Need to upgrade or replace my trolling reels. We troll off central Florida east coast, so we're talking mostly mahi and wahoo, with a big fish being 50 lb. Biggest on my boat has been an 87 lb wahoo. We use 30 lb line on stand-up rods and the reels I have are 2 each old TLD 25s and 2 each old TLD 30s (all completely stock, 1990 vintage).
Options I'm considering are:
1. Rebuild/service/lube the TLD 25s and 30s that I have with carbontex drag washers and bigger crank handles. This would probably cost me in the neighborhood of $300-400 parts and my labor.
2. Buy two new TLD30IIA and sell the 25s. I think I could live with the newer style crank handles on the 30IIAs. Rebuild my two old 30IIs with bigger crank handles. This would probably cost me in the neighborhood of $500, plus my labor.
3. Buy 4 new Penn GLD 30s and sell the 4 TLDs. Don't think (from reading your threads) that the GLDs need much of anything as far as upgrades (other than a good lube job) before I start fishing them. I like the stock crank handles on the GLDs and the fact that I'd end up with 4 matched reels. This would probably cost me in the neighborhood of $400-500.
Do you think there is any big advantage of the TLD30IIs over the GLD30s (other than the 2 speed, which I've used very infrequently) ?
Any other options you might suggest in this price range ?
Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks