Offshore Reel Fishing Up To 60m

[Black_Rat]

All,

After some ideas on a reel for fishing offshore in up to 60m of water. Something different & lighter then a Trynos 30 (1.090kg)

Running 50lb braid possibly 80lb, big spinner or overhead? Budget up to $500.

Chasing REDS and/or other reef feeding species.

Damo.

[Out-Station]

I use one of the new(ish) saltist lever drags. i have a 40 but you can get one size bigger. I have the 2 speed version which is handy, low gear for winding big snapper leads up from the deep. High speed for winding up the light weights. I recon constant big weights will kill the bearings over time but not hard to replace when/if it happens.

Talica's are similiar and nicer but more expensive.

Scott

[krazyfisher]

I use a trinidad TN40N and a Torsa to fish the type of area you are talking about and I run 50lb on the TN40n and will win most fish. it is nice and light, I upgraded to carbontex drag washers as the standard ones are not real good, but I have used it for a couple of years now and it still is very smooth and I fish it at about 8kg of drag it will go more but not to much fun fishing over 10kg!!

[Tangles]

If a its a big spinner Damo, check out the Daiwa Catalina 6500, (bit over your 500) will pull 30kg drag and easy 300 of 80lb, have one, bloody nice, spoil yourself and match it to a Wilson Venom 350 , can bottom bash, jig and troll with it.

mike

[thylacene]

Our choice has been the Shimano Tekota 700 series, got four of them for the right money, around $250 each. Spooled up with 40lb braid, but will replace with 50lb next time. They hold 600M of 40Lb braid on a mon backing comfortably.

Smooth operation, quiet (fishing for relaxation, level wind (I prefer level wind for bottom bashing) and used for everything including trolling skirts for Yellowfin Tuna. Specs reckon they get 12Kg drag, but we usually fish them at 5Kg.

Bought the Wench a Saragaso 18000 threadline for her offshore spin outfit which is also a nice reel, 22Kg of drag per the specs, loaded with 500M of 50lb braid it is pleasure to use also, but a couple of ton dearer than the Tekotas.

Choice of Shimano was influenced by having a service agent in the town where we fish, and he carries spares etc adding convenience and minimising lost fishing time.

Intend to acquire 4 TLD30 or 50 2 speeds for trolling and rig them with 50lb mono on 24Kg rods, likely Shimano Backbone series for trolling as thinking a billfish might be fun to play with, but still saving cash for outriggers, so will have to wait awhile.

We generally fish 40-120M of water, so the reels suit the type of fishing we do, and from our experiences, they are good all rounders. Being able to adjust the handles to get more leverage was good for the kids when using 12oz lead, they don't tire as quickly. Admittedly the largest fish we have caught only weighed 26Kg means that they have not been tested to the limits either.

The Tekota's are a bit low geared for jigging, but I find that tiring unless there is a hot bit going on. They do the job. They are heavy @ 700g or so, and if you don't need the line capacity, the 600 would be less effort to fish.

Consider what you want to do. I find the levelwind overheads to be the better reel for flathead drifting, allowing ease of feed for extra line as you keep bottom when the wind gets up. I prefer to have a lever drag reel for trolling tho, as the star drag requires you to wind it up as you strike, running the risk of overdoing it and snapping the line. Pre-set & lever drag is less risk in that respect.

The Saragosa is just as happy dropping bait 100M drifting along a reef as it is dragging poppers across the surface or spinning. It is a bit lighter than the Tekotas, but still quite a large reel. It is nicely balanced on the rod, and has a smooth positive action and plenty of drag.

Your needs will vary, and everyone will have their favorite brand. Avoid the stuff on ebay marketed under Pelagic Omoto etc, unless you wish to pay for your education.

There are a number of high quality brands such as Daiwa, Finn Noir, & Shimano, they are proven over time, and if looked after will last you a lifetime. If you can't afford to have a reel for each type of fishing you want to do, buy a good quality all rounder, or if you really favour one type of fishing, buy a reel for that and compromise for the remainder as we have.

The one observation that I have made with confidence is that the rod makes more difference than the reel (assuming both reels have similar specs). Each one of us chose out own rod, and each is different. The daughter chose a 5' 10-15Kg Abu Garcia, the young bloke has a 6' 10-15Kg Shimano Beastmaster, the wench has the 6'6" 15-20Kg Beastmaster while I chose a 7' Ian Miller Bluewater 15-20Kg T-Curve. I have had occasion to catch 8Kg odd fish on each, and the differences are huge, each rod having its advantages and disadvantages. I find the short rod hard to use, but that may be due to my size also, and yet the daughter has landed an 80cm Kingfish comfortably, smaller and shorter. The 5' rod is also the easiest to transport and stow in the boat.

Have fun, there is a world of choices out there

[Horse]

I use a Torium 16 with 65lb braid over a T curve 200 jig stick. Its almost as light as a baitcaster outfit but packs a huge punch

[reggy]

I like the PENN overheads. No drag upgrades needed, no anti reverse problems.
have a look at the Baja Special and the Torque 200.;)

[byron_moses]

60m of water i just use a sustain 6000 loaded with 50lb braid mate works fine for reds etc

[trueblue]

Mo tac k le has an ocea jigger overhead half price at $499

[GBC]

6500 baitrunner for float baiting reds is more than adequate. The rest is just bling.
Don't forget the smaller tyrnos' as well.

