Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Hi Gents, I've been eyeing some new reels to update my gear.  I've picked up a few for my lighter stuff and now getting to my heavier stuff.

I had a thought on rather than getting a couple of new reels, how about I use 2 of my older reels for 40#, 50#, and possibly 60# line.  I have an original Yellowtail Special that I have coveted and used only 3x.  I also picked up another about 3-4 years ago that seems to be in great condition.

For you pro's out there.  What is the max drag on these reels?  I will need to get 12-18 lbs of drag on these reels if i'm going to fish 40-60 lb line on them.  Can the original drags handle that?  Should I upgrade the drags?  If so, what would you recommend.

Thanks in advance.

A Yellow Tail Special will fish 60# line at 15# of drag with no sweat, as long as it has a 5 stack drag in it. If it has 4.0:1 gears, so much the better.

The Man

Thanks Ron.  I honestly don't know what drag setup it has. The one I have that I bought new has the stock/original drags.  The one I bought about 3-4 years ago probably is the same.

I somewhat recall reading somewhere that the factory/original drags are the 3 system.  If so, it probably can handle 40-50 but not 60# line?  I'm guessing?

Quote from: vmuth on September 06, 2022, 09:15:06 PMI have an original Yellowtail Special that I have coveted...

Is that a complete reel that Accurate made or a converted Penn?

Quote from: vmuth on September 07, 2022, 03:01:31 PMThanks Ron.  I honestly don't know what drag setup it has. The one I have that I bought new has the stock/original drags.  The one I bought about 3-4 years ago probably is the same.

I somewhat recall reading somewhere that the factory/original drags are the 3 system.  If so, it probably can handle 40-50 but not 60# line?  I'm guessing?

The 5 stack is the current original drag setup from Penn

The reels are original and complete from Accurate.  They are not conversions.  They are over 20 years old.  I would presume since they are originals from back then, they probably are 3 stack?  Do they have enough drag for 50 and 60lb line?

Quote from: vmuth on September 09, 2022, 04:03:35 PMThe reels are original and complete from Accurate.  They are not conversions.

Can you post a photo of one of these reels? I can't Google up anything about them, never heard of one either. Thanks.

Not my reel but pics of one just like them.

Quote from: vmuth on September 09, 2022, 04:03:35 PMThe reels are original and complete from Accurate.  They are not conversions.

Ah-ha, that's what I thought. That's what's known as a "full conversion", where there's so little Penn left, that it might as well be called an Accurate. Even the gears can be swapped with Accurates'. These are real beauties!

Don't know about yours, but the one in the photo has a non-Accurate handle (and it's mounted backwards).

They might have accurate SS gears too. Could be 4:1. Would be a 5 stack I think.  Would fish 50-60lb just fine

When I had a YTS I fished it With 40#... it took a full 1/4# spool. I had a topless Tiburon frame with stock side plates SS guts and 4:1 gears. Never liked Accuplates, just something expensive to get scratched up.

Quote from: MarkT on September 10, 2022, 04:49:59 AMWhen I had a YTS I fished it With 40#... it took a full 1/4# spool. I had a topless Tiburon frame with stock side plates SS guts and 4:1 gears. Never liked Accuplates, just something expensive to get scratched up.

Agree entirely.

I took the Accuplates off all three of my reels that had them. Honest boat rash didn't bother me so much, but those things are galvanic corrosion magnets.  If you fish them, you have to really stay on top of maintenance- the full disassembly, de-salt and regrease type of maintenance,  not just sharing a romantic shower with your reel now and then

IMHO,  the main structural benefit of these kits comes from the frames. With a good aftermarket one piece frame, the frame no longer flexes much, if at all.  The remaining structural  job for the sideplates is to keep the frame ends from collapsing, and the spindle in the center. This is easily accomplished with the stock plastic sideplates.

Not saying that people shouldn't hotrod their reels if that is what they want to do.  But like all hotrodding, there is bang-for-the buck,plus  maintenance and reliability issues to be traded off against the joy of building  a fully kitted out piece of machinery.

I don't need or want a hotrod. My reels are more like farm trucks.  Still well loved, but not babied much and not always so purdy.

I am sure that the OP knows this, but for the rest of us:  If you fish those full aluminum upgrade kits like the Accurate in the salt, and want to keep them corrosion free, I would suggest not letting it go more than a  month after saltwater exposure before doing a full breakdown.  Make sure that the screw holes and the flat surfaces where internal parts touch are well greased.

-J

Hmmm. The pictured Accurate YTS, indeed has a one piece frame. What do you call a frame that has the tail-plate integrated into it such as the Daiwa Sealine conventionals? No tail-plate screws needed, I thought that was a "one piece frame"?
Yeah, also the Accuplates are a little thick and weighty. Looks like a good braid type of conventional.

Quote from: Gfish on September 10, 2022, 10:00:21 PMHmmm. The pictured Accurate YTS, indeed has a one piece frame. What do you call a frame that has the tail-plate integrated into it such as the Daiwa Sealine conventionals? No tail-plate screws needed, I thought that was a "one piece frame"?
Yeah, also the Accuplates are a little thick and weighty. Looks like a good braid type of conventional.

I think you better look again. That is an Accurate frame with Accuplates on it. 3 pieces. The only conversion I know thar had a one piece frame (other than Pro Gear), was a Lee Pro.

Quote from: day0ne on September 10, 2022, 10:42:29 PM

Quote from: Gfish on September 10, 2022, 10:00:21 PMHmmm. The pictured Accurate YTS, indeed has a one piece frame. What do you call a frame that has the tail-plate integrated into it such as the Daiwa Sealine conventionals? No tail-plate screws needed, I thought that was a "one piece frame"?
Yeah, also the Accuplates are a little thick and weighty. Looks like a good braid type of conventional.

I think you better look again. That is an Accurate frame with Accuplates on it. 3 pieces. The only conversion I know thar had a one piece frame (other than Pro Gear), was a Lee Pro.

The one piece frame I was referring to is not the combined frame/sideplate, but the frame portion of the reel being a single piece, like the Accuframe or Tiburon, as opposed to the separate components like crossbar kits which result in a frame made up of three independent pieces.

Sorry for the confusion.

-J