bajamikey
Nomad
Posts: 106
Registered: 4-6-2008
Location: Newport Beach,CA/San Josa Del Cabo
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Mood: baja with a cold pacifico
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what 3 rods & reels would you by
fishing out of loreto.starting over haven't bought a rod and reel in over 20 years what 3 would you by to get started with for dorado and yellowtail
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Depends on your price limit.
I typically bring one spinning set-up.
I like the Penn SS reels in 15-20 lb.
Then a light conventional reel that casts well.
This is for use in throwing jigs, and light trolling and bait fishing.
If you like lever-drags a good one is the Shimano TLD 15 or TLD 20.
And lastly, a heavier conventional rig for heavy trolling, droppers for grouper and big YT, etc.
This could be a Penn 4-0, Penn 6-0 or TLD 25 or TLD 20II or .....
The TLD's are not as bombproof as some but fine for vacation fishing.
Let us know more about you needs and we can help.
Where do you fish? How often ? How far offshore ? For what fish ?
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AcuDoc
Nomad
Posts: 331
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: The Seven Seas and Thailand
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I have a number of setups but my favorite three for baja are:
Shimano 6500 baitrunner spinning - 30# mono w/fluorocarbon leader
These venerable reels have a reputation so perfect, they haven't changed in years - until now. Shimano has added their Super Stopper II® stainless
steel roller bearing to totally eliminate handle backplay and provide instant drag engagement. The addition of a Power Roller® line roller reduces
line twist and enhances the already smooth drag performance. Of course, the Baitrunner lever provides a secondary drag system - a tension-controlled
free-spool that kicks in on demand while the bail is closed. Now you can plug and fish live bait with the same reel!
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_101...
Shimano Speedmaster conventional - 30# hi-vis mono w/fluorocarbon leader
With certain game fish, such as wahoo, kingfish and tuna, a blazing fast retrieve is required. The TSM IV Speedmaster with 6:1 gear ratio fills the
bill. Extremely castable due to its star drag system which disengages the spool from the drag. Other features include ball bearing titanium drag,
stainless steel main and pinion gears, aluminum spool, strike alarm and 1-piece non-corrosive graphite/titanium frame. 3 ball bearings, 17.6 oz., 480
yds./20-lb. capacity.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_101...
Shimano tld25 conventional - 80#spectra top-shot 60#hi-vis mono w/fluorocarbon leader
Just because a big water reel doesn't feel like a spare anchor doesn't mean it can't put the muscle to big fish. Shimano's lightweight
graphite/aluminum TLD reels will outperform most larger, heavier reels. The reliable titanium lever drag lets you make precise adjustments while
keeping your hand on the crank. Oversized gears provide excellent fighting efficiency, while four stainless steel AR-B™ ball bearings give it
uncommonly smooth operation for a big water reel. TLD® 20 and 25 have harness lugs.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard...
I find these three cover everything I need from dorado, yellowfin, yellowtail, roosters, toros, pargo, amberjack, wahoo, sails and even marlin.
I like to have another 15 - 20# rig for sierra, cabrilla etc. I use a Shimano 3500 baitrunner for this.
Depending on your budget I'd look at the Shimano tld two speed
Hard-nosed Triton Lever Drag technology and a versatile 2-speed clutch put you in control no matter which species you'll be slugging it out with.
Expect years of durable performance. Sturdy graphite frame and side-plates, aluminum spool, 4 corrosion-resistant A-RB® stainless steel ball bearings,
rod clamp, barrel handle grip for leverage and comfort. Audible clicker increases freespool tension.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_101...
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bajamikey
Nomad
Posts: 106
Registered: 4-6-2008
Location: Newport Beach,CA/San Josa Del Cabo
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Mood: baja with a cold pacifico
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i was looking at the daiwa saltist like a stt20 or maybe the 40h the shimano tld 2 speed looks reel good. like fishing for
dorado,yellowtail.sailfish,when i go out on the pangas most of them seam to have the penn senator's 112 or 113 i think which i have caught a lot of
fish with just want some gear of my own
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Saltists are good reels for the price; the 20 is about a 30 lb reel; 40 lb max.
They don't hold as much line as the TLD's so you'd want to fill it with spectra.
They are comparable to the TLD 15.
The TLD 20II or 30II will replace the Penn's you've seen on pangas.
They will pull a cow off the bottom in low gear and are much lighter than the senators.
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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You need a high speed reel and the saltist is one of the best right now on the market. Shimano has really dropped the ball as of late on their
anti-reverse cogs and they break frequently. I prefer the Avet two speed which gives you the fast speed (6.2 to 1) but when you hook a fish, you can
drop down to lower speed to crank the fish off of the bottom.
