Do Shiny gold 2 speed Reels make you a better fisherman?

This was not tge same discussion we were having in the group text the discussion was do you have a better chance with a tool speed more drag real then you do what is Sen.

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Two speed , senator. Tapatalk is a lil tricky

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Senators only have one thing on all the new reels, they are louder. I have not heard anybody say there shark died on them using a 2 speed high drag reel. Tge only reason y people have caught wayyyy more big sharks on the senators is cause it's 90 years old tge new 2 speeds have been around for 10 years 5 years in lbsf. A senator is like base ball everyone loved it at first but now it's useless. If senators are so good why aren't they on those tuna shows ??? Cause they are trash. Another thing is why did u buy a new fin nor 130 for if u own 2 trash 16/0 and 2 trash 14/0.

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Person not the equipment. I have 2 Avets and my father's Senators, new member here and just read this. Yes the Avets are great reels but I always take my Senators 9 & 12 (lost the 14). Every time I fish them it's special, I am old they are old I grew up with them and will always fish them as long as I can fish. Never a problem with them. I got a Trx 50 as a Christmas gift and caught a shark on my 1st trip with it. BUT on my next trip in 2 weeks my 12/0 will go for sure.
This post reminded me of the 30-30 Winchester rifle, more deer have been shot with one than any caliber.
Larry

I think this discussion is about tackle and not the angler, however the 2 speed reel gives the angler the better advantage.

Pros for the 2 speed reel over the Big Penn reels

Higher drag numbers(they also get higher drag when the spool declines and I put my hand on it)
smoother drag with multiple stacks and locations
multiple gear ratio (great when fish charges)
stronger metal frames and spools - new age material
lighter reel then the big Penn
most have better handles then the Penn
can't buy a 16/0 new

Cons for 2 speed ownership over the Big Penn
Price
Penn has a great clicker

Mute point
Line capacity - no longer a big issue since the use of braid except for cost.

By the way, I also think a fish can be brought in faster with a modern reel and leave a little spunk in the fish to swim off.

You can't compare past catches because one style has been around for ever and the other is new. You never know...if both reel styles had 50 plus years of fishing under their belt then we could see which ones had the biggest catches.

I fish the 9/0, 12/0, 14/0 (couldn't lift the 16/0) and then tried the 50w, 80w, 130w - I sold my Penns ( I still have their old spinning reels)

Excellent points Cris !! I agree with everything you said!!!
I guess I worded everything wrong while rushing to singer island for the sign up .

I guess it was more of a me and raymundo conversation .
The way he gloats of Pennsylvania being such trash and etc etc . Got me fed up
And I soley wanted him to know that just because one dosent have big shiny reels, does not mean that
They won't kick your behind with the old Reliable Penn Senator!!

So disregard my original post and tune in here.

To Raymundo and everyone else who has thousand dollar two
Speed reels, yes I do agree they are better reels!!!! however
Penn Senators are more than capable of catching the biggest Sharks that roam our waters
And I strongly believe the newer 2 Speed reels give you a very small if any advantage at all
Over the Anglers with Senators.

The real diffrences that are made and that give you that edge is as follows
1. The waters you fish." Travis and many Anglers from St Pete and Venice Beach , have the biggest baddest new reals on the market , went out on the Venice Pier and they had about 10,000$ in 2 speed reels out there, however they stay in there comfort and unfortunately not many big hammers or tigers over there.
2. Your tackle and ability to avoid mediocrity or any loose ends.
For instance with 100 lbs of drag you better be using triple strength hooks , and double # 19 wire or your going
To get toyed with by huge hammers.Your line needs be new and have zero freighs or nicks.
3. Experience and knoledge. Huge gear won't stop a 1000 lb hammer from going under the bridge on you,
Staying on top of him and using leverage Will. I've watched and coached many great anglers get hit and leave the slack laying on the sand weighting for the shark to come back, when the whole time it was a hammer circling with the bait.
The guys that don't reel tight , get cut right off 95% of the time.

I agree with Shannon on the points about the reels cant catch the fish for you. If youre going to fish in Naples or Fort myers your entire life, chances are you could catch 99.9% of those sharks on a 30w or 9/0. Its not the same story at our monster fishing holes over here. I also agree with Shannon on the points about putting 80lb or 100lb of drag on a fish, you better have that strong hook sunk in deep, 200lb line minimum, and not one fray in your entire setup, there is no substitute for experience in shark fishing. I'm learning that as soon as you think you know how to catch a monster, every fight is different and something always goes bad and if youre not on top of your game, the monster wins. I do agree with everybody else as well about the 2 speed reels being newer technology, faster line retrieval speed, and better parts and equipment. You need all the pieces to the puzzle if you want to land a monster, not just a few.

I got a big shiny gold reel and it hasn't made me a better fisherman

Damn thing still hasn't caught me a fish. I thought I pay the money and put out the bait and the reel does the rest. I think I was bamboozled!

At least my 14/0 got me a 3 ft sharpnose the other day.

