# Squidder



## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I just bought a Squidder on e-bay. It has red side plates. On the left side plate there is a pic of a guy casting in the surf. It has a black metal spool (I assume aluminum). It looks brand new. Chrome is perfect. No scratches or dings. I bought it from a guy that said his dad gave it to him. It did not come with the box. It was spooled with heavy pink mono and looks like it was spooled with a machine because the line was layed perfectly on the spool from the top to the first wrap on the spool. I blew it up and had to cut some of the line off. I blew it up again and took more off. Finally I stripped it all off and will start over with new line before fishing with it. 

Anyone know any info on this reel? How old it is? Is if worth magging? What else should I do to it before taking it fishing. I will probably put it on a 10-11 ft Tica and use it for casting in the surf. I am new to conventional. I have a 525 mag and love it. I just ran into a good deal on this reel and figured I should not pass it up. I can always use it for other purposes. 

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Mullet


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## demonfish (Mar 31, 2002)

learn to throw a squidder and you will be able to throw any conventional, great reel for the price.


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## thresher593 (Nov 19, 2005)

Finger_Mullet said:


> I just bought a Squidder on e-bay. It has red side plates. On the left side plate there is a pic of a guy casting in the surf. It has a black metal spool (I assume aluminum). It looks brand new. Chrome is perfect. No scratches or dings. I bought it from a guy that said his dad gave it to him. It did not come with the box. It was spooled with heavy pink mono and looks like it was spooled with a machine because the line was layed perfectly on the spool from the top to the first wrap on the spool. I blew it up and had to cut some of the line off. I blew it up again and took more off. Finally I stripped it all off and will start over with new line before fishing with it.
> 
> Anyone know any info on this reel? How old it is? Is if worth magging? What else should I do to it before taking it fishing. I will probably put it on a 10-11 ft Tica and use it for casting in the surf. I am new to conventional. I have a 525 mag and love it. I just ran into a good deal on this reel and figured I should not pass it up. I can always use it for other purposes.
> 
> ...


Yep, just got me a Squidder as well on e-bay from a guy in Oregon. Very nice condition w/ a green handle. I'm new to conventional as well and put that on a 12' Tsunami. Also just bought a Daiwa SL-X30SHA and 12' Tsunami from Randy's Bait Shack. I've got a heck of a lot of practicing to do. Good luck with yours!


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

demonfish said:


> learn to throw a squidder and you will be able to throw any conventional, great reel for the price.


Truer words were never spoken.....If you guys will learn to throw the squidder, AS ISSUED, no mags, you will be able to throw anything that finds it's way into your hands.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Were can I find some info on a 12' tsunami


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## Samurai (Nov 24, 2005)

*I'm with Railroader*

Go all natural.Practice,practice,practice....Good luck.---Aloha!!


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## thresher593 (Nov 19, 2005)

seajay said:


> Were can I find some info on a 12' tsunami


www.biminibayoutfitters.com and then click on Tsunami.
And you can try Randy's Bait Shack if you need pricing. I know he ships anywhere.


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

seajay said:


> Were can I find some info on a 12' tsunami


http://www.digitaldagger.com/rods/spinning.html#tsunami

I've got an 11' "heavy" and it's really stiff. I like the rod, but not great bite detection for small fish. I imagine that the "extra heavy" is even stiffer. That page has a list of the surf rods that Tsunami makes...


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## longcast (Jan 9, 2005)

Squidders, there are posts all over the net on how to mag a squidder. If you do that, you will have a reel that can be cast in just about any weather condition. With magnets, it is a learning experience second to none.

The only downfall with a squidder is the low gear ratio, it will crank up anything, it just takes awhile.
longcast


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## scsurfcaster (Mar 21, 2004)

I recently have learned to use my squidder and it is a joy to cast. Check out the squidder challenge threads. there are 2. First learn to cast. load the rod slowly. put 25# test on the reel. do not thumb the line, thumb the spool. I know I am well beyond 100 yds on the average cast, but am going to a driving range to find out for sure. watch out for your shock leader knot as sunday I had to fish all day after ripping a divet out of my thomb. It was distracting until it went numb if you get tired of it I will give you what you paid it They will crank a fish and the drag is good.


