Van Staal

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Brand:	Van Staal

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Van Staal is known for making products designed to stand up to and perform in the harshest of conditions an angler can imagine. Whether you're fishing for striped bass in the surf or battling blue fin tuna standup, having confidence in your gear is paramount. VS customer service point man Craig Cantelmo is at the very top of our "best reps" list each year. So if any problem with a Van Staal product were to come up, you can rest easy knowing Craig C is on the case.

Having reliable equipment outing after outing, year after year is important whether you're walking the shoreline or motoring around in your boat. With Van Staal products you can be sure your equipment is up to the task when asked to perform.

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cchobot	The Van Staal Thread Oct 2 2012 3:21PM
	I'm starting this thread as an outlet for discussion about Van Staal. I started writing a little bit about VS but there's really so much to say I couldn't keep it short like an intro post should be. So, here goes, Van Staal, thoughts?

crnelson	Oct 2 2012 8:20PM
	I'll take a crack at this. Being a new VS owner Ill admit I had a hard time figuring out what would make a reel worth that kind of cash. This lasted precisely until I got to fish one. I have only had my 200 for a few weeks now but I'm absolutely hooked (no pun). Here is why: -Simple. No frills. -Smooth, solid, powerful operation. NOTHING feels fragile. -Bulletproof sealed construction. No more tear down after each trip. -Reputation. -Last but not least, Drag noise. Maybe the drag was a little too loose on purpose but the sound of it singing had me in the Edge less than 12 hours later to get my own. I'll admit I'm a VS rookie and will defer to those that have fished them far longer than me. Here is the best advice I can give and what really turned me: if you can't decide if you need one, try and fish someone else's. if you are like me, you won't be disappointed.

Joe2143	Oct 2 2012 9:14PM
	I purchased my first in 2006. Since then I've never lost a plug or a fish because the reel failed to function. The bail has never snapped shut during a cast (no bail), the line has never 'slid' off the roller, and the drag has never been "sticky" (always smooth and breaks crisp, no squeaking). I have purchased two more. Another Vs150 and a Vs200. I've also picked up a spare spool for each reel. Do they cost more than most reels, yes. But, when I consider the cost of getting to my favorite shore line (gas, tolls, buggy passes, vehicle maintenance, food, drink); getting there and having a reel that fails when you're in the middle of a blitz or a fight is no fun.

Rob Rockcrawler	Oct 3 2012 5:34AM
	Great reels, i have a 200 and love it. The power of the reel impresses me the most and the fact that there is nothing to worry about with it. While there is no bail to snap shit i did lose a plug last year when the line caught on the outside of the line roller. I would buy another if i needed it but i think the one i have will likely last me forever.

beaver	Oct 3 2012 8:39AM
	I have a 150 and a 200 and I couldn't be happier. The cost is hard to swallow at first, but the reality is that you could have a VS for the rest of your life. I'd rather buy one reel at $700, than four at $200 a pop. It will take a few trips to get used to it, but once you get into a rhythm its hard to cast anything other than a VS. The power of these reels is incredible. I think the 200 is more than enough to handle any striped bass that I'll ever encounter, and it fits well on both a 9ft and 10ft rod, which is what I most commonly use. The 150 is great for an 8ft rod for spring or back bay fishing. It is even small enough to balance well on 7ft rod, yet still powerful enough to handle large fish. Plus, there is nothing sweeter than the sound of a VS drag singing.

cchobot	Oct 3 2012 9:48AM
	Great posts so far, thanks guys. I wanted to interject that we're beginning a new promotion on VS Reels: Buy any VS Spinning Reel (with the exception of the VM150) and get 4 free plugs including: - 1 Free Super Strike of your choice - 1 Free North Bar Plastic Bottle Darter of your choice - 1 Free Daiwa SP Minnow of your choice - 1 Free Loaded Bone Redfin (Bone) We figured this way you could buy a Van Staal and basically get a selection of 4 top producers so you'll basically have everything you need to get out there and get surfcasting. This promo begins as of today, all promos are for a limited time but we'll give you a heads up before this one ends.

