Best type of baitcasting reel for my needs?

[Chris_530]

Bear with me, as this is my first post on here and I might be a little specific with the info I'm seeking...

I fish on a weekly basis along the Sacramento River, mainly for trout and steelhead, but I anticipate salmon season every August looking to score some kings. I've always been an avid spinning reel kind of guy, but want to try something new and challenge myself with a baitcaster. I do all my fishing from the shore. Drift fishing with a couple ounces bouncing roe is what most do around here, but my girlfriend and I have actually landed more and bigger kings off of Kastmasters, believe it or not. 75% of my fishing season, it's for trout and maybe some steelhead. My lure size ranges from 1/3oz. up to 1oz. Nothing bigger. Nothing smaller. Initially I was looking into an entry level Abu Max series type of baitcaster until I knew if I was going to like it or not. These types of baitcasters I'm sure can bomb those lures further than my spinning reel, but then I started looking into reels like the Abu Ambaseur and the Shimano Cardiff. I started to wonder if the Max series would hold up if I had one of our average 20-40lb. kings on the line, but I also started to wonder if the Ambaseur & Cardiff would be too large to launch a 1/2oz. Kastmaster any further than my spinning reel, being that it seems these reels are made more-so for weights upwards of several ounces.

To sum it up, I'm trying to figure out what reel type would benefit me more than my spinning setup. I'm looking for distance with the lures I'm working with, but also something that'll stand up to the fight of a fairly large fish. Being that the Max series is a bass type of reel, I'm skeptical as to if it'd handle a king. Also, if the Ambaseur (4500, 5500, 6500) & Cardiff (200, 300, 400) isn't out of the question, what size would you guys recommend? Like I've said, I've never used a baitcaster, but I have the concept down. I just worry that buying one of those larger reels won't cast my most commonly used lures as far as my spinning gear. I'm looking for someone to tell me otherwise. Maybe the Max series is best for my lures and the Ambaseur & Cardiff are better suited for the drift fishing with 2oz. weights? I'm only looking to buy one at the moment, but if I have to choose, I want it to get my Kastmasters to the other side of that river. [] Drift fishing with the heavier weights comes second.

For what it's worth, my current setup is a size 40 Pflueger President XT. A St. Croix Premier 7' Medium rod. I use 8lb. Fireline with 6lb. P-Line CFX during trout/steelhead season and 20lb. Fireline with 15lb. P-Line CXX during salmon season (with a 8'6" Lamiglas rod). When I invest into baitcasting, I'll probably be looking at something along the lines of a 7' medium or medium/heavy rod. Feel free to give your 2 cents on that as well. I know 7' isn't the standard for salmon, but I want to use it year round and I've caught plenty of kings on a 7' rod. Again, this is the "if I can only have one" situation.

I apologize in advance for this being long and drawn out. I've searched several forums and often times people don't provide enough information when they submit an inquiry.
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