Snapper/Grouper tackle

[ballyhu]

I need to get some bottom fishing rigs put together for a long weekend of 100' + or - type fishing next month. To be honest, I've caught more blue marlin than shallow water grouper and snapper. What type of rods, in terms of action, should I be looking for. I imagine that a penn 6/0 type reel would be just fine and I'm thinking 50# test braid. Am I heading in the right direction?

[Disco Lady]

Originally Posted by ballyhu

I need to get some bottom fishing rigs put together for a long weekend of 100' + or - type fishing next month. To be honest, I've caught more blue marlin than shallow water grouper and snapper. What type of rods, in terms of action, should I be looking for. I imagine that a penn 6/0 type reel would be just fine and I'm thinking 50# test braid. Am I heading in the right direction?

I see you got the meritt going. All you need is those 6/0 on 50lbs braid work great!for bottom fishing.I have a pair of them with pen slammer rods that have done there job very well. But Im' spoiled now and use a pair of Fin nor! seven and a half with a top shot of 80 braid.

Good Luck! DL

[Capt. JJ]

Definately go with fiberglass sticks. They can take the heat on big grouper. I have a set of crowder rods that are absolute monsters. Go with wire ring guides. They are maintenence free, and are indestructible. Braid or mono is your choice. Big circle hooks for the bigguns. Go get 'em

[Harry Klauber]

Penn 6/0 reels have limited drag capabilities and are too heavy to hold all day. I gave up on them years ago. I went to all short rods (Hoppers from Capt Harry's). On all but the heaviest I have Daiwa Saltist reels with drag upgrades from Smoothdrag - adds about 10 pounds to the drag capacity. I fish them with 40 - 60 pound line (braid with 50 foot topshots over each). On my grouper/Goliath rig I have 100 pound braid on an Alutecnos Gorilla that gives me 40 pounds at strike without the loss of free spool. No Penn 6/0 can come even close to that. Over the 100 pound braid is a 30 foot 125 pound mono topshot. You can go up as high as 80 pound test on the Saltists and the drags can handle the load. For the price you cannot beat the reels but you must upgrade the drags - SMOoOTH DRAG *** Can Stop Anything ***

[greg1]

There's a 100 different ways to skin this cat.

In my area I have over 115 scuba dives in 100ft and have never seen a gag bigger than 20 lbs or so.

I like a penn 4/0 senator and a long 8ft rod. 80 lb power pro with a 50 foot 50 or 60lb mono topshot.

We use double hook chicken rigs (rally rigs) with offset j-hooks.

If those don't work in your area then just use a carolina style.

[ibreelin]

The anti reverse dogs in both the saltist and troiums can not handle much over 20 pounds of drag with the drag upgrade. The teeth on the anti-reverse begin to shear and the reel with loose ati reverse for a couple of turns and then it will catch. The senators are to heavy to be holding all day in the 6/0 size, but the 4/0's are not to bad. If you want to spen more money the Penn torque 300, alutecnos, or accurate

[Captain Juan]

I mainly do bottom fishing (deep jigging). I look for good line capacity, high speed retrieve (over 6:1), and smooth drag. Some may argue high speed makes it harder to reel in big fish, like riding a ten-speed up a hill in 10th, but I love the way you can work metal jigs, wahoo bombs, and regular jigs with high speed reels. For deep jigging or bottom fishing, I use my Shimano Trinidad, Accurate Boss Magnum 656, my trusty old Shimano Speedmasters, and my Duel Speedy (have had a couple issues but still like the reel).

Also, go with braid. I use 60 lbs. in most of the reels above. I put on a little undershot of 30 lb. mono, and also use an 80 lb. top shot of about 50 feet.

