PENN REEEEEELS!!! - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

SeaDog · 07-01-2009, 11:27 AM

So my gear will work better if I don't use coupons?

Siebler · 07-01-2009, 01:30 PM

The 500 is hands down one of the best reels ever made. Durable, Easy to Maintain, Parts are Cheap and easy to find....

Great deal, especially with the rod, even if the rod is crap.

dorado50 · 07-01-2009, 01:56 PM

Yea, I got two hand me downs that are sitting on the shelf. Why match a great reel with a not so great rod?. I guess all this new technology with reels has sucked me in!.I really should dust those reels off and start using them again!

Jim Sammons LJKF · 07-01-2009, 03:15 PM

Unless you are a maintenance fiend or only fish once in a while, Penn 500 reel do not last. They do not hold up well to kayak fishing. I killed a ton of them before I switched.
Yes I used them for years fishing the boats and they were fine but they do not hold up to kayak fishing on a regular basis. I am not great at cleaning and maintaining the reels, more often than not the rods stay in the truck from trip to trip, My Shimanos just seem to do better than the Penns ever did for me. The main gear would turn into a corroded mess in very short order. At least that is my experience with them.

rdahl · 07-01-2009, 07:19 PM

Jim, I strongly disagree with you. I have 3 jigmasters. I bought one in 1973 with my mom's blue chip stamps. Got another in about 1975 for $11.95, and a 501 in about 80. I fished them pretty hard back then, took a few years off, then got into kayak fishing 10 years ago. I have used them on average 25 days a year over the last 10. Annually I take them apart clean them and change the drag washers. Well, maybe twice a year. They are simple to take apart, especially compared to the newer high end reels that cost a couple of hundies or more. I don't have to worry about soaking them, or even losing one, especially compared to the pain I would feel if I lost or soaked a $300 reel. With new drag washers, I would put these reels up against any other reel that is a fraction of the age of mine. Now I have heard that newer 500's aren't as bullet proof, but I have no proof of that. All I know is that mine have been a great value. You have spent more on one reel than I have on reels in my 49 years. I can honestly say I do not believe I have ever lost one fish because of my reel. Don't let the marketers fool you. You don't need to have the high end reels to catch fish. Just look at the hundred pound bluefins and broadbills that were caught with leather thumb drags back in the day. If you spend a lot of money on a reel for kayak fishing, that's fine, but kayak fishing can be hazardess on reels.

Good Luck.

Rick

Holy Mackerel · 07-02-2009, 06:25 AM

For the price, that is a great deal, especially if you are on a budget, or just starting out! Jigmasters, work good enough for me, but for a little more money, I prefer Sealines, and TLD 15's.

-scallywag- · 07-02-2009, 09:44 AM

i'm a poor sap and i have a few 500's, but the day i spent 70bucks on a new shimano TLDstar my whole world changed....i was hooked then came the speedmaster IV, and the TLD 15 leverdrags (both under 120 at squidco!!!).

The first time i had to tear them down to clean/lube the bearing and replace the drag washers i knew i would never buy another 500 again, IMO they (the TLD series) are; just as easy to tear down
easier to service (the bearing are open, not shielded)
they weigh less
where else are you going to get a compact leverdrag that can put down 22lbs of pressure for under 150bucks??)
not to mention mechanically superior (larger shafts, gears, dragwashers, bearings, all made out of what looks like a brass/nickle alloy or stainless as opposed to the all brass gears found in most 500's) infact the shafts and gears in the TLD series reels are beafier than the stuff in the torrium reel that i have (was a waste of money IMO)

I also have one sealine on my iron chucker, i havn't opened it up but it feels as rugged as the shimanos but it fee-spools a little better.

