Penn 4/0 113 &113H

[crabbait]

Shopping Penn 4/0 reels on E-bay. What is a fair price to pay for these reels (in good condition with little to no pitting)? Is the higher gear ratio worth the extra bucks (2-1 ratio 113 v. 3.25-1 113H)? Is the old style aluminum spool better than the new graphite?

Has anyone tried the Newell kit that increases the 113 gear ratio to 5-1?

What are the other things to look for in these reels? What else is comparable for t-t-t-tuna and the like?

Thanks, Dogs! (30-35 days until the boat is done...starting to notice a slight twitch and s-s-s-stutter).

I picked up a "As New" 113H for $73.00.
I think the graphite spool will cause less problems. I always had coroded spools due to salt water soaking the dacron line. I think Spectra will do the same.

[Uglygreen]

I have both... Fair price (used) is $50-75. You can get them new online for as little as $80.

web page

Graphite spool is far better (lighter and corrosion proof)

I like the high speed ratio. It can be hard to catch up with a fish that turns back towards you with the 2:1 ratio.

I use them for both Oversize Sturgon, Tuna, and Sailfish... spooled with 60 lb mono.

Never used the 5:1 kit.

Parts are cheap. Both gears and a new drag are about $20 bucks total at Ollie Damons.

Great thing about Penn reels are the fact that you can get parts anywhere in the world.

UG

[Captain Amana]

Penn 4/0 reels are bullet proof with a couple of exceptions. Parts are available almost everwhere and the Penn reels last a looooooooooong time.

When you're looking at the reels there are several versions. The old style stand-off frames and the updated graphite frame models. There are also those that have been upgraded with solid one piecealuminum frames. Like the Tiburon frames. Just so there is no confusion I am one of the owners of Tiburon Engineering (http://www.tiburonengineering.com). We've been making frames for the Penn reels for 12 or 13 years now. The idea of the frames are simple. The multi-piece standoff frames don't allow for proper alignment of the side plates and depending on how one assembles the reel sometimes the reel is askew. The one piece frames (which Penn now installes in all of its Senator series reels) provide alignment of the sideplates and the strength of the one piece frame. Side plate alignment keeps the gears, bearings etc. from working against each other. If the frame is askew the parts will wear uneavenly.

That being said the Penn Senator 4/0s are great reels. They can be bought new for less that $90 most of the time and sometimes I've seen them on sale - New in the Box for $64.95. Shop them around. Most of the used Senators I've seen just need some new crome and new drags. New drags are $4-5 and the chrome rings are a couple of bucks.


The ones on the internet sometimes bring huge prices so be very cautious and don't over bid.

As for the Newell gears. They are proven over time and if you want the higher gear ratio they work well. You will notice a different sound after the gears are installed and if that bothers you you can put some toothpaste on the gears and crank on the reel for a couple of evenings and they will quiet down.

As for the aluminum spool vs the graphite. If you're going to be casting you'll be happier with the graphite. If you're going to load the reel with 50# string and pull on tuna you might want the aluminum. Also Graphite doesn't corroide.

Hope that I've helped.

Captain Amana

[Orca]

I have some Accurate 4:1 gears for 113H's cheap if anyone is interested - Gears

[Sensei-san]

Penn 113 and 113H are only alike in the size of the spool. The drag systems are totally different. The 113 drag is the same as a Penn 60.

The 113 was great for California style salmon trolling but the retrieve at 2:1 is a bit slow. The 113H is a much better reel. The Newell high speed gears are bit dated. Accurate and Tiburon make much better gear sets. 5:1 used to be used for wahoo conversions and San Diego style fishing.

The 113H is a good all around reel. Lots of conversion parts to soup them up. But a bit dated when compared to the new two speed 20# class reels from Okuma, Shimano and Penn.

[Pilar]

I have recently purchased the 113HLW and love it. One got stolen a few years back that was quite old and I bought one for my Mate's ocean reel. It is wider than the 113 H and has a different gear ratio. The frame is one piece graphite and so in the spool. I think she likes it. She sure grins alot when it is used on TUNA!

