Quote:
Originally Posted by Regor
Reels:Penn 65 Penn Delmar 285 Ocean City 112
Ocean City 905
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All these reels are ancient, essentially antiques, built over half a century ago and they were the low end reels even back then when new.
They are all geared very slow 2.5 to 1 vrs the 4.9 to 1 and 6 to one gear ratios we use now.
These are not like Jigmasters or Squidders, which were considered high end performance reels in their day, these reels older cheaper reels, just one step above direct drive knuckle busters of the 1920s.
The Long beach 65 was introduced in 1941 it's advantages back in the day was fairly light in weight and that it could hold a lot of line, and they were cheap. It has a weak drag, only a 2.5 to one gear ratio, and it's frame is very susceptible to twisting with lines over 30lb.
I used to use these surf fishing for sharks in that surf back in Texas as kid back in 1973, because you could buy them cheap for around twenty bucks.
This reel is too slow for iron, and not tough enough for spectra. In theory you could buy the newest drags for it you can get, fill it with straight thirty mono and you could slow troll macks with it for seabass and yellows. That said it's the bottom of the barrel, as far as choices go today.
Still Penn made those reels for fifty years for a reason. They can actually catch fish. I've landed hundred pound+ fish in the surf on a long beach 65, using my thumb instead of the drag to stop them, and for you with the choices you laid out it's the best reel of the bunch. The only one worth putting line on IMO.
I have one of these still, but haven't fished it in thirty years, and wouldn't even consider fishing it for anything other then rockfish. That said with straight thirty mono, new bearings and a new set of drags you could land fish with it.
The Delmar is a museum piece with un-reinforced plastic side plates, and copper bushings instead of bearings. I think it had a 2 to 1 gear ratio.
It's big claim to fame in the day was that is had a three piece brass spool and therefore could fish mono. The previous version had a bake lite type plastic spool that would split if you put mono on it, this one is the M version named for it's metal spool.
It predates the 65, and is weaker all around with less drag (leather if I remember correctly), and has a very weak foot to side plate connection with only four screws through brittle bakelite type plastic side plates.
You could in theory use it for rockfish, but if you put any pressure on the sixty year old sideplates are just going to crack, and it will fall apart.
I have one of these and never have fished it. I thought about it: took it apart and cleaned it, but the side plate cracked when I tightened the screws for the reel foot. Just not worth it IMO, if you hook a good fish you will probably have something go wrong with this reel.
The Ocean City reels were a cheaper alternative to the early Penns. Here's a 112..
They were considered junk even way back in the seventies, now you can buy them on ebay for three to five bucks. Too few spacer bars, four screws in the reel foot, bushings not bearings, these reels tend to distort and seize if you hook anything big with them. You could I suppose use one as a sabiki (bait) reel. I'd just toss them in the trash.
Almost anything built after 1970 will blow all those reels away. I personally wouldn't even consider trying to upgrade the 65.
Buy some used Penn jigmasters and you will be much better off, as with them you have a decent chance of actually landing the fish you hook.
Jim