NZ Fishing World

Fin-Nor Bahama 3000

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Fin-Nor have a name for tough reels that do the work at the business end of things. One of Fin-Nor's new spinning reels, the Bahama 3000, once again lives up to its manufacturer's reputation and is a perfect little number for soft baiting with.

Featuring a full metal body, this is a solid reel. Perhaps a little heavy for some soft baiters but you get the feeling whilst using it that it won't let you down once a big fish becomes attached on the other end.

Five stainless steel ball bearings results in a smooth operation while the thickened, full alloy bail arm once again feels tough and reassuring. The Bahama series features an infinite anti-reverse system which means that there is no backplay at all. I love this feature on spinning reels as it means that any strike will be felt with absolutely no line being taken out. This makes the whole oujtfit more sensitive. Anyone who has fished with soft baits knows that sensitivity is key as you want to be able to feel each and every bite. You need to set the hook and you don't want to give the fish a single millimetre.

We paired the Bahama 3000 to a Fin-Nor Megalite rod and took it out to test on some snapper in the Hauraki Gulf. The Megalite series of rods are exactly as they claim to be, very light. They are also extremely well-balanced and are a perfect inshore option for a reel like the Bahama.

I had a few casts with the set and was impressed with how smooth and balanced everything was. The set is heavier than the ultra-light set I usually use soft baiting, but I'm sure there wouldn't be any problem casting lures around with the Fin-Nor set all day. I got to pull up a few small fish on the set but wanted something bigger to give it a real crack.

I headed out a few weeks later with NZ Fishing World's Publisher John Baker to chase some work-ups and handed him the Fin-Nor set to use. After a slow morning we finally found some fish and put the fin-Nor to work on some big snapper. We were dropping deepwater soft baiting rigs and the Fin-Nor set worked a treat as John started to pull some very respectable fish onboard.

From where I was standing, the reel was doing a great job and any runs the fish went on were dealt to by the very smooth drag on the Bahama and the strong parabolic action of the rod.

This is a set that would suit anybody getting into soft baiting and wanted something very affordable but capable of tackling big inshore fish. The whole set retails at under $250, a lot less than I expected, so is absolutely a great intro-mid level combo that will stay strong and true for a long time.

Fin-Nor Bahama 3000

Speed: 5:1

Capacity: 220yds/8lb

Ball Bearings: 5

RRP $150