I have a Penn 8500SS on a 11' Lamiglass that I can get some serious distance with. My only problem is the bail sometimes flips when I put everything I got into the cast. I need to go bail-less and I have heard of a conversion kit for this reel. Anybody ever do this or know where to get them. I need to hit those schools that are just out of reach!

i use big spinners too, i have had that problem. i now make sure that my bail is on the downside, and the crank is also on the downside. the problem was when i got behind a cast the momentum from the cast would cause either the crank to move or the bail to close on me. i wouldn't find it hard to believe that there is still a plug or two still in orbit :D

Here ya go Scotch, http://www.pennreels.com/cat/accessories/
go here and scroll half way down the page or so. You will see the kit you need, but in case cant see it here is the part #:
No. 69-750 -- for 8500SS through 6500SS. Have fun.

I have a Spinfisher 5500SS and have had the same prpoblem the past few days. I think I overlubed it, so I wiped off some lube with a napkin and it seems to be working fine now....:D

I bought the conversion kit for my Penn 750SS. It works great for the bail problem you're having. I had sent my last plug into the ditch one morning and was so pissed, I drove to Red Top to see if they had a big set of cutters. The thing was coming off right then!!! Guys there said they have a kit for $5 made by Penn. It took just a minute or two to put on. A short peice of bail (1") sticks out to keep everything balanced. Out of habit, I would still flip it back the way I used and rest it on the external bail trip before I cast. Somehow, I could still manage to get that tiny bail to close even with a new bail spring inside, but it doesn't matter, the cut offs ended and that was the goal.

PS. I didn't like it for plugging. Even though I flip my bails manually, not having one was counter productive for me. The bail speeds up the process so the 750 is now designated for chunk duty. Use it with a Breakaway Canon and send you macks into orbit. I use and Ahab 8A and Nautil 7500 for pluggin duty, bail included.

PS. If you want, I can see if i can get a picture for ya.:D

Its cheap and pays for itself in headache relief, not just plugs.

Any shop that sells Penn parts should have the kit.

Once you get used to using a manual, you'll never want another reel that has a bail. I just de-bailed one Nautil 7500, and the second one is waiting for its bail-ectomy. It's actually easier to plug with a manual once you get used to it---you feather the spool with your finger towards the end of the cast, the line is right there waiting for your fingertip when the plug lands, fingertip goes against the spool to stop the line, then picks up the line, one turn of the handle and that's that. No slack line billowing off in the wind while your fingers stand clear of the closing bail, no line wrapped around the bail pedesatl or laying across the drag knob, and maybe 1/100th of the wind knots over the course of your fishing career.

Originally posted by Mike P
It's actually easier to plug with a manual once you get used to it.

I'm not being argumentative here, but I find it tough to beat using a bail.

Originally posted by Mike P
---you feather the spool with your finger towards the end of the cast, the line is right there waiting for your fingertip when the plug lands, fingertip goes against the spool to stop the line, then picks up the line, one turn of the handle and that's that.

O.K., so you make it sound easy using a manual, but aren't all these steps equal to "Close the bail" voila ;)

Originally posted by Mike P
No slack line billowing off in the wind while your fingers stand clear of the closing bail, no line wrapped around the bail pedesatl or laying across the drag knob, and maybe 1/100th of the wind knots over the course of your fishing career.

I don't know what you mean here. I close my bail by hand. Wind knots happen when the spool is over filled. I'd like a VS150 so if its really easier, help me out:)