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jimster
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Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 05:24 am |
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I am in the market for 2 reels that can handle the Blue Marlin in SC. The boat already has one grande Penn Intl. and two Shimano TI50WLRSA. I am inexperienced on the Marlin but want the remaining two reels to be an educated pick. The guys usually run 80lb test but I am open to the voices of experience. Of course I want reels that will be best all around (whatever targets of opportunity are biting) but my marching orders are finish the Marlin spread with two nice capable reels.
I am unfamiliar with Avet. Seems hard to beat the Shimano. What weight/ models are best. Do you guys really use the two speed or is one speed just fine in 99% of the fishing? Are the Penn Intls the way to go really? My buddy wants the bent rods also. Good idea or just a waste? I'd take recommendations on bent rods. Love to hear from Steve and Bob Blair.......sounds like you fish lighter stuff which sounds funner to me. Thanks for your time guys, I promise these reels will practice catch and release on the Marlin.
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bartmanaz
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Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 01:42 pm |
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Jimster
The final decision is really going to be driven by budget. I run the same shimano reels you have and love them. The 50 LSR is a an 80 lb class reel so you can run 50-80 on them with no problem. I see no need to go any heavier if you are going to fish primarily in San Carlos. While we have a lot of billfish, only rarely will you be overmatched at 50#. I run all 50 although this year am going to run 60# on the shimanos and 50 on everything else. Got a deal on some 60# Momoi high vis.
As to the rods, bent butts work best from a fixed chair. If you don't have one, I would stick with straight butt. The bents can aslo be used with very high end stand up gear. If the budget allows look at rods with interchangeable bent/straight butts and then you have the best of both worlds. Buy the very best you can afford.
Avet reels are relatively new but worth considering as an alternative to the shimanos or penns-a bit less expensive but supposedly very good reels. May be someone with 1st hand knowledge will comment on those.
Thanx
Bart
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Stuart
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Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 02:56 pm |
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Personally, I love tackling the blues on my Penn 15KG's with 40 lb. test. Two-speed reels, light setup for stand-up fishing. Doesn't seem to take me any longer to get them in on the lighter setup, all have been released successfully so far.
I've got some heavier gear, but I tend to fish on the lighter side whenever possible because I'm not doing it from a chair.
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Catch-22 Steve
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Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 07:12 pm |
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| I love Light Tackle, But keep in mind its hard on Billfish, and To long of a battle may kill them...I think the best compromise is the Shimano High speed Trinidad 50,,its Small, and light weight, But if you put 50lb mono over spectra it will still hold 600 yards of line... with the Gear ratio you can bring line in almost as fast as they can take it out, I loosen the drag fight a while, then when its time Tighten the drag and Hammer them home...I use and like bent butt Rods, Not to Mention they look cool, I say go for it!!! tight lines Steve
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Fisherking
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Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 11:28 pm |
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| I recommend the Avet reels. Love all that I own, but my fav. is the LX 6/3 two speed. Plenty of power and line capacity for SC.
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No Sniveling
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| Joined: | Thu Oct 27th, 2005 |
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 01:28 am |
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I don't mean to be a "doubting Thomas" but you surely can't mean that the LX is suitable for marlin fishing??? It has a capacity of about 300 yards of 65 Spectra and maybe another 100 of 50# on top. Add to that a maximum drag capacity of about 20 pounds, your average 200 pound marlin won't know he's hooked. My Cal's 30VSW is modified to produce 35#s of drag, and we had one 200 pound marlin take it to the last 20 wraps - that's 700 yards of 100# Spectra and 100 yards of 80# in the water. We were running as fast as we could circle and keep a full bow in the line trying to keep up. She finally stopped and 45 minutes later we released her. I think you're coming to a gunfight with a knife with something that small, even if it is a quality product. I have never felt like I was packing too much "iron" with the 30 Wide, but I have wished for a bigger weapon on a few occassions. My light tackle is a Shimano Tiagra 16, again it is sleeved and the drag built by Cal's. With 400 yards of 80# spectra and 100 yards of 60# on top, it is still better suited to smaller fish - I hope I don't get my first strike from a 300-400# blue on it!
All of this is, of course, just my humble opinion! I hope you get bit and show me your smilin' face releasing a big blue from the end of the LX!
 Craig 
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Fisherking
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 03:15 am |
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LOL... "Doubting Thomas"... Good one. Before last summer my dad and I went into Pancho's Bait and Tackle in Tucson, any of you guys in town never been in there, stop by and say hi to Dennis he's a great guy. Anyway, we left with four new Avet reels, and the next time we stock up again it will be with Avets. We bought two of the MX series reels. One is a wide and one is a narrow, and both are great for tuna, dorado, and striped marlin. I have to conceed that a large blue or black would be tough on of of those bad boys.... but a fun little reel. The third reel was the EX 30, which is a good reel, I would just change the high speed retrieve and make it a little higher... maybe 4.5 instead of 3.8... but if you are wenching something up from the deep, the 2.0 gear ratio gets it done nicely. And, the gem of the purchase is the LX 6/3... which I guess Craig is not sold on... yet, LOL. I don't have any pictures, and only one bias witness, but in July, with my dad and I aboard I caught and released a 325-350 lb. black marlin. The fight was long, but the reel handled perfect and the marlin swam away no problem after about 5 minutes of reviving. If you are going to target large marlin and nothing else in SC and you are going to go with Avet then choose a PRO EX or a TRX reel, but for what I think the average person is catching on a regular basis out of SC (Dorado, Tuna, Wahoo, Striped Marlin, and mid-size blacks and blues), I would recommend the EX or LX models... If you have money to burn then go the PRO EX, but anything less that 100 lbs. is going to be skipped across the surface (Not my idea of fishing). I do have a pic of a nice sailfish I caught early last season. The fish was first hooked in the mouth, then the hook pulled and hooked into the stomach, which then turned into the fish being tailwrapped. No idea how the all happened, but the fish came up dead and backwards. Needless to say, it didn't go to waste... MMMmmmMMM I advocate catch and release everytime, but smoked sailfish is tasty. Well, that is my two cents... I will try and post the pic of my sail right now.
Thomas Gascoigne
Barra Nada
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Fisherking
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 03:16 am |
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Yikes, re-read what I said.... I no way was that sarcastic Craig... I really did think it was funny. LOL
Thomas Gascoigne
Barra Nada
Attachment: Sailfish22.bmp (Downloaded 71 times) Last edited on Tue Mar 28th, 2006 03:36 am by Fisherking
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No Sniveling
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 03:34 am |
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Thomas,
You're young and strong like I once was - I caught a 99lb yellowfin on a Penn 500 with 30#. You like your reels fast and light! No sarcasm given or taken - it's tough when you have to fish from a computer. PS - Dennis would love to sell me an AVET or three or four - he HATES hearing about the prices I pay shopping on Ebay! Check out the afternoon shot on Terrafin!
See you under a spot of birds REAL SOON!
Craig
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Fisherking
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 03:38 am |
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| 72 WHOOOOO HOOOO!
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tantrum
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Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 06:43 pm |
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| If you are short on experience, 50lb is a great place to start. You'l probably experience more a few hookups with the lighter tackle, but it takes a few days on the water to handle it. I fish mostly 30 early season and 50 later. Steve and I released a great Black on light tackle on a penn 2 speed last year and did it in just over an hour. Great boat handling allowed us to get her in quick for a release. Shimanos are bullet proof. Those avets have great drag, but the others wont let you down. So go with what works in your budget and pray for a Grand experience.
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