Penn 49A History.

[BTTB]

One of the biggest issues these days is the weed, Platbank inside the point and Cape Maclear has weed in front of it, which means the fish will travel a wider line out of casting range.
These guys from yesteryear used Penn 49s to cast which does not have a very long range by todays standards, last week a gent came down to the Krantz to spin with a 49 setup and old fashioned spinners, he did not catch anything, in most cases his cast was either on the line of the Katonkel that were passing or a few meters short, not to mention the heavy thud of the spinner hitting the water.
Nobody said a thing as we knew he was from the old school, possibly trying to catch a few memories of the good old days and seemed to be enjoying himself, besides there was no Yellowtail around.

 

[QAZA]

gavross22 wrote:

Hi all, I have just been given a Penn 49 by my Dad, in mint condition complete with the original box, price tag (R219.95) and instruction manual. It apparently lived behind his pub for 30 odd years so I am flabbergasted that the paperwork doesn't have any beer stains on it. An interesting point however is that the box is branded as a Penn 49A but the reel only says Penn 49. Maybe someone can shed some light on that for me.

Hi GAVROSS22

Interesting, an old toppie gave me a boxed reel as a present in 1990, as he did not use for quite a while. The box branded 49L, but the reel branded 49. I felt guilty receiving such a magnificent gift, and bought him a case of beer - to this day I remember it cost me R55 for the beer.
Not a bad deal. Used the reel twice with garrick as livy targeting sharks, but no pickups - luckily - I don't think the old bakelite spool would handle the pressure.

 

[mustbite]

Hi guys thanks for all those old pics and stories,I have started a penn/reel collection since this topic started and my brother's girlfriend's oupa is 90 something yers old and my brother got all his fishing stuff so he passed it on to me there were 3 old rods and one boat rod wich has a story to it I don't know the full story buy a record fish was landed with it it also has a penn senetor attached to it. The catch was so great that it made front page in the local paper ,my brother has that paper just waiting for him to bring it then I will share its article

Thanks again for all the interesting stories.

 

[mustbite]

Hi guys I'm looking for some info on my Penn senator 114,H will be happy with any info I can get I mainly want to know when it was first introduced in SA and did it come out with the spool it has(see pic)or is it something they might of put on later,and if I google it I get the Penn senator 114H 6/o is it the one I have.

 

[FRITZABU]

mustbite

From the Penn history list I have, the following on your reel:

" 114H 1964 date introduced (world market) SPECIAL SENATOR 6/0 50 LB CLASS TROLLING & STILL ACTIVE"

The spool is 100% correct for your reel

 

[mustbite]

FRITZABU wrote:

mustbite

From the Penn history list I have, the following on your reel:

" 114H 1964 date introduced (world market) SPECIAL SENATOR 6/0 50 LB CLASS TROLLING & STILL ACTIVE"

The spool is 100% correct for your reel

Hi there Fritrabu thanks for that bit of info I realy appreciate it ,so what does the 6/0 mean as there is nothing on the reel just the 114H ?
:wfish

 

[FRITZABU]

As far as I know the original size of the reels were indicated as 1/0 2/0 3/0 4/0 6/0 and up to the 16/0

The other numbers also had to do with the model numbers. The numbers like 114 & 114H is also to make a distinction between the various models that were available

Our friend from USA "m3040c" on this page, will be able to explain it better. Send him a PM

 

[mustbite]

FRITZABU wrote:

As far as I know the original size of the reels were indicated as 1/0 2/0 3/0 4/0 6/0 and up to the 16/0

The other numbers also had to do with the model numbers. The numbers like 114 & 114H is also to make a distinction between the various models that were available

Our friend from USA "m3040c" on this page, will be able to explain it better. Send him a PM

Thanks will do:wfish

 

[Fish Punk]

Came across this thread by chance. My old man has the Penn 49 and 49A. Bought when they came out. Both are in full working order condition. What he told me was the 49A with the larger spool was designed specifically for the tuna fisherman here in South Africa. He has fond memories of seeing the huge tuna swam past Robberg. All the fishermen spinning for yellowtail would reel in as if they hooked into one of those monster, it's tickets. So the larger line capacity of 49A would allowed those guys from being spooled off.

