Penn 49A History.

E

Ed Barrett

New member
Hello,

We are attempting to write some Penn Fishing Tackle history and would appreciate any information regarding the sale and use of the Penn 49A reels that was exclusive sold to anglers who resided in South Africa in the 1950s.

The Penn 49A is a wide spool adaption of the regular Penn narrow spool 49, The 49A was a very limited production reel and can be identified by the logo that shows the letter "A" to the right of the the embossment by the crank handle.

We would really appreciate corresponding with folks who actually used the Penn 49A as to where they fished, what they caught with it, and if they would have any boxes and paper work that accompanied the sale of these reels.

Thank you for taking the time to read our request.

Best regards,

Ed Barrett

353 Glenn Lakes Drive

Rio Vista, CA 94571

USA
 

Attachments

  • 1954 Penn Deep Sea Reel 49A--wide South Africa export reel 011.JPG
    1954 Penn Deep Sea Reel 49A--wide South Africa export reel 011.JPG
    46.2 KB · Views: 1,265
J

jb2

Sealiner
Hi Ed

Welcome to Sealine.

The Penn 49A is still alive and well and fishing in South Africa. Come down to a launch site when you see the snoek (barracouta, Thyrsites atun) running in the Cape and you will see quite a few boats with a 49 or 49A in the mix

I am a bit young to offer advice on its use in the 50's

I would imagine that to understand the use of the Penn 49, it would help to understand the recommendations of fishing writers after WWII

South Africa made the transition from "Scarborough" reels to nylon and geared multiplier reels.

There were a few prominent writers at the time who recommended the Penn 49.

Charles Horne was an angling journalist for a news paper in the Cape and he included the Penn 49 as his suggested basic piece of equipment for "entry level" fishing.

This must have a profound effect on sales and "market acceptance".

My personal view is that the Penn 49 was at the right place at the right time in South Africa.

It was a multipurpose reel and South Africans were starting to explore their waters in recreational boats in the 50's, 60's, and 70's and the Penn 49 probably fitted in well given the species that most people were encountering.

I have also seen very few Ocean City reels or Pfluegers in SA and I would imagine that these would have been direct competition to the Penn 49 in the USA.

Drop me a PM and I will put you in touch with some of the older commercial and recreational fishermen who were operating in the 50's.
 
G

Guppigetta

New member
Apparently the Penn 49 A was made specially for a man named Scott (can't remember his first name) who fished at Cape Point. He used to spin for Yellow Tail, and emptied his old 49 on every cast.I read that for exercise he would do a handstand against a wall and then do push ups and clap his hands on the up stroke. He was the one who requested that a Penn 49 be modified to a wide spool. I don't know who did the modification.
 
J

jb2

Sealiner
Guppigetta wrote:
Apparently the Penn 49 A was made specially for a man named Scott (can't remember his first name) who fished at Cape Point. He used to spin for Yellow Tail, and emptied his old 49 on every cast.I read that for exercise he would do a handstand against a wall and then do push ups and clap his hands on the up stroke. He was the one who requested that a Penn 49 be modified to a wide spool. I don't know who did the modification.
Click to expand...

Hi Guppigetta

I wonder if Tromp Van Diggelen wasn't the guy. He was a tuna fisherman and one of those strongman types.
 
S

Serra Moz

Sealiner
I think most of the older lifetime anglers 40 yrs plus, must have gone through the Penn ranks eg. 180 or 85......500...eventually ended up with a 49.
 
E

Ed Barrett

New member

Thank you very much for the information regarding the Penn 49 and 49A reels.

It is good to know that these reels are still being used today.

We appreciate the information you furnished us.

Best regards,

Ed Barrett

Member of the Old Reel Collectors Association

Rio Vista, CA 94571

USA
 

Attachments

  • Penn49A Display 001.jpg
    Penn49A Display 001.jpg
    27.9 KB · Views: 1,217
J

Joker

Senior Member
Serra Moz wrote:
I think most of the older lifetime anglers 40 yrs plus, must have gone through the Penn ranks eg. 180 or 85......500...eventually ended up with a 49.
Click to expand...

I started fishing with the Penn 49A and eventually got the 49(narrow spool). I still have the narrow spool.
 
S

Serra Moz

Sealiner
Joker wrote:
Serra Moz wrote:
I think most of the older lifetime anglers 40 yrs plus, must have gone through the Penn ranks eg. 180 or 85......500...eventually ended up with a 49.
Click to expand...

I started fishing with the Penn 49A and eventually got the 49(narrow spool). I still have the narrow spool.
Click to expand...
I think, I was about 14 when I started with a 49r.... spooled with those thick sea green maxima...after quite a few "kraaineste" and blisters on my fingers - I could operate then pretty well. I have used them on boats as well.
 
S

Serra Moz

Sealiner
Ed Barrett wrote:

Thank you very much for the information regarding the Penn 49 and 49A reels.

It is good to know that these reels are still being used today.

We appreciate the information you furnished us.

Best regards,

Ed Barrett

Member of the Old Reel Collectors Association

Rio Vista, CA 94571

USA
Click to expand...
Ed I take it you've seen the reel collections on Sealine? I have bought some older reels from the States on eBay, however with the exchange rate/postage/tax it can be very expensive. Please do post some pics of the reels (Old Reel Collectors Association)
 
G

Guppigetta

New member
Hi jb2, the guys surname was Scott.If someone has all the old Stywe lyne/Tight lines in their possession they can look it up. Round about 1950's. I'm sure the story is in one of them.
 
G

Guppigetta

New member
Sorry guys,1960's. I remember Stywe Lyne had an article on the history of the Penn reels a little while ago, I think there was something about Scott in there too.
 
G

Guppigetta

New member
Thanx Expat, that was the guys name. Jb2, Mike used to throw spinners at rooikranz and other places on the peninsular. Whenever Mike went fishing, he would draw a crowd of onlookers to watch his powerful casting, early day pendulum cast. Apparently he was the one to request the wide spool 49 be made.
 
H

Hooked

Senior Member
My first salt water reel was actually a shopping bag with all the components for 3 x 49A reels
I built one reel out of the lot which I used at Pearly beach with absolutly no sucsess whatsoever
The guy who taught me how to cast was left handed and , although I am right handed , he taught me as a south paw and I still sometimes revert with out thinking
 
Q

QAZA

Senior Member
Guppigetta wrote:
Apparently the Penn 49 A was made specially for a man named Scott (can't remember his first name) who fished at Cape Point. He used to spin for Yellow Tail, and emptied his old 49 on every cast.I read that for exercise he would do a handstand against a wall and then do push ups and clap his hands on the up stroke. He was the one who requested that a Penn 49 be modified to a wide spool. I don't know who did the modification.
Click to expand...
Chuck Norris's oupa I presume
 
T

thika

Sealiner
I typed a moer of a long story here now, before the stove shorted the house DB and my :fbash:fbash:fbash reply!

So, here is the short version:

Penn 49A: Bacelite spool...sharks could crack it :)

Penn 49M: Metal spool...casted a few nautical miles, but unstoppable, so big groot kraaineste

Now, MY kwestjin: is the Penn 49 the same reel as the 6/0 Senator?

PS: Kraaines = overwind in Americanese

PS2: Nothing better in the whole world than taking a knife to a kraaines!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top