Help me fill in the blanks for a Squidder project!

[QuestForMonsterCatfish]

So I'm new to the Squidder and still easily confused by all the model numbers and cross-overs between reel models. With the help of a few folks here a few years ago I worked on a custom Jigmaster write up for a catfishing publication to introduce custom Penns to the freshwater folks. I'm working on doing the same again on a Squidder. I ordered the 146 complete conversion kit from Cortez along with SS sleeve/star. I then picked up a 140 from EBay. I need to get gears but I'm not sure what exact ones I need. I've saw different part numbers claiming to work for the Squidder. I'd like to get a 4:1 if possible but I'm lost on this, or what set available is the strongest. Then I'll be reaching out to order my drag stack next once I pick the gears. Pro challenger spool is on the way as well. Are the factory dogs in these reels steel? If not can they be upgraded? Is there anything else that can be done to beef this little thing up that I am missing?

[Squidder Bidder]

I don't know about steel AR dogs but there are new old stock steel main gears floating around. I got a few on fleabay a while back.

It makes sense if you are upgrading the sleeve to SS and upgrading the drag stack to one of Bryan's kits to find a steel main gear for your build.

[thorhammer]

NEVER heard of larger gears for Squidders (not counting magnum) - the gear wells just likely won't accommodate it, or it would've been done!

[Swami805]

Other than a SS sleeve I don't think there's much around for internals besides stock stuff.  Still a good reel for 20lb

[jurelometer]

Not a catfish guy myself, but don't understand why higher gear ratios would be better for this application.  Remember that gears are essentially round levers, and a higher gear ratio for you is a lower gear ratio for the fish, so you are giving the fish more leverage by going from 2.51:1 to 4:1 gears. Assume for big catfish, winding the fish out of cover with less effort would be desirable.  Two turns on the handle probably gets you four to five[oops] about three  feet of retrieve with the stock Squidder gears.  When trying to stop strong saltwater bottom fish in their tracks, a low gear ratio is always preferable.  Should be the same for catfish.

In a star drag reel, the higher the gear ratio, the more stress on the main shaft components (gears, dog, handle arm junction) for the same amount of pulling load on the reel.  Plus it takes more drag force at the drag stack to get the same stopping force at the spool when you up the gear ratio.

If you are going to do a writeup for others on customizing these reels for catfishing, some other things to consider:

Failure in these gear sleeve design reels most often occurs when winding under load.  Modifications to improve strength in this area is the first (and potentially only) step needed to improve fish fighting performance.

Agree with the other posts.  On a 146, stainless gear sleeve, steel main gear, greased carbon washers are about it for improving strength and usable drag.  A solid frame, or at least solid crossbars can help, but probably not necessary.  Full frame/sideplate/spool kits on this size of gear sleeve reel mostly provides an opportunity for better casting performance due to improved spool alignment, and potentially a lighter spool.  Longer handle arms make winding under load easier, but the increased leverage makes a winding load failure more likely. Stainless stars do not help performance (and that is coming from someone that used to make them). 

Not saying that folks shouldn't hotrod out a reel with the finest components available, if that is the goal.  But most of the bang for the buck is in a small subset of the possible upgrades.

This of course assumes that any performance upgrades are actually necessary for chasing larger catfish with a Squidder.

Hope this helps,

-J

[Squidder Bidder]

If I recall from reading this forum, the "Squidder" name came from the fact that the reel was intended for casting "tin squids" for Striped Bass and Bluefish in the surf, so in that application you'd want some kind of higher gear ratio than the standard existing conventionals for retrieving the lures to stimulate strikes. So the factory ratio was 3.3:1 which is higher than, say, a Long Beach 60 at 2.5:1 (these two mentioned reels employ the same main gear).

I don't fish for catfish but I'd wager that jurelometer is correct insofar as you wouldn't want to increase the 3.3:1 gear ratio, while an even lower ratio would perhaps be superior for that application.

[QuestForMonsterCatfish]

So part of my gear ratio ideology is sometimes accidental striper or some catfish may run at the boat and I want to keep up with the fish to keep pressure on it.

[jurelometer]

So part of my gear ratio ideology is sometimes accidental striper or some catfish may run at the boat and I want to keep up with the fish to keep pressure on it.

My opinion:

Never had a problem keeping up with stripers on a Squidder. That is what they were designed for. If you had to wind really fast to keep up with a 30 foot sprint directly toward the boat (unlikely), it would take about  20 handle revolutions on a squidder with a reasonably full spool. Same size reel with 4:1 gears, about 17 revolutions.  Just wind a tiny bit faster. Sort of a moot point, since upgrade gears for Squidders don't exist.

A low gear ratio is nearly always better for fighting fish.  A high gear ratio is nearly always better for retrieving lures, and maybe winding up empty from deep water with lighter weights.  4:1 is sort of a tweener for reels in this diameter.

On your dog question: stainless dogs are harder to come by.  Some folks think that stainless dogs are better with a stainless sleeve because of slower wear. brass dogs are not likely to be a point of load failure unless worn out or your bridge post comes loose, at which point you are already screwed.

-J

[Swami805]

I use that size Penn reels for pier fishing, they cast well and I use 15lb test mono mostly. Best upgrade I've done is a longer handle, I use one from a Penn 49, gives a bit more leverage.  Might give one a try, won't help with speed but does help moving a fish