musky and northern fishing

mossberg500man

What say you guys about using an abu garcia 5500 for northern and muskies? Would it stand up to the use...if so what weight line and lures could I use on it?

317wc

No experience with musky or pike, but, I had an ABU GARCIA in 6501 I believe. Used it for snagging salmon, (legal in saltwater) silver fishing, cod, jigging for sea-bass, etc. I used a variety of line, really whatever I could get my hands on at the time, usually 15-20 mono or braid. Not sure how well those reels would handle a large musky though? It took three years of hard abuse to wear my reel out.
I prefer a left hand retrieve model since I spin-fish most of the time, I can transition well between my rods.

MMOMEQ-55

I used 6500s for carp fishing and catfish. 50# braid and they hold up great catching 20# carp and 40# flatheads. Ambassadors are some of the best reels around. I have four 7000 Syncros that have caught everything from sail fish to a 150# Bull Nose Shark.

I used to fish catfish tournaments and almost everyone use 6500s with 50# braid. You should have no problem with 5500s on Northern or Muskie with 20# braid.

Liv2Fish

I used both the 6500 and the 5500. I used the 65 on big baits and a 55 on small bucktails.

skicat

I have caught plenty of Northerns on 8lb line but not on purpose. If you want to cast for bass and up to medium sized pike you could do it with the 5500 and some 12lb test with a stronger wire leader( for the pike) of at least 18".

If you want to specifically target big pike and muskie it is a whole different ball game. You need much larger gear to cast 1/2 to 1 lb lures all day.