Wes Seigler, the owner of Truth Reels, first made his name racing bicycles and later became known for designing them. Despite all the time spent in the bicycle industry, Wes never lost his love for saltwater fishing. His passion for fishing eventually won out and Wes created Release Reels (now Truth Reels).
Update: Since the original drafting of this post, Truth has changed names to SEiGLER. The company now goes by the name SEiGLER Fishing Reels. Despite the name changes, the reels are as good or better than ever before. This update builds upon the original SG Reel review with the addition of the SGN (Small Game Narrow).
Truth SG & SGN Saltwater Baitcasting Reels
Product: Truth SG (Small Game) & SGN (Small Game Narrow) Saltwater Baitcasting Reels.
Overall Rank: 90 out of 100.
Price: Middle range.
Company/Owner: SEiGLER Fishing Reels / Wes Seigler.
Website: Seigler.Fish.
Intro To Truth (SEiGLER) SG & SGN Saltwater Reels
Some anglers might remember the Release reels from seeing them used on offshore trips in earlier days. Today’s models pack even more power while dropping extra ounces of weight than ever before. As Release Reels became Truth Reels and has now changed to SEiGLER, so too have the reels transformed.
The original Release is now the SEiGLER SG. It’s lighter and packed with even more power. With the addition of the SGN narrow spool model, jig casters can take full advantage of the SEiGLER Small Game model as well. Check out the SG in action in the video below:
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Truth Reels – SG & SGN Models, Specs & Features
Models
SEiGLER manufactures reels without offering different sizes as most companies do. Instead, they make different reels that perform for different fishing scenarios. For instance: if you’re fishing offshore with the possibility of hooking larger species, consider the SEiGLER Large Game Reel. Like the SG, it too comes in a narrow spool model. The reels are strikingly similar in comparison as the LG is basically a beefed up version of the original SG Reel.
• SEiGLER SG • SEiGLER SGN
SG & SGN Reel Specifications
I mentioned that Truth SG & SGN reels were light (12.8 oz and 11.8 oz respectively). They’re also extremely tough and durable. Small in stature perhaps, but they’re able to hold onto an incredible amount of force with their carbon fiber drag systems. The strike drag setting on both models applies an impressive 18 pounds of resistance, and full drag maxes at 28 pounds.
Truth reels put speed into the SG & SGN models with a gear ratio of 6:1 and 38″ of line per crank. Expect to use 275 yards of your favorite 20 lb monofilament line or 475 yards of 50-pound braided line to fill up the SG spool. The SGN rates at 375-yards of 30 lb or 275-yards of 50 lb braided line only.
If you’d like to see the full breakdown and maintenance of the SG reel you can find it on Alantani.com. He has a great tutorial that shows the step by step process.
Features Of SG & SGN Reels
CrankArm
Offshore anglers love a reel with a powerful handle. During those times when the fight gets nasty, fishermen need to get down and apply a lot of force on a reel.
The crank-style arm design allows fishermen a strong handle when the time comes to put the wood to angry sportfish. The crank arm stays close to the frame giving much better leverage.
Beefed Up Anti Reverse
Truth reels put a little more strength into the dog gear and stopper bearing when they designed the SG. Cheaper systems can break down over time and when they do the reel will slip or spin. An anti-reverse system also needs to hold strong on a hot drag fish.
Having a dual system, SG & SGN reels provide instant hook setting stoppage with a one-way roller bearing (aka anti-reverse bearing). As a strong backup, the reels use a ratchet and pawl system known as a dog gear.
Instant Gear Strike Button
Don’t worry about having to flip a switch or turn the handle to engage the bail. The well situated Strike Button puts the reel into immediate gear when you’re ready to set the hook.
This rare feature allows the angler to switch the lever drag reel into free spool regardless of the lever position.
Detent Lever System
This term applies to the markings along the arc of the lever drag. It arrests the lever when it reaches each position and anglers can feel it secure into place. The detent lever system makes it easy to fine tune the drag and keeps it in place once it’s set.
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Pros & Cons Of Truth Reels SG Baitcaster
Pros
Anglers enjoy the SG Baitcaster mainly because of its small size and lightweight. After holding a rod and reel for 10-12 hours straight, a lighter reel looks very attractive.
For such a small reel the Truth SG baitcaster doesn’t let up under stress. They land the kind of fish you wouldn’t expect to see caught by a reel their size.
For a strong reel built out of durable material (6061 T-6 aluminum), the SG comes at a good value. All Truth Reel parts, materials, and manufacturing are made in the USA with the exception of the bearings. SEiGLER reels also come with the backing of a Lifetime Warranty.
Cons
Mechanically speaking, there aren’t many negative words to say about SG or SGN reels. For the angler who is just starting or doesn’t fish more than once a season, the cost may be out of bounds. For the avid angler that wants to pair a graphite or composite rod to a small powerful reel, they have plenty of value. But that brings up another point. Matching the lightweight SG with a heavier fiberglass rod could result in an awkward setup.
Who Is Best Suited To The Truth Reels SG Baitcaster?
The SG reel best suits anglers looking inshore for small shark or larger halibut. It makes an effective weapon offshore against strong Yellowtail, Amberjack, or larger rockfish species. If you need more power and line capacity for stronger offshore gamefish, check out the SEiGLER Large Game Reels. For the beginner (or not as frequent an angler), reels like the Penn Fathom, Penn Squall, and Daiwa Sealine provide excellent performance with a lower budget.
Truth Reel Support
Support at Truth Reels comes second to none. A big reason I say this has to do with their Lifetime Warranty. Any trouble with any Truth Reel products can be sent in for repair or replacement for a small processing fee.
Interested parties can also download the owner’s manual from Seigler.Fish. The manual comes with helpful information like how to set your lever drag, how to clean your reel, spooling tips, and oh yea, how to register your reel. Registration allows anglers to take advantage of the lifetime warranty but can be done quickly on their website.
Final Thoughts
Overall Ranking: 90 out of 100.
Truth SG & SGN baitcasters make the ninetieth percentile with bonus points for their lifetime warranty. Owners have every confidence in the performance of Truth Reels, East and West Coast alike. Wes Seigler tests the reels in some pretty awesome locations and they go back to the drawing board when he doesn’t like them. It’ll be interesting to see how SEiGLER Reels improves with the next generation of saltwater reels.
Have any questions or feedback about SG or SGN reels? Spend a few seconds and leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading and tight lines until next time. FishtFight.com.
