YT Fishing Gear

[Bryan Young]

One of my friends in Hawaii appears to be coming up to California to go YellowTail fishing.

Do you guys have any rod/reel recommendations with consideration to a budget of $400 or less.

Thanks.

[johndtuttle]

Baja Special or Fathom 25N and any old 7-8' west coast stick rated 20-50 or 30-60 depending on your taste. I prefer shorter as they are usually down deep, some will prefer longer particularly if there is a surface bite. The 7 footer will cast fine though.

It will work for yo-yo, surface iron, dropper loop or fly lining a bait as desired or required.

West Coast fast action on the rod for use on the rail I would expect. 60lb braid on the reel.

[Tom McKinney]

The best set up for Yellow tail fishing is a 4/0 size reel on a 7ft rod that is rated for 40lb class line.  If jig fishing only, you can use mono or if you might be bait fishing 65lb spectra.  This year the bait has been small anchovies especially what the receivers hand out to the day boats vs long range boats, and the reduced drag from spectra with a 6 ft flouro leader will be appreciated by the bait.

I really love my 113hn, but you have 2 good choices for less money that are 80% or more as good, probably 95%. One is a 113h properly serviced, or even souped up depending on how much $ you want to throw at it. The other, that I am leaning toward myself more and more, as I spend money on 113h reels to fiddle with, is an older sealine 400h or even 350h.  You can get 15lbs of drag, which is greater than 1/3 the test rating of 40lb, and it won't eat your spectra and it already has an aluminum frame and they are not expensive.

And 3 weeks ago, before I started reading here, I went to my local San Diego tackle shop to get another 113hn as my jig reel for an upcoming trip and left with a less expensive saltiga 40 on the advice of the guy behind  the counter who responded to my love of my 113hn  with "you must have one of the original made in USA ones.  You might not like the new ones as much." 

Hope that helps.

[SoCalAngler]

There are many choices to look at. For local trips, 3 days and less, I fish 30 lb test reels matched to a 7' rod for flyline bait, yoyo and dropper loop. Reels could be Penn 500, Squall 30, Fathom 30, Diawa BG 30 for strait mono. Spectra backed look at the 25N models or the Diawa BG 20. Lever drags, Avet JX and the Penns above that come in lever drag. Rods, Calstar 870 or 970, Seeker 670 for glass. They could even move into composite rods and still be under the $400 mark. When I hit the 4 day and longer trips is when I start to look at 40 lb setups for the YT. Depending how well they fish they may want to look at 8' sticks but if their new to this type of fishing I'd say stay with the 7 footers.

Edit: Depending where and when I may be able to join them and thay could use some of my gear so they don't have to buy any.

[speedwagon2]

If he is going on a sport boat they probably will be working kelp paddies, and or under the birds live bait.  Off shore in SD the YTs are mostly migratory fish from down south and don't run that big in the open ocean.  If they fish around the islands, Coronados, Catalina, etc, there can be home guard fish mixed in that can go 30 lbs+ sometimes.  I would bring a 30 pound reel with great freespool for fly lining small bait on a 7 to 8 ft rod with a light enough tip to flip chovies away from the sport boat.  The second rig should an honest 40 lb rig with a rod that will cast a long ways for jigging(8ft minimum) for jigging and fishing deeper with bait.  This year we have schoolie YFTs and BFTs so that 40 lb rig could be needed.  Bring flouro leader material from 20 lb to 40lb.  50 to 65 lb braid will work.  Have fun!
  Speedwagon2

[Ron Jones]

Build him a TANK and put it on a 40# 8ft Super Seeker (or fiberglass if that is to much money). Load it w/ 40# JB from Lee and he is set.
Ron

[smnaguwa]

I agree with the recommendations listed. May have him consider which one he could use back in Hawaii.

[alantani]

we have lots of gear to loan!

[johndtuttle]

The best set up for Yellow tail fishing is a 4/0 size reel on a 7ft rod that is rated for 40lb class line.  If jig fishing only, you can use mono or if you might be bait fishing 65lb spectra.  This year the bait has been small anchovies especially what the receivers hand out to the day boats vs long range boats, and the reduced drag from spectra with a 6 ft flouro leader will be appreciated by the bait.

I really love my 113hn, but you have 2 good choices for less money that are 80% or more as good, probably 95%. One is a 113h properly serviced, or even souped up depending on how much $ you want to throw at it. The other, that I am leaning toward myself more and more, as I spend money on 113h reels to fiddle with, is an older sealine 400h or even 350h.  You can get 15lbs of drag, which is greater than 1/3 the test rating of 40lb, and it won't eat your spectra and it already has an aluminum frame and they are not expensive.

And 3 weeks ago, before I started reading here, I went to my local San Diego tackle shop to get another 113hn as my jig reel for an upcoming trip and left with a less expensive saltiga 40 on the advice of the guy behind  the counter who responded to my love of my 113hn  with "you must have one of the original made in USA ones.  You might not like the new ones as much." 

Hope that helps.

All the 113HN are and have been Made in USA. I have heard of some disappointment with the Chinese Senators and the counter guy may have been mixing them up.

Given the ready availability of used made in usa Senators on Ebay one can always go that route for the foreseeable future.

Be that as it may, the Saltist is a fine reel as well. Totally proven track record. A Baja Special remains substantially tougher.