Penn Senator 116L (12/0)

[Alto Mare]

I would stop at 9 on this one. Hey a most Mack Trucks come with 10 gears, we could call this one "The Mack Truck" ....when we get done with our upgrades .

[Shark Hunter]

Sal,
I figured out why the stack won't fit. I had the eccentric jack behind the yoke instead of in front. (Yes, it will still work like this) I'm still learning. I need to lay off of the sauce when I'm doing this. When starting the washers. I start with a non eared washer,Right? There are only three eared washers,so If I start with a non eared, I will end up with a non eared. then the tension spring and spacing sleeve.

[Keta]

Yes, fiber, keyed, fiber, eared, fiber, keyed, fiber, eared........If you have room a thicker keyed washer on top is a good idea..

[Makule]

Maybe Makule could chime in, that old man has some experience with that type of fishing Grin
Albert?....

Lots of people here use kayaks for fishing, both to get the bait out only, and to fish off of too.  Although large fish have been pulled up using a kayak (see Hawaii Fishing News for some images), for stuff like shark, it makes a lot more sense to just use the yak to take out the bait (unless being pulled around by a shark for hours is your idea of fun) and leave the rod/reel land-based. 

Don't think I'd use my 12/0 for shark.  The 14/0 is stronger, not to mention the larger line capacity.  Since braid isn't going to be used, something like 130 mono on a 14/0 should be good for even fairly large sharks.  If you hook up to some of the freight trains we have swimming around here, then a tow truck is in order.

I don't think the issue with the drag will be so much a matter of not having enough holding power.  Imagine trying to hang on to even 50 pounds of drag on a beach.  You may be able to do it, but likely not for very long, and the very large sharks will take looooooong runs that will last for many minutes (like maybe 20+ minutes non-stop).  It's more likely that the heat from the disks will glaze the surfaces of the old asbestos type disks and then result in either loss of drag or the extremely bad, jerky, all-stop or all-go situation.  Reasonably, the better approach is to add as many disks as possible so that each only contributes a little pressure and doesn't get as hot, as compared to having a few that have to contribute a lot of pressure (and generate a lot of heat in the process).

[Shark Hunter]

Wow!
Hopefully my first Shark won't be the freight train that you speak of.
I did get the 12 squared away last night and spooled it wth 130 lb predator mono. It is as smooth as a baby's bottom.
I will work on the 14 next, and get ready for that Train.

[Shark Hunter]

Sounds like you have landed some big Sharks Makule. I take it you are in Hawaii? Its hard for me to comprehend that you think a 12/0 is not big enough for shark. I am the beginner here.
I only have one 14/0, I have three 12/0's and one 10/0.
I have been trying to win a 16/0, but haven't had any luck yet.
They are so much more expensive than a 14. Are they that much more powerful?
I also hear people saying that there is other ways to get your bait out besides kayak. ( baloons, ect.) How can that work when you are against the surf and the wind is almost always blowing right at you?
That would be great if I could figure out how to get my bait way out there without purchasing a kayak, but I don't see a way around it.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

check this video of a smoking penn 16/0...just want to share it if you haven't seen it yet;

[Cone]

A balloon' box etc does depend on the current, wind etc. There can be exceptions though. On an out going tide, We have a very strong current. You can use the current to pull/Push your bait out. Otherwise its wait for a north wind . Bob

[George4741]

I have been trying to win a 16/0, but haven't had any luck yet.
They are so much more expensive than a 14. Are they that much more powerful?

The 16/0 is just a widened 14/0.  Same gears, drags, etc.

[Shark Hunter]

I have seen that video Mel. That just goes to show, You had better have your reel in tip top shape for the big boys. I'm not saying that a penn 16 can't get spooled, but I bet that reel just wasn't serviced with new drags.
Thats good to know about the 16 just being wider than the 14 George. Its hard to beleive they cost twice as much. I guess the whole Jaws thing doesn't help.

[Makule]

Sounds like you have landed some big Sharks Makule. I take it you are in Hawaii? Its hard for me to comprehend that you think a 12/0 is not big enough for shark

Yes, I am in Hawaii.  I think the largest shark I got was about 12'.  Larger ones couldn't be stopped.  I have seen a 12/0 drained to about 50 yards before the line broke (90 lb Maxima).

The video showing the 16/0 smoking is not the way we fish.  We have the rods in a stand that are wedged solidly into rock.  If the pull is very strong, the rod is left in the stand.  If the run is too long, the drag quickly gets tighter and tighter until the fish stops.  We start with a very tight drag to begin with in order to prevent the fish from getting a running start.  The rod in the stand will handle drag that people ordinarily cannot hold on to.  My guess is that with a 12/0, we start with about 30 lbs of drag.

[Alto Mare]

If he had the upgraded drags, I'm sure that shark would have been landed.

[George4741]

If he had the upgraded drags, I'm sure that shark would have been landed.

And greased with Cal's, too!

[Shark Hunter]

I am tearing into the 14/0 and the drag washers are still greased, but they almost look like plastic. They are fairly thick too. Is this the type of drag washers a 14 uses?

[broadway]

There wer many materials used throughout the years with Penn and all other reels... now it's carbon fiber.
Go to smoothdrag.com for an upgrade and she'll sing beautifully again
Dom