# 525 Mag Help



## jbchylln (Jul 17, 2007)

Hey Guys,

It's been a long time since I've logged on to P&S.....the last time I was logging on regularly, I was reading various posts about the best reel to get for distance casting. I eventually bought a Penn 525 Mag, but I never did get around to setting it up properly and trying it out. I remember seeing several posts stating several steps you should go through in preparing the reel once you take it out of the box. If I recall correctly, it had something to do with adding or replacing magnets and cleaning out the stock grease and using a different brand to get the most out of the reel....Can someone fill me in or lead me to those posts if they are still up on P&S?

Also, can someone lead me to one or two good posts/threads that talk about the best spinning and casting reels to get for distance these days?

I would really appreciate any help you can give! Thanks in advance.


----------



## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

If you never casted a conventional before leave the reel as you took it out of the box. 

if you are blowing it up with the mags fully on you can just put additional mags behind the mag carrier that holds the original mags, you don't need any glue or anything like that, just let the mag force hold the additional mags to the carrier. 

Once you get comfortable with the reel you can take the 2 spool bearings out and soak them in lighter fluid. Once they are soaked good clean them with water to get out all the lighter fluid. Let them dry really good and add a drop of red or yellow rocket fuel oil to them.


----------



## smartie (May 6, 2008)

Using the reel with the mags set fully on is a good piece of advice............also you may well be advised not to overfil the spool....load the spool to about 1mm from the level top.

As for the best reels to use for distance it must always be ........the one that you can control, most reels that you can get your thumb over to grip the spool will give you all the distance you can expect in the early learning curve. Most important is to choose one that does not have a level wind on it.

As to spinner reels .....choose one with a big spool diameter........load it with line but only to level with the lip. Thin lines give more distance. If you can afford to the top end reels have better line lay and will add many yds. Over filling the reel in the pursuit of distance will give you problems with line twist, big time.

Whatever you do v.v. reels will make no difference if your basic casting is not up to par.
a few brush up lessons from an instructor of Tommy's stature could be a big bonus.


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

practice practice practice

the 525mag is a deadly distance tool. dont be fooled when we all talk about Abu this, daiwa that.

you can ask the entire UK population and they shouldnt have anything bad to say about the 525.


if you want to tune you reel.
there is only 1 thing you need to do.
just clean and reoil the spool bearings.. THATS IT.
trust me. its a good reel.


----------



## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

jbchylln said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> It's been a long time since I've logged on to P&S.....the last time I was logging on regularly, I was reading various posts about the best reel to get for distance casting. I eventually bought a Penn 525 Mag, but *I never did get around to setting it up properly and trying it out*. I remember seeing several posts stating several steps you should go through in preparing the reel once you take it out of the box. If I recall correctly, it had something to do with adding or replacing magnets and cleaning out the stock grease and using a different brand to get the most out of the reel....Can someone fill me in or lead me to those posts if they are still up on P&S?
> 
> ...


OK...lookit'!!! Take it the way it comes out of the box! Set the mag on "8"! Put 8 oz or so of weight on it! Throw it like you mean it!!! If you get a bad birdsnest...then sell it and start using a spinner. Seriously...you really don't need extra mags or any "hoopla" oil tuning of the bearings, etc, until you get familiar with the reel! The only reason you would need to do that is if, after using it "out of the box", it was "holding you back", then you could make changes to speed it up! Learn to use the reel first...then fine-tune it!!!


----------



## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

sprtsracer said:


> OK...lookit'!!! Take it the way it comes out of the box! Set the mag on "8"! Put 8 oz or so of weight on it! Throw it like you mean it!!! If you get a bad birdsnest...then sell it and start using a spinner. Seriously...you really don't need extra mags or any "hoopla" oil tuning of the bearings, etc, until you get familiar with the reel! The only reason you would need to do that is if, after using it "out of the box", it was "holding you back", then you could make changes to speed it up! Learn to use the reel first...then fine-tune it!!!


Yep
I have two and use them everytime I go out. The only backlash I get is when I make a mistake not the reels. I like them....


----------



## Mullet Breath (Nov 15, 2006)

Everybody above gave the advice I'd give. Search the web for tuning, setting up, a 525 and you'll find different methods. I personally cleaned my bearings and added red rocket fuel. But, I bought mine used and wanted to know what I had in it. Biggest thing I'd add to above is don't over fill the spool, keep it like 2 or 3 mm below the bevel or flange.


----------



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

I would recommend cleaning the bearings.

Doesn't matter if it is brand new, some companies get the bearings directly from a manufacturer, who ships the bearings packed in grease that is unsuitable for a fishing reel. 

Some times the manufacturer (Penn in this case) will remove the grease and apply appropriate oil during final assembly, every now and then one gets rushed thru the process and comes with the original packing grease still in the bearings.

