Reel Identification Guide (2024)

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Identifying the model of the Penn reel that you are working on is crucial. Otherwise, you could end up ordering incompatible parts. This section is designed to help you with identification problems.MENU: Spinning Reels - Conventional Reels - Design Changes, watch out!

Spinning Reel Identification

SpinningReel Identification Guide (1)

A big issue that we see with parts getting ordered incorrectly is from reels with multiple generations/versions.The problem spinning series are: Powergraph, Captiva, SS reels, and the original Spinfisher series.

    To prevent mixups, look over your reel carefully.

    Model numbers are on the sides of the housing/body of the reel, and on the spool. Be careful about looking at spools, as newer version spools can often be used on older reels and cause confusion with the parts in the rest of the older reel.

Examples:

SS Reels:
Say you are looking at an older 550SS reel, with a newer 550SSg spool on it. Looking at the spool would cause you to order the wrong parts for the reel. Most of the newer parts from an SSg reel wouldn't fit on an older SS reel.

Generational issues in the SS reels can cause problems, as parts are not all compatible.
Back to our 550SS reel sample. There is also a 5500SS, the 550SSg and the most current generation, the SSV5500.
If decals are missing from the body of the reel, check inside the body of the reel, after removing the gears, and look for a housing number stamped in the body. Rotor cups may also have numbers inside the cup or on it's underside.

700 Series Reels:

Reel Identification Guide (2)Reel Identification Guide (3)This series has some very specific notes. This is for the Green, Blue, Brown and Black 700 series Spinning reels:
Go here: Identifying your 700 Spinfisher Series Reel
That page can help you narrow down the size of the Spinfisher.

Powergraph Reels:
There are FOUR generations of the Powergraph reel.

See Also
News

    Powergraph™ (All you see on the housing is Powergraph and the small trademark symbol)
    LOOK FOR ROMAN NUMERALS ON THE NEXT THREE GENERATIONS:
    Powergraph II
    Powergraph III
    Powergraph V
    (We don't know why it skips from III to V)

While there are some parts in common, many are different, so accurate identification is a MUST!
Look at the text on the body of the reel to determine which version you have before order parts.

Captiva Reels:
There are TWO generations of the Captiva Reel. This photo makes the differences glaringly obvious. The older CV8000 reel has the information on the body, whereas the newer does not. You can see the CV2 8000 number on the spool in this comparison.
Reel Identification Guide (4)

Conventional Reel Identification

ConventionalsReel Identification Guide (5)

Start by taking a look at the side plates of the reel, as on most of the older conventionals that is where the model information is located. Some models have a cross bar with the model number, and in newer reels, a housing frame that is labeled. If the reel does not say Penn in any way at all, it is likely a China/Japan knock off. Ocean City reels are not Penn, either, but were started by a gentleman who worked there, so they did look like the old Penn reels.

Not listing all of the larger models here just a sample of sizes. Identifying Senator reels:

    Older Senator reels may just say 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 6/0, rather than having the model number on them. Those reels are standard senators:
    110 1/0
    111 2/0
    112 3/0
    113 4/0
    114 6/0
    They would have dark, maroonish red plates or black plates.
    Special senators came later and have the model number with the H added to it:
    112H 3/0
    113H, 113HL, 113HLW 4/0
    114H, 114HL, 114HLW 6/0
    They would have brigher red plates.
    The newer Senators are made in China, and have the H2 and L2 numbering system:
    112H2 3/0
    113H2, 113H2LW 4/0
    114H2, 114H2LW 6/0
    115L2 9/0
    They would have brigher red plates (H2) and black plates (L2).

Watch out for worn numbering!
Example, the old Longbeach reels can get mixed up if the numbers are worn.
66 vs 68

Design Changes to Reels
How to spot them in our website.

We have notes scattered throughout the reel part sections regarding design changes made by Penn. Some are very small, and might be only found in the detailed description of a specific part, so be sure to read the details, if any.
To see an example of this: Use the Search option to search part number 43N-750. When the part loads in the search page, click on it's link. In the detailed description, you will see that Penn mades some changes.

Other design changes are larger, and are marked by a large red logo that says "STOP! Read before you order!".
To see an example of this in the catalog, follow these steps:

Reel Identification Guide (6)
  1. Click on "Penn Parts Dept." at the top of the website.
  2. On the left hand menu there, click on "Conventional Reel Parts".
  3. On the blue menu of reels, click on "Levelmatic".
  4. You will see 4 columns of options to view, click on the little cart button for ordering parts, in the row for the 930 reel.
  5. Near the top of the list of parts, you will see the "STOP!" icon. Click the icon, or the link next to it that says "930 and 940 Design Change for Older models"
  6. This takes you to details about the design change.
Reel Identification Guide (7)We are also trying to add notes about the design changes to the schematics, so watch for notes in the schematics, as well. Not all changes are noted at this time.