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

I have four Squidders. Two are maged and one is al-natural with a plastic spool. My forth squidder is a pile of good and bad parts. I also have two extra plastic spools and a extra aluminum spool. I would recommend you mag your squidder. Use this site to mag the squidder. http://www.bigtimefish.com/tackle/reelMagging/tackle.htm You can always get another to try to cast al-natural. They are not expensive. You can buy three squidders for the price of one Penn 525 mag. With me holding the rod the squidders will cast almost as far as the 525 (I am not a great castor). Age is hard to tell on the squidders. No definitive work is being done to date Penn reels ( eh ORCA is trying). The squidder was first sold in 1938 if I recall correctly. It was discontinued in 2004 (very sad). I have a squidder with no fishing seen on the side and I can not date it. The squidder that is in parts came in a box that had a sticker that said aniversery addition. This dates that squidder to 1957. However the squidder in the box might not be the one that originally came in that box. Like I said, Squidder are hard to date.


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

..the 1st squidders had lite metal spools and would hold 400 yds of 20 lb. They were all red in the beginning..
..I started throwing a squidder in 1972....it was my anchor reel when pin rigging...it was the longest throwing reel there was at the time...
..practiced in the pond thru the week..fished all weekend...
..I still throw the squidder...and no truer words have been typed...if you learn on the squidder, all these new wonder reels are a snap..
...back when we started pin rigging they wouldn't let you anchor...you had to "throw" your fighting reel and fish it with an 8 oz. lead on the end...
..we learned to throw 4/0, 6/0, penn 68 long beachs.....long rods and thumb protectors..
..so when they finally did let us anchor...throwing the squidder was pure fun!!!
..you don't need magnets or anything other than the reel....
..the new black aluminum spool won't cast as far as the old metal spool would but it will sing...
the plastic spool would throw the fartherst, but it would blow up fishing..
..seen casting contests won by folks who shaved the fins off the plastic spools and threw 20 lb.....
..the squidder is still the most trouble free casting reel out there..it just goes and goes and never needs nothing more than a little oil and a little cleaning..
...


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Thanks guys!!*

I got the reel and put it on a 7' walmart rod. I think it was a Berkley of some kind. Anyway I took it out in the back yard and gently tossed it without and fluff. I figured this is going to be easy. 

I took the reel back in and took it apart and put some oil that came with my 525 mag in the bearings. I went back outside and tossed it again very gently. No fluff. I thought I would put a little into the next cast. I brought her back and let her go. I watched the 3 oz. weight take off. About midflight the spool took off. I guess the oil worked into the bearing good and the spool sped up considerably. I would say she went over 100 yards but a goose could have made a nest in my spool. Back into the house to cut it out.

I read the Squidder challenge post and took the reel back apart and put some 80 weight gear oil in the bearings. This slowed it down considerably. I have not backlashed it since but the spool is only 1/2 full of line. 

I read somewhere to tighten the left side knob down tight but when I did this the reel smelled hot. I figured I was frying the bearings. It also cut the distance way down. More than 1/2. Any suggestions on this?

I guess I need practice. 

Mullet


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

The Oil that comes with the 525 is Red Rocket fuel and is way to thin for the squidder bearings. Once it works it way into the bearings it will thin the grease that is in there and your squidder will be as hot as a pistol. It will blow up (back lash) really easy and your bearings won’t last. Your squidder came from the factory with grease in the bearings that doesn't mix well with synthetic lubricants. Most people clean the bearings with lighter fluid and put between 30 weight engine oil or 90 weight gear oil on the bearings depending how fast they want the reel to run. Thicker prevents blowups by slowing the reel down. I use Liquid Grease from that same company that makes red rocket fluid. It is over 200 weight oil. It will slow down a squidder a bunch. I would recommend you use Liquid grease or 90 weight gear oil to start with. Once you train your thumb you can try the 30 weight.


