Game Reel Advice

[jewiehaven]

Hi Raiders,

Hoping someone can provide me some good advice on purcahsing a new Game outfit (15-24kg standup).

I recentoy bought a real cheap 15-24kg roller tip game rod from a garage sale for $10- but it has a broken runner and its a bit of a broom-stick.

Its unknow what blank it is but I can find out later tonight or tomorrow for sure and post if anyone needs specific details to assist in my enquiries

I am looking for a couple of things:

1stly- I want advise on a reel to match the rod I currently have (providing I get it repaired)

*I will be using it offshore hopefully chasing Tuna, Marlin and big Kingies or Dollies- so it needs to be durable, have smookth drag, easily serviced (by me) and have good warranty

*Will be loading on 50lb braid backing with 250m of 50-80lb shock leader (probably either FC or IGFA approved mono)

Currently I am looking at the following reels:

Shimano TLD 25

Okuma Soltera 15CS

Daiwa SLD20

Oscillate 20W

I am also looking at the following star drag type reels:

Daiwa Sealine 600H

Penn Senator 114H

2ndly- is there a good combo rod/reel anyone can recommend for those mentioned above, I am on a limited budget for the whole kit'n'kaboodle

Am kinda lookin at between $300- and $400- for a combo (if deemed as required)

Please help, I have now got myself sorted on a boat as a deckie with a guy who chases BIG fish with live bait and Pakula's off the shelf when weather permits.

Any help or advice apprecaited.

Edited September 1, 2009 by jewiehaven

[Andy Loops]

mate I got a couple of shimano backbones (15kg) and tld 25's - I have found them to be reasonable setups and they wont break the bank. Not sure if you want 24kg but even then you could look to the 50.

have fun buying new gear

Andy

[framedtrash]

+1 for the TLD 25 on a Shimano backbone

[jewiehaven]

I thinik Im sold on the TLD25 now guys, thanks framedtrash for the PM and advice.

I am aiming for the combo (TLD25 + LD25 Bluewater rod + Gimbal belt)

Means I can use my other ABU 10-15kg boat rod with my ABU7000c3 or Penn 285 both loaded with 30lb mono as a backup for bottom bashing, use the TLD for the bigger stuff me thinks.

But I only have 1 other question- Line???

What line is the best???

I was thinking of 50lb Spiderwire Braid (125m spool) backing with the rest of 50-80lb mono so I can get more on...

Waddya think???

or should I just got purely with good mono the whole way???

I will try to get some IGFA rated 40lb o 50lb mono to spool it with but I know it isnt going to be cheap (the line that is...)

Any other suggestions or recommendations???

Tip my hat to reat advice guys, I owe ya one

[pjbink]

You want at least 600m line capacity for gamefishing - you won't get that with 50lb mono on a TLD25. But the braid backing is a good idea. I would be getting a 300m spool of a fine 50 lb braid and then top shotting with 50 lb mono ( 80lb is too heavy). Make sure your joining knot is a good one (I'd be tying a 40 turn bimini in the braid then a double uni to the mono). Also a few layers of electrical tape on the bare spool is a good idea to give the braid something to grip on.

[pauljm]

If ur seriously gunna chase marlin and the like imo tld 25 not big enough and not enough line capacity.... minimum tld 30 2 speed.....i reckon you might as well spend a bit more to start with rather than having to get something bigger/better down the track..... i am often guilty of trying to save to start with and it ends up costing me double in the end.....i would hate to be trying to land my first marlin on a tld 25....im no expert but i have seen them peel line off tiagra 30s and 50s and wouldnt want anything less to try stop em... obviously more experienced crews can do it but for starting out i would go the tld50.... just my 2 cents worth anyway....good luck!

[bass_beginner]

what are u looking to be doing with the outfit if the majority of it is to be trolling id go with mono tbh u need a really absorbent shock leader and a fair bit of it as braid has a habit of pulling hooks and baits strtait from the fishes mouth due to the fact that there is literally no give....something like platypus lo-stretch has 12% of the stretch of regular mono and a fairly thin diameter in comparison to most other mono lines also you can good 1000m or 500m spools on another note i would also question the need to load up on 80lb aparently as ive been told it could be wrong but the numbering system on the shimano overhead reels refers to the pound rating of the line that should be run on a reel...or it could be thats just how these guys spol there reels..

tiagra 50 24kg line

tld 25 12-15kg line

this is just food for thought

Also a fish thats gonna spool a reel will spool a reel regardless of what ur fishing...and assuming ur not fishing of a huge boat ur gonna have to up anchor and chase neways...

