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Author
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Dave B.
Captains Club Angler
Registered: December 2004
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 4710
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Review Date: 5/4/2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $130.00
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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High speed retrieve, decent capacity line wise, easy to use
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Cons:
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Star Drag, nylon reel seat clamp, plastic handle grip, not your daddy's Penn
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I've owned many Penn's over the years from the Black Face Senator's (9/0's and 11/0's), I currently own 4/0 Senator Black face and 320LD Penn as well as the Penn Special Senator red faced 6/0's.
I bought these newer Penn 6/0's with the understanding they'd be "Penn" reliable. For some reason the two reels I have, have had issues.
Plastic handle grip on the reels have had to be replaced 4x's now due to they split right down the middle of the grip and just come apart. Enough was enough, so I ended up replacing the Penn handles with Accurate 6/0 handles ($35 ea) that have billet aluminum handle grips.
The other issues I've had with these Special Senators (SS's) is the spool clickers. They have come apart at the worst moments. This is pretty fustrating and the only thing that has worked so far is to disassemble the outside side plate, clean out the brass screw insert then re-assemble the clicker assembly and add some red loctite thread locker to the screw holding down the C clip for the clicker.
Otherwise, the reels work, HT100 drag is pretty much a standard for the Penn line. Spool capacity is good for general trolling and bottom fishing and the hardware trim and chroming is standard Penn. Occasionally need to wipe down to prevent corrosion.
Penn SS's come standard now with a nylon reel seat clamp. Mine have cracked. If you plan to clamp your reel to the reel seat.. I wouldnt recommend using the nylon backer, stainless steel or alum reel seat clamp is the way to go.
I have a love hate relationship with my Penn's, and to be honest expected more/better quality from them, but they do get the job and you may need to loctite the clicker screw and the handles are iffy at best.. the reels arent built like they were Pre- 1990.. those reels were bullet proof.
For general trolling for a no fuss reel or even for bottom fishing... These would be a decent reel to consider, but there are better reels out there for just a little more or even less that will hold up just as good or better. Shimano, Diawa, Newell, Avet and Okuma are the first that come to mind.
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sinker man
Senior Angler
Registered: June 2005
Location: greenville SC
Posts: 2806
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Review Date: 5/4/2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 0
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Dave, are the ones you have made in China or USA ? Penn has been outsourcing the production of most of their reels to China lately and I never had issues like you described with the USA made models but I haven't bought a new one since they started selling Chinese made ones.
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Dave B.
Captains Club Angler
Registered: December 2004
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 4710
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Review Date: 5/4/2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 0
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let me verify and find out.
The two I have are just like the picture.
If they're the made in China... defiantely pass on them... they just arent what they used to be.
The used market Penn reels (really dont matter what size/make) are good reels and an older Penn would be a better bet on reliability. When they went to the graphite parts in some areas on these things.. it seems they cheapend them up.
Nothing worse than having a handle fall to pieces (literally) in your hand. And Marty can describe my *** pain about the side plate clicker assembly...
They work.. dont get me wrong, but compared to the older models that I'm used to... Penn has lost the edge in my eyes.. I've favored Okuma gear here in the last 4-5 years and now I'm really favoring Alutecnos.. but that's on a way different level than the Penn Senator reels.
Apples to apples, TLD shimano or Okuma Titus/Titus Silver series or the Newell's would be on par/competition with the Penn Senator. The Daiwa Sea Line is another apple to apple reel that would be a consideration to the Penn.
Agreed, You simply cannot beat and classic or older (pre China) Penn Senator reel (black or red face).
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Topsail Angler
Site Moderator
Blog Captain
Captains Club Member
Registered: April 2005
Location: Hampstead
Posts: 9107
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Review Date: 5/4/2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $129.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Older style is solid & very reliable
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Cons:
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New models are made with plastic parts & are unrealiable
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I have several of the older US made Senator Specials and they are wonderful, true workhorses. Solid handles, metal spool, sturdy clicker, smooth drag. I've pulled many a grouper from it's hole using these reels. I have one matched up to an electra-mate too.
Trouble is the newer ones have the same name and general appearance but are not the same. They have cheap clickers, plastic spools, cheap plastic handles - drag still seems good. Buy some of the older ones if you can.
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Dave B.
Captains Club Angler
Registered: December 2004
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 4710
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Review Date: 5/7/2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 0
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Al, the ones I have are "Made In USA"
stamped on the handle side reel plate and on the outside reel plate as well.
Note, I know for a fact that these are not the "original" penn special 6/0's as the original 6/0's have the chromed tubular braces all around instead of those two graphite mid braces.
 
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NC Angler Fishing
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