Penn Battle II Spinning on 9 feet rod. Whats furthest casting line?

[Fred Allen]

I got this rod and reel for christmas. Its very big stuff but I fish tomhannock reservoir which does not allow boats and I am always seeing monster fish jumping out of range of a cast. One time I put a big old heddon bait on and threw it out with all my might and got a really nice 5+ pound small mouth bass right after I saw him jump. Such a rush seeing that big brown fish jump all the way out of the water. Reeling him in on my Zebco 33 was intense and anything. 

 

Which line would allow me to cast furthest with this Penn Battle II and 9 feet rod? Any tips on how to get it way out?

[jimmyjoe]

   I take it you have the Battle 2 in 4000 size, correct? Specs on that are here:

 

   https://www.pennfishing.com/products/battle-ii-spinning-1338219?variant=34036202832012

 

  As for the rod, what is the brand and model, and what are the specs (power, action, line test and lure weight) written on the die of the blank?

   With more info, people can help you much better.           jj

[Fred Allen]

Oh sorry I forgot its the 6000 size one. Seems pretty big but it was a gift so I want to use it for bass fishing.

[MN Fisher]

My word - that's a surf-fishing rig. While it could work for bass - I'd see if you could trade it in on a 3000 size reel and a Medium-Heavy rod or a 2000-2500 size reel and a Medium rod...those are more  bass rigs.

[Fred Allen]

I dont know anybody who fishes to trade and I already opened it and played with it so im sure the store would not take it back for trade. I dont even know where it was purchased from.  If I put the right line would it cast further than my Zebco 33 rod reel combo I use? 

[MN Fisher]

I'm out of ideas then...a 9' rod is usable, though very ungainly for bass fishing, but a 6000 size Battle II is massive and really not suited for bass fishing at all.

 

I'd still take it to the shop and explain the situation...good stores are pretty forgiving. Might not get full value back, but enough to get a fairly decent bass rig.

[bulldog1935]

A 9' rod with that big spool should cast very far.  Every 20% increase in the speed of the lure leaving your rod doubles your cast distance.  The reason to fish a longer rod is to get that extra cast speed/distance.  

I fish a 9' ML inshore when I need to reach extra distance (casting across cuts).  

 

The reel will hold 280-yds of 17-lb mono or 220 yds 20-lb.  I think your best bet would be to spool it about 80-90% of the way with 20-lb. mono for backing, then finish it off with 20-lb braid.  

That would fish well with the MH rod, definitely get you a long cast. 

 

Here's a very good line calculator for stacking lines of different diameter:  

https://www.pattayafishing.net/advanced-fishing-reel-line-capacity-estimator/

(I use this calculator all the time and it's pretty accurate)

Start with the capacity of your reel in yards and line diameter. Put in the yds and diameter of the backing, then the diameter of the braid, and it will tell you how much braid you need to finish filling the spool.  (or fix the braid amount and calculate the backing length, etc.)

 

Make sure you load your backing line under tension - I run mine through a phone book with a weight on top, can tie my knot without releasing tension on the backing, and finish loading my working line under tension.  

 

Just offering a positive outcome with what you have.  

Maybe later you could swap in a lighter reel with less line capacity.   

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

A 9' rod with that big spool should cast very far. 

My concern for him with that rig - the Battle II 6000 weighs 22oz...he's going to get really tired working that rig for long periods of time.

[Fred Allen]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

A 9' rod with that big spool should cast very far.  Every 20% increase in the speed of the lure leaving your rod doubles your cast distance.  The reason to fish a longer rod is to get that extra cast speed/distance.  

I fish a 9' ML inshore when I need to reach extra distance (casting across cuts).  

 

The reel will hold 280-yds of 17-lb mono or 220 yds 20-lb.  I think your best bet would be to spool it about 80-90% of the way with 20-lb. mono for backing, then finish it off with 20-lb braid.  

That would fish well with the MH rod, definitely get you a long cast. 

 

Here's a very good line calculator for stacking lines of different diameter:  

https://www.pattayafishing.net/advanced-fishing-reel-line-capacity-estimator/

Start with the capacity of your reel in yards and line diameter. Put in the yds and diameter of the backing, then the diameter of the braid, and it will tell you how much braid you need to finish filling the spool.  (or fix the braid amount and calculate the backing length, etc.)

