Tuna popping reel
- Thread starter ny2sd
- Start date
Texas Tuna
Pinfish pimp
Any one of the tall narrow reels. The Penn Baja Special and torque 40N Cast extremely well. The Accurate 600NN size will also work but I'm not sure if they will handle 100+ tuna especially with a long cast. For rods, you want something with a stiffer tip.
Fishybuzz
fishybuzz
Wrong tool for 100# tuna...I have the exact same set up and it is a great surface iron yellowtail outfit....100# tuna no thank you. TheReaper is a light 40# stick IMO.
pwstriper
Member
Montaukmaniac
Thats my son, not me.
I use a calstar 100MAG with a shimano TN20 (gold) with upgraded dogs and drags by AT. Put 300 yards of 50 lb braid and top it with 50 lb. mono ( you should have about 400 total yards). I prefer soft steel fo 50 lb surface iron, everything else is too stiff.
Fish a tight drag! Most people fish way too lose.
Have you ever gotten 50 lb stuck on the bottom? You can’t break it.
Fish a tight drag! Most people fish way too lose.
Have you ever gotten 50 lb stuck on the bottom? You can’t break it.
You don't want a Raptor, or any other rod that is intended for live bait, as your rod for popping, regardless of how good that rod is.
In order to work a popper correctly, get better casting distance, and have less angler fatigue - you need a stiff tip (read: slow / parabolic action) rod.
I can personally recommend the Blackhole Graphite series and Nano series. The Graphite fishes and casts better, but the Nano is gentler on the angler when hooked up. The SaltywaterTackle rods are also very good, but they look like they are sold out of blanks (and are pricey).
The Phenix Titan Popping rods felt good when I pulled on them at Fred Hall, but I haven't fished them. I know UC has a popping series, but I don't know anything about them.
Regarding fishing reels: I use spinners, so I can only tell you what is important, it's up to you to decide what matters to you:
When fishing, you make a large sweep of the rod to cause the popper to pop. You then need to quickly wind in that line. Stella's have ~60" per turn of the handle and that works great as a reference; Tranx HG and PG are 43" and 30" respectively, which is going to leave you winding like crazy to catch up, but it still works okay. As a side note, those are great speeds for surface iron lures.
However, that sweeping motion tends to mess up the lay of the line on non-spinner/ non-level wind reels. Generally I've seen that people using conventionals have to cast out and do a steady retrieve every 3-5 casts, to clean up their line, or risk a nasty backlash (and sometimes they still get said nasty backlash). If you're casting all the time, or want to be sure you will get a good cast the one time you need it, thats a plus for the Tranx.
I've seen a Tranx on a popping outfit land a 100# class YFT at Guadalupe, but there were no sharks, and the angler put the outfit away for "a while" as they got soooo beat up. (I don't know if it was HG or PG).
In my opinion - If you're looking for tuna up to 100 pounds, but usually under, and okay with a beating on a big fish, the tranx is a great casting reel. If you're looking to catch multiple fish in that larger class, you need more ummph (I don't know what that is).
Hope some of this is helpful.
In order to work a popper correctly, get better casting distance, and have less angler fatigue - you need a stiff tip (read: slow / parabolic action) rod.
I can personally recommend the Blackhole Graphite series and Nano series. The Graphite fishes and casts better, but the Nano is gentler on the angler when hooked up. The SaltywaterTackle rods are also very good, but they look like they are sold out of blanks (and are pricey).
The Phenix Titan Popping rods felt good when I pulled on them at Fred Hall, but I haven't fished them. I know UC has a popping series, but I don't know anything about them.
Regarding fishing reels: I use spinners, so I can only tell you what is important, it's up to you to decide what matters to you:
When fishing, you make a large sweep of the rod to cause the popper to pop. You then need to quickly wind in that line. Stella's have ~60" per turn of the handle and that works great as a reference; Tranx HG and PG are 43" and 30" respectively, which is going to leave you winding like crazy to catch up, but it still works okay. As a side note, those are great speeds for surface iron lures.
