Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Penn Senator Tutorials and Questions => Topic started by: sandbar on June 09, 2024, 02:00:16 AM

Title: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 09, 2024, 02:00:16 AM
Just wondering if $75 is a fair price for this reel. Looking to buy it to use pier fishing for sharks.
Thanks
-Steve
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Bill B on June 09, 2024, 04:30:07 AM
Its in great shape and box included. Price is fair but for what you want to do I would look for a one piece aluminum frame.   No doubt that reel has killed many big fish but frame twist can be an issue.  I might suggest you look for a 9/0 (115) black plated Penn for shark fishing.  You will have more line capacity and the same drive train as the 114H.  The 9/0 can be found with an aluminum spool and the new Chinese version with a 1 piece frame.  Just my 2 cents. Hopefully Daron "Shark Hunter" will chime in.  Bill
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: thorhammer on June 10, 2024, 01:38:38 AM
As Bill said, fair price: boxed, in great shape, and a real tank of a reel. A point tho, Bill, the Chinese 9/0 is graphite framed. What to consider: what do you feel is reasonable expectation of shark size? That reel should deal with anything to 150 no problem, and someone will likely chime in with a number north of that. I caught an 8' with a 114HLW aluminum frame on 50lb test and reel didn't sweat at all, tho I did. Will you be using braid? This increases your capacity but also can push past design limits, as Bill said, likely frame first. That 114H at and an aluminum frame will kill very large fish. My 0.02.

Also: that reel likely has original drags. Were me, I'd put in new carbontex and see if I could break it at that price.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Gfish on June 10, 2024, 03:59:29 AM
Ditto on the drag washers. "Brake Lining" prolly means asbestos. Asbestos prolly means thick washers. So you might haveta put more'n a 5 stack in there.
I bought an aluminum framed HLW 6/0 and a HL 6/0 also aluminium framed. Both frames from Penn. Mysticpennparts may not have them anymore, but eBay should(whole reels).
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Cuttyhunker on June 10, 2024, 01:03:28 PM
Box has a postal code, not zip code, also is a 114 box with an H sticker so early 60's reel, probably first year? I agree with G on old 3 stack drag.  My Guess it would fetch more as an unfished shelfie from a collector.  Not to many boxes like that  exist any more.  Sandbar that is a 50lb class reel good enough for most sharks and with the huge capacity in say 60 lb braid along with the updated carbon fiber drags you could do a lot worse for seventy five bucks.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Keta on June 10, 2024, 03:25:58 PM
This reel is in too good of shape to modify and use.  I would look around for a nice lightly used one at a lower price to upgrade and fish,  preferably one with a solid frame.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on June 10, 2024, 03:42:44 PM
Maybe an unpopular opinion but in the modern world I'd rather have a 6/0 with 50# braid than a 9/0 with 50# mono.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Keta on June 10, 2024, 08:44:55 PM
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on June 10, 2024, 03:42:44 PMMaybe an unpopular opinion but in the modern world I'd rather have a 6/0 with 50# braid than a 9/0 with 50# mono.

The 114H filled with 60 or 80 pound spectra would work well.  I would not consider using more than 100' of mono, I use 20-30 foot topshots on all of my reels and sometimes as short as 3'.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Bill B on June 10, 2024, 09:04:32 PM
The 9/0 has the same drive train of the 114H and almost 2x the line capacity of the 114HLW.  If I was shark fishing I would want to have a lot of line.  If a shark takes off with 300yds of line on a 114HLW you are getting close to the bottom, on a 9/0 you have lost about 1/3. This would up your inches per crank. If I had the chance of a big shark picking up my bait I would want the line capacity. JMO. Bill
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Shark Hunter on June 11, 2024, 06:40:18 PM
A 9/0 is going to get quite heavy holding it for a while.
The 114H should work fine, but if the shark is over 4 feet, you are going to have a rough time reeling him up.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sciaenops on June 11, 2024, 07:39:00 PM
sandbar-

I have a lightly used well-maintained 114H Special Senator (bought ~2000) w/5-stack HT-100s. Spooled w/80# mono.

Can't remember last time I used, but that being the case, happy to let it go to someone who'll use it.

shoot me a pm if you're interested.

Keith
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Rocket Dog on June 12, 2024, 12:54:31 AM
hmmm. I might have to find my tib frame 6/0 and see if I can strip some gears.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Bill B on June 12, 2024, 04:38:12 AM
Quote from: sciaenops on June 11, 2024, 07:39:00 PMsandbar-

I have a lightly used well-maintained 114H Special Senator (bought ~2000) w/5-stack HT-100s. Spooled w/80# mono.

Can't remember last time I used, but that being the case, happy to let it go to someone who'll use it.

shoot me a pm if you're interested.

