the perfect kayak reel

Started by alantani, March 17, 2009, 03:59:46 PM

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alantani

Quote from: Ghostboy
With all of the elite reels being offered on today market, is there a better deal that compares to the Penn 500 a $60 dollar outfit?   This reel has been a proven fish killer since the early 70's - Ghostboy!




there is a pretty large gap between the spool and the inner side plate rings.  anything less than 0.022 inches can get stuck or even sliced off.  that means 25 pound test berkeley big game can still get caught.  i generally recommend 30# mono.  that works out fine because the reel will hold 350 yards of 30# mono.  what it also means is that the reel is probabably not suitable for spectra.

any other reel with a spool this big might be loaded with up to 400 yards of 65 pound spectra and a 40 or 50 pound topshot.  a 30% drag setting would mean a 12 to 15 pound drag setting.  the 3-stack of jigmaster drag washers actually can deliver 15 pounds of drag, but that's pretty much the limit for any stack of three drag washers.  the brass drive shaft (gear sleeve) is also a big issue.  if the drags are set to more then 8 pounds, or if they are sticky at all, the handle will round off the top of the soft brass and start to loosen. i have a stainless steel drive shaft for this reel and it's a great upgrade if you're going to lean hard on this reel, but it cost $20. 

one GREAT advantage of the jigmaster 500 is that there are no bearings to rust out.  the reel that i recommend most for the kayak guys is a narrow spool penn 501 with a stainless steel drive shaft, greased carbon fiber drag washers, a penn jigmaster power handle and 200 yards of straight 30# mono.  personally, i think this is the best kayak reel around.  alan
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

ScupperSkipper

Alan, I have an old 501 with a newell kit on it.  What would it cost to send it to you and do the upgrade?
Thanks, Jeff

Bryan Young

General service starts at $20 plus the gear sleeve is an additional $20.

If your reel needs a little more love due to corrosion, the service price may increase.
:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

ScupperSkipper

I'll look at the reel this weekend and most likely send it to you for the service if it isn't fu
ll of rust, gear sleeve any drag upgrades to the best, etc.  Thanks, Jeff

I'll use it on an 850L with 25# for sea bass.

Thanks, Alan

kmstorm64

Alan, the Jigmaster is a good reel, but I prefer the Surfmaster 100, the Shimano TR-100G, Abu 6500's and Newell 200 series as they are lighter. Few of my friends in NCKA use the Jigmaster for the same reason.  When you paddle to get to where you fish, try and stay on station, weight counts. Now jig it for another couple of hours or try trolling, you get worn out. Now fight a few fish, then have to paddle back. The Jigmaster on the bench may be the best reel, but it doesn't cut it in the size to weight of what most Kayakers would use. Keep in mind how many times your arm goes up and down jigging, a few ounces turns into a pound in a couple of strokes, now do that for a few hours. Your jigging arm just did a ton or two of work. That may all change when that new drag system comes out and 30+ pounds of drag out of a Jigmast can happen, but I won't bet the farm on it.
Bad day of fishing still beats a good day at work!

Ron Jones

I have a Surfmaster 100 (thank you Boss!) That I fished morro bay with. At home we have a shallow water flat fish fishery year round, I intend to kill a BUNCH of them out of a kayak.
Ron
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"