Penn 7000 for Drone Mulloway Sessions: Is It the Right Reel?

A Penn 7000 spinning reel mounted on a surf rod on a South Australian beach

Heads up: some links on this page are affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the verdict; I only recommend gear I'd use myself. Full disclosure.

When you’re dropping baits past the back gutter with a drone and waiting on a mulloway, the reel stops being an afterthought. You need line capacity, a drag that won’t fade under a long fight, and something that shrugs off salt session after session. The Penn 7000 sits right in that conversation for surf anglers — here’s where it fits.

Why a big-capacity reel matters for drone fishing

A drone lets you place a bait much further out than you could cast. That’s only useful if your reel holds enough line to fish at that range and still has reserve when a good fish runs. The 7000-size class is popular for exactly this reason on big surf beaches.

Field notes to fill: real line capacity with the braid I run, drag performance across a long mulloway fight, how it’s held up to repeated salt exposure, and whether the extra size is worth the weight on a long session.

The honest verdict (in progress)

  • Strengths: capacity and a simple, serviceable drag at a sensible price for surf duty.
  • Watch-outs: size and weight if you’re holding the rod all session; match it to a rod that balances it.

Where to buy

Penn 7000 on Amazon AU

Check price on Amazon AU

Affiliate link — adds the Associates tag once approved (see disclosure). I’ll swap the search link for the exact model I run once the long-term review is finished.