Keith

You're a good man Keith.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: OhReely on June 12, 2024, 02:09:51 PM
The state of Florida mandates 80# test line as a minimum in order to target sharks.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on June 12, 2024, 04:06:47 PM
Quote from: OhReely on June 12, 2024, 02:09:51 PMThe state of Florida mandates 80# test line as a minimum in order to target sharks.
Thank you for sharing that. Where is that specified? I'm not calling you a liar I've just never heard that and have definitely not always been in compliance. Though frankly I'm not necessarily targeting sharks just throwing cut bait with a wire leader. It ain't always a shark that bites it.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 12, 2024, 07:58:27 PM
Quote from: sciaenops on June 11, 2024, 07:39:00 PMsandbar-

I have a lightly used well-maintained 114H Special Senator (bought ~2000) w/5-stack HT-100s. Spooled w/80# mono.

Can't remember last time I used, but that being the case, happy to let it go to someone who'll use it.

shoot me a pm if you're interested.

Keith

Thanks!
PM sent

-Steve
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: OhReely on June 13, 2024, 12:48:25 PM
Jason,
It's in the FWC regs online. The FWC requires anyone who wants to target sharks from shore to take an online course, pass a simple 10 question test at the end and apply for a free shark fishing permit which is applied to their license. Some of the things specified are line, hooks, species identification, implements you must have on hand. Personally I don't regard it as government intrusion it's intended to protect fishermen, bystanders and wildlife. There are some absolutely monstrous sharks caught from shore here in SWFL.

This brings up another point and it's just my personal opinion. Is it ethical to target sharks from a pier? Certain species of sharks here may not be removed from the water for release regardless of size. A few years back a nearly 11' Sawfish was caught by a fisherman on the Naples pier. He walked the fish from wherever he was when he hooked it all the way back to shore. By the time he got there a huge crowd had gathered to watch and the fish was thrashing with it's huge bill. Luckily no one was injured. There's a video on YouTube.

The reason I brought it up in the first place is because the OP is located in FL and said he wanted to target sharks. Now can an FWC official tell that you're targeting sharks? You know what they say "pay your money, take your chances".
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on June 13, 2024, 01:58:57 PM
Quote from: OhReely on June 13, 2024, 12:48:25 PMJason,
It's in the FWC regs online. The FWC requires anyone who wants to target sharks from shore to take an online course, pass a simple 10 question test at the end and apply for a free shark fishing permit which is applied to their license. Some of the things specified are line, hooks, species identification, implements you must have on hand. Personally I don't regard it as government intrusion it's intended to protect fishermen, bystanders and wildlife. There are some absolutely monstrous sharks caught from shore here in SWFL.

This brings up another point and it's just my personal opinion. Is it ethical to target sharks from a pier? Certain species of sharks here may not be removed from the water for release regardless of size. A few years back a nearly 11' Sawfish was caught by a fisherman on the Naples pier. He walked the fish from wherever he was when he hooked it all the way back to shore. By the time he got there a huge crowd had gathered to watch and the fish was thrashing with it's huge bill. Luckily no one was injured. There's a video on YouTube.

The reason I brought it up in the first place is because the OP is located in FL. Now can an FWC official tell that you're targeting sharks? You know what they say "pay you're money, take your chances".
Thanks for the informative response. I'm gonna look into that.

I'm generally in agreement with most FWC regulations. And it's usually quite easy to see how the regs they impose relate to their generally reasonable goals that are agreeable to those who want to KEEP catching fish for years to come.

My argument, if I can call it that, is how complicated and specific they make things and how poorly they advertise those rules unless you specifically go looking for them.
But I've already derailed this thread once before, I don't mean to do it again.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: OhReely on June 13, 2024, 04:27:46 PM
The OP can say whether or not his thread was hijacked. But I don't see how providing him with information that might affect his choice of a reel for a specific fishery is hijacking his thread. Isn't that what every other poster in this thread tried to do? And the info in my post won't cost him a penny, no upgrades needed.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: Bill B on June 13, 2024, 05:50:51 PM
We are really good taking threads into left field. A lot is learned when that happens. No harm no foul.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 13, 2024, 10:10:37 PM
I have purchased the reel and intend to use it to fish from the St Simons Island Pier in Georgia where we vacation. There is a strong group of avid shark fishermen that frequent that pier and help each other with landing and in some cases, tagging the sharks.
The estuary between St Simons and Jekyll Island. I won't even fish it there unless I feel like they will accept me fishing their space and they have my back. I probably won't use it in Florida unless I take it to the Skyway pier. I won't be targeting sharks there.
-Steve
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 13, 2024, 10:21:13 PM
https://www.charterfish.com/shark-and-tarpon-fishing-st-simons-island-georgia/
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 13, 2024, 10:35:11 PM
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Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: sandbar on June 13, 2024, 10:35:45 PM
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Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: OhReely on June 14, 2024, 12:50:58 AM
Congrats. I think you made a great deal on a great reel.
Title: Re: Penn Special Senator 114H
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on June 14, 2024, 01:06:36 AM
That sounds wild. I also realize I spaced and thought I was on a different thread. I have my moments.