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Hi Bill,
My last Long Range was last month on a 10 day on the Shogun. It was a blast and had some wonderful folks to fish with. I just got back from fly fishing Chile and Argentina a couple of weeks ago. It was incredible.
The 70H will take 22 pounds of drag but to me you are approaching the limit.
the 80 XH, I pulled on and am stoked. We on the west coast are lucky in that we can use the rail on the longer rods. I have not pumped a rod in years. I even fish my Graphite SS 10 foot Ulua on giant yellowfin with no pain.
If rails are not available I only short stroke my longer rods. Rarely more than 9 to 12 inches and I use a side stroke from the waist, keeping my elbows in tight to my body and not using my back or arms. I keep the tip lower to the water and merely twist my upper torso keeping everything in tight. No pain at all and very efficient. The key to fishing longer rods as well as shorter ones is to keep the fish pointed at the boat and reel hard. Its once the fish gets an angle on the fisherman the work begins. Longer pumps allow the fish to turn on the down stroke or in many cases you will see at the top of the stroke the rod unloading. At every point of the stroke the rod should maintain a maximum bend be it on the up or down stroke, or in my case at all points in the side strokes, which in turn will provide the most leverage to keep the fish's head pointed at the boat.
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