Penn
Penn Senator 115 9/0
Conventional reel · 1940s
$100–$220
The Vintage Reel Index · Catalog № 116 12/0★ What to buy, and why ★
Penn · Conventional reel · Cat. № 116 12/0
The one they call “12/0 Senator”
Senator 116 12/0
Used price$200–$450
The 116 is the 12/0 Penn Senator, the largest size most anglers will ever see and a specialist reel for giant bluefin, marlin and big sharks fished from a boat on a harness.
Gear ratio—
Line capacity—
Bearings—
Years1936
FamilySenator 12/0
Failure mode · verify before bidding
Heat-damaged drag
A 12/0 that has fought big fish may have glazed or warped drag washers, which make the drag grab and release instead of slipping smoothly.
Check first!
- Dragtighten the star and pull line with a scale or by hand; the release should be even at every setting.
- Gearsturn the handle slowly under load and feel for roughness or tight spots.
- Spool and framecheck that the spool runs true and that the frame and side plates are free of cracks around the screws.
- Completenesscheck that the handle, star drag and clamp are present, since many 12/0 listings are partial reels.
Price range is INFERRED from completed eBay listings; verify against current sold comps before bidding.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
From Oct 1, 2026 listings
No complete Penn Senator 116L 12/0 was listed on eBay when we last checked; the three complete reels in our previous snapshot have since sold. Complete 12/0s are scarce, and the $200–450 typical band shown here is an estimate for a working reel, not a live price. When one turns up, ask the seller to confirm the drag slips evenly rather than grabbing, look for cracks around the side-plate screws, and check that the handle, star drag and clamp are all present, since many 12/0 listings are partial reels. Shipping on a reel this heavy is expensive, so compare delivered totals. A saved eBay search is the realistic way to catch one.
- Listed now
- 0
- For parts
- 0
- Typical ask
- $200–$450
- Full range
- $0–$0
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Live from the water
Live on eBay right now
0 of 0 listed
Snapshot captured — listings may have ended
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Prices and availability change daily. The full, current search on eBay shows every matching listing, including new ones since Oct 1, 2026.
See all current listings on eBay ⟶From the catalog
What the 116 12/0 is
The 116 is the 12/0 Penn Senator, the largest size most anglers will ever see and a specialist reel for giant bluefin, marlin and big sharks fished from a boat on a harness. It shares the simple, rebuildable design of the smaller Senators, which Penn introduced in 1936, and the L marks the wide-spool version.
Complete 12/0s are scarce on the used market. When our latest snapshot was taken only three were listed, against dozens of listings for 12/0 parts.
The upside of that parts supply is that a rough 12/0 can be fully rebuilt. Expect $200 to $450 for a working reel and far more for boxed collector pieces.
Because a reel this size is usually bought to fish, the drag and gears matter more than cosmetics, and a recent professional service is worth paying for. Shipping a 12/0 is expensive, so compare delivered totals.
The catalogue files it under the 1940s, the earliest decade it lists; the Senator design dates from 1936.
Same drawer
Related references
Read before you bid