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RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

spiderjohn — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:21:50 GMT

Thanks for all the replies. Went with some TLD 25s. That gives us 3 TLD 25s and 4 Tiagra 30Ws. I plan to run the 30Ws on the rail (corner and short rigger). The TLD 25 will be in the rocket launchers for the long riggers and the way back. That should keep our bottom stuff in the locker and ready for a stop on the way back in if we feel like it. Also have a few spinning reels ready for pitching.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

spiderjohn — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:29:44 GMT

When you say center rigger, do have an actual device or just running a way back out of the rocket launchers on the top?

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Reel Alimony — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:13:40 GMT

We have used TLD 20's and TLD 25's, also throw in Penn 114's , use those with our heavier Wahoo rigs, caught a 64# Wahoo last year 12 miles off OB last year. They all work. This year we added two TLD 30IIA's found them on the internet at $216 each plus about $14 shipping. Added two full roller guide rods from sams in OB and we are good to go. Will be trying them out this week. Problem we have is switching between trolling and then botom fishing for Grouper and Snapper. I lock up the drag when bottom fishing, then you have to reset when trolling. With the addition of the TLD 2-speeds I will be using all the Shimanos for trolling and keep the 114's for bottom fishing.

I run a 26' WA with Taco outrigggers, we run two lines off each outrigger, flat lines off the corners and a center rigger. With the right crew member you can do this.. If you have a no knowledge crew we might go 5 total (2 corners plus one off each outrigger) plus the center rigger...

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Bryan Bennett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:06:50 GMT

In my opinion the Shimano Tiagra is the best value on the big game market today. You can certainly spend more on the "Gucci" reels like Avet, Accurate, Duel, etc. (I have sold them, too), but for day in and day out quality, reliability, and general user-friendliness, the Tiagras are the best hands down. To me, if you have to constantly tinker with a reel for it to work when you are going fishing, is it really that good a reel to begin with? Sure the Accurates have the twin drag, and the Duels have the wind-in-reverse low gear, and the Avet's have the ridiculously high strike drag, but I have seen that these reels require constant attention to keep them running right. Kind of like owning a Corvette...you don't just own one it is your hobby. Anyway, back to the point...the Tiagra has a silky smooth drag from day one and for many, many fish thereafter. I judge a drag by the rod tip when a fish is burning for the horizon. If the tip is jumping and bouncing, the drag is not operating correctly. When line burns off a Tiagra, the rod tip is steady as a rock. Furthermore, you can set the drag on your Tiagra with a scale, fish it, then leave it standing in a corner with the lever at strike, and when you go fishing the next time the drag will usually be within one pound of your original setting. Everything about the Tiagra's design is user friendly and ergonomic in design. After using it a few times, you will not even have to look at the reel to engage the drag, change speeds, or turn the clicker on and off. The preset knob is indexed, as is the lever on the new "A" series, so there is a positive indication of a change in drag setting. The clicker lever has a positive "on" and "off" position, no in-between, unlike the old Penns that have a kind of floating position where the clicker is not engaged. And the stock handle on the "A" series Tiagras eliminates the need to purchase aftermarket equipment such as a T-Bar. Finally, if there is such a thing as a "wash-and-go" big game reel, the Tiagra is it. Simply wash down with soap and water, spray the moving outer mechanisms with Corrosion-X, and keep it inside a neoprene cover, and your reel will last indefinitely. And unless you catch a load of fish on a Tiagra, it probably doesn't need service except every two to three years.

