Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Currently using an old Penn Squall 30, 6.0:1 gear ratio, to descend undersize grouper and snapper. A couple of us old guys find it a bit difficult to reel up the lead and apparatus afterwards: probably 5lbs. Last trip I put a Penn Longbeach 66, 2.5:1 gear ratio, on the rod, but it takes too long especially with a hot bite. Now looking to buy a used Penn 210m or 310gti for a little more speed. Both sell for about $30-$40 used. Is the levelwind up to the task? If not, I'm thinking Jigmaster. Are there any inexpensive Penn reels that would be better for this task? Thanks.

ugghhh.  we use a tanacom 500 electric reel or a scotty electric downrigger.  you are absolutely right about the old age thing.

Getting old sucks but not nearly as bad as not getting old.

A e-reel is easy but they run a few a few $. If you are going with a manual reel a Penn Mariner 49L would be a good low cost choice.  Inches per crank is more imporntant than high gear ratio.  The 4:1  210 does 25" per crank, the 4.2:1 310GTi gets 26 " per crank and the 3.5:1  49L gets 32" per crank.

 I use my Scotty downriger but I have them for salmon fishing.

What are you using for decenders?  I like the SeaQuilizer and keep one  on a dedicated decender rod when ever fishing near the bottom.

SeaQualizer Descending Devices https://share.google/hiZiTdbNgea2wiNZr

Both the Penn 210M and Penn 310 GTi are good reels but if you must choose between them, the Penn 210M is the better option due to its more durable construction. Grouper are brutal bottom-dwellers that require heavy drag pressure (often 20 to 30+ lbs) to keep them from breaking you off in the rocks.

The 210M uses a traditional chrome-plated brass structure reinforced with metal rings. When buttoning down the drag on a grouper or any big surprise, this frame will not flex under load. The 210M is essentially a "hot-rodded" levelwind version of the legendary Penn Jigmaster. It features oversized bronze main gears and stainless pinion gears built for high-torque cranking.
The lower 4.0:1 gear ratio provides a bit more mechanical leverage (cranking power) than the 310 GTi. The 210M uses jigmaster drags while the 310 GTi uses squidder size drags.

If you are fishing shallow water for small Scamp or strawberry grouper (under 8–10 lbs), either reel spooled with 40–50 lb braid can get the job done. If you use the 210M, upgrading the drag to modern HT-100 carbon fiber washers is highly recommended.

Quote from: Surfrat on August 01, 2026, 01:38:27 AMBoth the Penn 210M and Penn 310 GTi are good reels but if you must choose between them, the Penn 210M is the better option due to its more durable construction. Grouper are brutal bottom-dwellers that require heavy drag pressure (often 20 to 30+ lbs) to keep them from breaking you off in the rocks.

The 210M uses a traditional chrome-plated brass structure reinforced with metal rings. When buttoning down the drag on a grouper or any big surprise, this frame will not flex under load. The 210M is essentially a "hot-rodded" levelwind version of the legendary Penn Jigmaster. It features oversized bronze main gears and stainless pinion gears built for high-torque cranking.
The lower 4.0:1 gear ratio provides a bit more mechanical leverage (cranking power) than the 310 GTi. The 210M uses jigmaster drags while the 310 GTi uses squidder size drags.

If you are fishing shallow water for small Scamp or strawberry grouper (under 8–10 lbs), either reel spooled with 40–50 lb braid can get the job done. If you use the 210M, upgrading the drag to modern HT-100 carbon fiber washers is highly recommended.

He is not fishing for grouper with these reels, he is using them for releasing undersized fish with a barotrama decender.

Alan, I really like the idea of an electric reel, but not in the cards right now.

Lee, the 49L sounds like the ticket. Thanks! Always forget about the Mariners as I've never owned one. I'm on the hunt now.

Surfrat, thanks for the info on the 210M. Didn't realize it's geared like a Jiggy, but with bearings and a levelwind.

Yes, using the SeaQualizer with a 3.5 or 4lb weight. Feels a lot heavier when coming up from 100 or 150' haha.

Quote from: MACflyer on August 01, 2026, 02:13:22 AMYes, using the SeaQualizer with a 3.5 or 4lb weight. Feels a lot heavier when coming up from 100 or 150' haha.

Yup., I usually send them down 150-200 feet but with a Tanacom Bull 750.

Quote from: MACflyer on August 01, 2026, 02:13:22 AMAlan, I really like the idea of an electric reel, but not in the cards right now.

Lee, the 49L sounds like the ticket. Thanks! Always forget about the Mariners as I've never owned one. I'm on the hunt now.

Surfrat, thanks for the info on the 210M. Didn't realize it's geared like a Jiggy, but with bearings and a levelwind.

Yes, using the SeaQualizer with a 3.5 or 4lb weight. Feels a lot heavier when coming up from 100 or 150' haha.

I generally stop at the halfway point  , let the fish swim away.

Thanks for explaining Keta.  When choosing a vintage Penn reel to use strictly as a dedicated fish descender reel, the Penn No. 49 Super Mariner is the superior choice.

Quote from: oldmanjoe on August 01, 2026, 11:34:07 AMI generally stop at the halfway point  , let the fish swim away.

ODFW tagging studies have come up with 1/2 of the depth caught has the best survival rate.   Do you use SeaQuilizers?

Quote from: Keta on August 01, 2026, 01:31:32 PM

Quote from: oldmanjoe on August 01, 2026, 11:34:07 AMI generally stop at the halfway point  , let the fish swim away.

ODFW tagging studies have come up with 1/2 of the depth caught has the best survival rate.   Do you use SeaQuilizers?

I have both . I much prefer the open hook design , they can leave at any time .   Were as the spring loaded one need a certain depth ot open .

 Yes we do have another thread here on the subject , but here is a little more information .
  https://returnemright.org/about-us/gear-signup/         When I did it , they sent were free .

I am a founding member and on the board of OCEAN, Oregon Coalition Educating ANglers (https://oceaned.org/).  We have given away thousands of descenders including SeaQuilizers.  When ODFW made them mandatory to have on the boat and ready to use people were on board and there was little resistance to the new regulations due to our effort.  I prefer the SeaQuilizers and have them rigged on steel cable to keep sharks from taking them on the way down.

A 49 with a rock cod handle on a solid glass rod cut down to 4 feet or so is almost a downrigger for your purpose. put in holder and crack up with power and speed.

If you can get a 349 it is build more strongly than the 49. Maybe a 6/0 Senator? There must be loads of them around for a low price, but they are bulkier than the Mariners.

Quote from: MACflyer on July 31, 2026, 09:26:24 PMNow looking to buy a used Penn 210m or 310gti for a little more speed. Both sell for about $30-$40 used.

if you can rebuild this reel, i have an old 310 gti that i can ship to you at no charge. not sure it works and i would have have time to work on it to make sure.  headed to canada tomorrow.  send a pm with your mailing address today, if interested.  thanks!  alan