Best rod for TSS4 ?

[Joel_F]

What rod would you match with a Shimano TSS4 for throwing metal lures and lead slugs ?

[Joel_F]

Also, braid or mono ?

Was thinking of using Penn Spinfisher 20lb mono.

[basserman]

8-10' ugly sitck

i use the 8' maily and use it from a boat and used to use it alot from the rocks
my tss4 is spooled with 10kg pre test platerpus ;D

[Heath]

Without a doubt, the Wilson Livefibre RLF20. ( 8ft 8-10kg Spin )

Sweeeeeeet [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Franco]

I'm with heath all the way, except I fish 6-10 kg mono on a TSS4 on the 6-8 kg live fibre spinstick.
I have 2 spools for the TSS4, one with 6kg (spinning metals) one with 10kg (baitfishing for jewies etc). The live fibre range is as good as you get in terms of value for money, but they do underate the line class of their blanks. I fish 10kg to the max on my 6-8kg live fibre rod without a problem (plenty of bottom end grunt) and with 6 kg the soft top 1/2 of the rod does all the work and is forgiving enough on fast fish. This combo for me has caught heaps of Longtails / Queenies in the 10 kg range / mackeral etc. The rods aren't the lightest but are tough and make great tropical travel rods that you don't have to lay in a bed of cotton wool every time you put it down.

Whatever you do make sure you use mono. The TSS4 is an older design reel, with the bail arm distorting under heavy loads and does not lay braid properly, causing line burying, and inconsistent drag pressures resulting in bust-offs / lost fish. I learnt the hard way. Since going back to mono it's been a great reel.

Go the live fibre.

[clutter]

I'm also with Heath,

I fish my TSS4 on the same rod with 15lb Platapus Platinum mono. Excellent outfit.

Cheers, Clutter

[Outsider]

Seems the Livies are pretty popular and for good reason - I've got three but there's always room for more!

[Heath]

Go the Live Fibre... 8) 8) 8)

Forgot to mention that I fish 30lb Spiderwire Stealth on my TSS4. No problems what so ever. Can cast a country mile with the thing too.

[Joel_F]

Thanks for the replies. Will go with the Live Fibre and I am going to try braid for the extra distance it should give me.

Any advice on where to buy the Live Fibre ?

[clutter]

I bought mine at AMart at Stafford. Make sure you ask them for the best they can do for cash, usually knock another $15-$20 off.

Cheers, Clutter

[Outsider]

Bloody hell!

Don't mention the A-word!

[Smithy]

A Gary Howard "Moreton Bay Spin".

[MarcusD]

Smithy, is yours the 7 ft or 9 ft? I've got the 7ft and I'm looking for a new reel for it... maybe a TSS4.

[mackmauler]

nice rods with lots of power the MB spin 7ft. best reel is the 9500 penn in that price range the tss4 just cant take the pace.

[Smithy]

The Gary Howard isn't mine but my Russ's. It is one sweet bit of kit and yes it is a 7'. When Billfishing it is relegated to bait jigging duties but it is that sensative you can feel each Yakka and Slimey jump on one at a time - even on mono.