A "REEL" question - Shimano vs Penn jigging

[fishinmagician_IV]

I hope to do my "first" jigging (the new way - I used to jig for Grey Trout when they were plentiful) soon I hope. Reading most of the reports on this forum or questions on this forum Shimano keeps coming to the top of the list for jigging reels. For whatever reason, I have alot of Penns, everything I own is Penn. I guess I have them, because I have always used them and only had a few problems with a couple out of maybe 30 Penns. I bought the Penn star drag TRQ300 for deep dropping last year and was happy with it. I don't see any reports that anyone uses this type of reel for jigging. Is there a reason that no reports/discussions are about using a Penn reel for jigging?? Also about using a Penn spinning reel 750/850/950 for jigging. Have some of you used the Penn reels for jigging and had bad news about them? Any answers to the above would be helpful. Oh yeah _ I bought the Penn Torque rod also but have never used it yet. I have read where a couple of these broke while jigging. Thanks in advance. Jack

[Van Wildonher]

I am not positive on this, but I think that the Penn reels have weaker drags than the Shimano. There is also the weight factor... by what I remember a 760L slammer is about 3-4lbs.

Edit: Shimano Stella 20000 30oz, Penn 9500SSm 38oz. Not that big of a difference on paper, but after 30 minutes in real life it might be.

[Tunanorth]

I hope to do my "first" jigging (the new way - I used to jig for Grey Trout when they were plentiful) soon I hope. Reading most of the reports on this forum or questions on this forum Shimano keeps coming to the top of the list for jigging reels. For whatever reason, I have alot of Penns, everything I own is Penn. I guess I have them, because I have always used them and only had a few problems with a couple out of maybe 30 Penns. I bought the Penn star drag TRQ300 for deep dropping last year and was happy with it. I don't see any reports that anyone uses this type of reel for jigging. Is there a reason that no reports/discussions are about using a Penn reel for jigging?? Also about using a Penn spinning reel 750/850/950 for jigging. Have some of you used the Penn reels for jigging and had bad news about them? Any answers to the above would be helpful. Oh yeah _ I bought the Penn Torque rod also but have never used it yet. I have read where a couple of these broke while jigging. Thanks in advance. Jack

As a west-coast Penn Pro Staffer, I have been using the TRQ300 since before they actually hit the market.
It is a great jigging reel, and I have caught numerous fish with it, including yellowfin tuna to 95 pounds, wahoo to 70 pounds, striped marlin to 175 pounds, Alaska halibut to 150 pounds, CA yellowtail, albacore, bluefin tuna, amberjack, pargo, etc, etc,
I use it for both "California-style" jigs and "Japanese-style" jigs, usually with a 50-100 yard topshot of 40 or 50 pound mono, but also with straight 65 or 80 pound braid and just a short leader.
Line capacity is 450 yards of 80-pound Big Game Braid solid, so you can calculate from there.
They are indeed a bit heavier with a purpose, and are built like tanks. Torques have substantially more "cranking power" due to the "double wide" gears, and generate up to 32 pounds of drag.
When major casting distance is needed, such as when using "light" California-style jigs like Tady 45's, I drop down to the smaller TRQ200, which holds 400 yards of 65-pound Big Game Braid solid.
As for spinning reels, comparing a $150 reel to an $800 reel is apples to oranges, but around December of this year Penn will be coming out with a high-performance jigging-type spinning reel [made in USA] priced in the $700 range.
The Penn Slammer spinning reels are very good considering the price range is only $140 to $170; they have a metal body, extra-heavy drive shaft and the upgraded drag.

[Macka17]

Hi.
If you're fishing for 150\200 plus pound fish on 20 odd kg of drag.
The last thing you're gonna notice is an extra 1\2 lb weight in reel.
we used to pump up and down for hrs with the 30's and 50's Years ago.

Gawd.I've poled for Tuna in the Southern ocean.. That's farkin' hard work. Specially when doubling up on the biggies. 50lb and up.

People getting too bloody soft nowadays I reckon.

Just look at it as a bit of extra weight pumping. to build up your arms for the big one.

Regards
Macka17

[Tunanorth]

I am not positive on this, but I think that the Penn reels have weaker drags than the Shimano. There is also the weight factor... by what I remember a 760L slammer is about 3-4lbs.

Edit: Shimano Stella 20000 30oz, Penn 9500SSm 38oz. Not that big of a difference on paper, but after 30 minutes in real life it might be.

Penn 760 Slammer spinning reel is 26.8 ounces, holds 450 yards of 50 pound braid, has metal body, "double drag" and extra heavy drive shaft, price around $170.