[Black_Rat]

Great feedback thanks guys.

I like the looks of the Saragaso 18000 as it could come in handy casting big popers for GTs, Queenies ect. Perfect for my next destination !

Cheers

Damo.

PS: looks like a nice combo Mike, all $1200 worth :o

[byron_moses]

If a its a big spinner Damo, check out the Daiwa Catalina 6500, (bit over your 500) will pull 30kg drag and easy 300 of 80lb, have one, bloody nice, spoil yourself and match it to a Wilson Venom 350 , can bottom bash, jig and troll with it.

mike
i vouch for the venom mike i love them as a rod see avatar for pic of one loaded

[Spot82]

The only reel that I have found that can stand up to heavy drag and constant abuse for chasing big reefies is the Shimano Torsa's, every other reel i have used has failed within 12 months.... My stella 10000SW has been back under warranty twice in the first year! and it would have only caught a dozen good fish, maybe i got a dud?

I run over 10kg drag constantly and up to 20kg at times, using 85lb braid and the torsa is the only reel that I have found that can handle this type of use, other than the old FA Stellas which seem better quality than the newer SW models. I prefer the torsa 20, as it is the perfect size in my opinion, the 30 is a bit too wide. The 16 is also a great reel if you want something lighter than the 20 and still holds 300m of PE6 braid.

Should be able to get one off ebay for around the $500 mark delivered at the moment. Otherwise I would look at a Stella FA 8000 PG if you can find one in good nick.

Having caught over 50 reds last year and got knows how many 2m+ sharks my gear would get more of a workout than most! ;)

Anthony

[reggy]

The only reel that I have found that can stand up to heavy drag and constant abuse for chasing big reefies is the Shimano Torsa's, every other reel i have used has failed within 12 months....

Anthony
Hi Anthony
What are the other reels that you have tried?

[odes20]

Gees Spot, Torsa OK. but have you tried a Saltiga. My trips get pretty severe as well and no Saltiga ever let me down either. I use a Saltiga 40Z on a TCurve Jig 400, in fact all the Saltiga range is excellent but a bit up on the dollers. As commented on by others, the gear ratio is important for deep fishing. All the first series of Saltigas were in a good ratio for deep fishing. A lot of stuff is made with 6 : 1 and above these days but IMO its not the best for deep water heavy work. Ideal range is from 4.5 :1 up 5.5:1

The earlier Saltists were in the lower ranges as well but now they are all above 6"1 ? They were excellent value for money. I cant understand why mainline manufacturers have swung so far to high gearing lately.

Cheers
John.

[reggy]

Just read a very good tutorial on the Torsa40 on Alan Tani`s site. Beautiful reel.
It is a shame they didn`t use the same anti reverse on the smaller models.
That is the vulnerable spot on them.

[Spot82]

Hi Anthony
What are the other reels that you have tried?

FA and SW Stellas (These are great reels and recommended, i think the older FA models are built tougher than the newer SW models)
6500 Baitrunners
8000D & 12000D Baitrunners
Torium
Tyrnos 30 (good but the drag isn't all that smooth)
Penn Spinning Reels (drag no good after only a couple of fish)


It is also important to note that I fish with braid, and moreso than ever this is when you need a very smooth drag when running 10kg+ otherwise you will loose more fish than you land IMHO.

I have also found the G-Loomis Pelagic and Pro Blue rods very good and have a great action for this type of fishing. And if purchased from the US they aren't any more expensive than a Live Fibre.

[reggy]

well it sounds like you have found your reel. I like the changable drag cams with the Torsa, great idea. All the best.
Reggy

[diabolical]

Plenty of love here for the Torsa. I've had mine for five years.

I think the whole interchangeable cam thing was a bit over-marketed. The Talicas come with two cams, one for heavy braid and the other for 20lb mono. From what I understand Shimano has loads of unsold cams.

I like the Torsa so much I am getting a custom built Garry Howard on a Calstar Grafighter GF700h for it8-) .

[Spot82]

I have tried a couple of different cams, I like the BFS50 for bottom bashing as you can go to strike to get the fish off the bottom and then back slightly once you have the fish coming. It is a very useful drag curve and allows use of near freespool with the rachet on if you want your rod in the rod holder. When running a lot of drag you can't do this with the standard LRS cam.

I usually only fish the lever to strike, unless i need more then i go past it, but i set my drag on the strike button.

Very tough reel and one of the best overheads out there for bottom bashing i reckon, plus you have the option of the various cam's if you want to use it for trolling in summer.

I have matched mine to 20-30lb, 7"6 G Loomis Pelagic PSR90-25C SU. Absolutely great rod, nice and soft in the tip but a lot heavier than a 30lb rod in the butt, and overall a great action.

