great info from steve carson

Started by alantani, April 22, 2009, 11:18:13 PM

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alantani

http://charkbait.evecommunity.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5281010491/m/404103411

QuoteAll, Just to clarify, the original Penn 99 spool and the Penn 545GS spool are exactly the same size.  The Penn 500 spool is exactly the same size as the spool on the Penn 555GS.  Interestingly, circa 1992, Daiwa USA [through then-sales rep Mike Callan] borrowed my own personal Penn 99 Albacore Special [Newell Conversion] to make the engineering measurements for the Daiwa SL40 size.  t appears that the first guy to create the Albacore Special conversion- mating Penn 500 sideplates with a Penn 99 Silver Beach frame and spool [and publicize it]- was none other than Jerry Morris at the original Hermosa Tackle Box, circa 1966.  FWIW, the Penn Torque TRQ200 holds slightly less line than a 99, but with spectra still allows you to put on 250 yards of 50 pound spectra plus a 100-yard topshot of 30 or 40 mono for an excellent surface iron reel that has much more cranking power and drag than any other reel in this size range.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

#1
http://charkbait.evecommunity.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5281010491/m/404103411

QuoteMark,  The line capacity printed on the 500 box hasn't been updated in quite some time, line diameters have come down considerably. Penn is also very conservative in listing capacities, assuming a full reel is 1/8 inch below the lip of the spool.  Most people [including me] will find that any given Penn model holds between 10-20 percent more line that whatever is listed.  There are of course also the many variations in line brand diameter, amount of tension used to install line, and even level-winding style.  To answer the question, if you wind it on tight, the 500 [or 555] will take 375 yards of 30 pound Big Game if you go up to 1 mm below the lip of the spool.  For me, the "operating" capacity of the 99/545 is 300 yards of 30-pound Big Game, but the "listed" capacity is 250 yards of 30.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=856314

Quote

The many misunderstandings as evidenced by this thread are possibly what caused the 113HN to underperform in the market.  A couple of clarifications-
No recall ever happened; starting in 2005 an additional ball-bearing was added to clean up some handle slop, but was not anything that current owners ever even had to consider for function.  The frame is not graphite, it is one-piece topless aluminum.  'Under the hood' [internally], the reel is quite a bit different than a 4/0 Senator, with more expensive materials and design, including a disconnecting pinion gear that allowed us west-coasters [CA] to cast far better than regular 4/0's.  Double-dogs, stainless main and pinion gears, 6 ball bearings, and the updated 2009 version will indeed include a metal drag star and have the gear box aligned in forward position.  No doubt the local Southern California phenomenon of the original "Yellowtail Special" constructed Frankenstein-like using 4 or 5 different manufacturers' parts never spread very much geographically, although when we came to Islamorada in 1991 to shoot Kovach's TV Show, all of the boat crews at Bud-n-Mary's went ga-ga over ours!   What seems to have happened is that when the price dropped, a bunch of anglers bought them and realized what an excellent reel it is, definitely NOT just a narrow 4/0.   However, the super-low prices of last year are not realistic if the reel is to continue to be made. 

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

#3
http://www.sportfishermen.com/board/f257/avet-vs-penn-10751.html

Quote

Originally Posted by BLACK MAGIC  
AVET MAKES A VERY GOOD REAL.. ALTHOUGH NO LINE WINDER,GOOD FOR JIGGING. THE PENN SERIES 975 AND SO ON.. ARE EXCELLENT REELS AND THEY DO HAVE A LINE WINDER,BUT THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU TAKE OF THE SIDE COVER...PLASTIC!!! THERE IS ALOT OF PLASTIC INSIDE OF IT. DONT GET ME WRONG NOW THEYRE AN EXCELLENT REEL AND WILL LAST A LONG TIME IF YOU TAKE OF THE REEL(ALONG WITH MANY OTHER). THE AVETS ARE MACHINED ALUMINUM.. NOW IF ONLY AVET MADE ONE WITHA LINE WINDER...THE SHIMANO CALCUTTA ARE GOOD REELS TOO, I PERSONALLY USE THE GOOD OL' TRUSTY AMBESEDEUR ITS AN EXCELLENT REEL.. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PRUCHASE!!


