Tackle for Yellowfin/Blackfin/Bottom

take the 665 and put it on the heavy duty ugly stick. use this set up for jigging and snapper fishing.

take the cabela stand up rod and buy a avet 30 2 speed reel and put it on that rod and use it for chunking for yellowfins and amberjack or grouper rig.

rig the penn spinner with 50 or 65lb spectre and use it for casting poppers and drifting baits for kings. could also be a good snapper or ling rig.

that would only require you to purchase one reel and that reel will give you all you need to land most any fish in the gulf.

100lb spectre is a little heavy for the 665. go with 80lb and a short mono or flourocarbon leader. the longer mono top shots are there to keep you from losing any of your spectre to break offs and do add some stretch that can be beneficial in certain situations. i personally use just straight spectre and short leaders.

 

This is what Dr. Shark sent me when I asked the same question. I got an avet instead of the tiagra. I just couldn't find a used tiagra soon enough. I also have his setups listed furthur below. I hope sharkie doesn't get mad at me for posting his secrets.(wink wink).

Boots that you won't slip on the boat to wear.


I have the Stella 20000 for casting Top Water Poppers. There is not a perfect rod for the large spinners. FTU has a 40-50 class rod that will do but I much prefer the Calstar 700H blank. I had one built for me for my Stella and had a Rod Ring installed while it was being built. Cost was about $340. That rod with the Stella 20K is the perfect combo. The Rod Ring allows you to hook up the fighting harness when fighting a big fish and makes all the difference since you can't use the rail whit a Spinning outfit. in addition the Calstar has the backbone to handle a big fish once it gets in the Death Spiral. Remember the Quality of the meat on a YFT is much better the faster you can get the fish to the gaff.

I also have the Torsa 20 that I use for jigging. I origionally put it on a 80-200 Shimano Travala Rod with 60# Spectra but the rod dosn't have the backbone to handle a big fish. I have since bought a 550-650 gram jigging rod from Chris at Islander Custom Tackle in Galveston for $165. I believe it is just about perfect now jigging for big fish. I use 80# Spectra with 17' of florocarbon leader for Jigging.

My Chunking Combo is a Shimano Tiegra 30W on a Calstar 30-80 Baby Boomer. I use 80# Spectra and about 50" of 60# Top Shot. It is ideal for chunmking for YFT in Texas Waters as will handle 99% of the YFT's we might hook up.

Then I have a Avet 50sds (narrow) with 130# Spectra on a Seeker 60-100 Rod for bottom fishing for Big AJ's and Grouper.


CHUNKING:
Tie Bimini Twist in Braided line.
Attach 50Yds. of top shot w/
Reverse Allbright.
Add 150# ballbearing swivel
Using SanDiego knot.
Add 7’ Florocarbon Leader
Using SanDiego knot.
Tie on 5/0 or 6/0 Owner Mutu Circle
Hook w/ SanDiego knot.

Jigging:
Tie Binini Twist in Braided Line.
Add 17’ Florocarbon Leader
Using Reverse Allbright
Tie on Jig with SanDiego knot

Topwater:
Tie Bimini Twist in Braided Line.
Tie on 160# Barrell Swivel
Using Offshore Knot.
Tie on 18” of 100# Premium Leader
Using SanDiego Knot.
Tie on Lure
Using Mono, non-slip loop knot

Bottom Fishing w/ Bait:
Tie Bimini Twist in Braided Line.
Tie on Premium Snap Swivel
Using Offshore Knot.
Attach Premade leaders to
Snap Swivel.

Lines:
Chunking, 80#-130# Solid Spectra.
Jigging, 65#-80# Solid Spectra.
Spin Casting, 65#-80# Solid Jerry
Brown Spectra.
Bottom Fishing, 80-130# Solid Spectra.

100% Knots You need to Know:
Bimini Twist, SanDiego, Revirse Allbright
Offshore, Non slip Loop Knot, Palamor

 

Welcome to 360tuna Uncle Russ.

You got some excellent advice from one of the Gulf of Mexico's finest tackle ho's. McGolfer is very knowledgeable both about what is new and what works. Jt2hunt also gives very applicable insight to tuna fishing.

I feel that the trip is more important than trying to have the newest and best tackle.

I have bought most of my rods and reels used. I did not get the latest and greatest. I researched several forums and learned what worked for many different folks. I asked pointed questions, as you are, and gained valuable knowledge.

My biggest screwup was buying rods without being able to try them first. You are in position to pull on several rods before you make a choice. Also, you'll find that folks here are happy to allow you to try their reels too. (Ya gotta pay fer it ifna ya loos her!)

