Cool Penn Reels

[bass or bass?]

I've been using Penn Peer 209 and 309 reels for a couple of years. I decided to double my flathead catfish arsenal and found an exceptionally nice old Penn Long Beach 65 reel at a local antiques/collectables shop. It looks barely used. I've used it for @ 9 months now and really like it, better than the new levelwind 209 and 309 reels. Casts better and fewer moving parts. I donated the 209 as a raffle prize at my fishing club's annual Flat Cat Classic tournament in May. About 4 months ago I purchased a couple used Penn reels on e-bay; a Long Beach 67 and a Senator 112 (4/0) that work well but show a fair amount of corrosion from salt water use. I used them and liked them but they seemed a bit large for my needs and decided what I really want are more Long Beach 65 reels. A few days ago I found 2 brand new still in box Long Beach 65's on e-bay. Just got the first one today. What an awesome reel! I've put away the Long Beach 67 and Senator as back up spares. Think I'll give the 67 to my fishing partner for his birthday in September as his old Penn reel is a disaster. Also, @ 3 weeks ago on e-bay I found a Penn Peer 109 reel in exceptional condition that I purchased for one of my 2 channel catfish rods, so I've accumulated a really nice collection of rugged bullet proof Penn reels for my catfishing adventures. And they look cool as heck as well! May have to change my posting name from bass or bass to Mr. Penn! LOL

 

[pknapinski]

Penn has always made really good reels very underrated. Use them on my walleye trolling rods.

 

[barresi]

Penn makes some great reels. They are bullet proof, only down side is they are a bit bulky and heavy. Not a reel you would want to use making casts all day. I have a few penns which I hardly ever use anymore. With today's reels being so much lighter and stronger, it's really hard for me to use Penn.

 

[bass or bass?]

Penn Reels for catfishing

The other new in box Long Beach 65 should be here tomorrow or Tuesday. I used the other two Friday night and Saturday night and they cast large heavy live bait well. And these are the genuine made in U.S.A. reels, not the Chinese ones made today. Since these are being used by me for catfishing there is not a lot of casting. About once per hour for the 65's and about every 15 minutes for the Peer 109 and my other channel cat reel, a BPS Mega Cast MCM2000, which has similar size and capacity of the 109.
I paid $35 for the used one I got at the collectibles store, $40 for the first new one. and $32 for the other new one. The new reels came from e-bay. I'm going to put my Chinese Peer 309 away as a spare back up reel when the other new reel arrives this week. ^!

 

[XtopwaterkingX]

I agree with ya Barresi, hard to beat some of the newer light weight models for the rigors of saltwater. But like bass or bass said them ol solid heavy Penns are great for flathead fishing. Im on the hunt right now for 2 of em for 2 20-40 class rods I just picked up for Flatheads. What max drag on them LB 65s Bass or Bass?

 

[barresi]

I did a quick search on the max drag for the Penn Long beach 65. Most sites list them between 8-12 lb max drag. If you upgrade the drag disc to HT 100 carbon fiber you may get a few more pounds. I'm not impressed. Gear ratio is 2.5:1 Just think, you can buy a throw away reel for 30 bucks, and it will be lighter and have more stopping power.

 

[bass or bass?]

I believe the Long Beach 65 drag rating is 20 pounds but I'm not certain.
I like that they have no level wind mechanism, really nothing to fail, just direct cranking gears.
I know that the smaller Peer 209 is rated at 15 pounds and the equal size Peer 309 is rated at 20 pounds.
I also have a BPS Offshore Angler Gold Cup GC 30 level wind reel made by Penn for BPS that is rated at 30 pounds. It's the same size as the Senator 112 (4/0). That's also the same size as the Long Beach 67. I have one each of those reels too.

 

[XtopwaterkingX]

Yeah if its 12 lb max that's to light for me haha, id be shoving my hand in the spool. I was looking at the Offshore Angler Ocean Master Lever Drag Reel OML-20C, its got 22lb max drag, on sale for $50, but mixed reviews. Might have to up my minimum price $100 haha

 

[dugger]

I cut my teeth with Peen reels surf finishing and I agree they are bulky ,but easy to care for and fix ! And back then they were and I think today are still a good investment for the dough! And when you used something as dependable as the 209 ,309,409s hard to fault for slightly bulky as you throw and wait for a catfish or red ,and drink a cold one around a lantern or fire wait for a bite! But there are some great reels being made now that are just so much sweeter with the way they throw ,and the amount of line they get back with just one turn of the handle ,smoother drags that let you use these new lines to get more pressure on a fish of a life time ,Yup got some of them new reels and love them,but I will always have a few Penns in my arsenal!

 

[bass or bass?]

I'm just an old dinosaur. I grew up fishing Senators and Surf Masters and still love Penns for my catfishing. I use Pflueger, Daiwa, Quantum, and BPS reels for baitfishing and bass, and also 2 Orvis reels for my fly rods. My two cents

 

[bass or bass?]

Penn Long Beach 65 drag rating

OK, I emailed Scott's Bait & Tackle (scottsbt.com) in Little Egg Harbor New Jersey about the pound rating on the drag of the Penn Long Beach 65. They are Penn reel experts. Mo from Scott's emailed me back this morning that there wasn't any official rating from Penn on the old reels but independant testers had done this and the Long Beach 60 and 65 reels are tested at 20 pounds drag. This and more information can be found at www.alantani.com. My two cents

 

[barresi]

I believe that's with upgraded drag..carbon fiber HT 100...according to stripersonline.. they are the Penn authority as far as forums go. Either way, they are old reliable reels...I just prefer modern.

 

[XtopwaterkingX]

Right on guys thanks! Deff worth knowing with the right washers you can put some heat on em. Hate feeling under gunned haha. Never know when a monster is gonna make lunch of of your bait

 

[bass or bass?]

According to the alantani.com site, by replacing the 3 disc dry drag with the 5 disc carbon fiber wet drag the rating can be upped from 20 pounds to 30 pounds. My two cents

 

[PaJNS]

Fishing Reel Repair by Alan Tani
Re: Penn Long Beach 65, Ht-100 Drag Washer Sequence Question
? Reply #1 on: February 25, 2011, 04:04:30 PM ?
Carbon fiber
Stainless Keyed
Carbon fiber
Stainless Eared
Carbon fiber
Stainless Keyed
tension spring/washer

probably 7-8 pounds. but you should be able to convert this to a 1+5 stack using a carbontex washer under the main gear and five of the #6-60's with three keyed metal and two eared metal washers. for 10-12 pounds of drag.


The debate goes one.....shrug

 

[barresi]

According to the alantani.com site, by replacing the 3 disc dry drag with the 5 disc carbon fiber wet drag the rating can be upped from 20 pounds to 30 pounds. My two cents

BorB...The old school Penn 16/0 (Quint's reel in Jaws) had a max of 30-32lbs, the 14/0 20-25lbs. That Long Beach will need some serious modifying to get 30lbs of drag. And the debate continues...[emoji1]

 

[XtopwaterkingX]

Probably gonna get 2 okuma convector 30s. 20 lb drag an I can get em for $68 a piece haha