Quote from: Tunanorth;1187537Just to clarify, ANY reel with a "Level-Wind" mechanism made to sell in the USA MUST have what is euphemistically called a "Lawyer Gear" that is literally intended as a "failure point".
Otherwise, if you happened to get your finger caught in it, it would chop your finger off; instead, the plastic gear fails purposely.
That is why large reels intended for large fish never have a Level-Wind mechanism; and really most small reels intended for big fish don't have one either.
Under heavy stress, the Level-Winds are likely to fail, even though for most average-duty use they are just fine and of course very convenient.
Also, all Penn Internationals, and in fact all Penn conventional reels over $200 [32 different models in all] are made in the USA.

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/214608-blueprinting.html

Quote from: tunanorth;1731863The actual process called "Blueprinting" involves a blue dye marking material applied to one part of a reel's drag surface, then the other part of the drag surface is pressed against it and rotated under pressure. Wherever the blue dye transfers ["prints"] is an uneven spot that must be buffed/polished out until the two surfaces are absolutely flat against each other, allowing more and smoother drag pressure. Back in the days when the size number on a lever-drag reel indicated the pound test of the line intended for use with it, the uneven spots were no big deal. Once the popular line test started going up, it became necessary, with the ramp-up going even higher with the advent of Superbraid lines. As has been mentioned, the innovator of this process in the early 1980's was Ray Lemme in the Northern Hemisphere [Jack Erskine in the Southern Hemisphere], and since perfected even further by Cal Sheets. All of the other modifications such as bearings, freespool sleeves, aggressive drag cams, etc. are not "Blueprinting" per se, but are enhancements often done at the same time. For Penn specifically, the process called "Rotary Tuning" was started from the factory in about 2001, and all of the VSX and VS models [introduced in 2005] of course have it. Very few modern reels of any brand really need "Blueprinting", but there are tons of older model Penn Internationals [along with other lever drags] dating back to 1964 that can often be bought for a bargain price that can benefit from this process.


send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

#5
http://www.360tuna.com/forum/f76/why-spinning-reels-not-popular-west-coast-12437/

Quote from: tmdSome one said this about spinning reels on the west coast. why is this? don't they know about stellas and saltigas?

Quote from: TunanorthThe basic explanation has mostly to do with live bait fishing.
For short casts, spinning reels are great, especially with smaller baits.
For any kind of medium to long "soak" situation, spinning reels are at a distinct disadvantage, as the line goes out, the line level dwindles on the spool, and it becomes gradually harder to nearly impossible for the bait to pull line out.
A conventional reel with good freespool just keeps turning freely, literally until there is no line left on it.
When casting surface iron, its no secret that conventional reels cast further [we rarely throw plugs], and when fishing yo-yo iron, many strikes come as the lure is sinking, which is much easier to feel and react to with a conventional reel.
Price is a general issue too of course when it comes to the high-end reels, and also going out on an overnight open-party boat with a few folks onboard who just got paroled can be a nervous situation!



Quote from: lite-linerI grew up out there & fished SoCal offshore until I left in '93.
I have determined that the majority of socal guys are hard-headed
(not you, jureal!;)) and are highly resistant to change.
Can't really blame them, if it works, use it. the way it's been for decades out there. but if your needs have advanced and so has technology, you're stupid not to utilize it.
 regardless, it cannot be denied and they will come around as a whole eventually.  It's kinda ironic about the Accurate SR series............

Quote from: TunanorthHard headed?
Ouch!
SoCal Innovators:
Carl Newell- lightweight high speed reels
Cal Sheets/Ray Lemme- high performance reels
Bill Poole/Frank LoPreste- standup fishing
Russ Izor- "super" fibers as fishing line [superbraid]
Leon Todd- Fast-taper and graphite-composite rods
Bruce Posthummus- CNC aluminum sideplate/framed reels
Just to name a few............



Quote from: johndtuttleBelieve me I have fought more than one Internet War over this topic LOL.

Bottom Line:

1. Live Bait soaking is 95% of SoCal fishing as live bait is basically available for sale in huge quantity at all times. Spinning offers no advantages whatsoever for this style of fishing as Tunanorth posted above.