BUT, where are you going to get a tried and tru reel (penn500) and a rod for under 70bucks??? that does sound like an awsome deal for a loner rod for the kids or friends that way you can just laugh when they dunk it or loose it at the landing, but if you fish alot you probably better off spending the extra 30 or 50bucks and getting one of the shimanos TLDstars and mathing it to one of the shimano Voltaeus rods (an awsome stick for around 30bucks)

07-01-2009, 01:30 PM	#2
Siebler Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richland Oregon Posts: 1,547	The 500 is hands down one of the best reels ever made. Durable, Easy to Maintain, Parts are Cheap and easy to find.... Great deal, especially with the rod, even if the rod is crap. __________________ CJ Siebler

07-01-2009, 03:15 PM	#4
Jim Sammons LJKF Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 947	Unless you are a maintenance fiend or only fish once in a while, Penn 500 reel do not last. They do not hold up well to kayak fishing. I killed a ton of them before I switched. Yes I used them for years fishing the boats and they were fine but they do not hold up to kayak fishing on a regular basis. I am not great at cleaning and maintaining the reels, more often than not the rods stay in the truck from trip to trip, My Shimanos just seem to do better than the Penns ever did for me. The main gear would turn into a corroded mess in very short order. At least that is my experience with them. __________________ Jim Sammons La Jolla Kayak Fishing The Kayak Fishing Show JimSammons.com

07-01-2009, 11:27 AM	#1
SeaDog Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Orange County Posts: 47	So my gear will work better if I don't use coupons?

07-01-2009, 01:56 PM	#3
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	Yea, I got two hand me downs that are sitting on the shelf. Why match a great reel with a not so great rod?. I guess all this new technology with reels has sucked me in!.I really should dust those reels off and start using them again!

07-01-2009, 07:19 PM	#5
rdahl Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 48	Jim, I strongly disagree with you. I have 3 jigmasters. I bought one in 1973 with my mom's blue chip stamps. Got another in about 1975 for $11.95, and a 501 in about 80. I fished them pretty hard back then, took a few years off, then got into kayak fishing 10 years ago. I have used them on average 25 days a year over the last 10. Annually I take them apart clean them and change the drag washers. Well, maybe twice a year. They are simple to take apart, especially compared to the newer high end reels that cost a couple of hundies or more. I don't have to worry about soaking them, or even losing one, especially compared to the pain I would feel if I lost or soaked a $300 reel. With new drag washers, I would put these reels up against any other reel that is a fraction of the age of mine. Now I have heard that newer 500's aren't as bullet proof, but I have no proof of that. All I know is that mine have been a great value. You have spent more on one reel than I have on reels in my 49 years. I can honestly say I do not believe I have ever lost one fish because of my reel. Don't let the marketers fool you. You don't need to have the high end reels to catch fish. Just look at the hundred pound bluefins and broadbills that were caught with leather thumb drags back in the day. If you spend a lot of money on a reel for kayak fishing, that's fine, but kayak fishing can be hazardess on reels. Good Luck. Rick

07-02-2009, 06:25 AM	#6
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	For the price, that is a great deal, especially if you are on a budget, or just starting out! Jigmasters, work good enough for me, but for a little more money, I prefer Sealines, and TLD 15's.

07-02-2009, 09:44 AM	#7
-scallywag- Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: on the road... Posts: 598	i'm a poor sap and i have a few 500's, but the day i spent 70bucks on a new shimano TLDstar my whole world changed....i was hooked then came the speedmaster IV, and the TLD 15 leverdrags (both under 120 at squidco!!!). The first time i had to tear them down to clean/lube the bearing and replace the drag washers i knew i would never buy another 500 again, IMO they (the TLD series) are; just as easy to tear down easier to service (the bearing are open, not shielded) they weigh less where else are you going to get a compact leverdrag that can put down 22lbs of pressure for under 150bucks??) not to mention mechanically superior (larger shafts, gears, dragwashers, bearings, all made out of what looks like a brass/nickle alloy or stainless as opposed to the all brass gears found in most 500's) infact the shafts and gears in the TLD series reels are beafier than the stuff in the torrium reel that i have (was a waste of money IMO) I also have one sealine on my iron chucker, i havn't opened it up but it feels as rugged as the shimanos but it fee-spools a little better. BUT, where are you going to get a tried and tru reel (penn500) and a rod for under 70bucks??? that does sound like an awsome deal for a loner rod for the kids or friends that way you can just laugh when they dunk it or loose it at the landing, but if you fish alot you probably better off spending the extra 30 or 50bucks and getting one of the shimanos TLDstars and mathing it to one of the shimano Voltaeus rods (an awsome stick for around 30bucks)