# Penn Squidder



## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Forgot I had this reel. Might it be possible to use it as a back up? its and olllld reel but I didnt know if it was good for anything. Never even spooled it or tried putting it on a rod to cast it. Says its got ballbearings (dont know when they started putting them in). Ive read about people using them for anchor rods on piers but I dont think Ill be induldging in any of that. How might it be with a 'cheap' heaver as a back up rod from the surf?

Thanks
Justin


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## Moonshine (Jul 3, 2005)

... Assuming the reel is in good condition, I'd take the bearing caps off and soak in wd40, then dry off, and give it a little transmission oil. Replace the spool with a newell spool. Replace the stocked handle with a speed crank. Fill it with 30lb. and find the proper rod and you have a great surf outfit. They are older reals, but they have always been good reals. Just slow as hell.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

How much would I be dropping into the reel if I did all that....well the Newell spool? Just thinkin about using it as a back up, dont plan on droppin a whole heck of a lot into it seeing as I havent bought my Avet or Daiwa or whichever Im gonna buy, yet lol


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

There ain't nothing slow about a Penn Squidder.You'd probably get dizzy trying to count the number of fish that have been caught on Squidders on the Outer Banks and elsewhere.It's old fashioned,but loaded with 20# test it'll flat sling 8'n bait and it's one of the finest reels ever made used on a king anchor rod,when loaded with 25# or 30# test and the spool tension locked down.If anything,the Squidder is way too fast for the average fisherperson.I've used'em for many years and once you get the tension adjusted to suit your style it's one heck of a reel.Put some oil on it,load it with good 20# like BBG or Suffix Tri Plus and fish it.The Squidder probably holds the world record for most thumbs burnt


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*When he said,"slow",Flathead*

I think he was refering to the retrieve of the reel..

They are a very hard reel to learn on when first starting,but if you get it "dialed in" and are able to cast it,you'll be ready for about any reel out there that has casting breaks or mags..  It has been,as Flathead said,time tested and proven over many yrs.. I'd soak the bearings in laquer thinner or acitone,lay on paper towel to dry,put a few drops of "liquid greese" in the bearings,and leter fly..


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Thanks for all the info guys! I plan on fixing it up and maybe buying a Tica or OM to put it on and use it as a back-up. Sarge over at RDT has me talked into a Penn Guide Series for my primary heaver. Just gotta decide if I want the Avet at the cheaper price...way cheaper (love havin connections lol) or the Daiwa. ..........Btw...congrats on your boys first paper drum, DD!

Thanks!
Justin


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

I would go with the OM over the Tica because of the slower action, it is a little more forgiving. The Spool you want wether it is a Newell or Penn is the Aluminum spool The Penn part number is 029L 140 or 029L 146 depending on the Squdda you have. You could have a plastic, shiny metal spool or a aluminum depending on age or model. The plastic spool is good with dacron the metal for boats and aluminum for casting.


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

TreednNC said:


> Thanks for all the info guys! I plan on fixing it up and maybe buying a Tica or OM to put it on and use it as a back-up. Sarge over at RDT has me talked into a Penn Guide Series for my primary heaver. Just gotta decide if I want the Avet at the cheaper price...way cheaper (love havin connections lol) or the Daiwa. ..........Btw...congrats on your boys first paper drum, DD!
> 
> Thanks!
> Justin


Order a OM12 heavy and put a slosh 30 on it, you can get it all for about 200. The slosh 30 has the graphite spool. Put the red breaks in it and let'er fly. Be the best outfit for the money you will find.imo


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

The squidders were my first drum reels. It was a love/hate relationship, but I bet with the grease they have now it would make a fine backup.


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

Puppy Mullet said:


> The squidders were my first drum reels. It was a love/hate relationship, but I bet with the grease they have now it would make a fine backup.


I've got two of them around here somewhere, I used them for my anchor rod when I was king feesh'n back in the day. Was sure better than a Penn 209. Once you got use to it you could send an 8oz. lead to China. You could here the little bearing singing when you let'her fly. One of my buds down at hatteras still use's them. Wouldn't put anything on it bigger that 20# on it though.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Got 2 209s as well lol. Tried castinging them with a 2oz Carolina rig catfish and striper rig with no such luck lol


