Im looking to get 2 new reels for my downrigger rods

[longbow]

The Penns' don't come with lc's.  I am looking at some Shakespeare Ugly Sticks with inline counters.  Maybe give a couple of those a try this year.  There is a fella in our Marina, a Charter Capt. that uses Penn's and he doesn't use line counters at all and puts fish in the boat all the time.  He uses the newer style level winds though. I've a Catalina  level wind that is great too, a couple of Stratamasters etc.etc.  and they are good also.  But the Penn's beats me I like them.  Solid gear cut drags, bails, and oiling ports.  Super smooth, nice clickers that you can turn off too.  So there ya go.  Down riggers you don't need a line counter though.  And boards you just free spool a 209 and count how many times the bail goes back and forth and you cant get pretty accurate with them with full spools.  When the fish are on a bite you can pretty much count on a bite no matter what, least that is what I have found.  thanks

[finsntins]

WOW!!!!thats different,dont need line counters,man i have wasted alot of money the past couple of years.would love to see what happens counting the levelwinder in 6 footers!!!!!better be tethered to the boat and have taken your dramamine!!!!but like he said,when the fish are biting,the fish are biting!?!?!?!?

[BAZOOKAJOE]

Daiwa Sealine LC5 from Cabelas!! SG57LC with 6.2:1 ratio for $109!!

[Richard]

longbow, Penn do come with a lc.

 

http://www.tackledirect.com/penn-209lc-line-counter-level-wind-reel.html?CA_6C15C=1414136170

 

god bless and tight lines

[baitrigger]

Why do you need lc on rigger reels? What are you counting in rough water? Im lost. We got penn 330 gts a couple years ago, love em. They have been bullet proff so far. The squal is a new version of the old thing. Also have a couple 320s and 345s. One bad clicker and penn shipped a new one.

[Silver Fox]

I didn't think I'd EVER hear someone say they didn't like the high gear ratio. Lol

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[longbow]

I was talking the older Penn reels not having line counters.  The new Penns in fact do but I don't own any of those.  As for down rigger reels you don't need line counters, dipsy rods yep(maybe), and planer boards not really either.  I've used both non lc's and lc's on my boards and have good luck with and without the lc's on there.  I don't use lc's on my riggers cause I don't need them.  You might though and I have been out in six footers easily on my boat, put out two Amish bags and your good to go.  Never been sea sick either.  Only have shipped water over the cuddy once and the stern once and was not any fun so quit fishing both times then.  So there ya go.  High gear ratio reels are nice though.  But don't see much difference reeling in a fish with a Penn vs any of my Okumas', least way don't notice it, and my dipsy divers are a PITA reeling them in no matter what.  And when the fish are biting the fish are biting.  Especially spring and fall on the boards.  

 

In the summer we stay at  Hughes and most of the folks there are very hard core fisherman.  You can get 10 different guys coming in with 10 different ways they caught fish.  So my thought is that if you're in the general vicinity of depth and location you'll do alright.  I am fortunate enough to be friends with most so the info. is there on where and what to use.  So there ya go.  You like line counter reels then buy'em up, if you like older Penns' like me I buy them up, whatever floats your boat! thanks

[finsntins]

had to go back and reed the original post,i guess for rigger reels you could get away without line counters,not setting them back to far,i guess you could count,i like to know exactly what the set back is for repetion,i have never been on a boat that doesnt have them,but to each his own. and high speed would be good for rigger reels,i didnt like them for pulling in dipsies,i could have tried them for the riggers,but i hated the location of the linecounter.

[finsntins]

you know,its a reel kick in the pants that this just came up about the penn reels.just last week i gave some 209's and 309's away that i have had kicking around in the basement from my salt water years.gave them to a guy in n.h.never thought to post them here,cause i never heard of anyone using them on the lake.sorry,wish this conversation would have come up sooner!!!

 

I was talking the older Penn reels not having line counters.  The new Penns in fact do but I don't own any of those.  As for down rigger reels you don't need line counters, dipsy rods yep(maybe), and planer boards not really either.  I've used both non lc's and lc's on my boards and have good luck with and without the lc's on there.  I don't use lc's on my riggers cause I don't need them.  You might though and I have been out in six footers easily on my boat, put out two Amish bags and your good to go.  Never been sea sick either.  Only have shipped water over the cuddy once and the stern once and was not any fun so quit fishing both times then.  So there ya go.  High gear ratio reels are nice though.  But don't see much difference reeling in a fish with a Penn vs any of my Okumas', least way don't notice it, and my dipsy divers are a PITA reeling them in no matter what.  And when the fish are biting the fish are biting.  Especially spring and fall on the boards.  

 

In the summer we stay at  Hughes and most of the folks there are very hard core fisherman.  You can get 10 different guys coming in with 10 different ways they caught fish.  So my thought is that if you're in the general vicinity of depth and location you'll do alright.  I am fortunate enough to be friends with most so the info. is there on where and what to use.  So there ya go.  You like line counter reels then buy'em up, if you like older Penns' like me I buy them up, whatever floats your boat! thanks

[Gill-T]

Saltists without line counters for riggers.  Penn 209 could have been used for 1 or 2 colors, wire line bottom bouncer for lakers, etc.

[Adk1]

Trying to find a place to purchase a few Okuma Catilinas. The 303 series.