[bluedude]

I just ordered a Stella 20k after wanting one for years and will pair it with an OTI spinner and use them next weekend on the Big E. I've done a fair amount of tuna fishing, but it's all been with bait or chunks-never tried any topwater or jigs for them. I have a couple of reels loaded with 80# and prefer it to the 65# on my Thunnus. I would like to use 80# on the Stella, but someone told me some people prefer the 65# for casting topwaters. I thought about buying a spare Stella spool until I saw how much they cost...I thought about spooling the Stella with 80# and fishing the Thunnus if it didn't work out, but I didn't buy the Stella to leave it sitting on the deck and despite whipping a pretty big wahoo, I'm afraid my little Thunnus might get killed by a yft.

 

[ksong]

My choice is 80 lbs for jigging and 65 lbs for popping if you fish on a crowded party boat.
You can get more distance by using 65 lbs for casting and the extra distance can make a difference sometimes.
Many guys use 50 or 65 lbs braided line on private boats and you can land any decent tuna using 50 or 65 lbs braided line without much problem.
However I prefer to use 80 lbs braided line for higher drag on party boats.

 

[DeepBlueGulf]

What Ksong said.

DBG

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

toooo much extra friction going thru the guides on 80#..... stick with 65# on topwaters. That extra 10' in distance may be the ticket to getting a bite on Yellowfin, or having to catch bait (blackfin) all night...

 

[Bazztex]

Blue Dude..

If you plan on doing any Jigging be sure to get some 10 and 14oz jigs. Make sure they have a glow belly or glow sides.

I fished the Big E twice this year (May and August)and both times the current had the drift so fast you could'nt get down to the Tuna with a lighter jig.

Bazz

 

[crazyjigr]

65lb/20lb drag, versitile line weight for 300' to surface.
Be careful you will get hooked on spin gear

 

[bluedude]

Be careful you will get hooked on spin gear

My spinning reel progression has gone like this: Penn 850, Daiwa BG90, Penn 950, Shimano 6500 Baitrunner, another 950, 2 more 6500 Baitrunners, Shimano Thunnus and now, finally, a Stella 20K. I thought I was converted to conventional reels when I bought a Penn International 16S and had it blueprinted and converted to lefty use by Cal's, but when I started fishing braid it wiped out the main problem I had always had with spinning gear and I was back on board.

 

[crazyjigr]

A10000 then a 8000 by cristmas if I where a betting man.

 

[LoLoBeF]

A stella 20K would not be too heavy for this setup?

I would prefer this one:

OTI spinning rod
65# Line
Stella 8000 (may be 10 000)