Reel Question

[ReelSeaSick]

[crazy]OK, I am building a casting rod to bottom fish 75' water for fluke and also jig for blues. I will be using 20# test line. what reel? budget: up to $100. Penn TCI, Shimano Triton? Something else? I am looking to hold about 200+ yards of line and a reel ratio of 4:1 or higher.
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[JapanRon]

Hey there Reelseasick,

You must be an East Coast angler. Those stripers must be your target fish too?! I'm jealous What is your preference in conventional reels, with or without the level wind feature? Are you looking at a standard or 2-speed reel.

Here in California, a 75' target depth, depending on the species, seems a little shallow but I know fluke are like halibut and can be caught in shallow coastal areas as are bluefish and stripers. I'd be using a flippin' or jiggin' freshwater stick for the fishing you're talking about although I know those blues will put a hurt and any tackle.

I love my Shimano Calcutta 400 and use a rod that is one step up from the heaviest flippin sitck you can find. Not much help but just a few ideas.

JapanRon
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[Fishslayer]

[cool]Aren't fluke & bluefish kinda different sorts of fishing to try to cover with one outfit? Anyway, two reels that jump to mind are the TLD Stars & either 500 or 505 Jigmasters. I tried a friend's Quantum one time & really liked it. They're under $100.

Fishslayer
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[ReelSeaSick]

[]yes they are different, but conditions and size change thing. Let's see if this BS floats. A big fluke, 5 lb. or more pulled up from 75' is no easy task. the rod I have is 15-25 lb. A rod just for blues might be 20-30, if you want any easy retrieve. This rod will be flexible for both. also sometimes when we go our, off the northern part of NJ beaches, we end up fishing wrecks, so 20# test is good. so this rod and reel will be fishing in 20' water shallow wrecks for sea bass, 25-75' for fluke, jig for blue, and live line bunker for blues or stripers. quite alot of options for a single rod. Next year I will build a 30# more trolling rod for a Penn Senator 3/0 I have. I used to fish in the Raritan Bay with light tackle for fluke and weak fish, but my friend now has a bigger boat for bigger water. Does that float?
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[JapanRon]

Hey there ReelSeaSick,

I should have warned you that I like to go really light (12-15lb)on everything but White Sea Bass and Tuna here in Southern California. Fishslayer mentioned some nice reels, couldn't go wrong with any of those for my money.

Sounds like you've got a handle on just what you need on the East Coast there. Trouble with some of the newer reels like the Calcutta's, etc. it that they cost way too much money. Quality's there but.... the wallet ain't that fat. ha ha

Awaiting further comments from posters,

tsurikichi
a.k.a.JapanRon
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[davetclown]

which Quantum did you try, if you can remember?

I have just recently come in to a 30 lb class one peice custom made rod and am wondering myself what would would be the best choice for going down deep. I have several Quantums bait casters but havent used one.

I will be targeting large cats carp salmon and rainbows 30lb+ at depths of 40 to 60 feet.
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[DH_tubinjoe]

I think you should try out a used reel. used but not in bad condition. if you can find one, i think you should try a penn 535. I dont have one, but my friend has had nothing but good luck with this reel. He's caught yellowtail, white sea bass, halibut, and albacore with it.

I also think a Daiwa SL 30. the only thing about this reel is that the dogs, the things inside the reel that keep the handle from going backwards, go bad sooner than other reels.

good luck!

Joe



Joe
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[Fishslayer]

[cool]It was one of the larger levelwind Quantums. Don't know if it was tricked or not but it would really launch the iron. Smooth, too.

The GS series Penns have 6/0 sized drag washers, high speed gears & are velvet smooth. Ya can't go wrong there, either.

Fishslayer
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[davetclown]

I selected the Quantom modle IR410CX

it is gold in color, to match the rappings of my new rod.

My next question is what to spool it with.

I have received a spool of line to test, it is Trilene's Sensation 12 pound test. the diamiter of the line is 13 thousands in diamiter. thiner than what I have seen for this pound test line.

I dont know if this would be a good line for troling, I am inclined to chose a stiffer line, but the color is also gold, Now I am not one to beleive in coincidance but rather that things come tgether for a perpous.

What do you think of this combinations?

30# class rod, with the Quantom IR410CX reel and Trilene's Sensation 12# test.
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