Penn Conflict spinning reels have been around for a while, but new for 2017 is the Penn Conflict II. Penn says they've improved this reel in a number of ways, but perhaps most impressive is that this is the lightest spinning reel for its size that Penn Fishing Tackle has ever produced. Join us for a sneak-peek at the reel, in this video we shot at the ICAST fishing tackle show this summer.
The Conflict II gets its svelte attitude from a body and rotor made of resin instead of the usual aluminum or graphite materials. The gears are CNC machined aluminum. It has the same HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers utilized in other Penn reels, seven ball-bearings plus a roller bearing, and a rubber gasket on the spool to prevent braid from slipping.
Five sizes are available, ranging from the Conflict II 1000 (an ultralight weighing 6.3 ounces, which can hold 160 yards of six pound braid) up to the Conflict II 5000 (a 14.4 ounce model that can take 420 yards of 20 pound braid). Cost ranges from $149.95 up to $199.95. Gear ratios vary between the models, but all are between 5.2:1 and 6.2:1. There's not a whole lot more info available on these reels at this time. They aren't in stores yet, and Penn says they'll become available starting in mid-September. And while we were able to handle the Conflict II at ICAST we certainly couldn't fish with it, much less give it a thorough season-long workout. So stay tuned for more info, or in the meantime, check out Penn Reels.
