Which ones eat spectra?

Tom McKinney · July 10, 2014, 10:36:16 PM

have read that using line of a diameter less than 30lb spectra is ill advised on a jigmaster because of the spool to side plate gap. Is the same thing true of the squidder and surfmaster? was thinking of building a tricked out 100 as shown in the posts above, but only if I can get the capacity from braid.

alantani · July 10, 2014, 11:07:42 PM

almost all of the older penn classic reels will do that.

floating doc · July 17, 2014, 03:54:19 AM

I had a 506 Jigmaster, that I bought for 16-20 mono. That's going to be a lot thicker line than 30 braid, but when I spooled it up with some Ande 20 and took it out for a casting trial, the line was into the side plate on the second or third cast.

I magged it, but still didn't like the reel, so I sold it and bought a used 970. For what the 970's go for now, it would make more sense to just buy a new fathom.

Marcq · July 18, 2014, 12:19:09 AM

I have heard in the past, guys using nail polish on the lip of the side plate ring to reduce the gap but never tried it myself, I use 25lb big game and never had a problem on Jig/Squid/Monofil

Could it be worst on some type/design of spool?

Marc..

floating doc · July 18, 2014, 12:58:03 AM

Quote from: Marcq on July 18, 2014, 12:19:09 AM
I have heard in the past, guys using nail polish on the lip of the side plate ring to reduce the gap but never tried it myself, I use 25lb big game and never had a problem on Jig/Squid/Monofil

Could it be worst on some type/design of spool?

Marc..

I tried the nail polish. I think it made more sense to sell the reel. It went to Hawaii and got a frame and some other modifications. I hope that it's serving it's owner well.

A lot of good came out of that reel for me though. I found Alan Tani, and for me, the rest is history!

Keta · July 18, 2014, 01:51:51 AM

I use 60# Spectra without problems.

floating doc · July 18, 2014, 03:08:42 AM

Quote from: Keta on July 18, 2014, 01:51:51 AM
I use 60# Spectra without problems.

Lee, that's a good point, and makes me wonder if that jigmaster had wider tolerances than would be typical.

There's always the possibility of "operator error" too (something I can excel at).

Still, this was only a few years ago, and I have been surf fishing with conventional reels since about 1980.