Penn Baja Special

Started by Lbctermite, February 12, 2014, 08:14:15 AM

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alantani

in order for the spool to keep moving with the drag set high and the handle abrupty stopped, the shoulders of the spool shaft or the pinion gear have to bevelled.  if yours is not, then then spool will stop when the handle stops.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

DaBigOno

Quote from: alantani on February 20, 2014, 07:04:14 PM

in order for the spool to keep moving with the drag set high and the handle abrupty stopped, the shoulders of the spool shaft or the pinion gear have to bevelled.  if yours is not, then then spool will stop when the handle stops.



Thanks Alan...  I took my Baja Special apart just to figure it out.   I should have waited.   

I learned something new again.   :)
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono

Tightlines667

On a related note...I've often noticed deep marring/wear on the ramp and/or shoulders that engage the pinion on the spool of heavily used senators.  I'm assuming this results from rapidly engaging the pinion, when the spool is spinning fast, and reel is put 'under pressure' (drag settings are high).  I was taught to try to avoid this when fishing.  But my question is, short of replacing the expensive spool, is it safe or a good idea to try to smooth out any noticeable ridges on the ramps with a grinding wheel or something, or is it best to leave well enough alone?  Is there an easy way to test this...like maybe checking how smoothly the pinion or reel engages or releases, when the spool is: a)stationary and under pressure, b)moving and under pressure, c)moving freely and engaged under no pressure, and d)engaging the reel when the spool is spinning, and immediately comes under pressure...to check for smooth transition, complete engagement/disengamemt etc...  I actually rarely notice any roughness or hesitation here, even in heavily used reels with excessive damage to this area.  Just wondering if I'm overlooking something here when do my final reel testing/adjustments...before sending it back into service.  Maybe I'm over thinking this one.

Thoughts would be welcomed.

John
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Ron Jones

I've touched the shoulders up with a file before. You had best be pretty hot with a grinder to do this and not take off to much. I only ever messed with it if their was a lot of chatter or on one reel that refused to go into gear.
Ron
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

Shark Hunter

I've fished with senators that are older than me and have never tried to reel any of my reels that fast without having something on the other end.
Once you throw the lever forward and all is engaged, The only thing still spinning will be the drags. ;)
Life is Good!

CapeFish

Should you engage the reel if the spool is spinning? I never leave my reels in freespool while fishing, always engage them and just back off the drag, surely you smash the pinion into the drive gear if you do that or am I missing something here?

DaBigOno

Quote from: Shark Hunter on February 21, 2014, 08:14:17 AM

I've fished with senators that are older than me and have never tried to reel any of my reels that fast without having something on the other end.



Maybe that's why I never noticed my Baja Special doing it before



Quote from: CapeFish on February 21, 2014, 10:04:28 AM

Should you engage the reel if the spool is spinning? I never leave my reels in freespool while fishing, always engage them and just back off the drag, surely you smash the pinion into the drive gear if you do that or am I missing something here?



I leave my reels in free-spool when fly-lining a live bait. 
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono

Shark Hunter

Quote from: CapeFish on February 21, 2014, 10:04:28 AM
Should you engage the reel if the spool is spinning? I never leave my reels in freespool while fishing, always engage them and just back off the drag, surely you smash the pinion into the drive gear if you do that or am I missing something here?
I usually fish like you, and leave the drag backed off, but if I get a fish that thinks he's sneaky, One that likes to swim toward the shore and keep creating slack in the line. I'll take the slack out and put it in freespool. I am usually strapped in while doing this, because he is going to take off real fast and hook himself or go into a slow roll.
Life is Good!

steelfish

glad to have find this thread, I just serviced a Baja Special that does the same weird thing of the loud clicking noise when you suddenly (abruptly) stop the handle after turning it fast and strong.

uff thanks Alan


The Baja Guy

CapeFish

are you not ruining the reel slamming it into gear when a fish is taking line at a rate of knots? I always leave my reels in gear on a low drag setting and simply tighten up the drag as the fish runs, it also prevents getting overwinds when a fish takes.

Keta


I do this all the time with no damage to the reel.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
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Shark Hunter

Just to clarify, I'm not fishing a Baja, I'm fishing with a Big Senator, a 12/0. The gears on these old work horses are tough and can take it. Yes, I'm slamming the pinion into the main, but they are steel and drag will be slipping immediately on hook up. Then I tighten it down.
I usually leave my reels on freespool with the clicker on. this prevents backlashes and my reel from getting pulled into the ocean.
Life is Good!

Dominick

Right on Daron.  I do the same live lining.  When the fish takes off you let it run before you set the hook.  Some fish we wait as long as twenty seconds before setting the hook.  Lots of variables in fishing.  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.

Tightlines667

Just to clarify how/when the reel may be slammed into gear under load from freespool.  Typically when trolling, I let out line in freespool with the clicker on to prevent backlash, or having to 'baby sit' the spool.  I slow the spool down and stop it with my thumb, check the bait, and when satisfied, put the reel in gear.  The drag is always preset to the desired strike setting (in order to ensure the best hook set), and I mark one prong of the star by putting a piece of clear rubber tubing on it so that when it lines up with tue handle I am at a premeasured maximum desired drag setting. 

Now sometimes a fish grabs the bait as it is being set, and the immediate course of action is to slam the reel into gear.

Likewise, if a fish hits a bait, but is not hooked up, I immediately throw that reel into freespool for a few seconds before reengaging the gear set.  This trick often elicites a strike which may cone while the reel is in freespool. 

Another example is when trolling live bait, I often leave the resl in freespool with the clicker on, and the line clipped to a downrigger clip, or a flatline clip preset at a few pounds before release.  This allows the fish to hit the live bait, and in the case of marlin, flip it around, swallow it, and hopefully turn, before I slam the reel into gear.  Alternatively, you can pull off a preset amount of line, and leave the reel in gear. 

I actually like the ability to quickly transition from freespool, to a preset strike and back again on the Senators when trolling, live baiting, or chunking.

Lever drags allow you to run real low drag and precise drag when live baiting, and still allow moving into and out of freespool, but it takes just a bit longer, and typically lacks that crisp and sudden transition. 

The other nice thing about the Senators is they are lighter weight and can be easily and quickly pulled from the rod holder and fished from hand during the drop back, or when chunking or still fishing live bait. 

On the other hand, lever drag reels typically produce smoother, more controllable drag, they are stronger, and they don't suffer the detrimental effects of heat as quickly, or severly as star drag reels.  Also, I havn't seen a 2 speed star drag reel yet.
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Shark Hunter

John,
I don't know if you fish a Big Senator, but when you can, get your hands on some of Adam's versa Drag Inserts. They make a Senator smoother than it was ever meant to be. Twice the lock down power, but so smooth at the reels original max drag. The best invention yet to a Big Senator other than Tom's ss sleeves. Truly remarkable.
Life is Good!