travel rods and reels

[alantani]

i'd go with a makaira 10 for 65 pound spectra and and a makaira 20 for 100 pound spectra.   you can vary your topshots depending on the fishing that you are doing.  the andros is fine, but stick with the makaira.  it is a much tougher reel.   

[SoCalAngler]

30-40 lb test for most of the fishing he is looking to do and 50 lb for sails and maybe the sharks, depending on their size, and people are saying he should look at Makaira's 20's, 30's and 50's? Man talk about overkill. I could see a good fit with the Makaira 10 and 50 lb toppers but the other reels are WAY to big IMO for what he is looking to do. For me 40 lb test is where I start to look at two speed reels for their versatility and for the type of fishing I do but single speeds can work well here too. Unfortunately IMO one or even two reels with the spinner you have will not cover all the bases your looking to cover but I feel the MK 10 spectra backed will cover most of them pretty well. Sorry I have input about travel rods as I have never used them.

Tarpon I saw your post on the CB boards and most likely Mark the owner of Charkbait will chime in over there soon. I saw him today as I was doing a little after Christmas shopping and they are very busy, sometimes it takes him a couple of days to respond to questions on their boards. Good luck.

[elnath]

i've got several of the okuma nomad rods and they're very nice.  i'd love to take them up to alaska.  flying is the only way for me to get there.  jim nomura broke one of the nomads and that's the only trouble i've heard.  i've had good luck with them so far.  the would match up well with the makaira reels!

That's exactly what I did last summer, the Nomad Rod held up great and with the two tips I had a heavy tip for Halibut and a lighter tip for ling cod and rockfish.  It was great not to have to pack a rod tube (not to mention the $100 extra baggage fee avoided).

[tarpon]

Thanks again Alan and socalangler for responding to my questions. I think socalangler your right about the makaira 20 being to big. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the mak 8 have the same drag pressure as the mak 10? Also I should have said that I need the 2 speed reels because of the pain in my elbows and wrists from my assembly job. I'm leaning towards the mak 8 because of the narrow spool. IN the past on charters I've had problems with line winding and reel wobble so that's why the desire for smaller reels. Travel weight is also an issue. LAST year I visited my brother-in-law in the Cayman Islands. I was catching mutton snapper,cudas and tarpons! My sister-in-law landed a small tarpon 38 inches long. I on the other hand kept hooking into large tarpon in the 5 to 6 ft range. The gear on the island was very expensive so I bought excellent hooks and line but cheaped out on the rod and reel. The reel was a daiwa 4000 cobalt. It didn't have the drag to set the hook on those big fish. I had them on for 4 or 5 jumps but they always spit the hook out. That's why I'm bringing my 6000 stradic because I can excert more pressure on the hook set. That is why I want to buy a conventional reel also just in case that reel won't work. I may have the use of a kayak to help in the landing of the fish or else it's all from shore. I had the opportunity to watch a women catch a tarpon on the reddington pier in florida and I know it can be done! It was estimated at about 110 to 125 lbs. by a tournament official as there was a tournament going on. So that is were I'm getting my ideas from right or wrong. that's why I really appreciate your inputs. I live in Ontario Canada so I won't have any support from local tackle stores.      

[tarpon]

Elnath what line rating rod did you take?

[alantani]

yeah, guess we should ask what line weight, line capacity and drag setting first!

[SoCalAngler]

Tarpon,

The MK 8, 10 and 15 all have the same drags so it will come down to the yardage you want to get on your reels and feel you like. I also like narrower reels too but for other reasons. Any reel spectra backed with a short fluoro topper will aid in a better hook set with hard mouthed fish like tarpon because of the very low streatch rate of both og those lines.

[tarpon]

Thanks again socalangler !!!!!. It's down to a mak 8 or 10. I've been watching youtube videos and it's amazing the different gear guys use for the species I'll be fishing for. Spinning gear for tarpon,shark,sailfish and deep water jiggging . I guess it comes down to confidence in your abilities and equipment. Wish I could get my hands on some of these reels to see how they feel. Now on to the travel rods. Alan said a friend of his broke his travel rods , didn't say how, but I've watched Canadian TV fishing hosts use Okuma fishing rods in the past [not the travel rods] and seen them break!!!!. I use light gear for some pretty big fresh water fish and have never broken a rod. Brands that include fenwick,G loomis,shimano,quantum,ugly stik and berkley. I know when Okuma first came out the products weren't that good. Heres hoping they've gotten better. Still going to research other travel rod brands. Charkbait"s sound interesting but they don't mention who made the blanks,guides and butt. Hope you have good new year and good fishing!!

[SoCalAngler]

If you want info of the CB travel rods call and talk to Mark or e-mail him, he is there almost every day during the office hours.

[Jaime]

Tarpon, I can give you some first hand information about  fishing the Okuma Nomad rod and the Okuma Makaira 8 ll.
If you use a back pack for a carry on you can put the reel in it and hand carry the rod.  Great peace of mind.  I also bought it from Chark Bait and got great service.

I live in the East cape of Baja Mexico, I also fish Panama and Christmas Island (for the offshore not the Bone Fish).

My reel is filled with 65# Spectra and will just hold a 25yd
top shot of 60# mono.  For the top shot I just use a 25yd
spool of fluorocarbone.  I catch just about all of the fish you have listed and have never had a problem.  Nothing really big but Tuna to about 75#, Striped Marlin 120#, a lot of Dog and Mullet Snapper.  For only one set-up it is great.

Jaime

[tarpon]

Thanks Jamie, what was the line rating for the rod you were using? Also rod length? Did you fish from shore with that setup?

[tarpon]

Thanks again socalangler , I really appreciate your responses. I'am going to give Mark a call.

[Jaime]

Tarpon,
The Okuma travel rod is rated 30/60# line.  The other rod's I have used it on are all custom made for me by me.  Most are 5'6'' to 6'6".  They are Phenix, Mud Hole Vertical Jigging blank,
Seeker, and Cal Star.  On a couple of Panama trips I have just
taken the reel and used what was on the boat.  It seems like
it is much more likely you will get a bum reel that a bad rod?

Have not fished from shore with it.  However if you asked because you wondered about castabelity?  I have cast with
it from a boat both live bait and big Poppers.  Although not
ideal it will work in a pinch.  If you just take the one travel outfit you will have a lot of "work in a pinch".
Jaime

[tarpon]

Thanks again Jaime! Sounds like you've used what I'm looking for. I think it's time to pull the trigger and do some ordering! . One last question did you do a pre-use service job on your reel? Thanks again and have a good new years day!!!

[alantani]

I catch just about all of the fish you have listed and have never had a problem.  Nothing really big but Tuna to about 75#, Striped Marlin 120#....

if that's little, i'd love to see you definition of big!