 

Make sure you load your backing line under tension - I run mine through a phone book with a weight on top, can tie my knot without releasing tension on the backing, and finish loading my working line under tension.  

 

Just offering a positive outcome with what you have.  

Maybe later you could swap in a lighter reel with less line capacity.   

If I put the mono on first how do I attach the braid to the mono? Would the knot catch on the rod on the way out ? Is that better than just all 20 braid?

 

 

52 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

My concern for him with that rig - the Battle II 6000 weighs 22oz...he's going to get really tired working that rig for long periods of time.

Thats probably right. I will probably take 2 rods with me. I also got a Apu Garcia promax bait reel. But I never used one before so I have to learn to use it also buy a rod for it.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, Fred Allen said:

If I put the mono on first how do I attach the braid to the mono? Would the knot catch on the rod on the way out ? Is that better than just all 20 braid?

Learn the double-uni knot. When spooling the line up, work it so the knot is at the bottom of the spool.

Get some 10#-12# Berkley Big Game to use as backing - it's very inexpensive. The capacity of that reel is such that you'd have to get several spools of braid to fill it - which means knots anyway.

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Fred Allen said:

Thats probably right. I will probably take 2 rods with me. I also got a Apu Garcia promax bait reel. But I never used one before so I have to learn to use it also buy a rod for it.

Best all-around - a 7' Medium-Heavy/Fast. Get one, spool up the reel with mono - the same stuff you used for backing on the B-II.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/spool-line-baitcasting.html

 

 Now get a couple practice plugs - then watch this vid on how to cast a baitcaster...then practice, practice, practice.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/cast-adjust-baitcast.html

[jimmyjoe]

19 minutes ago, Fred Allen said:

I also got a Abu Garcia promax bait reel.

 

   1) Sell the big rod and reel on the auction site.

   2) Use the money to buy a casting rod for your casting reel, with money left over.

   3) With the money left over, buy  some line and lures.

   4) Go fishing. Catch fish. Have fun. Life is good.    ??     jj

[bulldog1935]

12 hours ago, Fred Allen said:

If I put the mono on first how do I attach the braid to the mono? Would the knot catch on the rod on the way out ? Is that better than just all 20 braid?

I use an Allbright knot, but double uni-knot will work fine for that joint.  You will probably never see it again, if you have 150 yds braid over the top.  

You won't be casting 150 yards, and if you're paying that much drag on Moby Smallmouth, the knot will glide.  

 

The problem with all-braid, the capacity of that reel is almost 500 yds of 30-lb braid.  

I'll do an example calculation for you here:  

Let's say you're going for 150 yds 20-lb Sufix 832 for your working line - that's 0.23 mm diameter.  

 

Your total reel capacity is 200 m (220 yds), 20-lb 0.45 mm mono.  

 

If your backing is 20-lb, 0.45 mm diameter, you need about 170 yds backing plus 150 yds 20-lb braid working line to fill the spool.  

 

That 320 yds total of 20-lb mono + 20-lb. braid makes a lot more sense than 465 yds 30-lb braid, and will definitely cast farther.  

 

If you want to go all mono, the reel holds 280 yds of 17-lb, but won't cast as far.  

 

Fred, keep us posted...

[Eric 26]

If you can’t find big game mono I’ve used Zebco omniflex monofilament line as backer. Cheap and readily available in 20# test size at your local Wal Mart.

[VGT]

12 hours ago, Fred Allen said:

If I put the mono on first how do I attach the braid to the mono? Would the knot catch on the rod on the way out ? Is that better than just all 20 braid?

 

 

I use 20# braid on my 3 rods one spinning and 2 casting and always use a fluorocarbon leader between 6 and 20 # depending what I'm doing. Usually about the length of the rod so i have room to play after tying on many lures. I use the FG Knott and it casts through guides easier than any other knot i have found, its a little daunting at first to tie but once you figure it out its super easy. You'll want to use a leader on your braid in most situations as well, wouldn't recommend the double uni casting through guides for a leader, but as mentioned its just fine for backing. If your rod had larger guides it wont be as much of a problem.

[Fred Allen]

I went to Dicks/field stream today to spend my gift card. I got a Pflueger President Spincast rod/reel combo. I wanted a "good" spincast because while I enjoyed my Zebco 33 all summer it is really bad shape and grinds and bad now. The Pflueger cast great and is very smooth. 

