113 hn baja special

[broschro]

Awesome news!

[RUSTY OLD COLT]

   I met Tony on another site about a year ago when I was having a problem with Fathom 25 , if Tonys involved this problem is going to be a thing of the past.

[Alto Mare]

Welcome to the site Tony, nice to have you here.

Sal

[Tightlines667]

Welcome to the site Tony, nice to have you here.

Sal

X2

It is great to have you here.

[Rivverrat]

Yes very good news. As I stated in another thread they replaced my brand new Baja with a new US113. Glad to see they are looking at it this seriously. I do not for see this new reel giving me an issue. Hoping to hear back from Tony regarding what the problem was on my Baja whether it was me or what ever. 

[skneip49]

Six months since the last post on this lengthy thread. I'm amazed and amused that trying to fix a problem related to a function as vital as anti reverse is not resolved. The dogs were junk, too soft. I replaced the ones that had a meltdown in my reel a year and a half ago and sold it! Replaced it with a Penn Fathom 40NLD2.

[triumphrick]

Guys,

My name is Tony I work at PENN in the Philadelphia offices.  My title is PENN Product Specialist.  You will see me post frequently on some of the other fishing forums as well in case anyone was wondering.  I reached out to Alan and confirmed if it was OK for us to create an account and post, he approved.
We wanted to let everyone know that we realize this issue is serious and is not going un-noticed, we had multiple people including the PENN Brand Manager, Director of Engineering, Quality, etc. read this thread.  As we speak, we are running anti-reverse bench testing on a US Senator.  We need someone to confirm that the a/r issues that you guys are seeing are happening on the US Senator or only the Baja's?   In May of 2014 prior to the 1st  production build of the US Senators we switched to a brass ratchet that we flatten in a press to provide better engagement.  The older Baja reels used a stainless ratchet.  There was a run of 113HN reels that had a bowed stainless ratchet due to a worn die, it was corrected as soon as possible.
We would like to see an example if anyone has a US Senator with a/r issues.  We will of course replace your reel with a new one. 

I have six  113HN Baja Specials here and four of them need new A/R dogs.

I do about 700 - 800 various reels a year. Maybe a pittance in some folks mind....but it is a pretty substantial business to me. I see every brand here but VanStaal. Plus I wont do baitcasters.

I have to say that the procedure for re-installing the tiny springs and ill-fitting dogs has almost got me to the point that I don't want to see these reels in here again. But I have always welcomed a good challenge, so I look at each service as just that and do my best. To have everything installed and have the drag stack tip slightly and the dog or spring moves is very disconcerting. I have had a reel back together and using some wood, tapped it hard on the side and had the a/r fail.

If your engineers are going to have a good look at the quality of the dogs, also have them chat with some of your service folks so they may enlighten you with some suggestions for a better system. Anything that will retrofit these systems I feel are needed.

Hoping for a response!

[steelfish]

After using this reel plenty of times I think (IMHO) for now until Penn engineers found a better option, but for the weekly warriors that use the Baja Special we will need new dogs, just two SS dogs that Lee (Keta) can make like the ones he made for the 113h, 112h, 114h reels.

locally few guys thar run fishing charters use the Baja Special as loaner reel for the customers, they have caught nice fishes 3-4 times per week (at least) and the problem (if any) have been only the dogs, they deform too easily compared to the 113h stock bronze dog.

[TongassFisher]

I wanted to chime in with my Penn Baja experience.

I've been using the Baja as my bottom fishing/halibut go to reel going into my 3rd season. I've caught many Halibit up to roughly 140lbs, some quite large skates(bummer), ling, yellow eye, and countless sub species of rockfish that live is SE Alaska. I fish roughly 150-400ft deep running Chinese 80lbs braid. I most often run 20oz of lead to get down quick. My Baja has been exceptional. I've serviced it twice, once by AKfish, and most recently by myself. I've upgraded it with the stainless Cortez double dog bridge and sleeve. It's by far my favorite, most used reel in my line up. I should also add that it's quite corrosion resistant. The first year I owned it I would leave it in the boat because I was going out so often. SE alaska is a rainforest so that reel was wet non stop. When bill (AKfisher) services it, there was a bearing or two that needed replacing but other than that it's been 100%. Ive since started taking much better care of my equipment.

I just like the reel and wanted to share.


Trev

[Rancanfish]

Coincidentally, I stumbled on this thread again as I was trying to figure out where a small fiber washer belonged in my Baja I had taken apart and bagged.

I was waiting on the Cortez bridge Tom was machining. It came in a couple of days ago and after spinning it a few thousand times I decided to install it.  

Trev, if I ever make it to Alaska, I agree and my two Cortez Baja's will be with me.

I honestly have to fight the urge to shout to the world about the amazing workmanship / design of Tom's work on this bridge.

If you have a Baja you use and abuse, you have to have this upgrade.

Now to figure out where that stupid little washer goes, and find a new handle lock screw for mine with the stripped threads. (Edit: found screw 32-15 from JDL on the auction site).

[Bill B]

Thats funny, I finally got my Coffee Can Special together and have the same one left over  ....if you figure it out let me know...Bill

[mikeysm]

Try putting it under the star drag.

Mike

[Rancanfish]

Actually I think I had it there (under the star) at one point but the drag was starting at 10lbs.

I put the reel back together without thinking about the drag stack arrangement, so it was easy to just leave it out when I realized I had too much drag with it.

[mikeysm]

My reel did not have one. I upgraded to a metal star and they said it needed to be ordered also. It also makes the drag tight. But it's bearable and it should break in.

[Rancanfish]

Well, I just bagged it again so I remember to order up the handle cap screw.

I tried swapping in a 113H screw but it is too short.

When I get it back out I'll play with different combos.

I may get the stars too, but hate to until one breaks.