There's my take on Tiagra's...no better reel out there, big money or not...good luck, everyone. Bryan Bennett, Sam's, (251) 981-4245

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Bryan Bennett — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:14:16 GMT

[quote]tie a bimini to bimini for the connection... should hold fine and go through the guides fine.[/quote]

That does work but it is a rather outdated connection, and I am told only about 60 percent of the original line strength. There exists a much cleaner way to connect spectra to mono. An Albright or back-to-back uni-knot is a good, low profile connection for standard braid to mono. However, most hard-core offshore anglers, especially those fishing big yellowfins on the long-range boats out west are using the hollow-core Spectra due to its spliceability. The mono actually is inserted within the braid and whipped off at the joint...this is a 100% connection when done properly--no loss of tensile strength because there actually is no knot. Another cool thing is that hollow braid can be joined to itself seamlessly...if you broke off halfway into the spool or had to cut the top layer for some reason, you can easily splice a new section of hollow braid into the existing spool, and the connection is imperceptible and, again, 100%. Here at Sam's we try our best to stress this method as it is the one I feel most comfortable with our customers using...I even had a deckhand who uses the Albright connection admit that they lose 1 in ten fish due to the knot hanging on a guide. The hollow braid joint slides effortlessly through ring guides and over rollers. Anyway, hope some of this helps and provides a little information. If we can help further, contact us here at Sam's (251) 981-4245.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Brad K — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:56:54 GMT

We run a set of TLD 20's and 25's for everyday trolling. Live bait "bump" trolling for kings and pulling small spreads for dolphin and wahoo. When we decide to pull the big lures we run International 50's - 50 wides, International 30's and 30 wides.

I do love me some TLD's though. I have only been fishing them for about 4 years and I am in love with them. Shimano has already taken over as my favorite inshore reels and my favorite bottom bumping reels, want be long now till they take over all my reels. Which brings me to a guestion. Anyone here fish Tiagra's. I have no experience with them but I really want to give one a try, or at least here some testimonials.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Bill Me — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:43:20 GMT

Thanks

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

John B. — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:10:35 GMT

[quote][b]Billable (7/12/2008)[/b][hr]Why Braid with Mono topshot instead of straight braid? The connection going through the guides when you are being smoked by a wahoo or tuna makes me nervous. I'm running a hodgepode of reels, but have been pretty happy with the Okuma 30 and 50 lever drags I have. The Penn Graphite II 30W is realy nice as well.[/quote]

you will lose alot of fish on the strike because the braid will not strech.... the mono is basically a shock leader, to avoid hook pulls...

tie a bimini to bimini for the connection... should hold fine and go through the guides fine.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Bill Me — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:01:35 GMT

Why Braid with Mono topshot instead of straight braid? The connection going through the guides when you are being smoked by a wahoo or tuna makes me nervous. I'm running a hodgepode of reels, but have been pretty happy with the Okuma 30 and 50 lever drags I have. The Penn Graphite II 30W is realy nice as well.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Bryan Bennett — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:06:16 GMT

The TLD 25 has been around for a long time and was Shimano's flagship reel for many years as they rose to the top of the heap as a reel manufacturer. When I lived in Louisiana Captain Mike Frenette on the "Teaser" used them almost exclusively on his charter boat and caught worlds of tuna and wahoo on them. They are great reels. However, rigged with straight monofilament line they do have their limitations. When fishing the Spur, especially, you are in big fish territory where you are likely to encounter yellowfin up to 200 pounds and a blue marlin of any size. This is where you will find a TLD 25 lacking, due to line capacity constraints. The drag is fine (22 lbs. max at full and 17 max at strike.) The Tyrnos 30 holds a little more line, has the aluminum frame, and has about 10 pounds more drag capacity at full, although the max drag at strike is about the same.

Whichever reel you decide to purchase, I would urge you to use Spectra as backing and top shot it with monofilament. This will increase your overall line capacity. I like Jerry Brown's 60 lb. hollow braid. You can spool approximately 350-400 yards of J.B. Hollow 60 on a TLD 25 and still have room for about 150-200 yards of 40 or 50 lb. mono on top. The capacity would be a little more on the Tyrnos. The object is to use the greatest pound test mono coming off the rod tip as possible and still have enough line to fight a big fish. By going the braid/mono route you actually convert your reel into one that has the fighting capability of a larger reel. Furthermore, by using the larger mono on top you can run the drag up higher and whip a fish more quickly. Just be sure to match the rod to the task.

