Penn 340/345 level wind removal ?

[beancounter]

Recently picked up a 345 cheap and the previous owner removed all the level wind assembly parts and threw them away. I am a cheapskate and parts are too expensive in my book to replace them. I serviced the reel and greased the drags and it works great. I packed the holes with some blue grease and covered with packing tape to keep water and crud out. What do most of you guys do. Is there a better way to cover the openings?

[alantani]

don't worry about the holes.  you'll be fine. 

[oc1]

That reel will not cast well until the levelwind stuff is removed.  With repetitive casting, water is going to get in around the edge of the spool flange anyway.  Water comes off the line and flies in there.  Sometimes the problem is a lack of drain holes so water has a place to go.
-steve

[beancounter]

Not gonna be doing any casting with this thing. Just trolling for striped bass and maybe some mahi. The previous owner left the holes open and it was getting nasty inside from that. The clear packing tape covers well and is cheap enough to replace when needed.

[mo65]

   I always wondered what constitutes a "good" casting reel. I have an armada of levelwind reels that all cast well. Is it distance? Is 100 yds. and under considered kid stuff? There are many styles of fishing where a 50yd. cast works perfectly.

[oc1]

   I always wondered what constitutes a "good" casting reel. I have an armada of levelwind reels that all cast well. Is it distance? Is 100 yds. and under considered kid stuff? There are many styles of fishing where a 50yd. cast works perfectly.

Agreed.  It's all relative to what you're doing Mike..... rod, bait, line, casting from shore versus boat.  All else being equal, I've never seen a reel that wouldn't get you noticeably more distance with the synchronized levelwind removed.  It takes a lot to keep all those parts moving.  With disengaging levelwind the difference is small.  50 yards is really far for me, but I'm sitting in a canoe with my behind at water level, throwing jigs 3/8 oz or less and spooking every fish within 20 yards.
-steve

[sundancer]

FWIW

I agree.. 

Casting for me, even if it is from the NC Shore, is to the first Breaker Line - the trough between it and the Shoreline.  I am not interested in a NC Hauler throwing a lead halfway to Spain..  ;-)

I troll Lures or drag bait throughout the Beach line.  If I have to cast, it is light Jigheads and i use a Spinner or Baitcaster.  On the few times a year I surfcast, I will usually take a smallish Alvey Reel. 

I have grown to love my Levelwind Armada as I don't have to think about the line lay. 

My response took your Post sidways..  sorry..

Steve

[Ron Jones]

It really depeds on the tackle and bait.   Flylining a sardine and trying to get out past the chum line requires a reel that spins as freely as possible. I couldn't see a levelwind working in that scenario.

The GT35 is a 113HWL wth a graphite frame. People have fishd those reels after they have corroded past boat anchor level, you wil be fine.
Ron Jones