# Dual Purpose Tackle



## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

Hey guys,
Looking to round out my offshore trolling tackle. Right now I am rocking two International 50Ws and two TLD50W 2spds. All gear is currently on standup rods. Looking to add 2 bent butt rods for my short and long corner. I do not have 80w's because we fish from a center console and I need budget-minded gear for the time being.

So the overall setup would be:
1. Shimano TLD 50W + bent butt rod on the short corner
2. Shimano TLD 50W + bent butt rod on the long corner
3. Penn International 50W + standup rod on the short rigger
4.Penn International 50W + standup rod on the long rigger
5. Shimano TLD 50W + standup rod on the shotgun

I am wanting to make the two bent butt combos to have a dual-purpose: trolling and swordfishing. I am not scared to winch up a sword from 1500 feet in low gear. Do you guys think I could get away with loading the two short and long corner Shimano TLD 50Ws with braid for swordfishing but include 100+ feet of topshot mono linked via bimini twist or wind-on leader to act as a shock absorber for trolling?


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

I would put the internationals on the bent butts and the lighter tlds on the stand up rods. But I see no issue at all with doing the braid with a top shot tons of people do that.


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## fishboy (Oct 6, 2007)

cody&ryand said:


> I would put the internationals on the bent butts and the lighter tlds on the stand up rods. But I see no issue at all with doing the braid with a top shot tons of people do that.


I agree,


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

top shot of mono- thumbs up! Your setup you mentioned above is sound. You are going to use the two speed for the swordfish/troll option, right?

i had bent butts but I struggled using my standup fighting harness with them so i went back to straight. I have the bent butts if you have rods with detachable bases- you can borrow them and see if you like them


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

panhandlephinsphan said:


> top shot of mono- thumbs up! Your setup you mentioned above is sound. You are going to use the two speed for the swordfish/troll option, right?
> 
> i had bent butts but I struggled using my standup fighting harness with them so i went back to straight. I have the bent butts if you have rods with detachable bases- you can borrow them and see if you like them


I have some bent but Rods and agree a stand up harness is not fun with one. I want the newer ones that will swap from straight to bent with a button but I dont know enough about them to spend the money


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

cody&ryand said:


> I would put the internationals on the bent butts and the lighter tlds on the stand up rods. But I see no issue at all with doing the braid with a top shot tons of people do that.


The reason I was going with the TLD's is because I figured they would make better swordfish combos since they have better handles and two-speeds. But putting the bulkier Penns on the bent butts makes sense too.


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

iJabo said:


> The reason I was going with the TLD's is because I figured they would make better swordfish combos since they have better handles and two-speeds. But putting the bulkier Penns on the bent butts makes sense too.


2 SPEED for whatever you are swordfishing with imo.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

I do agree 2 speeds would be better for sword fishing just assumed the internationals were 2 speeds also


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

Get you some cheaper electrics if your fishing out of a center console you can use the electric for a down rigger with a 15 to 20lb weight then use 50 class gear with braid and get down there then you want have to real all that weight up unless your hooked up you don't want to hand crank that much weight just to check baits.


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