Narrow Frame Reels and Grease questions...

[chris73]

What is the benefit of narrow reels (49, 149, etc.), narrowing kits and such?

Grease: should we grease the main and pinion gears??

Thanks!

[akfish]

Narrow reels make it easier to lay the line evenly and have less wobble when retrieving. The narrow but large diameter spool on the 49 generates a high retrieve despite the relatively low 3.5 to 1 gear ratio. BTW: The 149 has only a 2 to 1 gear ratio and much less drag than the 49. And you should grease the main and pinion gear.

[BigT]

It greatly reduces the tendency for the rod to want to turn over in your hands (so the reel ends up under the rod instead of on top) under load. I'm not an engineer so won't explain this well but when the line on an overhead (conventional) reel is at the edge of the spool under load it acts at a lever trying to twist the rod... the further from the centre line of the rod that the line gets, the greater the twisting force.  A narrow spool reel keeps your line closer to the centre line of the rod.

Cheers, BigT

[chris73]

Thanks! But why do people refer to these as Trolling and Bottom reels? What would be the difference? (Ive been looking around Ebay)

[BigT]

That I can't help with... the naming of reel types seems to be very region specific (what's called a 'conventional reel' in the USA is called an 'overhead' here in Australia for example).  The advantages of a narrow frame reel are the same in any kind of fishing where you're wanting to reduce the tendency for the reel to flip the rod over.


Cheers, BigT

[conchydong]

The "Mariner" series was originally developed for trolling wire or leadcore lines. This was common in the NE US for striped bass and bluefish and later adapted in the south for king mackeral trolling with wire line. Most people later just switched to chrome spool senators for more capacity. I think it was the California guys who tricked them out for wahoo casting.

[Walter_Lars]

the tall narrow reels are a old style for useing the lead core and wire line   used in the old days to get a lure down deep  this  was before down riggers and cannon balls  even 'low a 49 or a 349  has a low gear ration  3.5 to one  is considered  slow but in its day it was smokeing fast  by adding a larger diamter  spool  the net result is faster line retrive 

prior the high speed reels of today like newells  acurate avets   etc   the 49 /349  was the fastest way to move a jig except for a added on "reel-deal" reel transmission   

the Mariner  line of reels  is the same width as a 501  uses the same spacer bars and reel seat as the 501

so with help from Carl Newell  parts
the wahoo special was born   add some  of Carl's upraded drags and gears

with the proper parts added a  Mariner will fish right beside any of the new fancy shiny "all the bells and whistles " reels of today and in some case out fish the new shiney reels

[CarolinaCustomReels]

From a casting perspective:

A more narrow frame means that the effective diameter of the spool is decreasing faster on a narrow spool than on a wide spool. This provides more natural braking of the cast and can help a less-experienced caster tame an unruly reel like the Squidder.

I've never really considered the twisting aspect of wider spools. That is very interesting.

Evan

[Bryan Young]

From a casting perspective:

A more narrow frame means that the effective diameter of the spool is decreasing faster on a narrow spool than on a wide spool. This provides more natural braking of the cast and can help a less-experienced caster tame an unruly reel like the Squidder.

I second that.  My second casting reel was an extended 4/0.  It would backlash much easier than my 2/0. 

[Semper Fish]

Narrow reels (Penn 100, 146, 506) are lighter, have less inertia (twist) under load and besides...they look cooler then those beer can lookin' things!

[alantani]

Narrow reels (Penn 100, 146, 506) are lighter, have less inertia (twist) under load and besides...they look cooler then those beer can lookin' things!

i'm gonna have to agree on this one..........

[Walter_Lars]

going to a narrow version of a larger reel VS a wide smaller reel  say a 501 over a 140   gets you bigger gears and bigger drags  so you can take on  larger fish and as posted above
the added coolness factor  easier handling ,less reel parts  to stock