Baja Special Spooling configurations ( YTS and tanks welcome)

[steelfish]

guys, can you please post you current line on your Baja Special Reel or US senator and why you have it like that or even the 113h narrow tanks/YTS

I still have doubts in which configuration will be better for my case fishing in Baja (sea of cortez side, gonzaga bay, BOLA, San Felipe, etc).

I currently have it with 300yds 80# spider braid and 100yds 60# izorline mono
it will be used for trolling, yoyo and drop loop bottom fishing and if I found the birds ( feeding freenzy ) I want to be able to cast the heavy jigs and irons with it.

options:
1. keep it with 300yds 80# brad and 100yds #60 mono
2. 400yds of 80# and use short 30-50yds leaders of 60# mono
3. 500yds of braid and short leaders of 5-10yds 60# mono/flouro


my other reels are a fathom 40 star all filled with 80# for casting and a gold trini 16 all filled with 65# braid for jigging
if you know a bit of this side of Baja most fishes are on the rocky bottoms, the islands bottoms (gonzaga and BOLA Bay of Los Angeles) are full of heavy structures and rocks), and few big fishes live there on the rocks as the Big Cabrillas, few species of groupers and Baquetas (gulf Coney grouper)

[MarkT]

I have a 1/4# spool of Big Game in my YTS... 370yds.

[Keta]

20'-30' of 80# Dacron under a full spool of 60# Spectra with a 10'-20' 50# mono or flouro topshot on my Tank and 349's.

[steelfish]

Lee, why short leaders over a long one?


Mark, That basically fishing with mono.

[Keta]

Lee, why short leaders over a long one?


Mark, That basically fishing with mono.

Live bait has an easier time pulling short topshots and it's easier/cheaper to change out short topshots, especially if using expensive Fluorocarbon.  My trolling rigs have 100' hi-viz mono topshots.

[steelfish]

thanks Mel and Lee,

I actually like to fish all braid with short leaders of mono 3-5ft max.

but lately the damn sea lions are more agresive and take the catch and run like mad between the rocks and the braid have no chance even if you have 100# braid, for trolling and deep bait fishing a minimum of 30ft mono is required for the abrassion resistance but I personally dont like to have my knots on the guides every single cast/drop, I confident on my braid to mono knots but I simply dont like to have it pass throught the guides on every single time, something tells me that after many times hitting the whole 8 guides that knot will give up on the bigger fish.

thats mainly my reason to go that long on 100yds but I really like the idea of the braid been ligther for livebait fishing or better cut the water with using buttlerfly jigs than using heavy mono.

[Ron Jones]

I run straight 80 pound braid with a short topshot (10 yards or so) of floro on my 66 sized spools, for pelagics I have decided that there is no room for mono. Stretch is bad, and that is all I have to say about that.
Ron

[handi2]

For up here in the Florida panhandle I use a full spool of 80 to 100 lb. 8 strand braid. We don't cast big reels down here. We use them for bottom fishing.

The braid is terminated with sinker above the swivel then fluorocarbon leader to the hook. No need for a top shot.

[Islandgypsy]

Steel, you might consider using hollow spectra and make your topshots by inserting the mono or flouro into the hollow and serve or super- glue the connection. There are multiple instructions out there on how to do this. Passes cleanly thru the guides, unlike a knot.

This is the go to connection used on many LR boats. Just a thought.

[steelfish]

Thanks Andy and Noyb,
Actually your answers were my reasons to doubt on my line set up.
I dont see myself casting a lot with the Baja

[MarkT]

370 yds of 40 is all mono. It's an old school reel filled old school. I yoyo with it.  All my other reels have just a few feet of mono over spectra. Fishing the bottom in rocky areas I'd go all spectra with a few feet ok mono. Stretch is bad unless you like getting rocked.

[steelfish]

Steel, you might consider using hollow spectra and make your topshots by inserting the mono or flouro into the hollow and serve or super- glue the connection. There are multiple instructions out there on how to do this. Passes cleanly thru the guides, unlike a knot.

This is the go to connection used on many LR boats. Just a thought.

well I was told that I could use a short section of 80 hollow (50-70 yds) and connect solid braid to hollow braid uni-to-uni and then connect the mono leader on the hollow, seems like a good plan, wishing the hollow braid wasnt that expensive LOL

[Keta]

well I was told that I could use a short section of 80 hollow (50-70 yds) and connect solid braid to hollow braid uni-to-uni and then connect the mono leader on the hollow, seems like a good plan, wishing the hollow braid wasnt that expensive LOL

Slip 3'-4' (around a meter) into the hollow and tie an overhand knot in them so the knot is just on the hollow.  This holds well and is easy to do.

Hollow is $$$$ to, even at my cost.