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*Fm*

What model Squidder did you buy?

Got any pics?


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Model 140*

I do not have any pics at this time. It has red side plates. On the left sideplate it has a fishing scene with a guy casting in the surf. It has a silver handle with a black knob on it. 

The only rust or corrosion I can find on it is on the little gear on the left side of the spool. No other pitting or corrosion to speak of. 

I took it to the shop and polished the chrome with a buffing compound and a polishing wheel. Only spent 5 minutes on it and it looks new. Could not have been fished with much. 

I know nothing about this type of reel and was hoping someone else did.


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## sinker man (Jun 16, 2006)

You might want to read the squidder challenge threads again and maybe do a search on squidders. As for reel lube try what came with it. penn lube is thicker and slower than what I use. If you think the oil is too thick... thin it with diawa reel oil. Your bearing adjustment should be set to where there is a bearly discernable side to side movement of the spool. When you use your thumb to try and move it from one side to the other you should be able to barely feel the end of the spindle bumping the adjustment caps with the spool should be centered between the side plates. I suggest you find a rod to put it on. An old 10' fiberglass heaver in the 10' 11' range would work well with that reel. Only once you have mastered the reel should you fill the spool more than 3/4 full. If you need to thumb the spool at all... thumb the flange. On a 10' heaver with 6 or 8 Oz 100 yds is easily achieved with just a lob. Start with that. A simple overhead lob. Work on your release point. your sinker should be flying away at a 45 degree angle to the ground and your rod should be pointing right down the line to the sinker as it is going away.


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## sinker man (Jun 16, 2006)

You might want to read the squidder challenge threads again and maybe do a search on squidders. As for reel lube try what came with it. penn lube is thicker and slower than what I use. If you think the oil is too thick... thin it with diawa reel oil. Your bearing adjustment should be set to where there is a bearly discernable side to side movement of the spool. When you use your thumb to try and move it from one side to the other you should be able to barely feel the end of the spindle bumping the adjustment caps with the spool should be centered between the side plates. I suggest you find a rod to put it on. An old 10' fiberglass heaver in the 10' 11' range would work well with that reel. Only once you have mastered the reel should you fill the spool more than 3/4 full. If you need to thumb the spool at all... thumb the flange. On a 10' heaver with 6 or 8 Oz 100 yds is easily achieved with just a lob. Start with that. A simple overhead lob. Work on your release point. your sinker should be flying away at a 45 degree angle to the ground and your rod should be pointing right down the line to the sinker as it is going away.


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## StormCaster (Jan 31, 2006)

Railroader said:


> Truer words were never spoken.....If you guys will learn to throw the squidder, AS ISSUED, no mags, you will be able to throw anything that finds it's way into your hands.


So very true.


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*My Squidder is on the way*

won a nice on ebay yesterday.

Model 140 and I will most likely convert it to a 146.


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

I acquired a squidder just like the one you described fingermullet. A buddy gave it to me about a month ago. Havn't gotten around to cleaning it up yet. Here's a couple pics...is it identical to yours?


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Looks just like it. Identical. Did yours come with the box? I would like to know the date it was made. Just curious.

I took the chrome off and polished it with a chrome polishing wheel. It cleaned up and now looks like a new one. The only corrosion is on the reel seat. It is not pitted, just off colored. I bet I could take it off and polish it clean again. 

The only rust I can find is on the spool gear. if you take the spool out there is a funny looking gear on the left side of the spool. It is rusted a little. I have not tried to get it off. It does not seam like it is affecting the performance any. 

I have to put mine on a rod. Any suggestions?
I have my 525 on a 11' tica. I was thinking about a 10' something for the squidder. 

I hope you enjoy yours. I have not fished with mine yet. Maybe this coming weekend. 

Mullet


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*Clicker gear*



> if you take the spool out there is a funny looking gear on the left side of the spool.


It is for the clicker. Just use a soft brass wire wheel, like the ones that come with a Dremel tool. Used my Dremel tool to clean my JigMaster 500 I won on ebay.

