How lucky are we, that we live in a time where there has been so much innovation in fishing reels? You can peruse the glass case at any tackle shop and find the gadget that has whatever it is that you look for in a reel. Maybe you like perpetual-motion smoothness? Maybe you like a slick look. Maybe you prioritize a simple design that doesn’t have 900 potential failure points. Or maybe you set your sights on a precision machine that can handle the elements, won’t quit on you in that critical moment, feels good in the hand and does all that while looking the part.
If you like that last one, then let me add one more, a reel that does all that and doesn’t completely torpedo your wallet. If that sounds too good to be true I encourage you to read on. Believe it or not, I was among the first non-Tsunami employees to test the original Salt-X, and while that reel performed well (I still have three in my arsenal), there were a few areas where the original could use a little improvement.
Designing a reel from the ground up takes a lot of dedication, it takes a lot of fine-tuning and, most of all, it demands deep pockets. Just think of all the parts, a large percentage have to be custom made, which requires custom tooling and dedicated machinery… all that adds up to mucho dinero. Now consider the cost of designing two reels; add to that the fact that between the two versions of the Salt-X, there are six total sizes and it should be bringing Tsunami’s dedication to quality into crystal clear focus.
The Salt-X II is not just another sealed reel being tossed into the blitz of the unique demands of the Northeast angler, this reel is the golden child of the Tsunami lineup. It’s the result of the Tsunami team, all of which are hardcore anglers in their own rite, making a list of bullet points that they demand from a top-end reel, designing it from the ground up, tearing that first design down, going back to the drawing board and going through the whole process again. That’s the kind of devotion to a dream we should all be looking for when picking out a new reel. They started over and that was an investment in customer satisfaction.
The Salt-X II is a whole different animal. In the hand, it has the feel of a reel that’s designed to do battle. It might not be as silky as some other reels on the market, but that’s a direct result of the digitally-optimized S-Drive main gear, which connects with zero play coupled with the 19 seals that keep water out of the reel, no matter what. The body and rotor are constructed from A6061 Aluminum, which is impervious to saltwater corrosion. The Hammer Drag system is fully-sealed, runs smooth and has surprising stopping power, ranging from 20 to 50 pounds, depending on the model.
Some little flourishes that anglers will appreciate include a braid-ready spool, 7+1 sealed bearings, non-slip power knob and manually-operated bail (even the bail spring is sealed). As Northeast fishermen, we gravitate toward toughness and the Salt-X II satisfies that thirst with a titanium spool lip, a titanium main shaft and a titanium bail wire, three places where a workhorse reel simply cannot fall short.
After putting the reel through its paces for a few weeks, first of all, it out-performs the original in every category. It’s tougher, smoother, features tighter and more elegant construction and every needed improvement has been made. Two unexpected things I love about this reel are the titanium spool lip and the non-slip power knob. The titanium lip makes the line fly effortlessly on the cast and eases my mind when I have to set it down on the rocks—titanium is tough and resists nicking. I am usually not a huge fan of power knobs, but this one is super comfortable and – as advertised – it’s grippy; there’s nothing worse than missing a hookset because your hand slipped off the handle! A smooth drag is one of the most important aspects of any saltwater reel and this one is powerful and smooth.
Overall, I’m more than satisfied with the Salt-X II, I’d say I’m impressed. I currently have a 4000 size paired with a 7-foot, 7-inch Salt-X rod. This setup has been great for backwater stripers, all types of kayak fishing and shallow water togging. I can’t imagine any inshore species that could out-battle this reel. I’ll be looking to add a few more sizes to my lineup in the near future. The Salt-X II comes in four sizes, 3000, 4000, 6000 and 8000 (see chart for details).
| Model | Weight | Ratio | Crank | Braid Cap | Max Drag | Price |
| TSSTXII3000 | 11.3 oz | 5.2:1 | 30” | 225/20 | 20 lb | $399.99 |
| TSSTXII4000 | 12.0 oz | 5.2:1 | 33” | 300/20 | 25 lb | $399.99 |
| TSSTXII6000 | 17.7 | 5.6:1 | 40” | 350/40 | 40 lb | $429.99 |
| TSSTXII8000 | 22 oz | 4.7:1 | 40” | 400/65 | 50 lb | $459.99 |
