Penn 114 question

Moleculo · Jun-01-2008, 01:35 PM

I noticed on Welcome to Fisherman's Landing - Suggested Tackle 3-6 Day Trips that they list the Penn 114H in the 80-100# class. Is it really suitable for setup as a 100# rig? I always thought of it more in the 60# class, but what do I know? I've got both the 114HL and a very new/old-stock 114 (with the 2:1 gears). I have been using the old reel as a deep rock cod rig only, and the 114HL as a 60# troller, but I'm wondering if I couldn't expand the uses of these two outfits?

michael mclough · Jun-01-2008, 11:01 PM

That is a great real for big yellows at guadalupe. You can repair then on the galley table and change drags easily. They have only been making them for 50 years. They will definately handle 80 pound.

1974jim · Jun-02-2008, 09:50 AM

Your 114hl would be just fine for dropper loop yellowtail/grouper applications.

Allen · Jun-02-2008, 03:28 PM

The H stands for high speed, they are good single speed without lever drag reels. Although antiquated they still work.

Moleculo · Jun-04-2008, 12:56 AM

Yeah, I know what the H means and what the differences are between the two reels. I appreciate the comments that it will work fine on 80#. Will it really do up to 100# though? Let's say I rig up the H reel with 120# spectra and 80# mono, and the other (low gear) reel with 100# setup. Is that even reasonable to assume it would work? What would you do with these two reels if you owned them and wanted to keep 'em?

hucklongfin · Jun-04-2008, 08:07 AM

The 114H is the standard 80# trolling and dropper loop reel on the shorter trips. For heavy (80#+) bait fishing I'd go with a 2-speed but on a 3-6 day trip a 114H is all you need for 80#.

Steve K · Jun-04-2008, 08:34 AM

Besides slower gears, the reel with the black side plates has smaller drags. As far as fishing the 114HL with 100 lb, you can do it but in this case using 100 lb instead of 80 lb is just about abrasion resistance.

There are times on the 3-6 day trips that you might run into bigger fish. This would be that once in a lifetime trip when the captain runs into some triple digit Bluefin and you would of course be very lucky to hook one, but if you happened to have a 30 or 50 sized two speed reel loaded up with 80 lb or 100 lb and hooked it with that outfit, you would certainly be in control.

I know this happens as on a 3 day back in '94 we caught 100-135 lb Bluefin. The guys fishing them on the two speeds were fresh as a daisy. I caught mine on a 114H with 80 lb and got beat to shit, but I killed the fish, 120#.