Spooling TLD 50W

[Madhouse]

Has anyone out there spooled a TLD50W with 80 or 100 lb braided line and if so how many yards did you get on it?

[Hicatch]

My TLD 50's are spooled with 1000 yards of 80 pound Western Filament Tuff Line top shotted with 100 yards of 60 pound Momoi Diamond and a 25' 220 pound wind on leader.

[hannaman]

Your best bet would be to forget the topshot and have your wind-ons a 100 feet long. Less connections this way.

[RiskTaker]

Hey Capt. Cary:

With your recommendation to use simply a long wind-on "quasi-topshot", instead of a mono topshot plus short wind-on, are you talking about using line in the realm of 200 lb. hard mono for the terminal 100 ft.

Right now my configuration is just like Hi-catch's, just that I am using equal to spectra topshot 100 yds. @ 80lb., instead of 60 lb. (on Penn 50TW), plus the 200 lb wind-on of Momoi Diamond.

(Madhouse - FYI - I split a 1500 yd. spool of Powerpro 80 on two 50TWs plus a 150 yd. mono backer , plus top shot & wind-on: sum ~ 1000 yds. Other brands of spectra may come packaged differently. ie. 1200 yds., 2500 yds. So you may have to adjust the loading unless you can tap any desired length from a jumbo spool for your TLD50 (wide ?). Which I believe is rated at 700 yds/50 lb. mono whereas Penn50TW is rated 850 yds/50 lb. mono. In your case you would simply start with spectra, no backer. I have never experienced a broken interconnect but I have to support the simplicity that Cary recommends. It reduces the potential of failure.)

With an interconnect like this, would you prefer a finger trap of mono to hollow core spectra (mainline), or stick with a loop to loop.

Wow, interesting idea: that sounds minimalist for connections. I think I like it. Who is configured like this now? Anybody you know?

Cary, Thanks for you seasoned advice.

P.S. - I saw you at DSOM Captn's. meeting but before I had a chance to introduce myself, you were gone or back inside. Another time.

RiskTaker

[Madhouse]

Thanks for the great input. If fewer connections means fewer potential problems then spectra to wind-on is about as simple as you can get. The loop to loop connection is hard to beat for simplicity as well, especially for changing it when too frayed. Maintenance that is easy is done regularly...

RiskTaker - you are correct: 50Ws (2-speed LRS to be exact - heavier drag system) and they're rated for 700yds of 50 or 440yds of 80 mono.

[Hicatch]

Cary has a good point about using the long wind-on/top shot, however I primarily use my TLD-50LRS's for swording and I have dacron loops spliced onto the 60 pound at 100-200-300 foot intervals for my ballons. If I were primarily trolling or chunking for tunas in the canyons or in the gulf I would opt for 130 pound hollow core spectra with a 25-50 yard top shot of 40-80 pound mono or fluoro carbon to a snap swivel for trolling or a swiveled circle hook for chunking/live baiting.

Fishing with spectra backing gives you more versatility to change top shots to match the bite. Sometimes tunas will bite 80 pound sometimes they won't and it is necessary to scale down to lighter line to get the bites. Rigging TLD-50LRS's this way makes alot of scence because the TLD 50LRS is a great reel for stand-up fishing for tunas and swordfish due to there light weight and beefed up drags.

[hannaman]

Risktaker, the long topshot / wind-on is basically your leader and I keep mine ranging from 220 - 300 pound test.

[RiskTaker]

Thanks Hi-Catch.. Sounds like Reel weight is your differentiator.

Hey Madhouse:

Are you setting up an existing TLD50, geared up now for swordfishing or is this a brand new reel for you?

I was curious to know if you have contemplated other choices in reels before deciding on Shimano TLD50. What made you choose this one?

After hearing a good amount of discussion pro/cons of outfitting a 30s style reel and rod, I have decided to go with another 50 instead of a 30. I need another rod that will also be swordfish compatible. (See the other thread on 30s if interested.)

I think the TLD 50 II LRS is likely a superb choice: for me the lightweightness, price, and powerful drag are the compelling features of this reel. Line capacity is somewhat less than the specifically labelled WIDE spooled reels.

Having some Penns already I am inclined to build up a unified collection of fishing tackle by going with the incumbant brand; however, I am probing to see what other swordfishing guys are choosing as their own.
(My rod/reels are heavyy compared to TLDs and Okumas: but I also have a heavy rod Aftco Aluminum Unibut.)