2. West Coast Iron is very easy to cast and work with conventional gear. No requirement to do anything to make the lure work other than a steady to very rapid crank with no use of the rod tip to make them "swim". Consequently feeding the lure onto the spool is no biggee as the rod can be held right in front of the reel. Obviously with the popularity of rubber swim baits this changes but they are fished with very light reels, generally, so weight and line feed onto the spool is not as big a deal as the setups are so light it is no big deal to work the rod from an inefficient position.

3. Combine the above with a high and wide rail and a Spinning Reel hanging under the rod has the danger of the line coming in contact with the rail especially in the end game when the fish dives under the boat. Leaning the rod on the rail has become a standard technique due to the long fast action live bait sticks being employed. Tell a Socal Hard Core that he can't use the rail and he pees his pants.

4. Traditionally the measure of the Fishing Man was how adept he was at using his conventional gear as no spinning reels were made beefy enough to handle the action. This leads to a powerful bias among those that have paid their dues to make others do the same.


So basically, given traditional SoCal techniques, using conventional was in fact superior but this all changes when you start actually fishing new larger lures that benefit from auto laying of line on the spool like big jigs deep or big poppers where you need to have your dominant hand on the rod for aggressively working the lure (fishing poppers with a big conventional is a PITA!). If you want to fish this aggressive style (stick baits, poppers, vertical jigs) then Spinning starts to shine and has it's own set of advantages (and disadvantages too). If not, well, to each his own.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

#6
http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/268334-spinning-reels-salt-water.html

Quote
Originally Posted by NorthShore41  
K, you all are so smart and experienced in fishing and I don't know where to start on this one. My dad can't fish conventional to save his life, he grew up on Spinning and used some old Daiwa spinning reels with rods for fishing. Want to get him set up to go out with me on tuna trips and be a good son.... here is my question: Can spinning reels fish big game successfully, what are the ins and outs of it, and what kind of reel/ line set up would he need for it. Want to buy him a new reel with line and a custom rod for christmas. Sorry this is a long question but I know there are lurkers about that would have all the info I need, thanks

To effectively answer your question, please give some more specifics about the exact type and location of the fishing your Dad will be doing, along with general technique preferences and favorite line tests. "Big Game" means different things to different anglers.
Also be aware of the basic "price formula" when comparing spinning reel performance with conventional reel performance.
That is, to get equivalent quality/performance in a spinning reel, you need to spend roughly DOUBLE what you would spend on a conventional reel.
Using Penn models to illustrate, the Penn Conquer spinning reels [$200-$250] are about equivalent in performance to the Penn GS-series conventional reels [around $129], and if your Dad is mostly fishing local islands, albacore, yellowtail, and schoolie tuna, it is an excellent choice.
The new Penn Torque spinning reel [$700], along with several other $700-$900 "super spinners" by various manufacturers is about equivalent to the Torque series conventionals [$400-$450] or some of the other "compact powerhouse" conventionals in that price range.
The "super spinners" are easily up to the task of large tuna, marlin, and other such fish. There are situations where spinning reels are not appropriate when long-range fishing, but on private boats such as Mexican resort boats or Panamanian pangas, yellowfin tuna in the 200-plus pound range get caught on spinning tackle all the time, and even larger bluefin are caught in Atlantic waters on spinners.
Where people get into trouble is when they go to Wal-Mart and see a monster-size spinning reel for the low price of only $49.95, and try to use it on large fish. Trouble inevitably follows.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote
Originally Posted by NorthShore41 
nice info... yeah to be more specific I am trying to help my dad generate a 15- 20# inshore set, a 25- 30# schoolie/ Yellowtail rig and a heavier WFO 40 or maybe 50# set... he doesn't go on anything too long but want to set him up nice and any reccomendations on good Spinning rods is helpful too. I know I can get him custom built but if there are any factory that are bomb proof that is good info too


Should have added, to really do this right, most high-performance spinning anglers use straight braid to fill their reels, usually no more than a 5-foot mono/fluoro leader, make sure your Dad can handle that.
Anyway, for the light 15-20 outfit, the Penn Conquer 5000 filled with 30-pound braid will handle inshore duties from midsize Baja roosters and typical local/island Yellowtail, while still making the local BBB halfway sporting. If price is an issue, you can drop this one down to the Penn 460/560 Slammer.
For the 25-30 rig, the Penn Conquer 8000 filled with 50-pound braid will handle pretty much anything under 50 pounds, even Blue Fin Tuna and Yellow Fin Tuna.
For the "big gun", the Penn TRQS7 or TRQS9 with 65 or even 80-pound braid can handle almost anything, but realistically for typical long-range applications it's good for tuna up to 100 pounds, and if you go to the East Cape etc, no problem at all using it as a drop-back reel for striped marlin.

