Looking to do battle with tuna and marlin? You'll need a serious reel for the job, one with monstrous capacity and an uncompromising drag system. Mako now offers such a reel in its 9700B.
With a diameter of 5 1/2 inches, the 9700B offers a tremendous retrieval rate, so you can quickly gain line when a big pelagic turns the other way. And with a capacity of 600-plus yards of 50-pound gelspun backing and a 14-weight line, all species are fair game. But it's the drag system of the 9700B that's really cool. Comprised of double-sided, full-contact carbon-fiber clutch plates, its four drag discs total 16 square inches and produce up to 20 pounds of dynamic drag. The full drag range is adjustable through just one rotation of the drag knob, and settings are calibrated and repeat thanks to an automatic wear-adjustment device.
The 9700B is hydraulically sealed with carbon-impregnated Teflon lip seals to keep out any foreign materials, and it features a quick-change spool replacement system. It is a serious reel for serious fish. MSRP is $1,695. www.makoreels.com
