Trying to get ready for next season. What's the opinions out there for good rod and reel set ups ?

for just starting out,,,
i'd go with 6/0 penn senators on 6 1/2' rods, loaded with 50# mono.
when you snag a 300 pounder in the arse and it smokes the drag on those,,, you can step up to penn 50's, on 5 1/2' 50-80# class rods with 80#test:D

if you want a set that will last forevever and you can afford them 50w accurates with seeker bts6460xxh-6'ar/ub

Pete,
No offense but I think the accurates are overpriced and overrated. If he's going to spend anything like what those cost he'll be better off witha set of penn 50VSWs.

Freak & Mike -

If you're using 50# with a 100# topshot + wire leaders, what amount of drag are you looking for?

I ask because I am planning on adding two conventional outfits, have purchased 30-80# 6' blanks and I'm considering adding Shimano TLD 25's.

Thanks,

Roop

Originally posted by MakoMike
Pete,
No offense but I think the accurates are overpriced and overrated. If he's going to spend anything like what those cost he'll be better off witha set of penn 50VSWs.

I respectfully and vigorously disagree.

I don't have anywhere near the offshore experience that MakoMike has...but...

I have done a side-by-side comparison of the Accurate and Penn drags on tuna and shark (offshore RI and OBX) - there is no comparison, Accurate wins hands down.

I have 2 Accurate Platinum Twin Drag 50W's and they are worth their weight in gold. Smooth as a baby's butt. Smoothest drag system I have ever fished, hands down.

The Penn Int'ls are work horses and will get the job done (and they are cheaper), but the difference between the two drags, especially on screaming tuna, is night and day. The Penn's are "clunkier."

Bear in mind I'm not talking about the Boss' or the Boss Magnums - I've only owned a few of these smaller reels and I did have an issue with them - the drags were either on or off and it felt like you couldn't really set them.

The Accurate 30W's, 50W's, 80W's, and 130's are another story altogether.

I prefer not to use braid unless it's really thick and stiff ... like 130 lb. old-style Berkley Whiplash.

Many use Jinkai mono. I've recently switched over to Momoi mono - it's not as soft as Jinkai and it's more abrasion resistant.

The Tiburon SST reels are also making a favorable impression on the West Coast tuna anglers. I've picked up a few 30's, and hopefully will put them to the test later this month.

http://www.tiburonengineering.com/

what about tuna from the beach? anyone ever try that? :laughs:

Originally posted by Roop
Freak & Mike -

If you're using 50# with a 100# topshot + wire leaders, what amount of drag are you looking for?

I ask because I am planning on adding two conventional outfits, have purchased 30-80# 6' blanks and I'm considering adding Shimano TLD 25's.

Thanks,

Roop

i'd go with about 12-15 pounds of drag on those. any more and your into a full stand up harness, saftey lines etc...

those accurate's are boat jewlery,, too rich for my blood

Way ahead of you Toby. The Tiburon SST 20 is set up for that. It's a manageable size, and it will cast smoothly from the beach. In this particular (admittedly nutty) application, I would go with some mono topshot layered on braid, given that line capacity is a concern. Just have to figure out the optimal rod to throw a 3-4 oz diamond jig at breaking tuna.

Roop,
I always go with 20% of the breaking stregnth at strike.

WW,
I didn't say they weren't better, but they ain't that much better to justify the price differential. Plus they are a lot more finnicky, than the penns and require more maintinence. I've seen several of theos twin drags size tight whena little something got caught inside.

Originally posted by MakoMike

WW,
I didn't say they weren't better, but they ain't that much better to justify the price differential. Plus they are a lot more finnicky, than the penns and require more maintinence. I've seen several of theos twin drags size tight whena little something got caught inside.

Definitely a fair criticism. The price differential is causing a lot of Accurate owners to take a peek at the Tiburons.

what about Shimano?:btu: Good stuff!!

I've used the accurates from everything from blue marlin to bigeye tuna over the last 5 years and they have never let me down You gotta maintain them oil and clean and if you do that you can put the screws too any fish and not worry about the line snapping like a gunshot. This is my opinion it works for me pete santini

I hope Accurate has corrected the problem of the handles falling off their 130 reels. My friend busted two handles off Accurate 130s. The reels were sold shortly thereafter. I do not know if they can handle no pun intended the rigors of everyday commercial fishing.

Like i said i never had a problem with my 50w accurates Thats the 1st i ever heard of any handles coming off i have a pair of 130 and had no problems The guys i fished with from salinas ecuador fish marlin all year some up to 1000 lbs plus loads of bigeye and yellowfin and the accurates are their favorite reel The reels hold up extremely well and there used daily on charters.