But I would like to know any positive/negative on some other common choices. Anyone please chime in if you have any specific reasons for any particular selections. The choices of requested feedback are:

Shimano TLD 50 II LRS (700 yds.) (56 oz.)
Shimano Tiagra Ti-50W LRS (850 yds.) (82 oz.)
Penn 50VSW (850 yds.) (68 oz.)
Avet EXW 50/2 (950 yds.) (67 oz.)

and in a league to itself
Accurate ATD 50 W (850 yds.) (54 oz.) $$$ (5 yr. Extended Maintenance)

Hannaman - Ok, I am convinced. The next time I spool up or change my mono top-shot, I am going to give it a go. One long and heavy wind-on with only one interconnect, instead of two. Plus, I like the concept of no line transition, except for a waxline mark once the fish is very close. You can learn a lot from an expert ! P.S. - I read that Momoi Diamond is stronger by 200% than the stated line rating. Any buy-in on this?
http://tackledirect.com/momoidiamond.html

RiskTaker

[kai akua]

hey risktaker!

you might want to give avet reels a glance. www.avetreels.com i think. they are kind of popular out here on the west coast. i have never fished with one personaly, but have talked to many of guys that use the smaller version for light tackle. they have waht i call a 40 series. its the EXW 4/02 goes for around $350 and holds 600yds of 40lb mono. they also have a 50 series that holds up to 950yds of 50lb mono :shock: that is a crap load of spectra if you wanted! the 40 series wheigh in at about 40-50 Oz if i remeber.

its just a thought! however i am tiagra guy!

maybe the avet 40 series is the perfect compromise between the 50 and 30 debate :lol:

Alohas!

(will get back to your PM, been out of town for a while)

[Captain Joe McGivern]

all of my rods have straight hollowcore.I used to have a top shot but i eliminated them.I now use a 50ft wind on plus a lead to the bait.Dont have any problems pulling hooks,doesnt happen too often as most think,and it give that much more line capacity

[FinalPoint]

Hey Robbie, good call with the avet. Risktaker usually fishes with me and I recently got an avet 50. It is so sweet. It has a lot of line capacity and I threw on 300 yds of spectra underneath the 50 lb mono (for backup purposes - i hope that comes in handy someday). Tek set me up with that and a nice chaos rod. The avet is an unvelievably smooth reel with a lot of line capacity and a little less than average weight. It is good looking too in case you care. It comes in gold, silver, and a pretty neat blue. If you are looking at getting new equipment, check these reels out. I have yet to catch a fish on it because I only used it twice. I had a nice runoff one night and was very upset that we missed the fish - I can't wait to break it in.
By the way, the drag system is amazing (capability of 50 lbs at strike). The quad drag would be an amazing gaint tuna reel (capability of 100 lbs of drag at strike).

[RiskTaker]

Hey Final Point:

Yeah, as far as the Avets go... From one person I know seasoned in the business, they are tops, as well as Alutecnos and Everol. The recommendation was to steer clear of Penn and Tiagra: reason cited, current Metalurgy sucks. Without data to support, I find this a little bit difficult to digest because I would think that these reel manufacturers "would/should/are expected" to be at the pinnacle of success/quality at this point in time. I could be wrong: (but I am dancing to the drum-beat of customer satisfaction and top-shelf quality is a primary function to that beat: jobs are outsourcing, the old fashion quality does not necessarily ride with the current manufactured products. Yes, there is a noted difference on many things.

Japan is now making over-priced good quality products.
Korea has displaced the supply of fair priced quality products
And now China is carrying the motherlode of manufactured goods, of dubious quality. This will undoubtedly change, unless nobody is next in line to become the next greatest denominator. (lowest if you think that is the right word ? - dilution !)

Whats next? ... The world will come full circle and start again in the Western Hemisphere with next generation manufactured products, but with global competition.

In the meantime, fishing goes on around the globe, unfettered by the flux in where the durable goods are coming from. I just don't want to throw away my fishing tackle because it now corrodes at a faster.meditated pace. What ever happened to the word durable anyway?

Boa Noite

[kai akua]

LOL! nice tangent!

only seen one tiagra crack a spool in half. tight line packing while fighting a decent sized dead fish on a really warm day was the culpert!

let me know waht you pick and why?

Alohas!

Robbie!

[Madhouse]

RiskTaker-
I've been using the TLD 50WII LRSs for the past year without any problems. They've always been spooled with 50lb mono and, like you noted, the capacity is only 700yds, hense the spectra advantage. Although I'm still waiting for that triple digit sword I've never even been close to spooled - but I'm hoping!

