Tuna Spin Rod and Reel

[blue_mako]

Well I'm heading over to Amity Point before the holiday rush soon with Tim. I want to buy a med/heavy spin combo with enough guts and line capacity to land a Long Tail Tuna (I wish) or smaller from my kayak. This would probably help out Tim also as he is doing the same.

I understand that some pelagics go off the bite during the cooler months but I will be using it for more then just this one 5 day trip and I am more then happy to target what ever is busting up the bait fish, whether it be School Macks or Tailor.

I have my eyes on either a 4000FH or 5000FH Shimano Stradic, might go the 4000 but will probably spend a little bit more $$$ and go the 5000 which retreives more line per crank and is acctually lighter then then 4000 and has that little bit more line capacity.

As for rod I'm still not sure, maybe a 6-10kg Berkley Dropshot rod :S ? Also I am thinking of 20-25lb PE braid as my mainline. I'll be trolling 1m Chrome Laser Pros and casting 20-30g Slugs at bait schools. Info from experienced med/heavy bay spinners would be much appreciated.

Sorted out the Reel and Lures (I think), just need advice on rods and mainline .

Thanks a lot,

Troy

[kiara_poltegerist]

hey troy. em, what's your budget for the rod? I'd say a fairly still fast action PE1-2 rod matched with a 4000 size reel will suffice, a 5000 size reel would screw up the balancing.

PE2 for your setup should be more than enough. light spinning for pelagics is easily done on PE1 as all they do is run and run and run. I've got friends who've landed 10kg spanish macks on 4lb fireline, jig with 4lb fireline, and just a week ago, 13kg black-tail barracuda and 20+kg sailfish on 10lb fireline and 10-25 rods.

I'm not too sure about the Berkley Dropshot rod's backbone as i've never tried it, but I'd advise you to get something with a fast taper and a decent bit of \"oomph\" towards the butt. Anything softer might get you stripped if a big one starts running, and wont be much good if the fish starts running deep.

[mackmauler]

from a kayak:ohmy: i can see that reel copping a good dose of saltwater, the bad news is the pelagics have been pretty scarce around amity specially longtails, a month ago they were firing.

ive always used gary howard, moreton bay spin 6-10kg 7 ft rods, they take the punishment over years of fishing.

Post edited by: mackmauler, at: 2007/05/24 23:12

[Feral]

Troy, my Berkley dropshot (4 to 6kg) is great for jigging, but casts like a pig. To stiff towards the tip I reckon. Probably getting 20% less distance than similar sized rods.

[Funfisher]

Yep i hafto agree that if you can find them Gary Howard rods are bloody brilliant