the retrieve was just too slow, I quickly sold that reel and never looked back.
Smooth Drag - Look for a reel that uses a carbon fiber washer and at least 10 pounds of drag at strike. You do not need anywhere close to 30 pounds of drag for striped bass, so stated drag capacities are not too important to me. I am looking for a drag system that uses Canbontex type of drag washers (as opposed to felt) and is smooth when a fish screams off long runs with 5 - 6 pounds of drag. Most modern-day reels have this covered, but some have drag systems that stay smoother over a more extended period.
Comfortable Handle - This is subjective but important. Catching a fish is always more enjoyable when you are comfortable. It is even better when that handle gives you an advantage. I prefer ball-type handles for my smaller conventional gear, followed by the egg shape handles for no other reason than they feel more comfortable. Power handles are also a dream to reel a fish in with, but they can be a little cumbersome at times. On another note, power handles really shine in the offshore world
Long Cranking Arm - The torque a longer handle generates is a palpable difference in cranking power. Some reel manufacturers come stock with a power crank, others may offer it as an upgrade, and some third-party companies make aftermarket handles for various reels. Once you try it, you will never go back.
Metal Frame - I have had a lot of success with graphite framed reels, but they tend to flex under heavy pressure. Plus, the metal frame feels and looks so much better.
Giant Stainless Steel Gears - Oversized and overbuilt gears will increase the longevity of the reel. I have more than a handful of reels that burned out the teeth of the main gear on big fish throughout my life. Some were cheapies and others were very expensive. Routinely pulling on big fish with small reels will wear it down. Buy from a company that puts giant, robust gears in their reels.
Anti Reverse Style- I want my reels to have dual instant anti-reverse bearing with a backup ratcheting tooth and dog system. When you turn the handle, you will know if it has a tooth and dog system if there is a faint clicking noise.
Ease of Maintenance - If possible, could I open this reel while out on the water and get it back to working form?
Warranty - What companies will stand by their product?
Price - When you know what you need your reel for and understand the materials and specifications to accomplish your needs, it can help you get the best reel for the money. When I buy a new set of reels, I usually buy between 4 - 6, so I can't justify spending $1000 for a reel that could go for a swim! (Lost one Seigler last year the first week it was on my boat!)
Other Factors that Are Nice
Made in America - I try to support local economies as much as possible!
Color Choices - Customization is always fun and adds personal flavor.
Neat Features - Seigler has curved bars on its frame to avoid line stacking up and getting caught. I love this unique feature!
Ball Bearings - I never care enough to look at how many bearings there are in a conventional reel. In my opinion, the more bearings, the more potential problems. More importantly, I want high-quality shield bearings that won't rust and will be smooth with little maintenance throughout their lifetime.
With all those factors in mind, let's look at how the Seigler SG stands out in these categories. For members on Mouths of the Merrimack, you will also have access to the full description of each of the listed categories AND a spreadsheet comparing those features across a multitude of manufacturers and products to help you make the best decision for yourself.
Seigler SG - Review
Small Size and Comfort- The Seigler SG check in the scale at 12.2 ounces cementing it as one of the lightest comparably sized reels. It is the second most lightweight reel in its class, falling short only to the minuscule Accurate Valliant 300. The simple design has smooth curved edges and no unnecessary hardware, making palming it a breeze. You can cut weight and size by getting the narrow spooled version (the SGN) with all other specifications. A big pet peeve of mine is when a reel is too wide as they tend to wobble, but even the regular SG model is compact and more narrow than most reels in its class.
Lever Drag - Segiler has changed its lever drag ramp system over the years (Avet is another company that changed its newest models). The SG's lever drag has two extraordinary abilities that are difficult to find in other small conventional reels. First, it has a smooth drag range scale. There is a linear drag pressure increase as you engage from free spool to the strike button. The drag incrementally increases to your preset drag setting as you move the lever forward. One of the most significant issues of small drag lever reels is that the drag is, for all practical purposes, is almost at full the second it is off of free spool; thus, negating the advantages of a lever drag. The other issue with most small lever drag reels is what I call "creep back." Throughout a day of fishing, you are constantly moving that lever up and down, and with a few brands of reels I have used for some reason, this can slowly turn the preset drag knob, unintentionally loosening your preset drag. I find it super annoying and disappointing when you drop $300 for a reel. Luckily, the Seigler SG's didn't seem to have any issues with that. Another nice feature of the Seigler SG is the indentations on the lever drag ramp. This subtle addition helps keep the lever in place while fighting a fish.