Anthony

[Daintreeboy]

You must have got a dud Stella SW Anthony!! The new SW version is highly regarded and accepted as better than the older FA series.

As for the original post Black Rat if you are only going to run 50lb consider the 6000 to 8000 sized Saragosa. In that depth of water there is no way any red is going to spool you. The lighter reel will feel a lot better.
Personally unless you are fising really reefy country 50lb should do it and then you could get a lighter rod to make a great combo instead of the sledgehammer required with 80lb.

I have a 6000 sized Shimano Twinpower with 50lb braid and a bigger Daiwa Saltiga Expedition with 80lb braid.
I nearly always go for the 50lb outfit as it's much more of a pleasure to use than the bigger heavier outfit. Some spots we have though do call for it.

[Black_Rat]

Twinpower SW - Model TP8000SW Retrieve Ratio 5.6:1 Retrieve Per Crank (cm) 116 Max Drag (kg) 25 Nylon Capacity (kg/metres) 5/297, 7/169 Power Pro Capacity (lb/metres) 40/254, 50/252 ARB Bearings 10 Weight (grams) 605

I like and but not in my price range >:(

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Twinpower FC series and the SW series ?

Bloody decisions, decisions ! ::)

[Cheech]

Damo, Mine is another vote for the Saragosa. Mine is the 12000, though it is exactly the same as the 18000 but with a lower capacity spool. It takes 300m of 50lb (unlike Tangles venetian blind cord. zzz spooled:))). I matched mine with a live fibre 15-24kg. Came in at about $500.00 for the combo. Maybe just a little more.

It has a lot of grunt, and even when winding up at the end of a drift with a 12 or 16 ounce snapper sinker, just turn the reel 90 degrees right, rest it on your gut, and winch away. Makes retrieval really easy.

Has a very comfortable handle as well.

If you were using it for your GT and queenie chasing, you could either get a less stiff rod, but that would not be as good for bottom bashing depths, or get another rod later for that purpose. The Saragosa will be just as happy on the new rod.

Cheech.

[levinge]

Mate you could buy 2 x Penn 950ssm combos for your budget, plus some decent rods.

The 950SSM runs good out on the reef, fast retrieve for slugs and poppers, heavy duty drag system for bottom bashing and virtually bulletproof and very easy maintenance.

I run 2 of them onboard and regularly tackle reefies to 15kg+ and even 5 foot Bronzies.....

[Daintreeboy]

Twinpower SW - Model TP8000SW Retrieve Ratio 5.6:1 Retrieve Per Crank (cm) 116 Max Drag (kg) 25 Nylon Capacity (kg/metres) 5/297, 7/169 Power Pro Capacity (lb/metres) 40/254, 50/252 ARB Bearings 10 Weight (grams) 605

I like and but not in my price range >:(

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Twinpower FC series and the SW series ?

Bloody decisions, decisions ! ::)

Mate there is a big difference between the two. The SW models are a very close version to the Stella with a few slight changes to the materials used in the gearing and less bearings.
The FC has less again and does not have the same drag as the Stella where the SW twinpower does.

That's not to say they are not a great reel though. I have a 10000 FC and it is an awesome reel. It's a 6000 sized reel with a slightly bigger spool. I wouldn't use it for 80lb but it's perfect for 50lb and it's my go to reel for chasing reds.

Compared to some of the other reels you are looking at the FC is waterproof (not just the drag) which is a big plus.
It's far superior to the Saragosa but does cost a lot more too.

[grave41]

Torsa gets my vote . I use the 16 and the 30 although my accurate 870 2speed is awesome too. I've yet to try my new accurate 400 2speed.Spinning accurate 12 is awesome. Theres a lot of good gear out there second hand if you wait and are persistent.
GRAHAM

[Camhawk88]

Looking at upgrading th TLD 20 for similar purposes. It has been a great reel but is starting to show its age a touch- drag is still perfect.
After spending yesterday pulling big trevally, cobia and reds from 50m Im a bit sore- mostly from the reel smashing into the inside of my wrist when a fish takes a big lunge. Because of this I would like something with a deep but narrow spool.
Also on the wish list is 2 speed cos constantly winding up big weights to rebait is a bit of a drag with a ratio of around 4.5:1.

I like the look of the Avet 6/4 which is light, has 2 speeds, great drag and sturdy iternals. Also the FinNor Marquessa maybe a size 12 looks great but on the heavey side and one speed. The feel of these reels is probably the best I've experienced in a tackle shop- Im sure they would stand up under heavy going. Can get both off ebay landed in Aus for under $300. Looking around 450-500 in Aus.

[burleygu]

i bought a torsa 30 damo sick of the big bulky tyronos 30 havnt used it yet but it feels vvvvvvv nice!!! if all else fails looks the goods anyways!

[Daintreeboy]

A big thumbs up here on the Torsa as well but they are a little heavy still. Even the 16 is 825 grams. Lighter than the Tyrnos but if you are after a lighter overhead reel the Torsa may not be it.

[BigE]

Wilson venom & Fin-nor offshore + 80lbs braid ........ good red dragger :) and it doesn't break the bank.