You won't hurt anything by cleaning the bearings and it will get you familiar with the process of servicing the reel for yourself. You can add a drop of the oil that comes with the reel or use red rocket oil if you have some. Either way you'll be sure to have proper oil in the bearings and not packing grease.


----------



## LarryB (Apr 29, 2002)

The Penn 525 is a very good casting reel but straight out of the box it's also very fast. A fast reel is very difficult to control and as mentioned, if you can not control the reel then you will not be able to cast it well. I found that cleaning the bearing and giving each a drop of the thickest oil that I had which was the Rocket Fuel Liquid Grease slowed the reel down enough for me to cast it without the overruns. Even adding a lot of power did not casuse the reel to overrun with the thicker grease but it did allow me to cast further with practice because I could control it better. Once you have control then you can start to experiment with reducing the magnet settings to really see what she'll do. A smooth casting technique which comes with practice will allow the 525 to really shine.

LarryB


----------



## billr87 (Jan 13, 2008)

hi larry. haven't seen you here lately. how is the leg coming? it was good to see you at berryville. keep coming.


----------



## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

LarryB said:


> The Penn 525 is a very good casting reel but straight out of the box it's also very fast. A fast reel is very difficult to control and as mentioned, if you can not control the reel then you will not be able to cast it well. I found that cleaning the bearing and giving each a drop of the thickest oil that I had which was the Rocket Fuel Liquid Grease slowed the reel down enough for me to cast it without the overruns. Even adding a lot of power did not casuse the reel to overrun with the thicker grease but it did allow me to cast further with practice because I could control it better. Once you have control then you can start to experiment with reducing the magnet settings to really see what she'll do. A smooth casting technique which comes with practice will allow the 525 to really shine.
> 
> LarryB


Honestly, if the slidey is set on "8", I really don't think it is too fast out of the box, unless you are tossing 12 oz. of weight to China in a Tropical Force headwind. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but really, out of the box, there is some "slow" oil/grease already in those bearings and it really doesn't take much getting used to until a newbie is dropping the setting down to a "6" and below. One just needs to take it easy to start with, which a nervous "newbie" would do anyway with their first time on a conventional. LarryM


----------



## jbchylln (Jul 17, 2007)

*Thanks!!!!*

Hey Guys.....I really appreciate all of help you've given thus far. Sounds like the first thing I need to do is practice! I do have some experience casting a low-profile bait casting reel when fresh water fishing at a lake or pond, however I do realize that the 525 is on a much larger scale and that practice will only make things better. 

Does anyone have any quick links for discussions/threads on casting techniques for conventional reels....the 525 in particular?

Thanks again!!


----------



## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

jbchylln said:


> Hey Guys.....I really appreciate all of help you've given thus far. Sounds like the first thing I need to do is practice! I do have some experience casting a low-profile bait casting reel when fresh water fishing at a lake or pond, however I do realize that the 525 is on a much larger scale and that practice will only make things better.
> 
> Does anyone have any quick links for discussions/threads on casting techniques for conventional reels....the 525 in particular?
> 
> Thanks again!!



Be smooth, not powerful. Don't snap your wrists at the beginning of your casts!


----------



## smartie (May 6, 2008)

You have asked for links to casting discussions tips posts etc. This link will give you all you need.
Just don't go into overload.

http://myfishcasting.com/TCN/


----------



## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

jbchylln said:


> Hey Guys.....I really appreciate all of help you've given thus far. Sounds like the first thing I need to do is practice! I do have some experience casting a low-profile bait casting reel when fresh water fishing at a lake or pond, however I do realize that the 525 is on a much larger scale and that practice will only make things better.
> 
> Does anyone have any quick links for discussions/threads on casting techniques for conventional reels....the 525 in particular?
> 
> Thanks again!!


PLEASE...DO NOT make it any harder than it really is!!! Take it out and throw it and have fun!!! Get used to the reel!!! Build up with easy casts getting progressively harder. If you bass fished with a conventional, then you can certainly do this as well!!! The 525 is "user friendly" so it really is not on "a larger scale"! Make friends with it, sleep with it, marry it and enjoy it. Make it yours!!! It's fun!!!!!!


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

sprtsracer said:


> PLEASE...DO NOT make it any harder than it really is!!! Take it out and throw it and have fun!!! Get used to the reel!!! Build up with easy casts getting progressively harder. If you bass fished with a conventional, then you can certainly do this as well!!! The 525 is "user friendly" so it really is not on "a larger scale"! Make friends with it, sleep with it, marry it and enjoy it. Make it yours!!! It's fun!!!!!!


well.. please dont marry it.

the misses is gonna get suspicious if she sees the reel in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room, when she gets off of work, or pieces of stripped line all over the place...

what if she hears you say (when you clean the reel) "yay baby, im gonna take you all apart, all off, you have such beautiful curves and your so smooth here, im gonna have alotta fun with ya tonight" out loud....

not a good situation, HAHAHha


----------