Should receive my 140 this week. Will post pic's asap.


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Didn't get a box with it, don't have any other information either. My buddy bought it at a "swap meet/flea market" type thing we have up here one week a year. He got it for around $20 and was going to use it for catfishing at the river. It wasn't till he got it home that he realized it didn't have a levelwind. He gave it to me because I'm the only person he knows who does any saltwater fishing. Sounds like yours is in a little better condition than mine. There is a little bit of pitting round the bottom of the frame and on the reel seat. Rod clamp is broken also, but I'm sure I could find one of those. It will clean up nice I'm sure, nothing functionally wrong with it. I was thinking of picking up an old used rod for it the next time I'm down at my favorite tackle shop in Carolina Beach.


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## bstarling (Apr 24, 2005)

*Got one*

F Mullet, I've got one that looks just like the one in the photo. I bought it when I was working at Johnny Mercer's Pier at Wrightsville Beach about 1968 or so. It's been a good reel and I still use it, but not all the time. It's old tech, but that doesn't mean it won't work. You got to work with it a lot. I remember puting it on a Lamiglas 12' I had built. Launching it the first time...... Never in my life have I seen a bigger wad of balled up line. The first day out I must have put 1000 yards or more of line on it only to cut it off. Got pissed and chuncked it into the Atlantic at Topsail. Got better sense went out and got it back. Started all over learing how to cast. Actually got to where I could make it go! I don't think they had invented magnetism at that time. My how things have changed.

Bill


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## longshot (Jul 16, 2006)

The Ocean City Inductor was the first "magged" reel. It was introduced in 1938, the same year as the Penn Squidder. The Squidder in the picture above has the chromed brass spool. If you are going to cast it, do yourself a favor and buy an aluminum spool for it. The extra weight of the brass spool makes it harder to accelerate during the cast, leading to more and nastier backlashesl


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## fishguts (Jun 23, 2006)

Finger_Mullet said:


> Looks just like it. Identical. Did yours come with the box? I would like to know the date it was made. Just curious.
> 
> I took the chrome off and polished it with a chrome polishing wheel. It cleaned up and now looks like a new one. The only corrosion is on the reel seat. It is not pitted, just off colored. I bet I could take it off and polish it clean again.
> 
> ...


Put an aluminium spool on it, glue in a couple of magnets, and put it on an old skool 9-10 ft. stump puller. Got a similar setup and love it.


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

To clean a squidder I disassemble and clean all parts with lighter fluid. Do not force screws during disassembly or they will break. Use 3-in-1 oil as penetrating oil and let it sit over night. Try the screw again in the morning. 

I will then take the chrome and plastic parts (not the bearings) and clean them with Lime-a-Way gell and scrub them with a tooth brush (use gloves).

Then I will take Auto Wax with polishing agent and wax the chrome parts of the reel.

On newly acquired Penn Squidders I replace both bearings if needed. I also replace the five springs (Dog spring, 2 eccentric spring, clutch springs and tension spring). I will examine the dog and if worn it gets replaced. I also replace the drag with Ht-100drag. If the reel is new or in good shape you won’t have to do any of this.

I reassemble the reel using Penn grease or super lube. I use Rocket fuel or 30 weight engine oil or even 90 weight gear lube on the squidder bearings.


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Got motivated and polished all the chrome on that reel. None of the screws were hard to loosen, and all internal components looked bright and properly lubed, so I left them alone. After cleaning all external grime, it is back together and feels great. I'll probably put some line on and try it out soon. Not sure if I'll do any modification to this one, we'll see how it casts.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*casting*

She will cast like a bullet. Just get ready. She will burn your thumb if you don;t mind. 

Good luck!!!

Mullet


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## david123 (Jun 24, 2004)

Finger Mullet---

If you thumb the flange rather than the spool with the line on it, you will suffer less burning and I believe have more control. The flange is always the same size as the line plays out...It's always at the same height.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Thumbing*

Well I finally got to fish with the old squidder. We went down to CB this weekend to try for a shark. I had one good run on the squidder but failed to hook up. 

