slt 30 vs 30wlrsa

[Tunakid]

well guys Im in a bit of a dilemma here. I just got my slt 30 speed yesterday but my friend wants to trade his 30wlrsa for it. which is better? Im talking trolling for hoos sails whites small blues and dorado as well as chunking for bfts and yfts and even some bottom fishing. I know that the 30w has more capacity but doesnt the slt have more drag? I am using a crowder 6ft 50-80 AR standup rod and berkley 80 hollow with a decent topshot of berkley 60 hi test about 100 yds. I need to know soon and all suggestions are welcomed.

[MrBill]

Your friend is a fool. Take the 30wlrsa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure on your size, but the 30wlrsa can take 30 pounds of drag all day long. That's way more pressure than most anglers can handle. Tie 30 pounds of weight off the tip of that Crowder rod and slowly lift the weights off the ground. If the rod can handle that much weight, then imagine yourself fighting a fish with 30 lbs of drag for an hour. It's not as easy as it appears.

What I do with the 30 Series of Tiagras is I add a stainless steel eye hook to the aluminum rod clamp provided with the reel. Drill a hole in the clamp, tap, put a couple drops of locktite, and your in business. I add rings to all my reels because I like hooking the lure while running as low as possible.

Some guys put the lure hook on the lugs, but that puts reel and rod rash on your equipment. You can also get line abrasion from the guide with the line twisting when you use the reel lugs.

Here's a couple of pics. Two are of the 30wlrsa rod clamp with the SS eye-hook installed. The other is the rod clamp provided as standard equipment on the 50wlrsa. (It has the eye cast into the clamp)

[Minnow]

TIAGRA.

[Tunakid]

Ok I just got back from his house after reading your posts. I took the 30wlrsa. I was wondering what you guys spool yours with because i dont know what to use. can it handle berkley 130 hollow which is like jb or izor 80 or is the drag too weak? Im pretty sure the crowder can handle the 30 because here in south jersey some people pair them with avet exw 50/2 reels
BTW MrBill im 6'1" and 203 so the 30 pound drag shouldnt be too bad

[MrBill]

If I was you, I'd forget the braid and just load it with 60lb Berkley Big Game mono. I've caught 350 pound blue marlin with that setup. Good Luck, you made the right choice.

[Snagged]

Mine has 135 JB hollow on it and I use different top shots.

[Tunakid]

SNagged, how much 135 hollow can you get on yours cuz I figure on about 75 yds more cuzza berkley's thinner diameter and how much 60# mono can you fit as a topshot on your 30wlrsa

[Snagged]

I'll be honest I don't know how much I put on there, I just filled it tight off a large spool, Check on Jerry Brown's web site for capicty. the reel with take about 500 yards of 50 mono.
My top shots are short from 15 feet to 25 yards.

[Tunakid]

Guys I would like to know how much hollow 80 or 130 you can pack on a 30wlrsa iam using berkley which is thinner than izor or JB so ill have more capacity. i would also like to know if a 60# hi test topshot would work with 80 or 130 hollow. P.S. what kind of connection should i use for passing smoothly through 50-80 class roller guides