Reel Identification Guide (8)

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Reel Identification Guide (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if you have enough line on your reel? ›

So we basically give it the eyeball test. The general rule for most reel manufactures is 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch from the edge of the spool. You want to put enough line on the reel so that it casts well, but you still want to be able to see about 1/16 or a little more of an inch of the spool when it's fool.

What do numbers on reels mean? ›

The gear ratio refers to the relationship between the number of crank revolutions and the number of revolutions the spool makes when retrieving the line. A lower gear ratio, such as 5.2:1 means it takes 5.2 cranks to retrieve line for every one revolution of the spool.

How do you identify a fishing reel? ›

Start by taking a look at the side plates of the reel, as on most of the older conventionals that is where the model information is located. Some models have a cross bar with the model number, and in newer reels, a housing frame that is labeled.

What happens if you don't have enough line on your reel? ›

With an underfilled spool, the distance between the line layers and the spool lip means there is far greater friction. This friction can damage your fishing line, which means you run the risk of your line breaking. Less line also means the chances are greater you might spool your reel if you hook a trophy fish.

How do I know how much line I'm putting on my reel? ›

And if you put too little line on, you are not going to be able to cast nearly as far. So what is the ideal amount? There needs to be some gap between the edge of your spool and the outer layer of your line. The normal recommendation is 1/8 inch gap and this does work in most cases.

How to read numbers on a reel? ›

This number represents the speed of the reel, and it should be read this way. X.X (revolutions of the spool) : (to) (X) turns of the reel handle. So, if your reel has a gear ratio of 6.2:1, then the spool revolves 6.2 times for each turn of the reel handle. The same for 5.1:1, 6.4:1, 7.1:1, 8.0:1 9.0:1 and so on.

What is an example of a reel number? ›

Some of the examples of real numbers are 23, -12, 6.99, 5/2, π, and so on.

What does 6000 mean on a fishing reel? ›

Choosing a fishing rod to go with this size reel: 6000 or 60 is where we where we start to move into larger size fishing reels and as such this size fishing reel will usually suit 5-8ft boat fishing rods, 8-9ft general purpose spinning rods or 10 foot rock/surf fishing rods with a line rating of anywhere between 6-15Kg ...

What is the number on reels? ›

Tap below your profile info. In the bottom left of each reel, you'll see the number of video plays (how many times your reel starts to play).

What number is a viral reel? ›

An image or video post that gets 10,000 to 20,000 likes or views in the first 24 hours is often considered viral. For reels (Instagram's short videos), getting 100,000 views or more typically hits viral mode.

What does line capacity 12-120 mean? ›

How reel capacities work. It's important to note that a reel's capacity—or the amount of line it can hold—is based on monofilament sizes and yards of line. So a reel capacity listed as 12/120 (like the LFS Speed Spool) means it can hold about 120 yards of 12-pound test monofilament.

How do you evaluate a reel? ›

When figuring out whether a Reel was successful or not, you should look at the following metrics:
  1. Instagram Reels reach metrics.
  2. Instagram Reels engagement metrics.
  3. Test different Reel styles.
  4. Test different Reel lengths.
  5. Test different audio options.
  6. Post at the right time.

What does 3000 mean on a fishing reel? ›

3000. The 3000 size reel is the perfect sized trout spinning reel. It provides you with a happy medium between the 2500 and 4000 reels. It provides you with enough line capacity to accommodate higher breaking strain lines but also benefits from a stronger drag system, whilst still keeping the overall reel size compact.

How to calculate line capacity on a reel? ›

Simply divide the reel factor by the diameter of the cable in inches squared. For example, Quabbin Wire's plastic 10 ½ inch spool can contain about 500 feet of a 0.25 inch diameter cable. As a comparison, almost 700 feet of the same cable will fit on the plywood 12 inch reel.

How do you know when a fishing reel is full? ›

The reel is full when the line comes to within about 1/8-inch of the spool's outer edge. Stopping short of this will reduce casting distance and the reel's speed. If you fill the reel to the very edge of the spool, bird's nests are inevitable.

Is 100 yards of fishing line enough? ›

It's rare that you'll need more than 100 yards but 150 will definitely keep you covered! You can do a monofilament backing if 150 yards of braided line is not enough to fill up the spool. There may be times that you hook into a bigger fish that's cruising the shallows.

How much line is enough on a spinning reel? ›

Keep an eye on the reel spool to make sure that the line is filling the spool evenly and fill the spool within 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch from the edge. Too much or too little line will affect the reel's performance.

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