Home Forums Fishing Saltwater Penn Jigmaster 500, or Senator 4/0

Which would you choose and why ?
Will be used for trolling, and bottom fishing.

Given only those choices, and for only the purpose stated, I'd take the Senator because it will hold more line and handle larger forces. But I prefer fishing the Jigmaster with lighter tackle because of its lightweight and diminutive size.

For trolling- the Senator.

We are finishing gearing up for retirement fishing.
Wife had saltwater gear when we met from fishing in the Pacific off CA., Catalina Island area.
She has a few custom rods, but no action type, line size, or lure weights.
2 of the rods have a Jigmaster, and a 4/0 on them.
We have 1 extra rod that's fairly stiff, and was thinking of another 4/0 for it, as a lighter troller, over a pair Daiwa 610's we have.
We going down Baja to Los Barreles or LA Paz, so we're trying to gear up accordingly.

The "guts" of those two reels are in no way similar. The 4/0 Senator (the Red or Black versions) are built for much heavier usage. The jigmaster is fine for most purposes, but it will eventually fail if pushed beyond its limits. It's not a tuna reel or a reel to pull heavy loads in deep water.

If you go with the 4/0 Senator I would recommend you look at the Penn Baja Special. It's an awesome reel for what you are seeking to do. But it isn't cheap, about $250.00. It will last forever.

I can cast the chit out of either one and I have both, I can cast my 4/0W farther than the jig master. It really depends on what I'm fishing for, in the surf with big baits the 4/0, jig master with smaller baits.

Save your pennies and get an Avet

I feel with braided line even a Jigmaster will cost a fortune to fill. I have a half dozen 501s the narrow version, on King Salmon trolling rods. I have 3/0s with AccuFrames
...for Halibut, they hold about mile of 100 lb braid ! Not really just seems so. I think the drag washers are the same size so, drags are important. A Jigmaster with new drag washers is going to be a happier situation than a slick washered 4/0

I don't know about the jigmaster but I have a 3/0 & a 4/0 pen senators that I got in 74/75 that work like they are still new .a little ruff on the out side but still smooth on the inside . both have been used hard broke a few rods with each on . bottom fishing and trolling use to have different rods for both reels depending on what I was fishing for . I have a 209 pen reel the same age I stacked blocks for my uncle all summer to make money to buy them .when he got paid for the job and was paying me he ask what I was going to spend my money on I told him the fishing reels that I was talking about all summer he laughed and said don't waste your money and said go buy rods then gave me the brand new reels

I agree. A lot better choices now in smaller lighter packages.
Trolling is hard on reels. A buddy that guides uses Avets and services them every year. They’re solid.

Avets are great, going to get an Avet 130 soon, spool it with 200lb braid for shark fishing from the beach and also for offshore.

I have an HXW on the way for halibut and black cod. Gonna run 80lb braid, should be able to fit over 850yds for dropping deep for black cod. Bought a Shimano Trevala jigging rod to go with it.

A Penn 4/0 is a reel that you can thumb the spool, engage the eccentric lever while keeping your hand on the crank and your other hand on the forearm of the rod. Once you learn how to use a 4/0 for deep dropping and live bait fishing a 4/0 can't be beat.

Everything any penn does, an avet does better. Fact. I own an international 16vsx and my LX spooled up with 65lb braid does everything that penn will do. At a fraction of the weight. Know any Avet maintenance shops? Me neither. I own 5 I think now and they are the only reel I'll buy outside of a spinning reel

Sounds like you think you know what your talking about. So why the he'll would anyone want to put 850 yds of braid on a reel and not use any backing? And do you think you can out cast me using your Avet, and me using a Penn 4/0?

I run straight braid because some of the black cod spots are 300-350 fathoms. Use straight braid to minimize drag and so I can feel the hits that far down. I bought that reel strictly for dropping down, not casting. Avet does make smaller reels that are more designed for that kind of thing. I have 2 that I troll with and I can cast them just fine.

For reference I do have an International 16vsx also. Its a solid reel but it weighs a ton. Go jigging all day and you will feel it, which is why I switched to the Avet.

https://www.avetreels.net/reels/mx-series-136/mxj-58-series-lever-drag-casting-reel.html

That's what I run for trolling reels, and they call it a casting reel. I'd fight a halibut on it too. That reel is 17oz. Lighter than a 4/0 by over half. What weight you wanna fling?

