Breaking in the Tsunami Shield II 6000 on Offshore Permit

When you’re dropping live crabs to big permit circling a wreck, you need gear you can count on. In his latest trip, Joey Antonelli leaned on the new Tsunami Shield II Reel 6000, and it handled everything the offshore bite could throw at it.

Joey starts the day in the river, flipping rocks and scooping crabs by hand. It’s a simple but effective approach—no store-bought bait here. Once he’s got enough, it’s off to a nearby wreck where big permits are stacked and feeding. It doesn’t take long before the action kicks off.

As Joey hooks up, the Shield II Reel 6000 goes to work. He’s fishing with 20-pound braid, 30-pound Tsunami fluorocarbon leader, and a tight drag. The fish run hard, dive deep, and make long, powerful surges. Joey holds steady, keeping pressure on without giving an inch. “We're not babying these fish,” he says. “I’m using heavy drag, and it’s doing exactly what I need it to do.”

The Tsunami Shield II is built for this kind of pressure. It has an IPX6 waterproof rating, 12 internal seals, and a sealed CF3 carbon drag system. Inside, it features machined aluminum or brass gears, depending on the size. The 6000 model hits the sweet spot for line capacity and stopping power—perfect for targeting permit, cobia, kingfish, and other hard-fighting saltwater species.

Joey points out that while this reel is new to the public, he’s already been using it for commercial inshore fishing. “I use this same reel for pompano. Now that it’s finally available, I wanted to show it in action,” he says. And action is exactly what they got.

One fish eats right at the surface, just a few feet from the boat, giving Joey one of the best eats he’s caught on camera. He stays on top of the fish, adjusting as it moves to different sides of the boat. The reel holds up without slipping, grinding, or giving out. “This is the reel you want when you’re putting pressure on strong fish,” Joey says.

During the trip, Robin lands her first permit on purpose, using the same setup. They take turns on the rod, each fish pushing the gear hard, and the reel keeps performing. Even as the fish dive near the motors or head for structure, the drag stays smooth, and the line stays tight.

Joey fishes smart and hard. He keeps the fights short to avoid sharks and deep wrecks. He says it’s better to fight like you’re not afraid to lose the fish than to let it drag out too long and risk losing everything. The Shield II lets him do that.

By the end of the day, they’ve landed multiple solid permits, and Joey even keeps one for the table. Back at the cleaning table, he reflects on how well the reel performed. “That’s a strong fish. That’s the kind of fish you want when you’re testing something new,” he says. “I’ve trusted this reel on the job. Now I’m using it out here, and it’s holding up exactly the same.”

The Tsunami Shield II Reel is available in sizes from 2500 to 8000. It’s fully sealed, built tough, and made for serious saltwater use. Whether you're working a shoreline, drifting a wreck, or targeting permit offshore, this reel is up for the challenge.