Penn Mag 990 max drag?

Started by double_entendre, June 04, 2019, 03:15:03 PM

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double_entendre

I've got a pretty clean 990 sitting in the garage that needs to be cleaned up and hopefully not much else. 

I'm wondering what the max drag is on it. I read somewhere that the drag is off a 4/0 and since I read it on the internet, it must be true.  The box says it'll hold 325 yards of 30 pound test, but if I can put something heavier on (40 or 50), that'd be ideal. 

RowdyW

50# should work fine unless you need more capacity, then you will have to switch to braid. The drag will give up before the line or gears break.        Rudy

Maxed Out

#2
 Yes, what you read on the internet just happens to be true. The 990 has 113h gears and drags and is a beast of a reel. Be careful when tightening the outer perimeter screws. Over tightening can cause breakage.

Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Alto Mare

Yes, good tip from Ted. There is a little space between the plate and the frame, using power drivers will definitely damage these reels. Try tightening the plate screws with a hand held screwdriver, so you could control the force a little better.
These are tough reels.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

double_entendre

Sal, Ted, and Rudy, thanks for the great advice.  Really appreciate it. 

Plan is to definitely load it with 50 pound or stronger braid with a top shot of mono (pound test TBD). 

It seems that the 990's max drag is 27 pounds, so if I give myself a cushion I'm at maybe 17-22 pounds, which means it can handle 50 pounds pretty well.  Assuming that's my target, what's the ideal pound test of braid under the mono?  It seems there's no hard and fast rule from what I've read. 

The 990 will be on a SoCal/northern Mexican waters boat rod for live bait and throwing iron.  I've got Newell 220, 229, and 332 reels plus an Avet LX 6.0 and a Penn 114H.  The latter will be primarily trolling and rockfishing.  I'm just trying to give myself a clean line from 15 pound test on the 220 to heavy line on the 6/0.  15, 25, 40, 50(or a bit more?), and deep water/trolling.  No idea what I'll do with the Avet.  It's basically a lever drag 332, eh?

Alto Mare

Your numbers are a little on the high side, keep the max under 20 lb and you should do ok.
The 990 is a large reel, the main gear is actually close to the 6/0, the problem here is that the reel is really fast for its size, the ratio is 4.7:1.
In order to get to that ratio they had to make the pinion as small as the squidder.

They are stainless steel, but some do come with a brass main gear.
It is a strong reel, but can't get carried away with it.

I believe Bryan has 5+1 drags for these, a really nice upgrade.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

thorhammer

300 yds of 50 or 65 braid topped with 40lb mono will give you plenty of capacity in a very castable format operating, within drag limits. I double the braid with surgeon's loop and tie a double uni connection to mono. Everyone has their opinion but this works for me- it's fast and I've never had it fail, pulling about as hard as I can on grouper (with heavier line).

double_entendre

Quote from: Alto Mare on June 05, 2019, 05:00:10 AM
Your numbers are a little on the high side, keep the max under 20 lb and you should do ok.
The 990 is a large reel, the main gear is actually close to the 6/0, the problem here is that the reel is really fast for its size, the ratio is 4.7:1.
In order to get to that ratio they had to make the pinion as small as the squidder.

They are stainless steel, but some do come with a brass main gear.
It is a strong reel, but can't get carried away with it.

I believe Bryan has 5+1 drags for these, a really nice upgrade.

Sal


Thanks, Sal.  I may have to reach out to him about that. 

SoCalAngler

#8
double,

For most applications I like to go at least one braid strength higher than the topshot's rated breaking strength. That way if a break off happens the line should break in the topshot and not in the more costly braid. You could go with a even higher breaking strength in the braid if you wanted to reduce the amount line on the reel to keep costs down in spooling.

If I was you I'd spool the reels like this. 220 for 20 lb, 229 for 25 lb, 332 for 30 lb, LX since it is the 6:1 for 40 lb and the 990 for 50 lb (braid backed with 65 lb).

I have the LX going lighter than the 990 do to their gearing and potential drag. 50 lb and 6:1 gears will give you a work out once you hook a fish worthy of 50 lb ;)

The LX on a 7' rod rated for 40 lb test will fish bait fine and be even better if you fish the yoyo iron. With it's 6:1 you don't have to crank like a mad man to get jig speed.

Dominick

Quote from: Maxed Out on June 04, 2019, 10:46:06 PM
Yes, what you read on the internet just happens to be true. The 990 has 113h gears and drags and is a beast of a reel. Be careful when tightening the outer perimeter screws. Over tightening can cause breakage.

Ted

I was wondering if one were to check if a fact were true on the internet would that make it true since it came from the internet.  It makes my brain hurt.  ::)  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

SoCalAngler

Sorry just reread your post and you said you wanted to go from 15 lb and not 20 where I started.

I'd still spool the 220 starting at 20 lb test and if needed just add a 4-7' piece of 15 fluoro on top. Just make sure you adjust your drag for the lighter line.

I have a G220 spooled with 30 lb braid with a long 15 lb topshot matched to a Seeker BlackSteel 196-8 just waiting for the year when we only have anchovies for bait. So, it just sits waiting and rarely goes out on a trip with me.

thorhammer

Quote from: Dominick on June 06, 2019, 05:25:10 PM
Quote from: Maxed Out on June 04, 2019, 10:46:06 PM
Yes, what you read on the internet just happens to be true. The 990 has 113h gears and drags and is a beast of a reel. Be careful when tightening the outer perimeter screws. Over tightening can cause breakage.

Ted

I was wondering if one were to check if a fact were true on the internet would that make it true since it came from the internet.  It makes my brain hurt.  ::)  Dominick

Of course it's true. Since anyone can edit Wikipedia, I'm actually 6'6" and have hair.

mo65

Quote from: thorhammer on June 06, 2019, 08:06:48 PM
Quote from: Dominick on June 06, 2019, 05:25:10 PM
I was wondering if one were to check if a fact were true on the internet would that make it true since it came from the internet.  It makes my brain hurt.  ::)  Dominick

Of course it's true. Since anyone can edit Wikipedia, I'm actually 6'6" and have hair.

   6'6" ain't all it's made out to be John...you ought to see them trying to cut me out of a booth at Applebee's. ;D
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


thorhammer

that's funny right there....

double_entendre

Guys, just want to say thanks for the information and the laughs.  :D  I once poked fun at a guy who used that "read it on the internet" line on me, telling him that I'd read that coots migrated by tunneling to Mexico. 

SoCalAngler, really appreciate your thoughts.  I was struggling with the 40-50 range and how best to not buy another reel.  For the moment, at least.  I have an as-yet-unbuilt GF850H that I had been thinking I'd put the Avet on.  (Also have a GF900L to build I was thinking the 229 would work on and a BT6460 for a Penn 6/0).

Thanks! 

Bob