# Penn 535GS Little help please



## trekker (Apr 28, 2005)

I recieved as a gift a beautiful custom Lamiglas 9' conventional rod and a 535GS. Perfect combo... well balanced but I can't cast consistantly w/o the backlash. I know pratice makes perfect but I'm at a loss... So I am coming to this board, hat in hand, looking for some guidance and was hoping that I could get some help...

I'll be chunking mostly say 2 oz of lead with 2 oz or so of bait.

So set me up with some line, tell me where the counter weights should be (in or out)... What lube on the brgs/shaft should I use, do I adjust the spool tension and if I do, where so I set it?

I await your responses! I'll be headed out to the football field to try! Thanks!!!


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

I don't know about the rod, but the reel is a good one.....

Mainly, it's gonna take some practice.....

Here are some tips to help out and make it a little easier, though...

To begin with, fill the reel with some 25# Trilene Big Game mono. 25 BG is a LOT easier to pick out than 17 or 20 premium mono.

Make sure the brakes are engaged (the come from the factory disabled..) by removing the left side cover, and pulling outboard on the little brake thingies. They should click into position where they have some free movement on the cross pin, this allows them to help brake the reel in free spool. There are two long and two short screws on the side cover, take note of their positions for re-assembly.

To set the spool tension, tie on your chosen weight, and tighten the knob in the center of the right side until your weight will fall to the ground in free spool, but not allow the spool to over-run when it hits the ground. As your casting gets better, gradually loosen the cast control until there is just a hint of side to side "slop" in the spool. Now you won't have to mess with that anymore. This is lots of practice down the road, so don't worry about it right now.

Don't go for big distance.....your goal is to cast without backlash, even if it is only 50 ft to start...It'll get better as you get the feel of the reel.

Remember to keep the line wound snug and even on the reel as you retrieve. In the yard or on the field you have uneven resistance as you bring in line so you will have to "even it out" between your fingers. Self levelwinding will become second nature by the time you are getting a good long cast, so don't really worry about that.

DON'T GIVE UP....It'll come, and it's worth it.

There are those who fish with baitcasters and conventionals.....and there are those who wish they did.....

GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN.  

RR


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Might wanna increase the weight you are throwing. With 25# test line I think you would have a hard time not blowing up only throwing 2oz.


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

Agreed.....put a 4 on and see what happens...the R


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## trekker (Apr 28, 2005)

Yep! It's gonna take some pratice! 



> To begin with, fill the reel with some 25# Trilene Big Game mono. 25 BG is a LOT easier to pick out than 17 or 20 premium mono.


Done. And yes it is a lot easier picking out than a skinnier line!



> Make sure the brakes are engaged.


Done. When would one _not_ have the brakes engaged?

Thanks for the input RR! I cleaned out the bearings and reloaded with 90W gear oil. I was hoping that this would help out and perhaps go a little lighter weight oil when I get more proficient. This conventional reel thing is fustrating however. I do like the "feel" of the set up I have and do want to learn.

The jury is still out for me regarding the versitility of this reel as Cdog illistrated. Seems to me that you need to carefully match your casting weight, spool fill, and spool tension to acheive a satisfactory cast consistantly. Perhaps I'm a bit spoiled using a manual bail spinning reel and a deep shade of "green" in the conventional world.

Is it practical to switch _quickly_ from say chunking with 5oz of bait/sinker to a live bait/plug of 3oz to cast on that rolling tarpon with out completly blowing up? Scarey.


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

*Another option*

As another option, you could install some mags to calm it down some. It costs about $5 and takes abouyt 15 min. Here are some instuctions

http://alamoareaanglers.homestead.com/MagGS.html


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

trekker said:


> Done. When would one _not_ have the brakes engaged?
> 
> 
> Is it practical to switch _quickly_ from say chunking with 5oz of bait/sinker to a live bait/plug of 3oz to cast on that rolling tarpon with out completly blowing up? Scarey.


Just an example.. I use a 6500c3 with the brakes out of it for max distance throwing gotchas and a pogie snatch....no one who has ever picked it up can throw it but me.....and it'll nest up on me if I'm not careful. 

The difference between throwing 3, 5, or 8oz. makes no difference to me (speaking only for ME)....in reel set up or adjustment....My "big" surf rod is a OM-12 heavy and a 545 Penn. I can "make" it throw a 4oz and small bait....but it "likes" an 8oz no roll and half a whiting....I could probably "talk it into" throwing a brick, It'd be a big ugly lob with no power behind it, but it'd go...

I use that same OM-12 as an anchor rod with an old, noisy, Penn 209 full of 40# for king rigging (the 545 goes on the fightin' rod then), and the guys on the pier have learned that I don't need to remove the levelwind to make that big 'ol mud hook fly.....  That thing makes a helluva racket...like a jet engine spinning up    

All this would be with NO adjustment to the reel...just an adjustment of the cast technique, based on the "feel" of the weight hanging off the end....

Practice, Practice....and go by what YOU feel, not what I or anyone else tells you to do....we all do it a little different...and we all had to learn.

Took me a whole summer of picking out nests with a Shakespeare Sigma 002....musta' used up ten pounds of cheap mono, but I wanted to bass fish like the pros...That was over 25 years ago.

RR


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

Trekker, agree with 99% of what you have been told. The 1% is, don't fill the reel to the max. Use the heavier line, but a full reel causes it to spin faster and increases the possibility of an overun. Until you get her tamed, fill it little more than half and get the feel of it before you load it up.....salt


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

RR...exactly...


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*9' lami ?*

Wondering what the rating is on that rod. Seems like you may have a slight mismatch between reel and rod. Just a thought.

My .02


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

I'm kinda with surf cat on this one. I would think a 525MAG or a 5500/6500(do you want a clicker) series ABU would be a better match for the rod you have. On the heaver line you have less line coming off the spool per rev making it easier to control. But the lighter weights don't pull it so well. You will have to learn the happy medium. Good Luck.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

IMHO way to big of reel on way to little rod.. JAM


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

The 535 is a big reel for surfcasting. Seems like a better match for a heaver than a 9' lami. The spool is heavy and the centrifugal force will make it a little more difficult to control. You have gotten some good advice here. Thicker oil, brake blocks and maybe a magnet will all help.

Try this,

Use either 20 or 25 lb big game. Underspool the reel by 1/8 of an inch or so. More if needed. You have plenty of line capacity with the 535 so you can use this as a tool to help get the reel under control. Lower line level = better control.

Also work to smooth out your cast as much as possible. A smooth delivery will cut down on backlashes too.

Hope this helps

Tommy


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## trekker (Apr 28, 2005)

Thanks to all for the advice.


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