Im not saying that a 30 or 50 2 speed isnt a better option u me and the fence post no it is however a tld25 will do to be goin on with

[shane87]

The tld25 will handle marlin out of sydney but i would put 15kg on it. I don't think its designed to handle the drag pressures your after for long periods of time. If you wait another month or 2 then you should be able to pick up one of shimano's xmas specials. From memory they were doing tld50's on rods for 499 last year and this would be a much better option for running 24kg.

[warnie]

Jewiehaven

To add to what has already been said we all have to start somewhere and if that opportunity is to arise for you in going out fishing to have a go at catching the bigger fish as you call it and let’s say a Marlin by pulling Pukula’s around the shelf I dare say as sure as night follows day you will most likely get your wish.

So when that time does eventually arrive in it all coming together in helping to make it a memorable one for you for all the right and not the wrong reasons then putting together a nicely balanced outfit the best with what you can afford should be your first step...correction that would be your second step your first step is to discard that broomstick for all that will help to achieve in doing will be to subject you to a whole world of pain to areas of your body that you never even knew existed.

I fully agree to what has already been said in only spooling your TLD 25 with 15kg mono which you should get around 600mtrs of line on to. And then matched to a 15kg rod resulting in a nicely balanced outfit. I am sure others on here can better help in recommending a suitable15kg rod for you.

As you may have previously read in other posts at varying times and if you are unsure in how to do so yourself then get someone who does know how to do it in getting them to show you how to set the strike drag on your TLD at 5kg and idealy set through the rod that you have decided on matching it to.... next is to create what is termed a double in your line and I would advise in you doing a Game fish Plait again if unsure in how to do one then get someone who does so....to do one for you the next thing then is to connect a wind on leader via a cat’s paw to your double and ending with a 15kg rated snap swivel which is crimped to the end of the wind on leader by doing this process this will hopefully give you the best advantage possible in doing what i said at the beginning in that your encounter with a big fish ending in being a memorable one for you along with heaps of photo’s as bragging rights for you to show around .

Cheers Warnie

[pjbink]

The Shimano Trynos 30 is also worth a look. Like the TLD it's a bit cheaper than a full blown game reel. It's a stronger reel than the TLD with a metal frame and can dish out 8 kg of drag at strike. I use 24kg line on my little Trynos 20 using the braid backing technique to boost line capacity. I'm not after marlin with it but I'm sure it could handle one. I use it for kingies in Botany Bay and a 50W reel would be too cumbersome in a little boat.

[warnie]

The Shimano Trynos 30 is also worth a look. Like the TLD it's a bit cheaper than a full blown game reel. It's a stronger reel than the TLD with a metal frame and can dish out 8 kg of drag at strike. I use 24kg line on my little Trynos 20 using the braid backing technique to boost line capacity. I'm not after marlin with it but I'm sure it could handle one. I use it for kingies in Botany Bay and a 50W reel would be too cumbersome in a little boat.

Hi Billfisher

I hear you in regards to running braid as backing which in your case is fine....But in this situation used in the hands of an unexperianced person learning the ropes the potential there to do more harm than good all round is to big a risk to take.. I cringe in hearing on stories in braid getting ripped off the reel and

through the water like it does and that person not totally understanding the damage it can inflict to body parts if something where to goes amiss and they are to come in contact with the braid.....nothing is more disconcerning i feel than watching someone inexperianced for excample trying for whatever the reason in flicking a bail arm over on a Y/Fin in full flight with braid whistling off the spool or even just tighting the drag up on the reel will subject the wrist area to slapping from the braid.......I guess what i am trying to say is that braid i feel in the hands of someone inexperianced can result in being to nasty of a combination to start off with.

Cheers Warnie

[jewiehaven]

Hey thanks guys for all your advice

I have managed to get exactly what I wanted from a good supplier.

So I got the following:

1 X Shimano TLD25

1 X Shimano Spectrum 5'6" 12-20kg integrated tip rod

1 X gimbal

Got 10% off Berlkey IGFA 15kg line in 600m spool (loaded onto reel)

+ free freight to my work

What a great deal- I am STOKED!

Only bad thing is the TLD isnt in stock so have to wait for it to come in before I will receive it, but I reckon the wait is going to be well worth it

Many thanks in advance for the advice

[prawn*]

The Shimano Trynos 30 is also worth a look. Like the TLD it's a bit cheaper than a full blown game reel. It's a stronger reel than the TLD with a metal frame and can dish out 8 kg of drag at strike. I use 24kg line on my little Trynos 20 using the braid backing technique to boost line capacity. I'm not after marlin with it but I'm sure it could handle one. I use it for kingies in Botany Bay and a 50W reel would be too cumbersome in a little boat.

im with billfisher i use the tynos 30 for allround kingies jewies and outside tuna not marlin as i havnt got one yet,

i have 30lb mono on mine and have heaps of fun with kings i think my combo was 300$ brand new with shimano rod.