# Penn Jigmaster



## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

I have only fished with spining reels, and am wanting to try out a baitcasting reel. I really dont want to sink alot of money into one, so a friend of mine found an practically new Penn jigmaster at a flea market for 25 dollars so he picked it up for me. I havent seen it yet, just wondering if this reel would work surffishin mainly for drum. Thanks for any input!


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## 140L (Feb 17, 2008)

YES! low maintenance reels,easy to maintain,hold up to surf fishing for years, and cast quite well. I bought my first one in '87 and it was 10-15 years old at that time. Still use it today and the only thing different is I use the alluminum spool. The quick take apart feature is nice. I keep an extra spool on hand and only takes seconds to change out. The 500/500L has bushings and unlike a bearing they getter better with age IMO. I run my spool adjustments loose and the 500 does have the tendancy to "eat" 20-25# mono. I use 30# on mine. Penn tends to understate their capacities and you can pack some line on your JigMaster.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

140L said:


> YES! low maintenance reels,easy to maintain,hold up to surf fishing for years, and cast quite well. I bought my first one in '87 and it was 10-15 years old at that time. Still use it today and the only thing different is I use the alluminum spool. The quick take apart feature is nice. I keep an extra spool on hand and only takes seconds to change out. The 500/500L has bushings and unlike a bearing they getter better with age IMO. I run my spool adjustments loose and the 500 does have the tendancy to "eat" 20-25# mono. I use 30# on mine. Penn tends to understate their capacities and you can pack some line on your JigMaster.



VERY TRUE! Can't beat it for the price, although there are newer reels out there for 5 times the price that will do a better job! I posted a way to "static mag" the Jigmaster not long ago, along with pics. You can use 25 lb test with the alluminum spool, but don't go less than that! It's a GREAT and TOUGH reel! $25 is a good price!


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

Weellll thats good to know!! guess i got a pretty good deal commin! I use 17 lb on all my other reels, sounds like you didnt like 20 or 25, think it will be a problem for a new baitcaster?


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## 140L (Feb 17, 2008)

drum junky said:


> Weellll thats good to know!! guess i got a pretty good deal commin! I use 17 lb on all my other reels, sounds like you didnt like 20 or 25, think it will be a problem for a new baitcaster?


 The smaller diameter lines gets between the spool and plate. I use 30# to prevent this. Sportsracer uses 25#


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

thanks for the info fellas!


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

140L said:


> The smaller diameter lines gets between the spool and plate. I use 30# to prevent this. Sportsracer uses 25#


True...but remember...that's with an alluminum spool. Chrome plated brass spool...go with 30 lb., but with that spool, you REALLY have to educate your thumb to cast it! Oh well...mono is cheap


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

Also, when you first start using it, the heavier line is friendlier with the birdies and if you do not fill it all the way, bout half, till you get used to it, by only filling it half way the spool will spin slower and is more forgiving... use the cheapest 25 or thirty you can find cause I am pretty sure your gonna birdy, unless your not all thumbs like I am, then ya might not...LOL... salt


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

I got an old Penn 500 Jigmaster, I use to fill it with 30lb mono. Very durable reel. You got a winner there.


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## longcast (Jan 9, 2005)

SALTSHAKER said:


> Also, when you first start using it, the heavier line is friendlier with the birdies and if you do not fill it all the way, bout half, till you get used to it, by only filling it half way the spool will spin slower and is more forgiving... use the cheapest 25 or thirty you can find cause I am pretty sure your gonna birdy, unless your not all thumbs like I am, then ya might not...LOL... salt


Salt, think about this.

If you have say 30inches of line and wind it around the reel spool when the spool is empty it will require more revolutions of the spool to get all 30inches of line on that if the reel spool was full. 

In other words a full spool will turn slower than a half full or empty spool for a given distance of line. 

It is "an old wives tale" about a half-empty spool being easier to cast. If you don't believe it prove it to yourself. Next time you fill a spool with line, see how long the line is at the spindle, then when the spool is half full and again when the spool is full.

