Is there an Indestructible HD Salt Water Spinning Reel?

[foakes]

No, the words "salt water" make this question likely impossible...

The nature of salt damage, tough fishing conditions, large & heavy target species, currents, waves, tides, rocks, and heavy sinkers and lures —- are all negative factors.

However, there are 4 reels that through 40+ years of repair, service, and experience on the bench —- are clear possibilities —-

Penn 706, 704, & 700 Spinfishers.

Then the D-A-M Quick 270 Super.

The Super was first introduced in the mid-fifties —- and continued production until about 1963.

When you find these used (they are plentiful) —- they are pretty inexpensive.  Generally they will need a full disassembly, cleaning and polishing of all parts, careful inspection of maintenance & cosmetic parts worth replacing, marine grease and synthetic oil, tune and adjust.

I have only found one instance where a main bronze gear, or a steel worm-drive pinion shaft gear ever needed replacement.  They are virtually indestructible —- in 45 years.  Yes, they can be cruddy —- but can always be brought back to near new.

The oversized steel crank axle shafts, strong spool shafts, over-sized main bearings, and simple no-nonsense designs —- are left over dinosaurs from an era when a reel was supposed to last an Angler's lifetime —- then be  handed down to the next generation.

The tiny DQ 265 Microlites are from the exact same era —- and are just a shrunken version of the 270 Supers.

An interesting side note —- as I was going through and organizing about 90 pounds of loose DQ parts into numbered bins —- I found a little plastic factory case with a complete new PUM kit and instructions inside.  This is a manual pick up to eliminate the automatic wire bail.  Desirable for many serious anglers when surf fishing for large species such as Stripers, drum, giant carp, giant cats, salmon, and other heavy fish.

As I looked further, I found enough other PUM's to cobble together 5 conversion kits.

Just take a close look at the HD angle lever mount, tungsten-carbide line guide, double screws, spacer, HD bail screw.

These are considered to be impossible to find, and were rare in their day.

Of course, an effective PUM can be easily made by cutting off the bail wire, filing it smooth, and removing the bail spring.

Anyway, just my observations and soapbox for today.

Best, Fred

[oldmanjoe]

    Well I assume you all know by now , I pretty much fish with dams and ocean city`s
Absolute bullet Prof reels .   I have found some dams that had to be in the bilge of a boat for a year .
       The case`s  were packed with salt and sand , and they cleaned up .    Want to destroy one ,get you a sledge hammer or just assemble it wrong and put the muscle to it "270 slide not on top of the drive pin .

   I have shy away from the 265 , thinking they were too small for my kind of fishing . Now that my wife fishes with me , she is using the 265 `s , I must admit I am surprised that some of the fish she has pulled in with them . 

 Yer the PUM kit are very rare to find !!!

[mbg60]

I haven't had my Penn Torque 5500 more than 20 years so far but it's built pretty solid and easy to service yourself.  The reel has brought up some large GT's and many other fish and still operates flawlessly.  I think the reel and my 2 updated Torque II will survive longer than I will.

[Keta]

DAM made nice spinners.  I was doing some electrical work on a house last year and the owner showed me his collection. I think he had at least 1 of everything they made.

[JasonGotaProblem]

The one you don't use