Anyway I was successful in casting 8 oz with a whole croaker or 1/2 a mullet. No big blow ups at all. Just a little fluff a couple of times. I had it spooled with 300 yards of 25# Berkley BG.

Next time I will try it with something a little smaller.

Thumbing the side of the spool works great. No thumb burns.

Mullet


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Very well said Sinkerman. Also you could have not picked a better reel for durability,a Penn is hard to beat.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*good job mullet.*

Now I have my eye on a squiddr just for the line capacity. Its actually on a rod for sale as a combo. Its new, or new meaning just not actually sold out of the shop that has it yet.
Ryan


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## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Finger_Mullet said:


> Well I finally got to fish with the old squidder. We went down to CB this weekend to try for a shark. I had one good run on the squidder but failed to hook up.
> 
> Anyway I was successful in casting 8 oz with a whole croaker or 1/2 a mullet. No big blow ups at all. Just a little fluff a couple of times. I had it spooled with 300 yards of 25# Berkley BG.
> 
> ...


I was reading this whole thread looking to see if there was any mention of line capacity. Thanks Finger_Mullet. That is the kind of capacity I was looking for. I have been watching some old squidders on evilbay. Might have to hook one up.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Line Capacity*

My last post may have been a little misleading about the line capacity. I said it held 300 yards of 25# berkley BG. Well, it actually will hold more. I didn't want it full because I have never fished with it. I wanted to get used to it and then I will fill her up.

I took it to island tackle at CB. The guy wound it on with a machine. I told him not to fill her all the way to the top. He stopped what he called an 1/8 of an inch from the top of the spool. Actually it was he just didn't wind it on as tight as I would have liked. I took it fishing. In the process of casting and winding in 8oz and a whole spot the line wound itself pretty tight on the spool. It is no longer 1/8 inch from the top of the spool. It is twice that or more from the top of the spool.

I will fish with it until I blow it up and fill the remaining empty spool with a top of something else. 300 yards of 25# is not giving full credit to the squidder. If you put it on tight you can get much more. 

It is a great reel to fish with. I didn't even notice the slow retrieve. I probably would appreciate a slower retrieve if I hooked a big shark or ray. As I learn to throw it I like it more and more. I kept the bearing turned down a little to keep it from blowing up. I unscrewed it a little as I got used to it. Maybe one day I can let her loose to see what she can do.

Mullet


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## david123 (Jun 24, 2004)

Mine Holds the whole filler spool of Sufix 17 Lb Mono (330 yds)


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## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

cool. Thanks for the heads up. I think if I come across a decent deal on one, I'll jump all over it. As long as it has the aluminum spool.


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*You can still*

get the ALUM spool from Penn Parts shops.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

david123 said:


>


david123

FYI You have to have a webserver or access to a weserver of some sort to imbed an image in a post in this manner.


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## Dyhard (Oct 24, 2002)

Finger_Mullet said:


> I just bought a Squidder on e-bay. It has red side plates. On the left side plate there is a pic of a guy casting in the surf. It has a black metal spool (I assume aluminum). It looks brand new. Chrome is perfect. No scratches or dings. I bought it from a guy that said his dad gave it to him. It did not come with the box. It was spooled with heavy pink mono and looks like it was spooled with a machine because the line was layed perfectly on the spool from the top to the first wrap on the spool. I blew it up and had to cut some of the line off. I blew it up again and took more off. Finally I stripped it all off and will start over with new line before fishing with it.
> 
> 
> Anyone know any info on this reel? How old it is? Is if worth magging? What else should I do to it before taking it fishing. I will probably put it on a 10-11 ft Tica and use it for casting in the surf. I am new to conventional. I have a 525 mag and love it. I just ran into a good deal on this reel and figured I should not pass it up. I can always use it for other purposes.
> ...


This reel was designed to be fast. I put magnets in mine and it is really fun to cast. I've tried it on several rods from 7' to 12', it does them all with no blow ups.
I might add that you can blow up most any reel if your cast is too high.


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