Shiny gold reels don't make you a better fisherman but they do increase your chances of getting that fish on the sand and gettin him there faster.

Senators are simple, reliable and cheap. Perfect "First Shark ReeL" they are not trash.

I started fishing for sharks with a Penn Senator 1/0. Hard to believe that was in 1960. I quickly moved from there to a 3/0, then a 6/0. The 9/0 lasted a little longer and then a I had to have a 12/0. I finally got my 16/0 and mounted it on an extended 555 Harnell that was 10' long. After a 9'1" Lemon and a 5'8" Tipper, I decided that was not my Idea of stand-up tackle and traded for a 9 1/2 Fin-nor Tycoon. I though I had gone to heaven. The only thing that was a little scary was the Tycoon did not have a strike stop, and if you shoved the drag lever too far forward, it could get a little hairy if you weren't braced against something and had your toes under the bridge rail. When the Internationals hit the market with their strike stops my Fin-nor was replaced with a # 80. It wasn't as smooth as the Tycoon but that strike stop more than made up for the difference. I never fished with another star drag reel for sharks after the 16/0. There is no comparison. I've seen the side plates explode on Senators. That won't happen on a shiny gold reel . I've seen spools fail or bent on Senators. That will not happen on the shiny gold reels, well it could with the 200# test line you guys use. The heaviest line I use is 80# and it's Dacron. I'm old and I set my strike stop drag at 18 pounds. Most of my fishing is done from a boat these days with 50W's and I usually back the drag lever off after I set the hook. The two speed is nice but I seldom need to use the lower gear. I've seen drags overheat, begin to chatter, and freeze up on Senators. That is much less likely to happen on shiny gold reels because of the larger drag surface and better heat dissipation. I could go on but I don't want to beat a dead horse. Time marches on. The senators are older technology, great for their time, affordable to the masses, but the materials that they are made from, and their tolerances are not as good as the shinny gold lever drag reels. They are great reels for what they are, and the biggest thing they have going for them is, that while a little sand in the shinny gold reels can reek havoc, the Senators can be half full of sand, and like the Time-ex watch," Keep on Tickin.'" It's like fiberglass rods, they are heavier and less sensitive, but still the most durable thing going out there. All of the shark rods I use are fiberglass but I'd never give up my Internationals and Tiagra for a Senator. Still, I hate to take my reels to the beach because I'm worried about the sand. If you beach fish, stick with the Senators or be prepared to do a lot of service to the better, shiny gold reels.

Oh, and baseball isn't useless.

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Come to think of it, I failed to answer the question of this post. Does the shiny gold reel make you a better fisherman? I'll be a Yankee here and answer a question with another question. Does a modern day rifle make you a better hunter than one with a black powder weapon? And the answer is... Yes and no!

Does a modern day rifle make you a better hunter than one with a black powder weapon? And the answer is... Yes and no!

Great info....

Does it make you better...I think the answer is yes since you have less room for mechanical failure with new technology. Is it necessary.....no

I could spend thousands on a sniper rifle and hit you between the eyes or throw a rock at your head. Both methods will produce the same outcome.

Will it make you a better fisherman, absolutely not. However, will it help someone with no experience land a shark easier than a senator, Yes it will. It gives you more margin for error with a leverdrag reel. Leverdrags have been around for quite some time, some I know of even in the late 50s, just the 2 speed idea is newer. An old 1spd leverdrag has been effective since their creation and numerous records are still held. They werent used on the beach as primarily income dictated senators the choice. Boat fisherman who had an endless income went with the higher end fin nors, internationals and everols wayyyy back in the day. Guys like mundus and alfred dean who landed some of the largest sharks ever on boats (some skeptical non-moral tactics used as well) utilized these reels. Hell a 1000lb mako landed on a 4/0 everol by mundus' crew on 50lb dacron. Was the boat moved, absolutely but wasnt like it was a newer contender with trips, this boat moved rather slowly, to land the same shark on a 4/0 senator with its tiny gears and drag is in my opinion impossible.

Shannon you have caught countless sharks and most that landbase fish strive to catch sharks that you have, no question about it. If you utilize a newer reel and learn its limits I am sure you will understand the idea of landing a 1200lb plus hammer one day from a beach with endless current or even your loved fl keys bridges.

P.S You cant stick your hands in the spool and make over a 100#s of drag smoothly and long term effectively. If you hooked up a 16/0 or 14/0 to an avet trx or even your 130 santiago the person could drag your line and you with ease.

Hell no it doesn't make you a better fisherman i fish a senator all day, to much drag will make you loose that monster i hooked a big hammer the end of spring last year that took me down to lower than half spool was locked down thumbing the spool with a shirt i had, as soon as i applied to much pressure ... what happened i pulled the hook,.. iv'e seen people change there mind up and down on set ups senator then avet then 130 tiagra duel bla bla bla then they see a senator do it in person and they jump ship, fishing more and becoming a knowledgeable angler is what will make you better