Heavy-Duty Salt Water Spinning Reels — True Value

[foakes]

Just like Microlight freshwater spinning reels are not for everyone —- HD Salt-Water spinning reels are not for everyone either.

It depends on the type of large fish one is targeting, as well as the fishing condition challenges.

HD Salt Spinners encounter salt, wind, waves, weather, sand, rocks, boat movement, heavy gear, currents —- and almost any type of large, heavy fish.

Large HD spinning reels must be up to these challenges.  There are seldom second chances after a reel failure in ocean conditions.

Whether surf fishing, pier fishing, or boat fishing —- the reel, rod, and most importantly —- the angler —- must be more than adequate to the challenges.

Over the last 60 or 70 years —- many salt water spinning reels have been developed.

Only a very few have weathered the test of the Sea capably for many decades.  Most have just failed due to inferior design, component materials, or cheaply made.

Two of the most successful and battle-worn warriors are the Penn 700 Spinfisher, and the D.A.M. Quick 270 Super.

Today, these reels are still going strong —- after more than half a century.

They are ugly, heavy, old-school.  But they have proved their worth to 3 generations of anglers, worldwide.

Take a look at this old DQ 270 Super.  The construction, the materials, the reinforcement points, the features, and the cheap price.

Metal spool, left or right hand setup with no additional parts needed, replaceable stand, 1:3.2 gears, steel worm drive with bronze main, oversized main bearing, bronze crank bearing, 21 Oz., galvanic parts to prevent salt water corrosion, plus the strongest bail assembly that I know of in a spinner.

The bail is not some piece of wire that will distort easily.

The bail has a tungsten carbide line guide, an unusually unique and strong angle lever bail mount, heavy bail bearing screws, double reinforcement on the line roller pick-up area, plus a strong bail spring.  Other bails from other manufacturers are like comparing SS to coat hanger wire.

These old Supers are dirt cheap —- and with only a few new key parts —- can be brought back to fish capably for another 40 years.

However, a fisherman needs the guts to fish these dirt-cheap old soldiers when all of their buddies have the latest and greatest disposable Asian Tupperware plastic marvels —- that are sharp looking, colorful, and the latest components that seem to not be available after around 5 years, or so? —- even when they can cost $400 to $1300.

Best, Fred

[sandbar]

They are not really that ugly.
Which one do you have here ?

Quick Super № 270 (with Quick-O-Mat line counter in meters)                             [1954]
-          green housing
-          green crank arm cover
-          black plastic case cover
-          red 3-wing plastic brake nut
 
Quick Super № 270 (with Quick-O-Mat line counter in yards, export model)         [1954]
-          green housing
-          green crank arm cover
-          olive-green plastic case cover
-          red 3-wing plastic brake nut
-          black plastic case cover
-          red 3-wing plastic brake nut
 
Quick Super № 270c (without line counter)                                                            [1958]
-          green housing
-          green crank arm cover
-          black plastic case cover
-          red 3-wing plastic brake nut
-         grey crank arm cover                                                                                    [1960]
-          grey cast aluminium case cover
-         grey 2-wing metal brake nut
-         orange 2-wing metal brake nut
-          green housing, altered flange with rim (same as Quick Super 2S № 275)  [1962]
-         grey crank arm cover
-          grey cast aluminium case cover
-         orange 2-wing metal brake nut
-          with oil hole next to crank arm
-          without oil hole next to crank arm
 
Quick Super 2S № 275 (with 2 speed)                                                                   [1962]
-          green housing, flange with rim
-          green crank arm cover
-          grey cast aluminium case cover
-          orange 2-wing metal brake nut
 
For the Quick Super № 270/275 there is a Manual Pick-Up Conversion Kit (Part № 271)

[sandbar]

I decided to try scanning the manual I received from Fred when I purchased a NIB reel. Pretty good except for the oil stains.
I left out the all German pages.

[sandbar]

I feel like I'm in a ghost town.
I just discovered that I could combine all these pages in one PDF so it is much easier to work with.
Please check this out and let me know what you think.
Thank You,
-Steve

[JasonGotaProblem]

To quite the pamphlet "tangles, the bugbear of baitcasters, are avoided."

Throwing some shade there.

[MarkT]

What kind of drag can they put out?

[CincyDavid]

Great looking old reels!  I get some looks on the pier with my 50+ year old reels, but I have also found that older folks comment about how they started with a Mitchell or Penn when they were kids and it sparks some cool conversations.

[happyhooker]

Without a doubt a fine reel for big fish usage.  Thanks, sandbar, for the docs.  I'm partial to my Shakespeare 2071 & 2081 reels for heavy freshwater use, like big cats, carp & buffalo.  I'm a long way from any saltwater & not sure if those Shakys have any special salt protection.  All steel gearing & one of the best of the old drag setups assure that those big brutes are in for a battle.

Frank

[sandbar]

You are welcome Frank.
I had to look up the Buffalo fish. Never heard of it.
Do you eat them?
-Steve

[happyhooker]

Some people call them "buffalo carp", which really sticks in my gizzard, 'cause the common carp is a European transplant, while the bigmouth buffalo is as American as apple pie.  The bigmouth has coarse scales like the carp, but the mouth is not underslung.  The two have in common a reputation for being some of the strongest fish you can get on the end of a line, and because they can be big (I have caught a 20 lb. bigmouth), you will find fewer fishing targets that will give you such a run for your money.

I am pretty much catch and release, and have never eaten buffalo.  There is a guy here in MN who goes out with a crew in the winter on the ice and nets buffs and carp, and ships them to NY, where they are much in demand, especially by Jewish folks.  Like a lot of fish, I suspect the eating quality depends on how good the water is out of which they are caught, the time of year you go after them, etc.

Frank