113(Black)YTS or Grouper Special?

[SeaDawg]

Well George, can't thank you enough for this thread.......you inspired me to build one of these, I'm gonna call mine a "Grouper Special" instead of a Yellowtail Special

I am retired and my wife & I travel extensively in our RV - we are wintering in Florida atm, I fully intend to give this reel a workout sooner than later.........gotta be a Grouper around here somewhere

I used a Newell Reel Base, and there is a guy on eBay that sells stainless cross posts for about any size Penn reel, I used those instead of the more costly Newell Posts. I actually had a Stainless 66 spool, but went with a NOS 29M-66 I also found on eBay.

I found this site through Bloodydecks and have been lurking for a little while, there is a ton of knowledge & experience here, thank you again for this thread!

[Bryan Young]

Sweet looking set up Seadawg.

[George4741]

Seadawg, I like "Grouper Special" much better than "Yellowtail Special".  That name is more fitting with the slower gear ratio.  I was never entirely happy with the moniker I gave it, anyway.

I also like your handle.  It looks like the arm is thicker than the standard Penn ones.  Did you go with the 1+5 drag stack?  Let us know how it performs.

[RowdyW]

Great, just so everyone understands, I'm looking for a couple cheap longbeaches to convert my 2 113s. I was just wondering if anyone knew of a significant advantage. To me 2.28 to 2.0 is still a 1/8th increase in speed. If this reel is fished at the top of the spool that adds several inches of line per crank, I like that idea, but I to like the beuty rings and the extra protection the rings offer the sideplates.

Ron

Hi Ron, if you like the 113 better because of the outside rings just install the long beach [66,67 68] bridge & sleeve on a 113 side plate. The sleeve is just a very little bit off center which can be taken care of with a couple of strokes of a round file. Then you can have a little bit of both worlds. Also use the 66 pinion gear or the pinion gear from a 49 reel  & the 66 pinion yoke I've built three of these so far[a YTS, a STD., and a 4/0W]. I built all of mine on Tiburon & Accurate frames. I'm in the middle building two with 113hl & hlw bars, stands, & posts.     Rudy

[George4741]

Rudy, am I right in thinking you narrowed a black 113?  If so, what spool did you use?  I've wondered if Newell ever made some aluminum spools for the longbeach 66.  They would certainly cast better than the Penn spool.  

George

[Ron Jones]

RowdyW,

HOLY CR$$!!!

Why didn't I think of that? I have the 2 66s now and will be starting on these this weekend. I have 1 Newell base and will start with the 66 bars, may use the stainless ones in the future.

Ron

[RowdyW]

Rudy, am I right in thinking you narrowed a black 113?  If so, what spool did you use?  I've wondered if Newell ever made some aluminum spools for the longbeach 66.  They would certainly cast better than the Penn spool.  

George

Hi George, use long beach 66 spools to make a narrow 113 . You will have to use either a YTS frame from Tiburon, JVariance, or Accurate or a Newell stand. If you want a 113 4/0wide you can use 113 HLW frames & 68 or 268 spools to make what  I call a 113 4/0W. Did you read my post on how to convert the 113 to a L B 66 gear ratio?    Rudy

[Alto Mare]

George, I've also been looking for an aluminum spool for that reel, I never seen one.
We have 66-67-68 narrow-standard-wide, we can get aluminum spools for the standard and wide, but not for the narrow.
I believe we can also get ss spools for those three.
I wonder why they do that, maybe  to drive us crazy .
Just like the Senator 10/0, I asked Steve Carson a while back if he could help getting us the aluminum spool for that reel, he pretty much said that Penn wasn't  interested. Oh well.

[RowdyW]

Well Sal, I guess that we will have to bring out the 113H YTS if we want to do some casting. But if you want to go after those bottom feeders or go trolling then these "Grouper Specials" will work out just fine. Its just one more Penn reel to have fun with.      Rudy

[Alto Mare]

Rudy, looks like you're keeping yourself  busy with those penn upgrades, my kind of guy ....don't get the wrong idea .
Post some pictures when you get a chance, we would all like to see them.
Sal

[RowdyW]

Sal, I don't have any equipment to post pictures but I mailed a bunch of photos to Alan & he said he would post them for me. That was in October & I'm still waiting.  Rudy   

[George4741]

Rudy, is this the post you referred to, on how to convert a 113 to a 66 gear ratio?  Or is there another post?

Hi Ron, if you like the 113 better because of the outside rings just install the long beach [66,67 68] bridge & sleeve on a 113 side plate. The sleeve is just a very little bit off center which can be taken care of with a couple of strokes of a round file. Then you can have a little bit of both worlds. Also use the 66 pinion gear or the pinion gear from a 49 reel  & the 66 pinion yoke I've built three of these so far[a YTS, a STD., and a 4/0W]. I built all of mine on Tiburon & Accurate frames. I'm in the middle building two with 113hl & hlw bars, stands, & posts.     Rudy

Thanks for the info, as a few of us have talked about the possibility of changing gear ratios in other reels besides the jigmaster, 113H and 114H.  

Rudy, looks like you're keeping yourself  busy with those penn upgrades, my kind of guy ....don't get the wrong idea .

Sal

Rudy, you are also my kind of guy, and I don't mind if you get the wrong idea, either.
 George

[RowdyW]

Yes George, thats the post. Install the bridge w/sleeve [no other parts] & when you slide the spacer sleeve on you will see where you have to file the plate a little bit for clearance of the spacer.    Rudy

[RowdyW]

Hey George & Ron,did you get any gear ratios changed this weekend? I would like to know how you made out. Did everything go smoothly?  Rudy

[George4741]

I haven't changed it yet.  I don't have the extra bridge and gears, unless I disassemble my 2/0 and use those parts.