New Guy With (another) Reel Question

[EricF]

I know I know... But:

I'm trying to piecemeal a sword arsenal (that can double as Wahoo/Tuna and possibly Marlin tackle) together, just enough to get started and get out there. Full time college student, not too much money to dedicate to this.

Looking for some input as to what the lightest/cheapest reels people use out there (with success or tragic failure stories if possible :lol: ).

So far I have a Shimano Triton Trolling 30 with 40# mono, a 2-speed Triton Beast Master 30/50 (1100/30, 600/50) with 150# PP and a top shot of 80, and my friend Justin has a 6/0 Senator we were going to spool with 40 or so.

I also have a 4/0 113H that I'm hesitant to use, and Justin has a matched set of TLD 20s. Both of these reels I think have too much plastic in them and drags that wouldn't hold up... Not to mention kind of low capacity. Anyone using tackle like this with success?

Also anyone using Beast Masters with heavy line and lots of drag? Seems a way overbuilt/serious reel.

Thanks for any input!

[Eric]

Your best bet is to get a combo deal with shamano tld 50 lrs. I you search around you can buy it new for 500.00 for the combo. But to get set up right for sword you have to go gold and the smallest at 50w and their is a good chance you will can get dumped with that if you have a slob. good luck

[JupiterSailfish]

Use what you got till you can get some fiddys. The Penn GLD 50's are good reels for the money. The TLD's would be my second choice in the graphite category. If you are going to stay in Swordfishing for awhile, go with the GOLD mang!

[Uncle Buck]

Since you're a college sudent and thin on funds, I'm guessing you don't have a boat. That's okay. There's no need to build up your own arsenal unless you've got your own ride to the 50. As long as you're fishing with friends, you really only need to get one, maybe two rods. If 3 guys bring a rod or two, you'll have plenty.

If that's the case, go for the very best single rod/reel setup that you can afford. Worry about the arsenal later. I settled on the Tiagra 50WLRS for my first. I bought the parts for the rods, and had a generous friend build 'em for me. Hint: There are several folks who enjoy building rods as a hobby, and are would be willing to help you out if you bought the materials.

I got 2 set-ups to start, but rarely need bring more than 1 when fishing on friends' boats. I do have my own boat, and still need to borrow a pair when I go out swording... but it's just a matter of time until that's no longer necessary. Thanks to the great friends I've made in the search for broadbills, I have never been lacking in equipment to use. :thumright:

So, I would suggest getting a Tiagra 50w and a matched rod. Be sure to save money for the LPs, weights, hooks, leader, bait, etc... The extras add up QUICK! :shock: In hindsight... the rods and reels were the cheap part!

[Another Grand]

For what its worth,

For $140 on Ebay you can get one of the new Fin Nor Spinners. They hold 600 yards of 100lbs power pro and get 60lbs of drag. This would be a better setup than all the other stuff you mentioned. I just ordered one.

I caught my first fish on a Beast Master 50-80.

[NightCrawler]

Buck brings up a good point. The little stuff can add up in a hurry.
So if you're on limited funds maybe build yourself a swordbox of goodies first, ie. LP's,
cyalumes, swordlight, weights, hooks, leader, floats, squid....Don't forget a good straight
Gaff in the very least, and the list goes on and on. If you have funds left over, go with 50's, if you don't
fish what you have and learn in the process, then once you are ready to buy you'll have a better
idea of what you want. Don't forget X-mas is coming up, so you may want to start leaving some
fishing catalogs around with some gold reels circled

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Started out swording w/ a pair of 6/0 senators Grossly undertackled.
Bought a 50w tlrs from crawler and shortly thereafter landed my first keeper. Used 50 tlrs's are everywhere, as so many are going to 80's.
Build up as you are able. Took me a month to get my first setup together,
and a couple months to save up for my 80. The fifty will allow you to catch swords and is the best setup for the light of wallet. Don't forget about a quality harness. If you do your chiropractic bill will be higher than
the cost of the equip.
Good luck,
DF2

[EricF]

Thanks for the responses guys!

