Smaller Reels for 8 day LR tuna fishing

Started by jcool3, March 13, 2019, 04:45:17 PM

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jcool3

I know the tried and true 30 50 and 80 2- speed lever drag reels from shimano, daiwa, accurate, avet, Penn, Okuma etc will take the long sustained runs of 100-200+ pound tuna.
Will some of smaller reels 16 or 20 size also work?  Or will they get fried.  I remember an article discussing this awhile back, but I can't find it and times (reel technology) change.

Keta

Not many big YFT being caught on 8 day lately but a quality 20 should be up to the task.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

MarkT

8 day trips don't usually go far enough south to get into big YFT.  You can get into large ones if you go to Guadalupe or if the large BFT are still around this year.
I've done a bunch of 10 day trips and only got into fish > 50# once... like in my avatar picture!
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Keta

My first LR trip was a 10 day and we plugged the boat with cows, 2 were mine.  However that was when the cows were on the ridge.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

boon

#4
Talica 20, 25.

Makaira 16.

People in this part of the world are routinely catching Striped Marlin to 300lb+ on these reels. Although that is on trailerboats where they can chase the fish.

EDIT: Talica 50 will slay just about any YFT swimming and weighs a whole lot less than a "goldy".

Cor

As Boon says, we regularly catch Yellowfin on 40 wide star drag reels but it's not ideal.
If fish gets over 130 lb it becomes difficult, and the reels need to be able to hold at least 350 + mt of 60 lb line and have reasonable drag.

I guess we land 70% of fish we hook, most come of the hooks though, its not because of reel failure.

We also fish on small boats which is essential if you hook a bigger fish.
Cornelis

jcool3

#6
This is a Long Range 8 day trip in early June, and the boat is stationary.
Would you need a bigger reel for kite tuna fishing?

Keta

Yes but the odds of catching a larger YT on a 8 day are slim to none.  If they fish the kite use the boats gear. 
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

jcool3

Thinking about also bringing electric reel that was used for deep dropping Gulf of Mexico.  Is this feasible at night and
what kinds of bottomfish can be caught.

Keta

Other people here have more experience LR fishing and might have different answers but on all of the trips I have been if we anchored for the night it was on high spots and we often traveled at night.  I also think the logistics of dealing with batteries and chargers would be a major PIA.  Some of the places we fished were over 2000' deep too.

Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

SoCalAngler

#10
jcool3,

I know I'm late to this thread but the info above holds true. The 8 day trips like your going on are known as "variety" trips. Meaning you will have a chance to catch a larger variety of fish than other types of trips. Yellowtail, tuna (mainly schoolie size, 20-50 lbs), dorado and wahoo will most likely be the main targets. Not to say there will not be a shot at the larger BFT that have been around for the past few years but they most likely will not be the main target. If their around the boat is probably going to give them a shot when heading south or on the way back up the line. Also the boat may make a inshore run to make bait or stop at one of the islands south to make it. These will give you the best night fishing opportunity for things like calico bass, grouper, white seabass and bottom grabbers. Also depending on how fishing was the boat may make a stop at San Miguel island or Colonet on the way home for things like halibut, lingcod and rock cod if the other fishing was not up to par.

IMO you will not need or want to have a electric reel for the type of fishing you will do on a trip like this. Also a 80 2 speed will be way too big for fishing even on the kite so if you have one leave it at home, trust me. Now if you do run into some cow BFT a 50 2 speed would be great but a 30 sized 2 speed with around 400 yards or more of braid backing with a 80-100 fluoro topshot should get the job done. The 30 can also be used for trolling and such with larger Marauder type lures for the hoo's or feathers, cedar plugs and Rapala/MirrOlures type lures for tuna, tails and dorado.

I'd say the most important reel you should have is a good one for 40 lb test. I bet you will use it about 80% of the time on your trip. Bring a 30 lb setup to make bait, kelp patty YT, dorado and the smaller tuna. This setup can be scaled down just by adding a small lighter piece of fluoro like 20-25 lb test and adjusting your drag for picky fish. Add a 50-60 lb setup for the mid sized BFT say 80-150 lbs and your set. So in my simple mind a 30 lb, 40 lb, 50-60 lb and a 80 lb setup should be all you will need.

When I say a 80 lb test reel I'm talking about a 2 speed, something like a Okuma Makaira 20, Penn 30VISX, Avet Raptor HXW or equivalent.

Now if your like me you may want to bring some specialty setups like ones for fishing the surface iron, a lighter bass setup or what ever that's cool but they are not a must have to catch fish.