Remember the old 500?

Jigmaster that is,many or most bought this reel as thier first reel to get after those big fish

Bet many of you still have one or more of these reels today,I only have one today but in the past I never had less than two,bought my first in 1960 for 13.50$:lolenn started building the reel in 59 so mine was one of the first on the market.

It came with two plastic spools and a quick take apart feature,4=1 gear ratio,what will they think of next

With a little practice you could throw a anchovy or sardine far enough to get the job done,I then discovered jig fishing and never looked back,there was a problem with the early models they would blow up in your hands, the side plates would fly off,the spool would implode and hundreds of yds of line would form this monster that would get bigger and bigger

If the line didn,t break by then you could bet it would any second,it was always good for a laugh from your buddies,this went on for a while then penn got a metal spool which was a little better it just took longer for the explosion to take place.

The big spinners way back were trash the so the 500,s had little competion,people are still catching alot of fish with their 500,s today and they only cost 60$.

Any body have a story about their 500?
Rob

I still have a couple of them------mainly because I never knew that they "blow up".

I must admit that I have not used them in years, tho.

Barry

I had three Long Bch reels a 60,67and a 68,I think they have been around longer than the 500.

I forgot the drags in the early models real laughers had to change them often.

Made a trip to Guadalupe is 63 seemed like everyone had a 500 several did not make it home.

I think we need to get back to the basics,we have taken some of the hunt out of it,GPS,sonar,braided line,two speed reels,but toys are fun

Remember TxLxP=S

Timing X Location X Presentation = Sucess

They made transmissions for other reels also if I remember right,saw one on a Long BCH 68 and a couple of Squidders,a long time ago
Rob

Still have a couple of them and even use them on ocassion. They have both been upgraded with Tiburon frames, accurate side plates and handles. Here is one that my son's friend used to catch this sail on our last trip to Loreto. I asked him to use a little larger reel when the sailfish were around. If he had listened we would have had a double that morning. I had spotted a second sail and was moving the boat slowly into casting range for my son. Just before my son could let his mackeral fly this one took off and I had to chase it down.

[Edited on 1-21-2012 by Alan]

Another reel I liked back then was the 501 same but smaller,loved using it for albacore,another was a old black 6/0 again the drag needed help often,started getting fancy about then and got a couple red 4/0,s,I traded a small generator for the 6/0.

About that time I started making up my own blanks,Truline and Fenwick were favorites,and rods you guys probably never seen ,long Calcutta cane rods 10' or longer,guys used these for Bat ray and shark fishing,miss all that stuff,I,m down from all that to catching planters in shallow lakes
Rob

I grew up fishing the 500s in Morro Bay (Cayucas). I must have a dozen or so, and like others, some are tricked out with frames and side plates. A few years ago I picked up this 3/0 Penn 112H Senator. I've not broken this reel down but I'm guessing it's got the same size drags as the 500? I passed up buying a 2/0 Senator and now wish I had.
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the old 500 in action... note the puple rapala that YFT almost completely INHALED!!!!

the biggie that killed the 500. note the abundance of line from Juan Carlos handlining that brute from the depths.

i sure hope the tuna return this summer. very good times and better eating.....

Igor cat gut was the hot set up in the sweet water when I was a kid,yes we used it for leader material,dry it was hard and had alot of memory soft it just laid there,had to be careful with your knots,never forget the old man and his trolling outfitbig old narrow reel of some kind full of white cuttyhunk line probably 100# test and catgut leader trolling for rainbows or the same rig with steel monel line trolling for Mackinaw as they were called then but Lake Trout today.

I used hand lines as a kid through the ice,funny thing they had laws that said its ok to catch white fish but you can,t catch rainbows through the ice? like you could pick and chose?

The next best thing to catchin is talking fishing and the old days.
Rob

ahh, the "old" days. i refer to them days as "the last good outing!"

a little slow in here

This was it's weak point in my opinion. Once these teeth developed nicks the gear would seize and the reel would freeze, or just skip. Either way it was useless. I carried a spare in my tackle box.

If you let a large fish run in free spool (as you're supposed to do) and then through it into gear while the fish is going full bore, then you can damage that pinion. The old ones looked like they were made of brass or something.



[Edited on 8-31-2018 by Skipjack Joe]

Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

This was it's weak point in my opinion. Once these teeth developed nicks the gear would seize and the reel would freeze, or just skip. Either way it was useless. I carried a spare in my tackle box.