# 706 blowing up.



## flipper1 (Dec 2, 2013)

every once and a while, ill read a post about older reels blowing up while fighting a fish, 706's and 302's in particular.
1) what exactly is blowing up?
2) what can i do to prevent this from happening?

I have a 706 greenie that i take pride in and the last thing i want to see is it ruined. If that entails hanging it up on the wall and buying a staal, i may hop on the ban wagon. I was born in New York and still have our families vacation house in long island and would be more than happy to go up there for the striper run with a staal.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Generally what people are referring to with Mitchells & Z-series Penns blowing up is the spool exploding due to too much pressure. However, "blowing up" a reel can also mean a bearing "blowing up" or a pinion or main breaking. 

& man would I love to go up to the Northeast sometime for a striper/bluefish run....


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## Pierrunner (Feb 4, 2016)

I have a few 706s and 704s ive seen one 706 blow up on the pier and that was due to a guy trying to lock down on a 100+ lb tarpon that was running hard


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

It mostly happens when you are fighting a fish that has ran a long ways like a big king, or tarpon. When you pump back and reel down, you don't wont to wind the line on too tight or the spool will explode.


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## flipper1 (Dec 2, 2013)

So if the fish is running hard i should just slow down the spool with my hand, and be steady with my pumps?


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## Hawkseye (Feb 17, 2012)

I've never seen a 706 "blow up" that was spooled with 20lb mono. I've caught just about everything you can imagine without 50lb Power Pro and without holding the spool. The reels weren't designed for that.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Ill be that guy..... Buy a van staal and put the penn on a self. 


On a serious note, most times your just blowing out the gears, stripping them, you'll know when it happens, keep lube on your reel, don't use braided line. Mono stretches so it will help your drag out. I'm not a professional. But I've had two get destroyed fishing tarpon when I was younger. 

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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

I've got some very early 706Zs bought right after they came out. I've changed one shaft since 1978.

People fishing braid have a tendency to tighten their drags down well beyond what the reel is designed for....not to mention winding up with a fish at the pier too green to gaff.


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## startzc (Feb 4, 2013)

Ive seen a stal blow up too, they are not any better unless you're taking it underwater.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

I've seen about 3 Staals grind gears and blow up, one time the guy was reeling in a king and you heard gears grinding then the spool popped off. I fish with 706z and never really had a problem with them and never seen one blow up. But, like everything else if you maintain them properly it doesn't matter if it's a Ford it will last.


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

they are refering to the main gear stripping out ive never seen it happen with a 706 302s on the other hand i had brand new 1 strip out on 3 20 lb cobia first day replaced the gear and the same reel fished 3 years dont use 50 lb power pro u should be fine


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

Yes I've seen stripped gears on a 704/706.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

I got a fine 706 for sale... 


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

The older green penn706's had a cast/aluminum spool and are prone to crack with extreme line packing...It can happen at the baitshop putiing line on your spool with a machine....I fish with a greenie but replaced the spool with a newer spool and haven't had any problem's....One thing to keep in mind when you are fighting a big fish is to have the spool down inside the cup when putting heavy pressure on it.....This will keep you from bending the shaft ....Once its done its very hard to get it straight again.....I hold the cup the spool and reel housing when I'm putting extreme pressure on fish as I have seen it ALL break....The reel stem coming off the foot can break also..302's were designed for 17# mono and before powerpro 30lb mono would strip gears setting hooks into cobia....glad Mitchell made over a million of them.....
Van Staals are NOT bullet proof either,their anti reverse clutch bearings can fail especially when you hang up the line casting a 3oz. jig at warp speed....


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Any one who thinks a staal is bullet proof is out of their mind. Take care of your reel and use it for what it's built for and you shouldn't have a problem... But over all, youll find a VS in my hands more than the other reels due to the different types of fishing I'll use them for.. 


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

I've seen 302 spools have the front fracture and come off when 'poons were hooked and just about spooled the reel. All the mono being reeled back under hard pressure went and relaxed back to normal diameter and "pop" broke spool.


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