Tight lines,

Juan

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Originally Posted by Harry Klauber

Penn 6/0 reels have limited drag capabilities and are too heavy to hold all day. I gave up on them years ago. I went to all short rods (Hoppers from Capt Harry's). On all but the heaviest I have Daiwa Saltist reels with drag upgrades from Smoothdrag - adds about 10 pounds to the drag capacity. I fish them with 40 - 60 pound line (braid with 50 foot topshots over each). On my grouper/Goliath rig I have 100 pound braid on an Alutecnos Gorilla that gives me 40 pounds at strike without the loss of free spool. No Penn 6/0 can come even close to that. Over the 100 pound braid is a 30 foot 125 pound mono topshot. You can go up as high as 80 pound test on the Saltists and the drags can handle the load. For the price you cannot beat the reels but you must upgrade the drags - SMOoOTH DRAG *** Can Stop Anything ***

The saltist is badass w/ the upgrade. Mine has filled the cooler a bunch big mangos, greys, and muttons.. Haven't had the problem w/ the anti reverse yet and I punish mine. Bottom fish w/ it a couple times a week. It has even with stood the unavoidable nurse shark battles for over a year. My .02

[Disco Lady]

COÑO!!!!!!! what ever happen! to the Pen Long Beach (65)

[Harry Klauber]

For ibereelins first post he seemed to sound pretty certain about the anti reverse problem with the saltists. I am 100% with Butch - I beat the crap out of those saltists and am still waiting for the anti reverse to fail on the first one! Keep crankin Butch - that reel isn't going to let you down!!

[bajakian]

I second Harry and Butch. The Saltists are sweet and priced right. The hopper rods are pretty cool too.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Originally Posted by Disco Lady

COÑO!!!!!!! what ever happen! to the Pen Long Beach (65)

Its on the bait rod

[Disco Lady]

DF thats a classic. I have one that still works great!

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Believe it or not Luis all of our boat rods on the Safari 1 are Longbeach 65's. They are easy to maintain, rebuild, find parts for, and are damm near indestructable. Had a client whip a 200lb goliath jewfish on one this year. So here's a toast to the almighty Longbeach She ain't the purdiest, or the fastest but she sure has caught her share of dinners from sheer consistency, made in the U S A. HAPPYFourth of July

[Disco Lady]

to the Pen LB 65

HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL.

[PUMPKIN]

I realize you all are a little confused so let me set the record straight from an alchemist perspective:

1 part saltist + 1 part 65 # braid + 1 part 50# topshot + 1 part Klauber = more dead grouper and snapper than you can think is humanly possible. Trust me, I know from experience.....

P

Originally Posted by bajakian

I second Harry and Butch. The Saltists are sweet and priced right. The hopper rods are pretty cool too.

[gtrfred]

what size/model of the saltist are you guys using? any thoughts on a small two speed reel like an avet LX/JX 6:3?

Thanks

[DIRTYFOOT2]

I've got the 50H, I believe Harry has the 30T higher torque slightly slower retrieve and a bit less line capacity. they come in 30 and 50 and either high speed( H )red lettering on the spool or top torque models ( T )black lettering. Both are phenomenal reels w/ the smoothdrags upgrade. The allytec gorilla is the top dawg if your pockets are deep enuff 40+ lbs o drag. That little reel will pull out the stumps in the back pasture if you need

[Harry Klauber]

The 30, 40, and 50 saltists are identical except for spool width. I use the 30's
for shallower water fishing - 300 yds 65# braid and 100 feet 50# mono. I use the 40's for slightly deeper - 300 yds 65# braid and 200 feet of 60# mono and the 50's for deeper water with 300 yds 80# braid and 100 feet 80# mono. You MUST upgrade the drags with washers from smoothdrag (www.smootdrag.com).

As far as Avets - you want a star drag reel for bottom fishing - easier to flip a clutch lever on a star drag reel than push a lever to strike. I tried a small Avet that they assured me at Capt. Harry's would handle 80# line. The very first goliath bent the spool. I substituted an Alutecnos Gorilla (big bucks) and have not had a problem. For everything except the most severe extra large bottom dwellers the upgraded saltists will definitely do the job for you and NOT hurt the pocketbook too much.

[ibreelin]

For my first post on this forum I am positive of the antireverse problem since my post number has nothing to do with it. Saltist and Toriums do have a problem. I have watched both reels loose antireverse on 30 plus pound grouper and start to back reel. Each application is different. We are usually dropping 10 to 20 OZ jigs in 150 to 200 feet of water with 65 to 80 pound braid. I have sent the reels out a couple of times to have them rebuilt, with greased drags and replaced anti reverse dogs and am continually told it will happen again if i use over 20 pounds of drag. I believe what i am being told is true because the individual who works on them services reels for some of the best in the long range fleet in Cali. I have attached links to rebuilds and drag questions.

Boating & Fishing Forum - daiwa saltist 40 - the easiest drag upgrade ever