[DeepBlueGulf]

Yep, 327 on an Avet JX!! No kidding guys, but it's on the BD board! Check the Mexico reports for a good read and more great pictures. The sickles on that fish are incredible!!

The trip to PV next year can't come soon enough for me!!

Tom - DBG

 

[STx Fisherman]

Wow....that's one hell of a yellowfin!!! I would prefer to catch a fish that big on a real reel....five hours of wondering if you're ever going to boat a fish because you're using a small reel just doesn't appeal to me....(that comment was meant for you Tom....I'm sure you want to catch a 300+ lb. yellowfin on an Avet SX).

 

[ksong]

While I admire the determination and skill of the angler, it is no fun for me to fight any fish for unreasonably long hours. That is why I reject any reels for tuna unless it produces over 20 lbs drag.
I am going to fish PV for three days starting Oct 20 and I plan to use mostly Saltiga 50 and Accurate 665 two-speed filled with 80/100 lbs braided line and 100 lbs leader line using 23 - 25 lbs drag at strike. The chance of hooking a cow on jigs is very slim even in PV, but I got to try anyway.

 

[Gunsmoke]

That's like going after a elephant with a BB gun. After you shoot him for five hours, he will finally give up. I wouldn't have stepped on that boat if I saw a JX on board. (Unless we were going bottom fishing and needed some sinkers)

Kilsong,
I admire you for your pursuit of cow's on Mighty Mouse reels using a jig. Best of luck on your trip to PV. I caught my first cow off PV over 15 years ago. Nobody fished Blanco back then. It was considered to far a run and a waste of time for charter boats. I had trouble finding someone to take me there.

If I'm in a liquid pasture with cows about, I use the bulldozer reels. I prefer at least 38#s of drag. I do like some of the Mighty Mouse reels, but not for the Chingon tuna's.

 

[DeepBlueGulf]

I have faith in you Kil, if anyone can hook the cow on a jig, it will be you. You have the karma, the preparation and the skill!

Have a good trip!

Tom - DBG

 

[ksong]

MrBill, When I brought a 250 lbs yft to the gaff range on the Q105 two years ago, I used Saltiga 50 with 23 - 24 lbs drag. But unfortunately the handle of the Satiga got frozen and I cut the line of the reel and connected to the line of another reel, Avet 4/0 2 by using uni-to-uni knot while I asked the mate to hold my rod and continued to fight. I think the whole fighting time was about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. But I thought I could shorten the fighting time tremendously if I could apply more drag as I couldn't gain any line for long when the tuna made circles under the boat with only 25 lbs drag. One of the reason I bought Accurate 665 two-speed is to use the reel for cow as I can use over 30 lbs drag at full. I hope the reel can survive the heavy pressure of cow's pulling.

Not many guys can fight 35 lbs drag for long and I know it is too tough for me to fight with 35 lbs drag.

Tom,
Thanks for your kind words, but I am not that good.
Normally very few bait fishermen with 50 can land a tuna shorter than I do as I use pretty heavy drag and tuna seems don't fight when caught on jigs as much as when caught on bait. With proper drag I am pretty confident I can land even a cow within reasonable time though I use small 3/0 or 4/0 size reels.

 

[STx Fisherman]

My guess is that the captains in PV are very experienced in following a big cow tuna. If you fight them for a while and the take off for a run....I bet the captain does his best to follow the fish....and I bet they are pretty good at that. I would rather try to get the fish to the boat as quickly as possible. Next year when I go to PV....should I use an Avet 50 narrow SDS to do some jigging?

All jokes aside....I think the Accurate 665 would be a great reel to fight a cow...may take a little longer but I bet the reel can do the job with a little help from the captain.