Aluminum is strong but it pits. Graphite is fairly strong and is immune to the salt, a very huge thing IMHO. Ditto what Capt Amana said about the one piece frame. Whether it is the new Penn or a refit I will always prefer the one piece frame for a better reel.

Sensei Sen, the Penn 4/0 is dated technology but if it works well is purt near bulletproof and lasts and lasts, what would you change? :grin:

[8knots]

Man, we have some knowledgeable Salty Dogs. I appreciate all the information I get here! I have a
113HLW hitting my doorstep in the next day or two. I don't know if this is the rock - bottom price,
$99.95 at Tackle Direct online with shipping. It did however, beat the store prices in Portland. I am a big fan of this reel for its ocean flexibility and reasonable price.

[Sensei-san]

Having had an arsenal of 113H series reels, the only thing I would change would be to use the solid sidebars and foot from Newell, newer Penns or another manufacturer. Penn has improved the drag system in them. The original Newell Kit was famous because he used high temp washers at the time when Penn was still using compressed felt.

I got a bunch of them in the SF Bay Area years ago. One of the original chain discount stores went bankrupt and sold off all their merchandise at 50% off. It made the then $80 113H an incredible 40 bucks.

I think there were about a dozen of us running from store to store cleaning out all the 113H's. I only got six of them. I didn't want to get into fist fights with the same guys...

[crabbait]

Thanks for the info, guys. Just picked up a 113 and a 113H on e-bay. Time to update the frames and the gears on the 113.

What are you guys filling these with? Tuff 65-80lb? About how much will these bad boys hold?

Thanks again. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Sensei-san]

More than the single shot spools they sell at the stores. Best to back the spool with 80# dacron and then tie a union knot to spool on the Tuffline. 80# Tuffline is about the ideal. Good for about all around every type of fishery. Will definitely get you down at the ranch and stop most sturgeon or tuna.

[Pilar]

Crabbait, go with #80 dacron, about 35 yards, for a filler. Then top off with 500 yards of 80# powerpro green or the white 80# tuffline.

The other way to do it is with a topshot of mono. Put on as much tuffline as you can get and fill the rest of the way with 40# mono for a little stretch.

To help the reels out
1) Dissasemble and clean with soap and water. Remove ball bearings and feel for bad spots. Avoid soaking bearings in water.
2) Replace drag washers and any crunchy bearings, parts can be had, most in stock at Ollie Damons.
3) Coat moving parts with a light coating of Valvoline P/N 608, multi purpose grease. IE: gears, sliding parts. Not the drag washers.
4) Assemble and test the handle end of the reel.
5) Before final assembly, spray the inside of both ends of the reel with CorrosionX.

CorrosionX is available at Ollies Damons and the tip on the type of grease to use is from there too. Ollie Damons also has reel schematics. They are getting grouchy about providing them though so have the wife ask nicely.

Don't assume a second hand reel was cared for as needs be for the salt. Better safe than sorry.

The Penn Web Site has schematics of all of their reels too.

Penn 113H-4/0 Senator

[Sensei-san]

Best to do Pilar's Open Heart Surgery on a linoleum floor (the kitchen). I don't know how many times I have done it on the bed or nightstand and the springs or screws roll off the bed onto the carpet and you spend hours trying to find it. (My garage is too full of junk to be able to do it in a proper place. Besides it's too cold.) It never fails that you always wind up fixing it the evening before you go fishing when you pull it out of the closet and the drag is frozen.

The anti-reverse dog spring can be a pain. I put together a 6/0 in the dark, with a flashlight, on PM's tailgate in the Depoe Bay boat launch parking lot . It must have been put together right because I only ended up with two extra parts :grin:

[ 05-27-2003, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[South Paw]

Agreed on all the 113h stuff, they are bullet proof and you can soup them up easily. It's the way to go. But I do like filling the reel full of 65# or 80# Power Pro or Tuf-line, that way if you loose some line you still can fish and then you can refill your spool with the remainder of the line and backing the second time. That way you get twice the life out of your line. Just an idea.

[Pilar]

Houston, your calcutta fishes like a dream. I caught shad with it on Saturday.

Want it back?