Penn Squidder and Surfmaster Questions

[AviD]

Hey all, I have two Penn reels from ages ago that my dad bought at a garage sail and have hardly been used.

 

1) Penn Squidder No. 140

2) Penn Surfmaster No. 200

 

I've been using the Penn Squidder for a backup fluking setup with braid, and in light of the thread on Squidders I thought I'd ask about the reel as I don't really know much at all about it. It seems to have a slower retrieve speed and I'm not really a fan of that oblong handle...just feels weird to me as I'm used to the "newer" handle styles. I also see a lot of you use them for fishing stripers in the surf.

 

So a few questions...

 

What are the PROs of this reel?

What are the CONs?

What type of fishing is it best suited for?

What are all of these mods I see being done to them, and why?

 

 

The Penn Surfmaster is in absolute pieces. I remember taking this reel apart literally 15 years ago when I was a kid and never got it back together back then. I recently dug it out of a box in an attic and would like to get it put back together and in action.

 

First, any recommendations on who to send it to for reassembly and repair? I figure I can send it in to Penn directly, but if anyone here can recommend someone reliable that can take the heap of parts and get it back together at a more cost effective price, please let me know.

 

Second, same set of questions as above...

What are the PROs of this reel?

What are the CONs?

What type of fishing is it best suited for?

 

 

Any other additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys!

[Bayside Arty]

What are the PROs of this reel? heavy duty gearing one screw take down for maint.

What are the CONs? 3.3 to 1 gearing and no longer made parts are gona get harder to find

What type of fishing is it best suited for? surf casting

What are all of these mods I see being done to them, and why? frames/side plates reason to stiffin frame to avoid reel twist iv never seen a stock squidder twist but how knows

 

now for the surf master bring it to a local penn reel repair shop they will put it back together and lube it for a small fee

[Russ]

I hear Zim is pretty good with Penn reels. Wouldn't hurt to ask nicely if he would reassemble the Surfmaster.

[Sudsy]

First, any recommendations on who to send it to for reassembly and repair?

 

It would help if you listed your location (at least what state) in your profile

[AviD]

Sudsy, sorry bout that...didn't realize I didn't have the info there. Updated profile.

 

I'm located down in Southern NJ.

 

I should also add in respect to the Surfmaster that I have no idea if all the parts are there...so if someone volunteers to take on the job, they should probably have relative easy access to parts for it. Maybe just best to send it to Penn given the unknowns?

 

As far as the mods...seriously...the reel gets torqued enough where it twists the entire body?

[Bayside Arty]

Sudsy, sorry bout that...didn't realize I didn't have the info there. Updated profile.

 

I'm located down in Southern NJ.

 

I should also add in respect to the Surfmaster that I have no idea if all the parts are there...so if someone volunteers to take on the job, they should probably have relative easy access to parts for it. Maybe just best to send it to Penn given the unknowns?

 

As far as the mods...seriously...the reel gets torqued enough where it twists the entire body?

 

 

Iv never seen it twist but a frame upgrade keeps the frame true and everything in line try taking off the reel seat mount and roll the frame it just might wobble that mount is just stamped out steel you can upgrade them squidders so much that the only thing left thats Org.penn parts are the gears and springs

[AviD]

Iv never seen it twist but a frame upgrade keeps the frame true and everything in line try taking off the reel seat mount and roll the frame it just might wobble that mount is just stamped out steel you can upgrade them squidders so much that the only thing left thats Org.penn parts are the gears and springs

 

 

Yeah I saw one on ebay that was totally rebuilt with an Accurate frame...I was wondering what was left to be considered a "Squidder" at that point

 

Bent frames...you guys are certainly catching way bigger fish than I plan on!

[Steve H.C.]

Parts are still available for both the 200 and the 140. Both reels take a beating these days cause everyone needs a reel that has some form of braking so they don't backlash. You know, the instant gratification crowd! No one has patience anymore.

Both reels are perfect in their own right without accurate sideplates/frames or any add ons. Get some books out of the library and see what guys like Lyman and Woolner used, and a host of other old timers that caught big fish when they were around in numbers.

Steve

[Bluefishmaster]

AviD,

 

You should go to a search engine and look for the parts manual. It is a downloadable form like pdf<--you need adobe acroba reader to see.

 

I did that when I had my first surfmaster. I now own 4 surfmaster!

Now, I could put it together without looking.

 

It is easy to put back except when you put back the dog with the spring. Be careful and make sure you put the reel parts back in a place where parts cannot fly down to...

 

Surfmaster, I love them more than squidder because I dont have the bearing problem my friends got!

[Sudsy]

If you're coming to the Food Fling bring the Surfmaster along. It'll only take a few minutes to put it back together.

 

 

 

Clean and degrease all the parts first, that's a bit messy and the fling isn't the place for it.