Make the changes that McGolfer suggested on the rods. You want a 2 speed, lever drag, reel for the heavy rod. I would lean towards finding something used to save the budget and take a trip sooner.

That tuna don't know what kind of reel you are holding or how the rod is wrapped. Keeping his head up and dragging his backside to the gaff is paramount. That's just my opinion.

 

Good luck on your trip. Live and learn. There will be guys on the trip to watch and get tips. Learn how to use the rods and reels before deciding on a set up. Remember to follow your fish. This is the one thing that drives me a little crazy when party boat fishing in Texas. You got some good advice already. Have fun and congrats on the soon-to-be move.

 

Take a scale and attach it to the line of the spinning setup and gage how much pressure the rod gives and how much more it has in reserve with the drag set at 15# on one of the 8500's. If the Shimano rod doesn't have enough backbone then have spinning guides put on the Tiger rod for throwing poppers. Other than that I would rig up like McGolfer said.

 

You'll find the higher speed reels often work better for both types of jigs.
For my style of jigging the current and drift makes the difference on casting.
With chunking you cannot cast, the hook is slipped into a slice in the bait and the line is fed out by hand to allow the bait to fall with the chum.

 

the exw not the trx. we use the trx 30 and 50 to pull stumps out of the ground up here in oklahoma. 40lbs of drag is more than most of us can handle for any length of time on a rocking boat.....rick

 

One time I tried to see how much drag a human could withstand before he is yanked into the water. I tied an 130 international to an oil rig and set the drag to max. We preloaded about 100 yards of 400 lb mono. Granted, it was a slow day and the group was bored.

The rule is that you had to be strapped into a bucket harness with straps attached to the lugs on the reel. You had the option to sit or stand. Whoever could last the longest time would not have to pay for dinner.

It was a blast. I went first and opted to brace myself with my knees against the corner of the transom. WOW, when the boat was full throttled, the mono leader stretched for a couple of seconds and then I was upside down and airborne. It's hard to swim or float with a 130 rig and a bucket harness wrapped around you.

The next guy decided to sit in the chair. Bad choice. We should have put a football helmet on him. When the mono finished stretching he went head first into the transom. Nobody else attempted the task. After we docked, an ambulance was waiting and he took 29 stitches to the scalp. Lesson learned here is to catch fish so you don't get bored and do stupid things.

 

Note to self:
Do not bet on dinner with Gunsmoke!

 

lmao at gunsmoke. so exactly how much drag was that? you port a guys need to fish more and think less.....rick

 

I just read the lab tooth loss incident and now this. Gunsmoke, I am starting to have the same concerns as Rick.

 

Gunsmoke!!!! That chit is funny. Man I wish I had some video. How much libations had been downed on that boat before someone got a "bright" idea.

lmao lmao lmao sides are hurting lmao

 

One time I tried to see how much drag a human could withstand before he is yanked into the water. I tied an 130 international to an oil rig and set the drag to max. We preloaded about 100 yards of 400 lb mono. Granted, it was a slow day and the group was bored.

The rule is that you had to be strapped into a bucket harness with straps attached to the lugs on the reel. You had the option to sit or stand. Whoever could last the longest time would not have to pay for dinner.

It was a blast. I went first and opted to brace myself with my knees against the corner of the transom. WOW, when the boat was full throttled, the mono leader stretched for a couple of seconds and then I was upside down and airborne. It's hard to swim or float with a 130 rig and a bucket harness wrapped around you.

The next guy decided to sit in the chair. Bad choice. We should have put a football helmet on him. When the mono finished stretching he went head first into the transom. Nobody else attempted the task. After we docked, an ambulance was waiting and he took 29 stitches to the scalp. Lesson learned here is to catch fish so you don't get bored and do stupid things.

I happen to have been on this trip. That was the bloodiest deck I have ever seen. Human blood, and lot's of it. I was next up in the rotation. If salamander wouldn't have cracked his head open, I would have nailed that test. Now that I'm a little wiser, I don't think I'll attempt it.

 

!!!
Momma told me about folks like this.

 

Uncle Russ

The Avet Pro 30 is plenty of reel and lighter than the EXW or TRX .. you really dont need the extra line or drag... 20-25 pounds of drag for GOM YFT is plenty.

Narrower reels are also easier to keep level when you reel in.. the wider reels wobble side to side because the reel handle is so far off the reel seat center. I've got a Tiagra 30W LRSA and it's a pain to reel when a heavy fish takes about 200 yds+ of line out... wished now that I had gotten the narrower Ti 30A instead.

It's best to stay with lighter weight gear on longrange trips to conserve your energy to fight the fish.. not your gear ... LoL

Have A Great Trip Yall!

Bazz