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

*Wow!*

Tore the Squidder down, soaked the bearing in engine cleaner, dried it, put a drop or two of 20W-50 (prolly a BADDDDDDDDDDDD mistake) on the bearings....with a screwdriver in the bearing holding it, I spun it and it averaged a 22sec spin. Put the reel together, spooled it up with some cheap 30lb (all I had on hand at the moment)...lobbed it on an old 6ft 6" stump heaver I found out in the shop, that came with it I think...and lobbed her 50yds or so with 4oz....said hmm I got this....Rared back and launched her....ummm last time I seen the weight it was trimmin limbs in a black cherry about 75yds are and still hummin....line didnt break but I had to cut it because some bluebirds decided take up residence on my spool lol. OH YEAH...Id like to thank the fine upstanding citizen that was JUST ABOUT to remind me to use thumb protection  lol...OUCH I have grooves in the pad of my thumb from the line lol. Stupid I know lol  ....This is gonna be funnnnnnnnn trying to master this thing lol I got the week off, think Im gonna go buy 3000yds of 20lb line and have a heart to heart talk with the reel. 


Justin


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Like I said,the Squidder is the champion of all thumburners but one sweet reel(especially for the $$) once you learn it.Take a pair of needle nose and tighten the silver tension knob on the left of the reel.Once you reach that "magic spot" you can sling her without using your thumb.For fishing use the 20# test.For an anchor rod king fishing 25# is much better because the reel likes it and you will lose fewer anchors.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

lol yeah I had it tighted as tight as I could with my hands. Reckon Ill go to the elementary school on the way to my grandmaws this evenin and give her one or two more slings as I can without birdnesting it...Gonna pull out some pliers and tighten her on down before I do though lol. This is adactive as playin with a loose tooth when I was 8 or 9 lol. Ill report in tonight how many times I casted before a birdnest or zing pow and how far lol. Thanks flathead!

Justin


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## Moonshine (Jul 3, 2005)

... You can even convert your Squidder into a junior. Just a couple of parts, and your Squidder can be the size of an Ambass. 6500. BTW, that's probably the only time you'll want to drop down to 20lb. test. But having the reel brought down to that size might make you more comfortable with it. And always remember to loosen your drags when not in use. The drag washers wear down on those reels a bit fast if you use it often.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

246ft and 252ft (woulda gone farther, was using a glove tho and accidently hit the spool)...then a major zing pow....6ft 6 stump heaver, 30lb cheap line, 4oz weight...... Good? Bad? Average?....mind you that I plan on slinging 8 n bait, on a 12fter with 20lb line.......woulda tried slingin 8 but i didnt have anything for a shock leader on hand.

Justin


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

Get a bottle of water and pour it on the spool that will get it a little slicker and smoother and maybe you want get your thumb burned as quick. Dang I can smell the meat burning now. I wouldn't put no pliers to the bearing on the left side, hand tight is good enough. You can probably hear the bearing singing now when you throw.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

sinched it down jussssst a little with pliers and averaging 250ft...keep in mind its a 6'6 rod and 30lb line and 4oz sinker.....took the 30lb off and spooled it with 12, with a 30lb shock leader just for the heck of it and casted it once and pushed it just over 300....didnt measure past 300, but im guessing roughly 310-315ft....cant wait to try it on a 12ft rod with 20lb line and 8oz....might not even buy a new reel if I can throw over 350 with 8nbait on a 12ft rod......4oz just wont load that 6'6 telephone pole lol.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

I've fished those squidders for many years and all the king men I fished with,including me, tightened the knob down with needle nose pliers,a little at a time,loaded it with 25# and 30# test,and they threw 6-8 oz anchors every bit as good as my SL30SHVs and my Abu 7000s.The guys who loaded them with 20# test throwing anchors wasted a lot of time and line.I wouldn't tell anybody to do anything that wasn't already tried and proven.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Im planning on throwing 8nbait from the surf flathead. This reel ortta be aight if I put it on a heaver for that shouldnt it? Would it not handle 20lb line or is it too small? Put a shot of 20W-50 in it and it reallllly smoothed it up. Probably shouldnt have used it but its all I had at the moment besides some 40y/o Penn oil.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

20lb test should be fine for 8nbait.. I think he's talking about using it for and anchor for kinging off the piers,the line takes a bit of abuse using it for a pinrig anchor..


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

> 20lb test should be fine for 8nbait.. I think he's talking about using it for and anchor


Yep


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## bstarling (Apr 24, 2005)

Try using some 90 weight iin the bearings that will slow it down and you shouldn't have to screw the bearings too tight. You might even try just a little liquid grease. Super Lube ain't bad.


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

flathead said:


> I've fished those squidders for many years and all the king men I fished with,including me, tightened the knob down with needle nose pliers,a little at a time,loaded it with 25# and 30# test,and they threw 6-8 oz anchors every bit as good as my SL30SHVs and my Abu 7000s.The guys who loaded them with 20# test throwing anchors wasted a lot of time and line.I wouldn't tell anybody to do anything that wasn't already tried and proven.


