Penn 113hlw upgrade question

ky_sharker · June 10, 2020, 12:25:21 AM

I'm heading down to Pensacola in a couple weeks and plan to do some fishing hopefully catch a shark. Here's my question. I have an old 113hlw spooled with 30 lb mono on a 8 foot heavy rod rated for 40 to 60 pound line. I want to upgrade the reel but dont really know where to start. I know I'd like to put a tiburon frame and I think the 7 stack drag on it. I got the reel for my occasional trips to the coast and to target the supposed monster catfish below the dams in Kentucky.

alantani · June 10, 2020, 12:27:46 AM

daron, can you help?

mo65 · June 10, 2020, 02:59:41 PM

I'd have to think the first place to upgrade on the 113 HLW would be the gear sleeve. A stainless steel sleeve will help tremendously under the heavy cranking, keeping that sleeve from rounding off at the handle mount. This can happen even with the stock drags, but with upgraded drags is very likely. If your reel's sleeve/handle connection doesn't look near mint, at least get a new brass sleeve, if you can't spend for the ss version.

ky_sharker · June 10, 2020, 03:54:13 PM

I'm gonna tear the reel down tonight and I'll check it. Pro challenger has the SS sleeve for $30 so I might go ahead and order it. The drag feels pretty good but I have no idea how old it is. It doesnt have the graphite frame its just posts

alantani · June 10, 2020, 04:13:57 PM

how much drag are you looking for? stock, the reel is good for 15 pounds. anymore than that is hard on both the reel and the fisherman.

mo65 · June 10, 2020, 04:22:42 PM

Tearing it down and accessing the total condition is a great idea. You may get lucky and the stock drags look fine. Remember, even a well prepared stock drag on these is pretty strong. I think this model comes with a 5-stack. I remember testing drags...and thinking wow when I got to 20lbs. I'm 6'4" and 300 lbs., but I don't think I could hold that for a real long run. I feel the posts are sturdy enough to handle a bit more than stock power, but everyone will agree an aluminum frame is the place to go if you're planning on making the reel sweat. When you start tweaking...there are a ton of stainless parts. Yokes, jacks, gears, and custom drag kits. Alan at Pro Challenger has the double dogged bridges too.

foakes · June 10, 2020, 04:41:28 PM

In my opinion --

If you are serious about landing a shark -- the best upgrade would be a beefed up 115 or at a minimum a beefed 114.

Yes, it is possible to land sharks with a 209 -- but to have a planned approach for a successful landing, handling, safety, and either a release or not -- to be better than a 50/50 shot at even medium to small sharks -- will take the right rod, technique, leader material, safety and release tools, fresh HD line -- then the right reel.

Minimum for me would be a 9/0 -- or a 6/0 with upgraded drags, frame, and sleeve.

Otherwise -- yes you will hook something -- but will you land it, stress your equipment to a damage point, and even have a chance to get a look at it?

Daron will be along shortly -- and he is a Shark Guru who also lives in Kentucky.

Best,

Fred

thorhammer · June 10, 2020, 04:44:54 PM

your driver here is your line- are you leaving 30lb mono on it, and fishing at 8-10lbs drag? if so it should be fine stock, but do check shape of the drags and sleeve. you will have about 600yds to play with, which is a decent amount, but you have to considered abrasion resistance if you are land based sharking and 30 lb is pretty light. (I assumed you are going from the beach- this makes a difference as from boat, braid may be option, from which you might upgrade the reel plenty to get maybe 600yds 80 braid plus 60lb topshot.

JMO

John

Vintage Offshore Tackle · June 10, 2020, 05:29:34 PM

KY, if you are looking for maximum line capacity and frame rigidity, this is the widest and strongest upgrade available. Please send me a PM if you are interested.

ky_sharker · June 10, 2020, 06:18:49 PM

I dont know how to tag each person with a reply so in sorry this is lumped together and long.
Alantani I dont have a set idea on how much drag I want. My original plan was to build the baddest 4/0 I could. Honestly the reel is overkill for anything swimming in KY but we go to the coast once or twice a year and I wanted something I can use for catfish and in saltwater and can handle almost anything that swims by.
Mo65 I've been looking at the stainless internals and plan on adding them as I can afford to.
Foakes I know it isn't the best reel for shark fishing but I cant put together a setup that I'll only use once or twice a year right now. Someday I'm going to but cant afford to right now. My plan it to use smaller baits and cast or kayak them out a short distance. I'd like to catch sharks but really I'll take whatever I can catch.
Thorhammer I'm going to keep the 30lb on for now and running a top shot of something like 80lb maybe more like a shock leader of 80. Eventually I want to put braid on it but it but I wanted to get better at casting it before I spent the money on braid. I'll be casting or a short trip out with the kayak. I know big sharks come in close but I'm going to try to target smaller ones and whatever else is swimming by the pier or in the surf by using smaller bait closer in.
Vintage offshore tackle that is a beautiful frame I sent you a PM. Definitely make the biggest baddest 4/0 with it

thorhammer · June 10, 2020, 06:42:44 PM

OH MY

Vintage Offshore Tackle · June 10, 2020, 06:54:14 PM

KY, I received your PM asking if this kit is new. It is, but it has one small ding in the rim of the frame. I don't know how to send photos in a private message, so here is a close up photo of the ding.

These kits go for $245 in Hawaii. If you can use this one, I could sell it for $185 plus $12 for shipping to Kentucky by Priority Mail with tracking.

Thank you,

Randy

ky_sharker · June 10, 2020, 11:18:35 PM

Man that thing is nice and a great deal. Let me think about it. I'm not sure I need that much capacity and that takes a big chunk out of my build budget but it would be cool. Do you know if they still make these?

Vintage Offshore Tackle · June 11, 2020, 02:04:13 AM

They do still make the Hawaiian Wide, but only when they're dealers in Hawaii how to put together enough orders to make a minimum quantity for a run. I would guess that they run them once a year or year-and-a-half.

Donnyboat · June 11, 2020, 02:31:17 AM

Hi KY, your talking of having 30Lbs line with a 80Lbs leeder, I am under the impression, that I would use 30Lbs line & 30Lbs leeder, so your leeder brakes you dont loose all your line on the spool,.
maybe 80 Lbs braid & 80Lbs leeder would be best, then the leeder would snap @ the knot joining the two, & not at the shaft of the spool, then you dont loose all your line, good luck cheers Don.