Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Okay I have a fishing trip coming up for yellow fin tuna on a party boat. I'm wanting to use my dad's old Senator 9/0 reel I hot rodded. What should I spool the reel with? The boat rule says "Braided LINE is not permitted for bait fishing on Tuna Trips. If there is braided line you must have at least 200 yards of Mono Top-Shot. Braided line may be used for jigging only, as long as you are not interfering with the chunking lines." So I'm braid fan so what lb/brand braid, and what lb/brand mono to connect to the braid?

Quote from: Swampfox on September 08, 2025, 10:41:33 PMThe boat rule says "Braided LINE is not permitted for bait fishing on Tuna Trips.

First, I would book with another boat that is not stuck in the last century.

Lots of choices for line, I prefer Jerry Brown Spectra but Diawa, Izor and Berkly are all good choices.  I fish with supper short topshots of Berkley Big Game or Izor if I use mono.

PM me with the size of Spectra you are looking for and I will give you a price to compare.

Take into account OP is in NC, not the left coast, so YFT will likely max at 75lbs. I'd put on 300yds of 100lb Power Pro, Suffix, Yozuri, or J Braid and top with 80 mono, like Ande, Suffix, BG or Momoi. That will be enough to hold onto and stop a wahoo as well.

The shops here don't often stock JB and a lot of other brands West Coast uses.

Quote from: thorhammer on September 08, 2025, 11:40:15 PMTake into account OP is in NC, not the left coast, so YFT will likely max at 75lbs. I'd put on 300yds of 100lb Power Pro, Suffix, Yozuri, or J Braid and top with 80 mono, like Ande, Suffix, BG or Momoi. That will be enough to hold onto and stop a wahoo as well.

The shops here don't often stock JB and a lot of other brands West Coast uses.

Yes I'm in NC, but the party boat is in NJ unfortunately. My buddy wants to do it for his birthday.

Thorhammer has a good plan, if the won't eat the 80 bring a few spools of lighter floro carbon and put a top shot on the 80 mono. Triple surgeons knot works pretty good to connecting it

The reel was designed and built to handle something the size of a yellowfin when loaded with Cuttyhunk twisted linen, Ashaway braided Nylon, Gudebrod braided Dacron or monofilament.  Take your pick.  No Spectra needed.