Didn't mean not to use 25 Flathead, it want to clear what he was agoin to use the reel for, I used 25 lb. back in the day too, didn't know to much about shock leaders back then so we just doubled the line from the reel to a couple of feet out the tip of the rod and let'r rip.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

> I used 25 lb. back in the day too, didn't know to much about shock leaders back then so we just doubled the line from the reel to a couple of feet out


Yep,we wuz ignert 'bout them thangs too.Butcha know whut,I never had one break off on a normal,smooth cast.

However,I have seen those anchors grow wings and fly 500 yds on a zingpow toss


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

flathead said:


> Yep,we wuz ignert 'bout them thangs too.Butcha know whut,I never had one break off on a normal,smooth cast.
> 
> However,I have seen those anchors grow wings and fly 500 yds on a zingpow toss


Started out with a spinning reel for an anchor rod, that didn't work to hot couldn't get any distance especially with those cheapo rods we were using. Then I progressed to a Penn 209 with the level wind taken out, could get it out there but had a lot of furballs and burnt thumbs, then progressed to a Penn 500 Jigmaster and my first heaver, that worked pretty good, then bought a squidder, we didn't have all the magnetic reel brakes back in the day. You had to have a edumacated thumb. Well sure are some good memories anyway, now if I could just find my feesh'n picture book.


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## Capt. Kim CG Ret (Sep 27, 2004)

*I think he was refering to the retrieve of the reel..*

DD is right. The low gear ratio on a squidder makes it the ideal reel for slowly dragging a nice piece of fluke belly across the bottom in search of fluke...nothing made now can compare in my opinion.


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

Capt. Kim CG Ret said:


> DD is right. The low gear ratio on a squidder makes it the ideal reel for slowly dragging a nice piece of fluke belly across the bottom in search of fluke...nothing made now can compare in my opinion.


Lost ya own that one, that little reel will hold 350 yards of 20, holds more line than a slosh 30, little big for flounders I think. Retrieve a little slow at a tad over 3 to 1. but plenty of string to fight most any biggun. Bet it would be a dandy reel with a few magnets.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Its and oldie. Brass spool. I can launch it without magnets with minimal fluff. Personally I dont think I was doin too bad yesterday evening with it. Straight 30lb on a 6'6 stump lobber was averaging 250ft....and put 12 on with a 30lb shocker and just passed the 300ft mark....Was gonna buy an Avet and mag it or a Daiwa 30shv and put it on a Penn GS 12' but I might just hold off and see what kind of distance I can get with the squidder on a 12ft' of a friend of mines' and use a real rig to see how much I can get. Anybody know what size magnets and how many washers to mag a 140?


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

*Magg'n a 140*

If dawgfish post on here he could probably give some idea, he magged a Newell that is about the same size as the squidder and it throws very well, don't know how many magnets its got. Maybe DD knows he gave it a whirl too.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Yall fellers have been most helpful! Cant get anybody over at RDT to answer lol. Oh well. I know some cross over from board to board as well. Ahhh just stuck between a rock n a hard place....Get what I want, nice n new, or work off the Squidder and a cheaper rod n save money. Decisions decisions. Id rather get the squidder how I want it, and use it as a back up rod, or just fish two rods lol.


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## Dyhard (Oct 24, 2002)

Don't tighten the spool tension with pliers. Do go to this site and see how to put magnets in your squider. The one shown is a little different reel but the method is the same.
http://bigtimefish.com/tackle/reelMagging/mag_pennjigmaster.htm


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

Dyhard said:


> Don't tighten the spool tension with pliers. Do go to this site and see how to put magnets in your squider. The one shown is a little different reel but the method is the same.
> http://bigtimefish.com/tackle/reelMagging/mag_pennjigmaster.htm


Do you glue the magnets to the washer? That looks neat, may have to try that.


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## reelrebel18 (Oct 13, 2004)

epoxy


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

*Magnets*

You probably do not want to glue the magnets to the washer. The magnets will hold themselves in place and you can add or remove magnets later after your casting style is determined. I used this technique on my penn 545gs and it is a joy to cast now. I still have to use my whole palm to stop the reel when the weight lands in the water but I havent even had any fluff since adding magnets. you can also put a little grease on top of the magnets to be extra sure that they won't corrode. Anyway I hope that helps.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Rodwatcher said:


> If dawgfish post on here he could probably give some idea, he magged a Newell that is about the same size as the squidder and it throws very well, don't know how many magnets its got. Maybe DD knows he gave it a whirl too.


 He had two with liquid greese.. That thing handled like a dream,never though I'd say that about a Newell...


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

I have never ever EVER had as bad of customer service, not even with the power companies or cable companies when they go out...as I just had with Penn Reels....I got a 20minute run around and finally talked to somebody and she was as rude as can be. All I wanted to know is if a new aluminum spool for a 140 would fit an old 140 that has a brass spool, and if so how much would it cost and how much S&H was...The only thing I found out was the spool assembly was $20 for the one that will supposedly fit it. Is there only one mastermind at Penn? The one and only guy that apparently could answer my question was out of the office this afternoon. I hate poor customer service. Seems to me if you think their product is worth inquiring about and spending money on they should atleast not be rude. I kept my cool and was nice tho ...Sorry just my $.02 worth


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

They don't like dealing with little peeps.  

Contact these folks:

Coast Line Service Center 706A N. Williams Street Goldsboro NC 27530 (252) 726-5071


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

TreednNC said:


> I have never ever EVER had as bad of customer service, not even with the power companies or cable companies when they go out...as I just had with Penn Reels....I got a 20minute run around and finally talked to somebody and she was as rude as can be. All I wanted to know is if a new aluminum spool for a 140 would fit an old 140 that has a brass spool, and if so how much would it cost and how much S&H was...The only thing I found out was the spool assembly was $20 for the one that will supposedly fit it. Is there only one mastermind at Penn? The one and only guy that apparently could answer my question was out of the office this afternoon. I hate poor customer service. Seems to me if you think their product is worth inquiring about and spending money on they should atleast not be rude. I kept my cool and was nice tho ...Sorry just my $.02 worth


I rebuilt one of my squidders probably 15 years ago and need the chrome ring on the left side plate. Had the part number when I called Penn, well this lady tells me I don't know what I'm talking about and I'm sitting there looking right at the part number. She was rude too, wonder if its the same lady(Old BITTY). Go to the sight Flathead posted, there the good guys.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Flathead....that number is sumthin about the Army? lol....he said uhh is this fishing gear? yes....umm we dont have anything like that, we work for the Army lol


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## AplusWebMaster (Jun 21, 2004)

*Parts...*

Parts...

>>> http://www.pennreels.com/03_service/parts/explist.htm


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

> Flathead....that number is sumthin about the Army? lol....he said uhh is this fishing gear? yes....umm we dont have anything like that, we work for the Army lol


HaHa,that makes it even worse.The phone number came from Penn's website.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Oh wellll lol. How much difference does magging it actually make? Although I havent tried throwin 8 n bait, I can rare back n throw it with all with all my might and have 3-4yds of fluff to pull off and thats not perfectly fine tuned. Anyway thanks for thought lol. 

Justin


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## dawgfsh (Mar 1, 2005)

OK you finally dragged me into this.
just my humble opinion:

1) squidders should have the alum spool and be magged to work well when Drumm'n.
2) even at that, they are slow as [email protected],(retrieve ratio)
3) 30 # line or bigger cast better than 20 or less because it drops the spool diameter faster
4) buy a sloosh 30 or shv 30 and never lookback, these reels are so much better than a squidder you won't believe it.
5) don't even consider going to the OBX with a Squidder as your primary reel :--| 
6) i'm in Greensboro, actually Pleastant Garden, if you want to get together to cast sometime give me a call. 674-3373


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

lol Thanks dawfsh. I wasnt plannin on takin it as my primary reel. Might hafta call ya up sometime and head up that way one wkend and cast with ya. Thanks again.

Justin


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

TreednNC said:


> I have never ever EVER had as bad of customer service, not even with the power companies or cable companies when they go out...as I just had with Penn Reels....I got a 20minute run around and finally talked to somebody and she was as rude as can be. All I wanted to know is if a new aluminum spool for a 140 would fit an old 140 that has a brass spool, and if so how much would it cost and how much S&H was...The only thing I found out was the spool assembly was $20 for the one that will supposedly fit it. Is there only one mastermind at Penn? The one and only guy that apparently could answer my question was out of the office this afternoon. I hate poor customer service. Seems to me if you think their product is worth inquiring about and spending money on they should atleast not be rude. I kept my cool and was nice tho ...Sorry just my $.02 worth


Treed, call Dick Henry at Sea Striker, he now owns Penn, tell him about how rude they were, phone number is 252-247-4113, I bet he will get them straightened out.


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