However, that sweeping motion tends to mess up the lay of the line on non-spinner/ non-level wind reels. Generally I've seen that people using conventionals have to cast out and do a steady retrieve every 3-5 casts, to clean up their line, or risk a nasty backlash (and sometimes they still get said nasty backlash). If you're casting all the time, or want to be sure you will get a good cast the one time you need it, thats a plus for the Tranx.
I've seen a Tranx on a popping outfit land a 100# class YFT at Guadalupe, but there were no sharks, and the angler put the outfit away for "a while" as they got soooo beat up. (I don't know if it was HG or PG).
In my opinion - If you're looking for tuna up to 100 pounds, but usually under, and okay with a beating on a big fish, the tranx is a great casting reel. If you're looking to catch multiple fish in that larger class, you need more ummph (I don't know what that is).
Hope some of this is helpful.
pwstriper
Member
You're right.. but not completely. The tranx PG works nicely due to the fact that for some reason our bluefin like a slow almost deadstick pop, so there is less need for the fast retrieval of line. Sometime you barely even reel in on the pop here..
Fincutter
Member
I pop with spinning gear and love it (Blackhole Nano 8.5 and a TP 14K or Q Cabo 120). But if I were going conventional for 100# tuna, I think my choice would be an Avet Raptor JX, non MC.
MAG0121
Member
For the bigger tuna, I use a Seeker SSR7660 (with butt extension to make it 8ft total) with either the Torque 30LD2 (100lb class) or 40NLD2 (bigger models). Both reels spooled with 80lb braid.
Fishybuzz
fishybuzz
Cape cod special 8' Black Hole........Stella 10000FA.....what i use for popping.
Seeker 550 with a Daiwa Grandwave 50 spooled with 80# backing and 60# topshot. If that’s too much reel for you I hear people like those highspeed 500 size levelwinds these days
Okuma Makaira 20k or 30k with a UC SW710 XXH-2J. Biggest BFT to date on this set up is about 130lbs on a 20k makaira.
The set up is very nice. The SW710 has lots of power and only comes in a blank. I got 2 extra one. Hit me up if you want one.
Alan Hawk has a review on mak 20k or 30k. Should read it and check it out.
The set up is very nice. The SW710 has lots of power and only comes in a blank. I got 2 extra one. Hit me up if you want one.
Alan Hawk has a review on mak 20k or 30k. Should read it and check it out.
hucklongfin
Deep release specialist
For heavy popping I have the Mak 20k on a BH CCS 80g. For more regular popping I have the TP 14k on a BH CCS 86n. Nothing big on either one... so far.
I know you said conventional but the ideal reel imho is a Stella 18k with a 20k spool on it and a 7-8 foot pipping spinning rod. It is super fast, and has heavy drag. If you want you can set up a harness for it, I use one on fish over 100lb. Under 100lb you can bring fish to the boat in under 10 minutes, easy. I use a 10 ft popping rod with a Stella 14k for the smaller fish, under 80. I think you’ll be happier using spin gear for this application. You can even cast under hand/side arm from the stern on some boats, which normally don’t allow overhand casting from the stern. That said I do have an avet hxj raptor as well that I use for wahoo, but not for popping.
If you throw a Raptor you’ll last a few cast. It’s a railrod with walls that are thicker than a conventional blank and it’s heavier. Tranx500 on a +100 lb tuna? ..,ok but if you hook them in the 130 lb class and up, it’s going to be fun for the first 20 min when it’s look at me, yahoo ! and for the next 2-3 hours it’s “F”me !! You really need something with a 2spd. I use a US90 Monster with a 500 Valiant to have a slight chance. I also have US100 Monster 10’ but no dang way do I want to tango with a big tuna on it. Leave that to the young studs who want to have 3 hours of fun.
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pwstriper
Member
FlatPack
Online Angler
Have anyone check out or have experience with the Okuma PCH Custom Popping Rod series? I only have experience with their casting series for different application. I’m just guessing they might be a great value popping rod like their casting/spinning series.
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