If the length of line it takes to go around the spindle one revolution at the spindle is longer than the one at half full and full spool, then I am mistaken.


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

SALTSHAKER said:


> Also, when you first start using it, the heavier line is friendlier with the birdies and if you do not fill it all the way, bout half, till you get used to it, by only filling it half way the spool will spin slower and is more forgiving... use the cheapest 25 or thirty you can find cause I am pretty sure your gonna birdy, unless your not all thumbs like I am, then ya might not...LOL... salt


Great advice.


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## Dyhard (Oct 24, 2002)

I have 3 Penn 500s, magged them all. No trouble with 17# mono. Remember shock line/40/50#.
A great tough reel. One screw take down makes them fun to clean and lube.


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## longcast (Jan 9, 2005)

SALTSHAKER said:


> Also, when you first start using it, the heavier line is friendlier with the birdies and if you do not fill it all the way, bout half, till you get used to it, by only filling it half way the spool will spin slower and is more forgiving... use the cheapest 25 or thirty you can find cause I am pretty sure your gonna birdy, unless your not all thumbs like I am, then ya might not...LOL... salt





Al Kai said:


> I got an old Penn 500 Jigmaster, I use to fill it with 30lb mono. Very durable reel. You got a winner there.





longcast said:


> Salt, think about this.
> 
> If you have say 30inches of line and wind it around the reel spool when the spool is empty it will require more revolutions of the spool to get all 30inches of line on that if the reel spool was full.
> 
> ...





Al Kai said:


> Great advice.


A half full spool spins faster than a full spool when the same length of line comes off.


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

I use three methods to a slow a conventional reel down.

1. Remove some of the line from the reel spool.

2. Use thicker oil on the reel bearings. (The Penn Jigmaster has brass bushings instead 
of bearings, so this method does not apply to this reel.)

3. Use heavier line.


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## RegDunlop (Apr 1, 2008)

Speaking of the Jigmaster, does anybody know why Penn made the 500S, was it a predecessor to the 500/500L or was it made concurrently?

and why? were they competing against another manufacturer? or just trying a different direction?

I have a 500 and a 500S with a red aluminum spool (I love this reel - I bought it used and it also has a brown left side screw/bearing I think it may be a Newell, but I'm not sure) and always wondered what the story was behind the Jigmaster.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

RegDunlop said:


> Speaking of the Jigmaster, does anybody know why Penn made the 500S, was it a predecessor to the 500/500L or was it made concurrently?
> 
> and why? were they competing against another manufacturer? or just trying a different direction?
> 
> I have a 500 and a 500S with a red aluminum spool (I love this reel - I bought it used and it also has a brown left side screw/bearing I think it may be a Newell, but I'm not sure) and always wondered what the story was behind the Jigmaster.


The 500S with the red alluminum spool was an "Anniversary Edition". Why Penn came out with the 500S with the "take-apart" screw on the left side remains a mystery to me. I think the regular 500 and 500L is easier to service, as the right side plate is more accessible without the frame in the way. 

It is extremely hard to find the information on the history of Penn reels, since many models were made over long periods of time with the only modifications being the composition of the sideplates and spool material (plastic vs. chrome plated brass vs. alluminum) coupled with the fact that all the parts were interchangeable. This is a good thing, as it makes them easy to service...but very hard to date, and is also a testament to the long life of these reels and their "tried and true" design. The newer sideplates of the standard reels (Jigmaster, 209, 309, etc) at least now have a date stamp on the inside as to when that plate was manufactured, but keep in mind that the plate will also fit that same model reel manufactured in 1967. One of my lifelong goals is to receive permission from Penn to access their archives and records, etc., so that I can write the definitive history of their reels. To my knowledge, nothing of the sort exists today, and Penn, itself, can't even provide the info. More on that in, hopefully, the near future.

The brown bearing cap is probably the Newell aftermarket "Teflon" bearing. They come in pairs, one for each side, but I see no advantage to using them when it comes to casting.


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## RegDunlop (Apr 1, 2008)

Thanks for the info sprts racer...

any idea what "anniversary"?


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