Help With Tuna Gear

[ohms]

Hi all Ive just join this forum and everybody seem very helpfull here therefore can I be so bold as to ask for some advice?

I am currently working on an oilrig in Malaysia and there are heaps of big fat tuna here, Yellow Fin I've been told by the locals. I have some fishing gear already onboard but it is woefully inadequate as some of the tuna are 40KG+ therefore I'm in the market for some new shinny gear!

My problem is that fishing from an oilrig there are obviously sharp abrasive edges of the structure that have put an end to most of my hook ups. Therefore I need line that can not only handle the fish but nore importantly the abrasion. After doing quite alot of research on the net I believe that Momoi's Diamond line has one of the best abrasion resistance. To handle the line I was thinking about Shimano Torium 50 as it can handle heavy line. As for a rod I havent started looking yet.

I will mostly be casting bait and lures onto rising tuna

If anybody can give me some advice on my choices and what lures that would work I'd really appreciate it.

As an expat living in Thailand I will have to buy the gear from the US therefore some pointers on a good online store to buy the gear and get shipped over would be great

Ohms

[TeamOso]

try some braided line.

[SkeeterRonnie]

getting them to you might be a lot easier than getting them out of the water... you might look at some type of net to swim your catch in to. I would suggest a strong rod, reel that will handle a LOT of drag, and some 130# test braided line(spectra). you can float your lures out with the current, then work them back. That way you can use BIG line and not have to try and cast it. A large surface popper would be pretty neat.

[Uncle Russ]

Ohms,

I am in no way an expert on this subject as I am in the business of collecting information from these folks myself. So I am going to propose this approach to the real experts on the board for their comments:

If the tuna Ohms is casting are mostly 100 pounds and under, and if he is not too worried about the occasional really big fish, wouldn't a Twinspin or Stella 20K loaded with about 300 yards of 80# or 100# solid spectra with a short extra heavy short mono topshot be just the ticket for tossing poppers out among them? Seems to me if he is mostly surface lure oriented and not interested in chunking or bottom fishing, then that would be a very good way to go. Of course I am a spinning junkie.

As far as abrasion goes, how about a 25 foot to 25 yard topshot (depending on the height of the platform above the water) of really heavy mono (like 200 pounds) so that when he gets the fish up near the rig structure, he would have the braid on the reel?

Again, Ohms, don't take my suggestion without realizing it comes from someone who is a complete expert---except for never having caught a tuna.

Best of luck and I wish I were on that rig and you were sitting in an office in front of a miserable desktop.

Russ

[Snagged]

Spectra is easier to cut under load than mono.
I'm interested in seeing what the experts have to say.
You've got several problems;
The death circle will likely put you fish into the rig structure.
Getting the fish out. That can be done with a bridge gaff (large sharp graffle hook on a rope).

[Minnow]

Welcome to 360tuna.

Some one correct me if I am wrong.

Braided line is not as abrasion resistant as monofilament. Can some one confirm that?

For near stucture fishing, monofilament might be your best bet.
Spool your reel with 100lb braided line and 50 yards or so of 100lb monofilament and 3-4ft of 200lb leader for casting big popper or rubber flying fish.

If you are looking for 7ft rod, I will recommend Calstar 700H or 700Xh. you will need all the backbone you can get from the rod to get the tuna off the structure.

lure of choice will be poppers, rubber flying fish, jig, and medium size Marauder type lure. Just my opinion.

good luck and please let us know how it goes.

[ohms]

Thanks for the comments, but
Braided line is useless in this situation tried it on my Penn 850 and the abrasion quality is non exsistant. As far as putting on mono and backing it with braided, the fish are talking way too much line for that, and I would be back to having braided in contact with the rig. 'Turn up the drag' I hear you say, I have it on the limit already to stop them taking too much line but I have already broken 80lb mono a few times. The local fishing boats are using 250lb mono for these fish, granted they are not sport fishing and are not interested in playing the fish just landing it and selling it.

With regard to getting the fish onboard 'Snagged' was right we have a tried and tested gaff on a rope with a clip on it to clip to your line and lower it down to gaff the fish.

In short I need a reel and rod that can handle all heavy mono line but still be able to cast baits (whole fish) and lures. Thats why I though about Toruim 50. What do you all think?

Ohms

[Argo]

torium 50 or an Avet pro 30 w/ 30-50 lbs of drag, if you are daring enough to cast a 50 narrow you could get an Avet T-Rex 50, gives you more than 100 lbs of drag.

[Bret]

Originally Posted by Argo

torium 50 or an Avet pro 30 w/ 30-50 lbs of drag, if you are daring enough to cast a 50 narrow you could get an Avet T-Rex 50, gives you more than 100 lbs of drag.

Ohms, Welcome to 360 Tuna!

I agree with the above posts... an Avet 30 should give you enough drag.. and 100-130 spectra with a top shot of 100 mono and 200flouro leader.. a good heavy or xheavy rod.. and get to work!!

[Snagged]

ohms,
Unless they had seriously improved the anti-reverse on the 50 I doubt it will last.
Spend the extra money on an Avet or possibly a Boss.