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/298813-baja-special-upgrade.html

from steve carson

Quote

Originally Posted by stiffblade 
Has anyone used the old style Penn Baja Special and used the in line upgrade to improve their reel? The upgrade is mainly a new sideplate that will accomodate a bearing around the gear sleeve. It's about $40 bucks and I plan to mainly use it for yo/yo with 50lb line.

Has the upgrade made that much of an improvement for you?

stiffblade


The additional bearing was added to clean up a little handle slop.
If the play in the handle does not bother you, no need to spend the time and money getting it done.
I have the reel in all 3 conditions: factory with 6 ball-bearings; retro-fitted to 6; and original with 5.
It's impossible to tell the difference without close examination.
Also remember that the printing on the BOX was never changed.
Even the new production says "5 ball-bearings" on the box, but if you look at the owner's manual, it shows 6.
Unless you bought yours in 2004 or early 2005, it may indeed have 6 bearings already.



Disclaimer- affiliated
__________________
"The best kind of fish in the world is the one on the end of your line"
Penn Pro Staffer 
     
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

#8

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/298694-penn-99-501-a.html


Quote


99

Quote:
Originally Posted by halibutman  
Just to be really clear, the name 'albacore special' was a Newell term- it was the name they gave to the kit that fit Penn Jigmasters to make a size that was between the full 500 and the 501 sizes.
Ed got all the rest of the differences correct- the main and pinion gears in a REAL Penn 99 Silver Beach are the same as a Surfmaster with a 3:1 gear ratio. The bars were set apart wide- you couldn't put 500 width Newell bars in a real 99, but 145 bars would fit them. Also, the base on real 99's had three screw holes, not 2 like all the other normal Penn reels of that size.
Something funny we used to do with real 99 bases, the ones with three holes... if you wanted a cheap alternative to a Newell YTSP base- you know, the narrow 4/0 kit base- you could take a chrome plated brass Penn 99 base and pound it open just a little bit with a hammer and it would eventually fit just right. Voila! A Penn YTSP base!
Yes, we had way too much time on our hands...



Several posters have clarified the size info, but the origin of the "Albacore Special" was the late, great Jerry Morris at Hermosa Tackle Box, circa 1966.
Jerry was the first to coin the term Albacore Special, and [at least publicly] mate Jigmaster 500 sideplates with a Penn 99 Silver Beach spool and frame.
The 500's, drag was much better, and of course faster gears as well.
Straight 30 pound mono was the line of choice in those days, and the 501 just didn't hold enough, while the 500 held more than was needed for albies.
Carl Newell [a good friend of Jerry's] created an aluminum spool for his own personal Penn 501 for the bluefin tuna run off Redondo in the fall of 1971, after blowing up dozens of plastic spools with the 12-pound mono used for that fishery.
By 1973, Newell was in full production of aluminum spools, and the parts and conversion kits like Tuna Special, Bluefin Special, Yellowfin Special, Marlin Special, etc, etc, etc. followed shortly after.
The first 4-1 gears for the Penn 4/0 were around fall of 1977, and I recall seeing the first semi-production "Blackie" reel around the fall of 1980.
__________________
"The best kind of fish in the world is the one on the end of your line"
Penn Pro Staffer


send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

alantani

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/fishing-reels/371500-penn-baja-special.html

Quote from: john2244;2480640Has anyone used the Penn Baja Special as a jig reel for Wahoo ??

Quote from: Steve K;2481603Yes, and it works well for yoyo iron fishing for Yellowtail. It's not always about the gears; it's the spool diameter, too, for picking up line at inches per crank.

