Help with what to use

[WestCoast Transplant]

I know today's equipment is much easier to perform with. But in total, the 4 Penn i am reworking are with in the budget. I most likely will modernize one day after the nostalgia wears off. Plus I like a challenge.

[ez2cdave]

There is nothing wrong with Old School ,the Squidder was a great casting reel in the 60's & 70's,  but when you try to combine them with the technology these days is causes many differences.

They still are . . .

Tight Lines !

[oc1]

"Hand" is a nautical term for how a line feels.  For a mainsheet or halyard that has to be frequently pulled in by hand you would want to use a line with a good hand or feel.  For a stay line that is somewhat fixed in place and requires little adjustment you are less concerned with the hand or feel.

Fishing lines have a "hand" too.  Small diameter spectra braid has a terrible hand/feel because it is slick, difficult to grab and will cut the stew out of you.  Mono of the same breaking strength as the spectra braid has a little better hand/feel because it is larger diameter, but the slick stretchy mono is not particularly good for handling.  If the mono was snagged on the bottom and you were trying to break it free by hand you would find it difficult and would still risk cutting yourself.  Nylon braid (squidding line) of the same breaking strength as the mono has a better hand/feel because the weave makes it softer to the touch.  You would be less likely to cut your hand trying to break it free of that snag.  Braided nylon also knots better than mono because the slick mono knots are more likely to pull free.  But, the stretch of the braided nylon makes it more difficult to handle than braided Dacron which has no stretch at all.  Braided Dacron is an absolute pleasure to fish with and, in my opinion, has the best "hand" of any fishing line.  The trouble is, braided Dacron has very little abrasion resistance so it can not be used around structure or where it rubs on the bottom.  Dacron knots will not pull free like mono knots, but the lack of abrasion resistance reduces Dacron knot strength because the fibers break as they dig into each other.  Hence, the Bimini twist knot.

Mono, braided nylon and braided Dacron of the same breaking strength have roughly the same diameter.  When you compare spectra braid of the same diameter you find it has a fairly nice hand/feel.  It is not as pleasant to fish with as braided Dacron of the same diameter because spectra has a slick finish.  Spectra is almost as slick as mono and more slick than braided nylon or braided Dacron.  Spectra braid has good knot strength but the slick finish makes the knots more likely to pull free.  Hence the uni knot.  I would rank the hand/feel of spectra as about equal to the hand/feel of braided nylon of the same diameter.  About equal ranking, but very different.  Again, braided nylon is not very slick, but has a lot of stretch.  Spectra braid is slick but has little stretch.

Finally, a line with a good hand/feel mat not cast as well as a line that is slicker.  Braided Dacron may not cast as well as braided nylon although they are very close.  Mono will cast better than braided nylon.  Spectra braid will cast better than mono.
-steve

[ez2cdave]

Spectra braid will cast better than mono.
-steve

Steve,

Is that only true when the Braid is the same the Breaking Strength as the Mono ?

What about when the Braid and the Mono are the same diameter ?

http://www.go-saltwater-fishing.com/fishing-line-comparison.html

Chart for Power Pro vs. Mono





Tight Lines !

[WestCoast Transplant]

There is nothing wrong with Old School ,the Squidder was a great casting reel in the 60's & 70's,  but when you try to combine them with the technology these days is causes many differences.

They still are . . .

Tight Lines !

What are you spoiled with?

[Reel Beaker]

"Since getting back into fishing and just really starting to surf fish, I am a little lost on which line to use on what reel and for which application. Last time I was fishing on a regular basis Spyder braid was fairly new."

There is nothing wrong with Old School ,the Squidder was a great casting reel in the 60's & 70's,  but when you try to combine them with the technology these days is causes many differences.

Today it is all about working smarter not harder.

                                        Today                                                   Old School
                            20/30+lb braid                                                   20 lb mono
                                500/380 yds                                                      275 yds
                           20 lbs of drag                                                   12 lbs of drag
                            Weight 16 oz                                                 Weight 18 oz
                        6.0.1 retrieve rate                                           3.3.1 retrieve rate
           centrifugal and/or mag backlash control                             Thumb

When you need the extra casting distance you can almost double it with less effort with today's reels.

For under $ 150.00 shipped...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Penn-FATHOM-FTH15-Star-Drag-Full-Medal-Body-Conventional-Fishing-Reel-1238443/132416671842?epid=1111910750&hash=item1ed4a61062:g:4SoAAOSwyP5aHwk8

I've have slowly changed with the times and still have Old School reels that I could fish with, but they are not my first choice when the big ones show up:)

Today's number are really large compared to the past huh....

[ez2cdave]

What are you spoiled with?

That is 25lb-test ANDE Back Country monofilament , in "Envy Green" . . . The 140's hold about 325yd. of it . . . It's a "Low-Memory" mono and I LOVE IT !

NOTICE that I "bobbed" those annoying little "free-spool levers" ( Not the Anti-Reverse lever ) . . . I find them uncomfortable and also hit them, accidentally, from time to time.

https://andemonofilament.com/collections/back-country/products/back-country-envy-green

Tight Lines !

[WestCoast Transplant]

I like the bobbed lever. I just bought a Newell spool and bars from eBay so I have a few days to figure out what I'm going with.

[ez2cdave]

I like the bobbed lever. I just bought a Newell spool and bars from eBay so I have a few days to figure out what I'm going with.

Excellent . . . You will love the bars and spool !

I don't like the Newell reel foot, because of the size of the "feet" on it, which can slip around in a reel seat . . . Stock Penn reel foot all the way !

Also, you may want to do a handle change . . . I use the Penn 24-66 on mine ( longer "throw" than the stock handle ). AKA the "Jigmaster Handle".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Penn-Jigmaster-Reel-Part-handle-24-66-For-Penn-500-505-Other-Reels/282849723230

ALSO, the "three-position" Penn 24-55 handle is great, too !

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Penn-3-POSITION-Fishing-Reel-Power-Handle-24-55-Fits-Jigmaster-500-501-505-506/382412609361

Tight Lines !

[WestCoast Transplant]

It came with a 24-55 On it. Looks like I'm ahead.

[ez2cdave]

It came with a 24-55 On it. Looks like I'm ahead.

Nice . . . You should be "good to go" !

Tight Lines !