Most of what my dad caught on both reels were small in-eds and kob. I'll be using the 49 in three weeks when I head off to Kei Mouth. Those reels are die hards if looked after and service properly.

 

[Free to fish.]

Morning, I have two Penn 49's one inherited and one bought new at the old tackle shop(now closed) in Salt river.
The inherited one was bought by my grandfather whom was a train driver and used to fish at fishhoek while the train was on the turn about. This reel was passed on to my father whom used it for boat and rock fishing. I then inherited the reel and use it for boat and rock fishing.
The interesting thing is that the old reel is in better condition generally that the new one that I bought two generations later. I used both reel equally as I generally fish with two rods. All that I have replaced in my life time is the old reels colourfull handle and a few screws. I service the reels myself, maybe once a year.
Name me any other make of reel which could give that performance.

 

[No-Pro]

I knew an old oom in Paarl,about my grandpa's age.
He used to own a tackle shop and i enjoyed his fishing stories so much, i would pop in the tackle shop every few days, even when i didnt need tackle, just for those fishing stories of back in the day. Apparently he was also a wizard in fishing and was fishing up to that age, although it was difficult getting anywhere, because of a very advanced lung illness (I used to organize him oxygen masks). It was a very sad day for me when he passed away.
He showed me his old receipt books and said with dismay: "One screw for a Penn now cost R10, see here (he showed me in the book) in November 1976, i sold a damn Penn 49 for R10".
My dad still has a 49A, slightly used, but mint and a 49, which he used 2x. Dad bought the 49 at a clearance sale of a sport shop, think 1983 it was, he paid R89.
I started my fishing at about 10yrs old, using a 10ft fibreglass rod and the 49A. If you got to 80m, it was a "lekker gooi". I still reckon, that is why i get such good distance today with our modern tackle, because those rods and reels you had to really gooi to get anywhere. Brilliant thread by the way, makes for good reading.

 

[FRITZABU]

The Chronological History of Penn Reels, 1932-1957 and The Penn Reel Collector's Companion and Price Guide, 1932-1957 by Michael Cacioppo is a must for anyone collecting Penn reels.Its not cheap (thanks to our weak rand), but its a very good book.

Please check this link and if any problems, feel free to contact me

http://www.whitefishpress.com/bookdetail.asp?book=198

http://www.whitefishpress.com/bookdetail.asp?book=195

I have just received my personal copy of "The Chronological History of Penn Reels, 1932-1957" and its a stunning book.

 

[Big Bad Bob]

Just found this thread
I have and still use my pen49
Have other reels but just love my pen.
Yes it is over 20 years old but still looks almost new, just Been well used but looked after
Ok so I am not alone

 

[Big Bad Bob]

How I came to find this thread is I am trying to find out how much love me it takes, because this thing swallows reals of it.

 

[Big Bad Bob]

Not love but line, bloody spell check.

 

[Big Bad Bob]

Just a note I still have and use my 500 and 505's

 

[kennylau]

Since about 2 years ago I have been visiting pawn shops all around the country and bought quite a few of these reels. Some are still working fine. Love to use them on the boat most of the times.

What a thread!!

Jy kan my in 'n wip vang met sulke historiese stories!!

((goodp_

 

[Polychaete]

Arniston wrote:

Yes it was Mike Stott...I remember him well...a congenial personality...I met him once when I dated his daughter Renee way back in the mid seventies...his wife was involved with the Black Sash...I think she was a Councillor in Cape Town and yes he was a director of Lemkus.


 

Just to add something else to this bit of fishing history, if you Google Eulalie Stott you will find much history on this lady who became a Councilor in the City of Cape Town donkeys years ago. https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/mayor/Pages/Eulalie_Stott.aspx

 

[BTTB]

It would be wonderful if the 2 Stott daughters could pick up on this thread and make a contribution.

Eulalie married Mike Stott and was widowed after a 50-year marriage in 1999. They had two daughters, Louise and René. She died at her home in Claremont at the age of 87.

 

[Machine]

I have a few 49's and 49A's, might still have a box or two from them. They were bought by my grandfather, then passed down to my father and now they are mine.

I don't know if I still have the box, but I had one a few years ago. Retail price R73,00 if I remember correctly