I fish it on a classic Seeker E-Glass 6465H with a 100 yard topshot of 50 lb mono. My other reel for this is a Trinidad 40 rigged the same way. Another good rod for that fishing is the Seeker CJBF70H, Black Steel or Super Seeker.

Quote from: tunanorth;2481672Steve K hit it right, the key number is not gear ratio, but "inches per turn".
Most manufacturers are now including this number in their specs.
For comparison, the 4-1 Penn Jigmaster was once thought to be "fast", and brings in only 25 inches per turn.
We caught plenty of wahoo in the old days on Jigmasters, although we got pretty tired cranking at full speed!
The equivalent-sized new Penn Torque TRQ40 with the 5.4-1 gears installed  pulls in 36 inches per turn.
The Baja Special has a 4.25-1 gear ratio, but the larger spool diameter gives it 34 inches per turn, plus you have the advantage of much more cranking and drag power than the smaller reels.
My standard line system for wahoo [and yo-yo fishing] is a 100-yard topshot of 50-pound mono over 300 yards of 80-pound braid. Calculate your own favorite combination from there.

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

redsetta

This is a really interesting thread Alan - thanks for putting it together.
Cheers, Justin
Fortitudine vincimus - By endurance we conquer

LTM

Thanx again Alan,

Hey the Jerry mentioned here is the mentor to my mentor (small world).  Thanx for bringing this info to us (especially regarding spinners).  It's stated that 95% of SoCal/West Coast fishing is "bait" fishing.  Well, I'm a hard-headed "lure" fisherman and ONLY fish bait if Im FORCED to. I've fished and placed in Ocean tournaments with friends and paid my half for bait and never touch a bait for the whole tournament weekend and just use plastics and jigs having a wonderful and productive time.  I LOVE fishing "iron and plastic", I have soo.. much plastic that if my place ever caught on fire it would burn forever (aside from the gun powder and ammo explosions)  ::), and lots.... of jigs (all hand picked, all jigs are not the same even though they look like it).

This post is proof again of "the more you know; the more you realize how little you know", thanx Alan.

Leo

dobrobill


alantani

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=5912.30

Quote from: Tunanorth on December 19, 2012, 05:49:21 PM
Great discussion, not much for me to add except perhaps to reiterate there is a big difference between Baja Grouper and Florida grouper, with Florida Goliath Grouper being something else again [most like CA black seabass before the moratorium].
For Florida grouper, the Baja Special is definitely the way to go.
For Baja grouper at "the Ridge" aboard an LR boat, or at "the Midriff Islands" aboard a panga, the "old school" way to go was 100-pound mono with a 6/0, but 80-90 percent [often 100!] of those were losing battles.
The old black-sideplate Senators with their very low IPT rate still could not compensate for a [relative] lack of drag.
With modern 2-speed reels and 130-pound line, the "losing" percentage is still above 50-percent, but at least you've got a fighting chance.

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Irish Jigger

Quote from: alantani on April 22, 2009, 11:18:13 PM
http://charkbait.evecommunity.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5281010491/m/404103411

QuoteAll, Just to clarify, the original Penn 99 spool and the Penn 545GS spool are exactly the same size.  The Penn 500 spool is exactly the same size as the spool on the Penn 555GS.  Interestingly, circa 1992, Daiwa USA [through then-sales rep Mike Callan] borrowed my own personal Penn 99 Albacore Special [Newell Conversion] to make the engineering measurements for the Daiwa SL40 size.  t appears that the first guy to create the Albacore Special conversion- mating Penn 500 sideplates with a Penn 99 Silver Beach frame and spool [and publicize it]- was none other than Jerry Morris at the original Hermosa Tackle Box, circa 1966.  FWIW, the Penn Torque TRQ200 holds slightly less line than a 99, but with spectra still allows you to put on 250 yards of 50 pound spectra plus a 100-yard topshot of 30 or 40 mono for an excellent surface iron reel that has much more cranking power and drag than any other reel in this size range.

Could someone please verify the above statement that the Penn 99 and the Penn 545 GS Spools are exactly the same size?

I imagine they may have the same line capacity, however it appears from the schematics that the 545 GS Spool (029L-545) has a longer spindle (with removable Click Ratchet) than the 29-99 Spool.