They are a whole lot faster too. 5.8:1 compared to 3.3:1. An extra foot every turn of that handle. Comes in handy when you are trolling with cheaters or planer boards.

But like you said, what do I know. You don't know how I fish at all. Wanna know my all time favorite coho lure? A chartreuse sassy shad jig. Caught more on that thing than anything else. Sounds funny but its true.

Could you cast one of these?

I spooled those up with straight 20lb trilene big game for trolling. I can still cast them just fine. I caught my biggest king casting with an abu garcia 6500. That's the last reel I bought with a star drag. A lever drag is much more useful. I've watched people overspin their star drags and it freespools while a fish is running, backlash and it breaks off. You can make it impossible to do that with a lever drag.

The rods are actually cheap Okuma Classic Pro's. One of the best trolling rods I've found and they are really affordable. I wouldn't hesitate to throw one of these on a halibut rod though with some braid. They can handle it.

Again, this is my uninformed 2 cents.

What do I know....

You're right Hank, those are some great reels. We use them a bunch on jigging rods. Lings, yelloweye and halibut, I can honestly say a hundred fish or more a season on each of them and no issues. Maybe a spool bearing every couple years or so, but that's more on us not cleaning them with fresh water well than a fault of the reels.

I know we're talking about 2 totally different types of fishing. I don't like playing with my food or fish. High speed reels are great if your going to fight the fish and not pull on the fish. Some people are foolish enough to think you need to set the hook when a fish bites instead of just reeling.

If you are trolling, the fish hook themselves usually. Its nice with those high speed reels to reel in the other lines and get to fighting the fish without anything in the way.

I fish for food, I don't mess around either. Why do you think I am putting almost 900yds of 80lb on this one reel. I want some black cod.I have more. My LX has 65lb on it. I don't buy fishing gear for fun, its to catch fish. My LX is 6:1 and I yanked my biggest halibut ever up on it.

Do I still "think" I know what I am talking about?

Just cause you think you know what your talking about doesn't mean you actually do. It's easy to BS me because I don't know the first thing about catching halibut, cod or salmon.

I'm gonna buy a Tiburon 4/0 and call it good.

Can't beat an Avet

You can think what you want. I am not a bullshitter. I just know what has worked for me. Take it or leave it. I know for a fact that the drag in an Avet is far superior to anything in a Senator. How do I know? I've seen senators lock up on big fish. The new ones might be different.....I don't know. Apparently stxhunter and MadMooner don't know anything either.

For what it’s worth....I’m from Texas...now AK for 15 years. Hank ain’t bullshitting you. He is spot on from what I’ve experienced.

What the hell do I know....haha

Can only lead a fish to water.....

Always wanted an old Penn 113HN Baja reel.

Avet is a good reel, but when I was ready to move up to something better I went with a Seigler. All American made, lifetime warranty, veteran owned company out of Virginia Beach. A little more $$ but a great reel IMO.

I like that reel, handle is on the wrong side though

I'm a lefty, so it is perrrrfect!

You can get it either way.

Also, nobody wants to borrow it either!

They offer both options in all their models.

Penn Senators that were made in USA were tough long lasting reels. I have a Red 6/0 that I fished with in the Gulf for 20 years. Used 80# mono most of the time. Rinsed with fresh water after using and never did anything else. It is in my attic and still a good reel. I probably fished 100 days a year with it at work.

Does anyone know any companies that make open face , or small baitcasters that are made in The United States. I'm tired of anything made in China these days. It will be used for fresh water and for walleyes and northerns.

Stick with the "Made-in-Japan" reels for the best quality and value.

Does anyone recomend an Amreican made open face reel, or at least one that is not made in China?

Spinning reels?
Penn was still making a few reels domestically, last I saw. Usually their top tier stuff.

Might be worth a call.

Used a couple when they were still called Release and made in Reedville, up on the Chesapeake. Damn good kit.

A lot of charter boats on the Bay still run old USA made Penn 309’s.
Lots of 320’s & 330’s too. My favorite surf casters are Penn 525 mags.