puppet	Oct 3 2012 10:04AM
	I bought my first in 2006 when I lived in California. I toasted a shimano in the surf within four months($150 bucks in the toilet)...got angry and bought a van staal. As Beaver mentions there is economy in the reel...even if the sticker price is counter intuitive. My first was the vs100. Simply awesome reel and suited perfectly for California halibut. I have it paired with a lamiglas g1311 steelhead rod....it also makes for an excellent combo for early season fishing on this coast. When I relocated back to this coast I bought a Zeebaas 25....which is a great reel, but found it a little on the heavier side for the type of fishing I ended up doing most of the year. So, I bought a vs150 and I paired it with a 9' lami super surf. I just love this combo...so light, and perfect for the areas I fish the most. I went back to Van Staal at the time for a few reasons. Both companies make a great reel, but the price difference alllowed me to match my reel with a slightly upgraded rod....than what I would have bought. To me this is a no brainer...Most of what we do is in the rod. I still use the Zeebaas for its size, but it is reserved for locations where I know I need the extra muscle....or for bigger water and when I want to use a longer rod. I have had some minor problems with both brands. In my experience the Van Staal has a slight edge in dependability. For the record, both companies have excellent service and have remedied the issues I have had without any hassle. Both have really blown me away with the customer service. One thing about the van staals that seems consistent.... is that both of my reels had some issues that popped up near the end of the first year of use. In my mind this points to potential quality control issues from the factory. Knowing this I highly recommend servicing your reel in the first year....especially while its under warranty. Not that I recommend this, but my VS100 has not been serviced since the spring of 2007. I fished that reel 4 times a week year round(California) from the surf and kayak from the spring of 2006 to the fall of 2008. It gets light usage these days perhaps a half dozen outings a year, but operates like new. My 150 has been serviced once in three years. I use it probably 30 outings a year. I used to rinse them off after every outing...but these days I don't. It doesn't really seem to matter. I sort of abuse my equipment, treat them like the beasts they are. I have barely enough time to fish, so the economy in the maintenance is a huge feature for me. Like others say.... get your hands on one, you won't be sorry.

Jarlath	250 Van Stahl Oct 4 2012 5:21PM
	I bought a 250 Van Stahl and I'm trying to figure why I's getting wind knots on my 40 lbs braids. I have been tossing tins or jigs with no problems, but the wind knots happens when I'm plugging w/ 1 or 2 oz poppers. I don't want to be putting my hand up above the grip on the rod to tighten the incoming line.

Joe2143	Oct 4 2012 5:51PM
	Pinching the line, above the reel, while retrieving a pencil popper or a swimming plug is just a fact of life. I was taught to do that when I was 15yrs. old; even with mono. When using a conventional reel to plug fish you just automatically pinch the line to guide it on the spool evenly. Whenever you fish a plug slow enough to attract a bass, you always run the risk of putting loose coils on the spool and then covering those loose coils with more loose coils. The result will be wind knots and tangles on subsequent casts. Such is the life we've chosen.

puppet	Oct 4 2012 10:14PM
	Working a Pencil Popper - The Fisherman Magazine - YouTube

toaster816	Oct 5 2012 7:58PM
	How you put your line on your spool, whatever kind you choose, is directly related to having problems or not having problems when fishing it.

cchobot	Heads Up You Leftys ... VS150 and VS250s to come in Silver and Black Oct 10 2012 3:05PM
	Heads up Left Hook and all you other Leftys out there: word is 150s and 250s available in silver and black in november... we're going to setup preordering on these so we can get a feel for demand. Here are the listings: VS150L - Silver VS150L - Black VS250L - Silver VS250L - Black and yes, I did cheat and "flip" that image to get it to look right

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