 

I put the Apu Garcia reel on the new Pflueger rod to try it out. I loaded it up with braid I got today and went to the Husdon to try to practice using the bait cast.  You see the picture that is all the line left. I got such tangles I had to cut off a bunch of line. It was a full spool. THESE ARE NO JOKE very hard to use. It took me 3 hours out in the cold until I got the hang of it. But now I can effortlessly cast the bait caster further than the zebco 33 would swinging with all my might.   

 

Now I see what people talk about when they say the "feel the lure". I can feel every chatter of a chatter bait and every time my lure hits something in the water. It is amazing I cant wait for spring so badly. Fishing with that Zebco was like fishing blind compared to this setup.

 

I am holding off for now on the line in my giant penn 6000 because I spent all my funds for now but I will follow the advice here when I do it. 

[jimmyjoe]

39 minutes ago, Fred Allen said:

It took me 3 hours out in the cold until I got the hang of it.

 

   Three hours? Three HOURS?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME? There have been people who tried for three weeks and still couldn't cast further than they could spit! 

   You're not a fast learner, you're a prodigy!  ?

 

 

BTW .... congratulations on discovering the next level of fishing. You're gonna enjoy the heck out of it. And when you have any questions, just come back here. Everyone here will be willing to help you.  ???     jj

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(three hours?)   

 

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

I have the 3000 Battle on my 9’ salmon rod.  I can cast towards the horizon.  It’s my surf fish rig to target perch.  My line is 20lb powerPro braid. 
 

‘’I can got beyond the breakers about 60 yards if I had to guess.  

[Darth-Baiter]

6 hours ago, Fred Allen said:

I went to Dicks/field stream today to spend my gift card. I got a Pflueger President Spincast rod/reel combo. I wanted a "good" spincast because while I enjoyed my Zebco 33 all summer it is really bad shape and grinds and bad now. The Pflueger cast great and is very smooth. 

 

I put the Apu Garcia reel on the new Pflueger rod to try it out. I loaded it up with braid I got today and went to the Husdon to try to practice using the bait cast.  You see the picture that is all the line left. I got such tangles I had to cut off a bunch of line. It was a full spool. THESE ARE NO JOKE very hard to use. It took me 3 hours out in the cold until I got the hang of it. But now I can effortlessly cast the bait caster further than the zebco 33 would swinging with all my might.   

 

Now I see what people talk about when they say the "feel the lure". I can feel every chatter of a chatter bait and every time my lure hits something in the water. It is amazing I cant wait for spring so badly. Fishing with that Zebco was like fishing blind compared to this setup.

 

I am holding off for now on the line in my giant penn 6000 because I spent all my funds for now but I will follow the advice here when I do it. 

Well done.  For. me at least; my baitcast reels are more prone to backlash when I start running the spool low on line.   Just be aware of it.  

[VGT]

21 hours ago, Fred Allen said:

I went to Dicks/field stream today to spend my gift card. I got a Pflueger President Spincast rod/reel combo. I wanted a "good" spincast because while I enjoyed my Zebco 33 all summer it is really bad shape and grinds and bad now. The Pflueger cast great and is very smooth. 

 

I put the Apu Garcia reel on the new Pflueger rod to try it out. I loaded it up with braid I got today and went to the Husdon to try to practice using the bait cast.  You see the picture that is all the line left. I got such tangles I had to cut off a bunch of line. It was a full spool. THESE ARE NO JOKE very hard to use. It took me 3 hours out in the cold until I got the hang of it. But now I can effortlessly cast the bait caster further than the zebco 33 would swinging with all my might.   

 

Now I see what people talk about when they say the "feel the lure". I can feel every chatter of a chatter bait and every time my lure hits something in the water. It is amazing I cant wait for spring so badly. Fishing with that Zebco was like fishing blind compared to this setup.

 

I am holding off for now on the line in my giant penn 6000 because I spent all my funds for now but I will follow the advice here when I do it. 

Man should have practiced with cheap mono and save the $10-15. if you ever get the opportunity to teach someone to use one pull out a maximum casting distance plus some worth of line and run a rotation or two of electrical tape around the spool, back lashes will be prevented or easy to pick out. Anyways once you figure out how to pick them out its not bad most of the time with braid I give mine a few tugs and they come out never had to cut my line except once when I caught a tree on my back that was brutal.