The reasons for the TLD 50W vs. other 50Ws boiled down to cost (I paid $310 each for new - list is $430+/-) reputation (I haven't heard anything bad...) and prior experience. A regular sword partner has been using them for a few years and has never had a problem either. He and I are both miticulas about maintenance which may be one reason why they've been trouble free. I looked into the Okuma line but just had a hard time investing in a reel that I didn't feel had been proven yet. Maybe it's just me... Another buddy has nothing but Penn Int'l 50Ws which obviously are proven but more expensive. Being a budget minded sworder I'd rather spend the extra cash on fuel, bait and many many freezer bags...

[SM]

Be careful with the TLD 50 II on swords. I sent Hannaman photos of a daytime sword which are now in the gallery here. That fish was on a TLD 50 II and the reel blew up 4 hours into the fight. The photos were taken within the first minute that the fish was hooked and it was very green.

The risk of using a graphite bodied reel occurs when you put a harness on it. You have the rod exerting downward force at the reel seat and the reel is clipped in at the harness lugs. In effect, the reel is being pulled in two different directions. If the force is hard enough (fish was estimated at 300+ lbs and they were fishing 80 lb spectra), then the reel blows up and it's usually at the base where the reel seat attaches. These are fine reels if you're not fishing them in a harness. That said, my buddy will no longer be buying graphite bodied reels for heavy work. I cut my graphite bodied reels off at TLD 15s. Above that, they're all Tiagras along with an odd Penn or two plus a Beastmaster 20/30 and a couple old Tritons.

[Litetackleredneck]

One word of advise; before putting on the braid, put a small amount of mono backing, enough to cover the spool twice at least. This keepd the braid from slipping around the spool. Rarly happens, but it still does.

[RiskTaker]

Hola LTRN:

Your post caught my attention. Not because I don't have anything better to do. Oh contrare, I am just wrapping up a night for a back yard deck project. And because this is also another great full moon night, and High tide right now, I am going for a swim to inter-act with mother earth.

Quickly, quickly, quickly. My spool is just like this only to balance a finite quantity of spectra on the spool. If you have a dimple or tit on the base of your spool and the bitter end is tied to that, I do not understand how your slippage comment applies.

Smaller spools perhaps.

Good observation though if it applies.

Hey, I think it is high time for you to embarass any skepticals by landing a 330 lb. swordfish with a 30 lb. reel. I will be rooting for you: although I think I want to stay in 50 lb. class. to accomodate all the paraphenalia: wind-ons and multiple captive wax line loops buried in the spool. This takes up a little bit of space which I think is best left to the 50s as a minimum.

Carry on, with the ideas, because somehow I still want to have some 30s as a regular spread, not for swordfish, but mostly all the others.

I am heading to the water for a back stroke and the full moon is my suitor. I will speak to God an hopefully everyone within earshot will benefit as well. I haven't been eaten, or harmed in the slightest way yet: so I believe I have a good Bud somewhere out there. (Saltwater not sweetWater.) There's gators in sweetwater: kids don't do this in fresh water.

Later.

[JahMussa]

Originally Posted by hannaman

Risktaker, the long topshot / wind-on is basically your leader and I keep mine ranging from 220 - 300 pound test.

Hi Cary.. sorry to jump in here so long after this thread has been dormant. The TLD50LRS holds 440/80 mono. If you put a 100 ft "topshot" of 300# mono, that leaves approx 600/700 yards of 80# standard spectra. Is this how your TLD50 is rigged or do you have even less line capacity with straight mono.

You also mentioned that you use a uni/uni for the connection. That has got to be one big knot that could rattle your teeth as it goes through the guides

The beauty of hollow core spectra is a seamless, knotless connection. All the good guys that sell windons will guarentee them against failure. Also, it's splicable. So if your line gets cut off... you can splice the new section on (or cut out a frayed section) and you'll most likely never find the splice again. Much better than tying a knot or the dreaded re-spool of fresh line.

I know that serving the connection may take time for some that don't do it all the time. These guys are in luck as there is now a special super tiny crimp kit that can be used instead of serving. Simply run the mono inside the hollowcore, use the proper adhesive and crimp.

As for loop to loop connections, although they are great and easy to use. You can instead ask your windon builder to leave a long end vs a loop. This way you can splice the hollowcore spectra end to the hollowcore spectra main line. When it's time to change the windon/topshot... just pull it free. Much easier/cleaner than the loop to loop knot.