Inches per crank - The Seigler SG reels in 38" per crank. It is a tad slow for my liking, so I opted for the shorter handle available (I will discuss this decision later). In theory, the shorter handle has less distance to make a revolution; thus, you can make up the mechanical cranking speed by reeling in faster.
Smooth drag - Greased carbon fiber drag washers! Just what the doctor ordered! My experience with the SG's this past season has wowed me with the smoothness of huge stripers making blistering runs. The reels never broke a sweat.
Comfortable Handle - The handle is a comfortable half-ball shape type. If you want more of a "grip," some guys dip their handle into liquid rubber for a more solid feel.
Long Cranking Arm - I opted for the shorter handle option to obtain more speed due to the lower inches per crank on the SG. However, even the shorter handle option is longer or least the same as most other manufacturers. The benefit of all Seigler reel sizes is somehow; they generate a TON of cranking power through humungous gearing and drive trains. Their LGN (Large Game Narrow) is the best high-speed haddock reel on the market where you have the advantage of 51," and somehow they turn a ton of power to crank fish off the bottom. The Seigler handle is ergonomically designed to perfection that reeling in a big fish is a breeze. If you wanted a more extended handle crank for your reel, Seigler's website provides the handle upgraded handle as an option.
Metal Frame - The machine work of Seigler is genuinely a work of art.
Big Stainless Gears - Seigler sports the most powerful and most robust gearing mechanism on the market. Their gears are forged of high-quality stainless steel in enlarged dimensions on their main shaft and drive gears.
Anti Reverse Style - All Seigler reels have a dual anti-reverse system I mentioned earlier, choosing to go with the anti-reverse bearing backed up with the ratcheting dog-tooth style. With this fool-proof design, you will not have to worry about an anti-reverse failure.
Ease of Maintenance - Three hex head screws are all it takes to pull off the side plate and take a look under the hood. I had a situation last year where some braid got caught between the spool and the frame on one of my reels, and I was able to take out the two screws, untangle the line off the shaft, and put it back together to be fished in a matter of minutes, while out on the water!
Warranty - Seigler reels have a 100% LIFETIME WARRANTY. Okuma and Daiwa are second best, with five-year warranties on their flagship models.
Price - The Seigler SG is moderately priced at $300. Quality small lever drag reels start around $200 and go up to $700. Not only do I feel Seigler is the best bang for your buck in the $250 - $350 range, I believe it has some features, better design, and better longevity than reels that cost twice as much.
Other Stuff
Made in America - Seigler's owner is Wes Seigler, who is an outstanding fisherman, machinist, and a hell of a good guy. They make all their reels 100% from their factory in Virginia. Check out the Seigler Facebook page, as the Seigler team constantly posts exciting and engaging behind-the-scenes shots of the sop!
Color Choices - A few reel companies now offer different color choices for fun. I chose to go with Black metal and red. I love how badass they look. Stock Seigler's come with either silver, gray, or black frames and have accent colors of red, blue, and silver for its knobs, lever drag, and clicker. Speaking of clickers, I forgot to mention their importance! Seigler's have a very loud clicker which I like. In addition, it provides enough tension to keep a free spool rod in the rod holder without backlashing on a hit. It can be a little hard to push at times.
Thoughtful Features - I love the fact that Seigler is the only company to produce "bowed" out crossbars on the frame to eliminate line stacking on one area of the spool up as you reel in and get stuck. Another thoughtful feature is the use of color-coding on the reel. The accent colors are designed to identify critical parts of the reel. For example, I can tell my less experienced clients to push up the red lever to engage the drag instead of explaining where the lever is! Genius idea if you ask me!
After an entire season of use, the Seigler's have proved to stand up to the rigors and abuse of charter boat fishing. My customers and I were all impressed with these little battle tanks' comfort, smoothness, reliability, and toughness. Considering the reels hit nearly all my needs perfectly, I can't justify spending more for products that really can't do much better than what the Seigler brings to the table. Throw in some unique, well throughout features, a 100% lifetime warranty, and proudly made in America by a great guy who fishes; it justifies an angler spending a little more to support a great locally made product.
Locally, you can purchase these fine reels from the following tackle shops:
Crossroads Bait and Tackle - Salisbury, MA
Reel Easy - Newburyport, MA
Tomo’s Tackle - Beverly, MA
The Mighty Fish - Orleans, MA
Three Lantern Marine - Gloucester, MA
Fisherman’s Outfitter - Gloucester, MA
Saco Bay Bait and Tackle - Saco, ME
Kittery Trading Post - Kittery, ME