The TLD 25 is fine...just consider the braid option and you will see a world of difference on the water, especially when you hook that big yellowfin in the canyon.

Good luck, Bryan Bennett, Sam's (251) 981-4245

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

tunapopper — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:23:23 GMT

I'd say it is worth it. Having an aluminum frame versus graphite is always going to be a better choice. Graphite can flex under pressure causing gears to shift and not mesh correctly which will lead to missing teeth on the gears along with other problems. On a light tackle reel such as a TLD-25, your never really going to put enough pressure on the reel to cause that type of flex, I know I haven't with mine. The tyrnos also has more torque and has a faster gear ratio.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

spiderjohn — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:45:32 GMT

Thanks for all the great replies. One note about the idea of the TLD 25 with the $50 upgrade handle. I can get Tyrnos 30 single speed for $100 per outfit more from Sam's than the TLD 25. Does the Tyrnos solve the handle problem? If so, I can get the better drag with the handle for $100. Not questioning the TLD 25 becuase I have heard great stuff about em but wondering if the extra $50 for the Tyrnos versus TLD upgrade is worth it.

Thanks.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

tunapopper — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:45:08 GMT

If you load a TLD-25 with braid backing and a mono top shot you should be able to handle anything your likely to run into at the nipple including blue marlin.

The small handle is annoying sometimes, I upgraded mine to T-bar lites. You can get them through melton or several other online sites. Cost is about 50 bucks but its worth not having the fatigue after a long fight.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Magic236 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:24:12 GMT

I agree with the TLD 25 and 50's. I have a pair of TLD 25's that are 16yrs old that have had alot of use and abuse, they still work fine and have only been over hauled once.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

John B. — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:50 GMT

that wahoo in FREESPOOL's avatar was caught on a TLD 25.... 92lbs? (i think?)

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Sir Reel — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:09:35 GMT

We're running two TLD 25's, two Tyrnos 30W II's and 3 TLD 50II LRSA and have caught about everything on them. Some of our best fish have been on the TLD 25's and they held up ok. The only thing about the 25's... I don't like is the small handle!!!

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Reel Rowdy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:57:52 GMT

TLD 50II LRS will handle most of what you are going to get into. We troll 4 of them plus 1 TLD 30II in the shotgun position. They are light weight and great for small boat and stand up fighting. We have caught 15lb snake wahoo's, T & R a 107" Blue, and everything in between with them. And you can get one from Sam's in Orange Beach with a good quality All Star Trolling Rod for just north of $500 bucks I believe. Not a bad price.

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

tjkelly17 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:50:14 GMT

I fish a couple of okuma T 50..They work fine and are reasonable.. Lever drag system has done fine out there

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

Freespool — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:41:44 GMT

TLD 25 is fine for alot of what you'll encounter. We fish 4 of them and a 50 on our boat. I would say the norm is all 50's when fun fishing though

RE: Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

true-king — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:40:53 GMT

The tyrnos is a really nice reel. We have two of the tyrnos 30s. They are solid, smooth, and have lever drags. TLDs are good too.

Reels for trolling nipple, 131, spur

spiderjohn — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:38:25 GMT

Other than the obvious 80 and 130 class offshore stuff that costs a bundle, anyone have opinions on what reels are good enough for 80% of the catch? Looking at TLD 25 but was told to move up to the Tyrnos 30 at least. We have two 30W that work great but trying to add qualty reels that will last and catch most of hookups out there. What are mos using out there? Thanks for the info. I currently use 2 113h Penn and am forced to use the GTi330 Penn on the way back down the middle. Trying to move up to a 7 line spread when we have the anglers that can help. Otherwise, its four to five in the spread on outriggers and corners. 25 foot boat so beam is not enough to go bigger.