As far as a boat, I'll be fishing on my friend Justin's 23 Formula sportfisher conversion with twin 225 FICHTS, he has a matched set of TLD 15s and 20s for livebait fishing, and I've been slowly working on getting some outfits together for us to go swording (I've also donated the EPIRB and fixed his radio ). I think he already has a good amount of terminal tackle, and knows more about that end of things than I do so he will take care of the lights and such.

The 30/50 has about ~800-900 yards of 150# PP on it now and capacity for a ton of drag, so it will probably be our heavy rod for the time being. The TT30 is also all metal so I may put some braided on it and see how well it holds up. Maybe use the 6/0 as a tip rod... May have a line on an International 30, which so long as it's in decent shape should be able to deal with some braid as well I think

As far as harnesses, if we don't get one before we get out there we'll probably just fight the fish out of the holder. He has a ton of holders in the front since it's a sportfisherman set up for tournament style livebaiting (we usually drift a 10-rod spread plus two bottom rods that we hold onto).

[quack quack]

good luck and welcome

[freezorburn]

Go old school.

Penn Senator 9/0 or bigger and pick up a cheep rod on ebay.

[Flyin By]

I started with the TLD 50W and continue to use them. If you set them up right I think your in for a fun time. I have them on Star rods and have caught swords on them. We just recently up graded to two 80W which I think will be cumbersom even on my 29' CC. but the damage is done. We even set one Tiagra 30W on every trip. JB and top shot used we have alot of line. Good luck. P.S. use the tld 25 and catch a slob. Now thats a post I'll read. :lol:

[Flatsfish B]

I just ran across a real good deal. It is a TLD50wlrs 2 speed used 5 times with 550yards of 130 jerry brown and a 100yard top shot of 80 diamond on a chaos black and gold all roller rod. He is asking 575, but I think he would go a little less, PM me if interested.

[EricF]

Thanks for all the input guys, duly noted and appreciated

Been keeping an eye out for 9/0's, might get one sooner or later. Based on my experience with my 4/0, expect it to be pretty maintenance-intensive if I use higher drag settings... Oh well! If it works it works eh?

Also if anyone's got any light tackle questions, I will do my best to help you out, have some 15-20 mid-high end light tackle combos up and running at all times (all are used and abused and catch fish). Do most of my fishing on the Gulf Coast in Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor.

[igotbenefits]

I knew you would get answers here Eric...

[EricF]

Originally Posted by igotbenefits

I knew you would get answers here Eric...

Yep, good call

As a note, just watched a Malcolm Florence video where he fights a 600-700 pound black marlin on a 50 pound jigging setup (believe it's a Daiwa Sealine 600H), the reel lasted about 1.5 hours I think it was, then screws started backing out of the sideplate... The reel seat broke after they screwed them back in, and then the drag and main gear locked up after they secured the reel to the rod with small rope :lol:

One guy handlined the marlin as the helm was going back trying to match his speed, and Malcolm cut the line and quickly tied a blood knot so they could fight the fish on a bent-butt 80 International they had. Got the dacron from the 50 back on the spool and they landed the fish... Was cool to see an all-out tackle failure on film though :twisted:

[CJDcatch22]

save the 150$ and don't buy a swordlight - don't need it

[thoward]

I just started and with a little give and take this is what we found per line.

$50 LP
$2 Hook
$2 Snap Swivel
$2 Crimps/Loop Protectors/Beads/Ruberbands
$20 300# Wind on Leader
$2 Balloon with Chem Light and tape
$3 Lead
$5 Squid

For a grand total of $86/line. You could get by with one of those $30 bait lights from BPS but the Hydroglow puts out a lot more light. As far as reels go I bit the bullet and got the Tiagra 50WLRSA's and Star Rods.

I am sure some of this is overkill but we went 3 for 5 our first trip so it is expensive but fun, fun ,fun. I wonder if the comercial guys laugh at us for hanging such gear in the water? Now that said, if I wanted to try it without breaking the bank I would be willing to put my 6/0 with 50# mono out there with a 15' 300# leader and use chem lights. That way you only loose a $15 rig if you hook in to that bigun.