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I am looking for some good all purpose trolling rolls and the penn senator 4/0 was suggested to me. What are some other reels that would be in a similar class as this one I should consider. I plan on using them to troll for mahi and spanish.

Thanks.

Josh

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I have a pair of 113H Penn Senator 4/0 that I was about to put on craigslist.

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PM sent!

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they are great reels, I use 114H version for trolling for stripers

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I hear great things about them. I am sure they will work out.

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I have used them for years. Simple and reliable.

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Depending on what you are going after will determine the best rod and reel setup.

If for stripers,sails, dolphin and what not you can't beat a penn senator they have been around forever and haven't changed much. When I go after blue water fish I like to use the penn 30,50,80 and shamono (sp) TLD series of reels. I have a couple of TLD 15 and the charter boat I mate on has Tld 25 snd 30s with use. I just prefer a lever drag over a star drag that way I know how much heat I am putting on a certain fish. A couple of years ago during a tourny I caught and released a 350lbs blue on a TLD 25. It was a great fight we had a palm beach tag and realease on it in 20 mins all on stand up.

We still use the penn senators for our wire line rods. I have one my grandfather left me in my shed that I know is older than I am and it still works great today. If that reel could talk I bet it could tell us some great fishing tales.

jay

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Senators are great reels, just a little large for what you are looking for. I would second what Jay said about the shimano's, but, if the money is right, go with the penns. Most of the spanish I catch, I handline, just a simple rig of a small #1 planer with about 30 feet of leader, then a clarkspoon. If you are targeting mahi, then you will need an offshore rod and reel, and you should look at the penns or shimanos, but what Jay said is right on.

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Senators RULE! Order some new drags from their parts dept & clean & lube them regularly. I have a rack full of them my Dadd left & many are mid-50s when I was a tyke. Also - get a GOOD rod socket. I drilled a flush mount sockets thru the forward seats of a 17' Super Sport I had once & you could troll for ever ! Tight Lines !

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Take this advice with a grain of salt, because I don't do as much trolling these days as many others on this site (particularly those on the West Coast) probably do. I'm not a professional dragger by any means, but I still do enough of of it to know what I like.
If you're looking for a solid trolling reel for short money, the Senator 113s and 114s aren't a bad choice. The newer metal 114 "double dog" set up (I've never used it, so this is pure speculation) is probably worth the few extra bucks, because it should be a bit rangier.
That said, I much prefer the Shimano TLD series. For about the same price as the Penns, you get smoother operation, more versatility in terms fishing style and bait presentation, and better overal design and build quality, IMO.
Whatever you decide, have fun, and catch some big'uns.

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I used Penn International reels on all of my boats for years with very few problems. I also am using some Shimanos and they work well also. A lot depends on the care and maintenance you give them each and every time you use them. Both very dependable.

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I got some senators for a great price so I jumped on them.

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I have one you can buy for $25. Used it for tarpon fishing in the seventies and eightys. might need some lube as its been sitting since.

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The Penn's are hard to beat for price and durability. The "H" series (Red) have a higher gear ratio (I think 3.25 compared to regular 4.0s - 2.5). It makes it a little easier to retrieve during a fight. I started out with regular 4.0s, moved to the 113 H series and then to the Shimano TLD series. I use TLD 20s now for Bluewater and really like the lighter weight and drag strike levers for setting the hook on a striking fish. Either way, you can't go wrong. Penn's are a little more maintenance friendly than Shimanos. Good luck and happy Whalering!

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I got some Penns (114H's) and matching sticks from tackledirect.com last year for a really good price on sale. Don't discount some of the big Penn spinning gear (750/850) for dolphin. The Spanish and Bluefish I handle on penn spinning gear (450SS) or Abu Garcia 5500's. My oldest son caught a nice False Albacore (8-10lbs) on his 450. He calls the reel "Golden Striper."