[flyerphan13]

As a west-coast Penn Pro Staffer, I have been using the TRQ300 since before they actually hit the market.
It is a great jigging reel, and I have caught numerous fish with it, including yellowfin tuna to 95 pounds, wahoo to 70 pounds, striped marlin to 175 pounds, Alaska halibut to 150 pounds, CA yellowtail, albacore, bluefin tuna, amberjack, pargo, etc, etc,
I use it for both "California-style" jigs and "Japanese-style" jigs, usually with a 50-100 yard topshot of 40 or 50 pound mono, but also with straight 65 or 80 pound braid and just a short leader.
Line capacity is 450 yards of 80-pound Big Game Braid solid, so you can calculate from there.
They are indeed a bit heavier with a purpose, and are built like tanks. Torques have substantially more "cranking power" due to the "double wide" gears, and generate up to 32 pounds of drag.
When major casting distance is needed, such as when using "light" California-style jigs like Tady 45's, I drop down to the smaller TRQ200, which holds 400 yards of 65-pound Big Game Braid solid.
As for spinning reels, comparing a $150 reel to an $800 reel is apples to oranges, but around December of this year Penn will be coming out with a high-performance jigging-type spinning reel [made in USA] priced in the $700 range.
The Penn Slammer spinning reels are very good considering the price range is only $140 to $170; they have a metal body, extra-heavy drive shaft and the upgraded drag.

Great post, thanks for that

[Sea Draggin]

They are indeed a bit heavier with a purpose, and are built like tanks. Torques have substantially more "cranking power" due to the "double wide" gears, and generate up to 32 pounds of drag.

This is interesting. That is with stock drags I assume. Have you scaled one with carbontex? At what point have you seen anti-reverse failure? I just upgraded a reel I have. 22lbs stock and 28 with carbontex. However I have been advised that antireverse failure can happen at 25lbs.

Also for the viewers, just because reels are capable of those numbers, doesn't mean we fish them. However a drag system capable of high numbers has greater extended performance at the lower numbers we actually fish.


Mr. Tuanorth,
When Penn is ready to launch a line of jigs, I know just the guy that could head up that program for you.

He has fortune 500 consumer products experience, as well as a line of jigs and is lined up for factory ownership in the orient already.

[TBaker]

This is interesting. That is with stock drags I assume. Have you scaled one with carbontex? At what point have you seen anti-reverse failure? I just upgraded a reel I have. 22lbs stock and 28 with carbontex. However I have been advised that antireverse failure can happen at 25lbs.:

Jim, don't know about the Torques, but just got and used the Penn 113HN Baja Special (a discontinued model, unfortunately) on our last trip your way couple of weeks ago. Must say, I was impressed. 4/0 size, very smooth, drag goes to about 28 lbs. (I greased them with Cal's). Great cranking power, 4.25:1 ratio. Stainless steel main gear and good ol' HT-100 drag washers (carbon fiber sandwich). And, maybe best of all, DOUBLE anti-reverse dogs. Not gonna get failure on that sucker! Oh, and it has lugs! It, too, is a tad heavy but not really bothersome, and it definitely has that old school Senator look (get over it!). All in all, a very good reel, particularly for under $200.

Not sure how much of this engineering got transferred to the Torques, but they did a great job with the 113HN.

When Penn is ready to launch a line of jigs, I know just the guy that could head up that program for you.

He has fortune 500 consumer products experience, as well as a line of jigs and is lined up for factory ownership in the orient already.

Clever thinking, Jim.

[hattrickll]

Tunanorth, aside from a custom rod, what line rating/jig rating Penn Torque rod could you use with the Torque 300.

Penn does not list jig rating in their catalog, just curious.
I have a chance to buy a 300 new at a great price and I'm considering it.
I've read GMANS article and I'm trying to put a jigging set up together within a reasonable budget.

[Tunanorth]

Wow, I'll try to answer.
First the good news: In response to numerous requests from west-coast anglers, Penn is building a few more more Baja Specials, and will possibly make some in the "wide" configuration for the Hawaiian "Ulua" cliff casters.
If it is ever done again after this will depend on the success of this small batch.
The TRQ300 uses the HT100 drag washers standard, made by the exact same factory [Ballard Manufacturing] that makes the carbontex branded product.
I do like to lube mine using Cal's drag grease.
The TRQ300 has the anti-reverse bearing AND double-dogs, so failure is not happening even at high settings.
The heaviest of the current Torque Jigging Rods really fishes best with the TRQ200 size, but a heavier model is due this fall.
As for making jigs, I don't see that happening in the immediate future......