Spinning reels are fine but unless you are really up to speed and can use spectra with no problem, they are definately undergunned for use on the
Loreto fish. They will work fine on the pacific side, but the fish on the Sea of Cortez side, who relate more to the rocky reefs, will take you into
the rocks with anything less than 40 lb test coupled with at least 20+ lbs of drag. Now I know that there will be lots of people here who have caught
50 lb yellowtail on 15 lb line on the Sea of Cortez side, but they probably broke off 20 fish before they finally got one to the boat. I do not
understand the fishermen who think they are cool to use lighter lines and then they break off over half of the fish they hook. I have caught way too
many fish with hooks embedded in their mouths. If you insist on doing this, at least use a hook that will rust out fairly quickly and NEVER use a
stainless steel hook. If you use strong enough line then you can opt to release if you choose and the fish is still fresh enough to survive.
My favorite rigs right now are:
Avet Mx two speed, with 80 lb spectra, topped with 60 lb Berkley Big Game or if the fish have moved to the surface, I can drop down to 40 lb.
Second is a MX single speed in the 4.7 to 1 speed with 50 lb mono.
Third is an HX 5/2 with 80/60 but a little larger capacity.
As for rods, I build custom rods so I have taken years to come up with flex and strength patterns that are special to yellowtail and Sea of cortez
fish.
Generally, the best rods for that purpose are Calstar and Seekers.
The TLD's are just OK, but if you are going to fish a lot, they just do not hold up as well as some of the other reels but are probably OK if you plan
on 20 days a year or so. Diawa makes a great reel and they seem to keep on going with a minimum of maintence. Penn is the standard that started all
this and while they are certainly uninspired, they do really hold up while parts and service is easy to get. I think the new Accurates are wonderful
but overpriced and they are really hard to work on. Since I average 250 days a year on the water, I have found that Avets are the best at service and
function.
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ZThomas
Junior Nomad
Posts: 62
Registered: 4-9-2008
Location: Reno
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Yeah, what Pescador said. I'm a big fan too of the small Avet 2-speeds. I use a JX instead of an MX, with 65 spectra and a 50 topshot most of the
time, but same basic deal.
Agreed too on Penn durability. My father has had a set of four Penn 555s in Mulege since 1999 I think. Takes terrible care of them, uses them for
everything from big yellowtail to sierra to bait catching, leaves them unrinsed on the boat every night, and they just keep going. A few years back, I
"kidnapped" them from his place, brought them north, and had the drags replaced, but that's the only service they've ever had. Really, really durable
reels. Cheap too. Of course, those are their main strengths--cheap and tough.
At any rate, for the way I fish in the Mulege/Loreto area, I'd take that Avet JX 2-speed on a 6-foot, 50-lb. rod, fast-taper rod; an 8-foot 25- or
30-lb. outfit; and a 20-lb. baitcasting outfit.
The 25- or 30-lb. is nice for live-baiting (and trolling for) dorado and billfish. In my opinion, with 300 yards of line and a halfway compentent
skipper, you can beat any dorado that swims on 25-lb. test. And it's a lot more fun than with the 40. Same goes for sailfish. You'll lose a striper
every once in a while, but not often. Personally, I just don't see the point of using heavy, bulky 6/0 trolling rigs loaded with 80-lb. line in the
Cortez. Again, anything that bites your offshore trolling jigs anywhere north of Isla Catalan is beatable on 40-lb. line--and probably 25. So why
spend the extra money for the heavier outfit that isn't as much fun to fish with? Twenty-five is also about right for inshore trolling for leopard
grouper, etc., and in a pinch you can use 25 or 30 for throwing surface iron at yellowtail. Forty is much better, but when the fish are on the surface
you've at least got a reasonable shot with the lighter stuff. I use an Avet MXJ with 40-lb. Spectra and a 25-pound topshot, on an 8-foot Seeker
designed for 25.
Finally, a heavy baitcasting outfit is nice for making bait, and fun for throwing spoons and plastics for grouper and snappers in shallow water,
sierra, jacks, roosters, etc. Even the smaller dorado up to maybe 15 pounds are a lot of fun on a good baitcasting setup. I use an Okuma Induron 400,
but Daiwa, Penn and Shimano all make similar reels. Again, the Penns are very tough but don't cast particularly well, the Shimanos are overpriced, and
the Daiwas are expensive but excellent quality. The Okuma is cheap enough I just replace them when they break. Go with a graphite or composite 8-foot
rod. No fast-taper, soft-tip types here. For a baitcaster, you want stiff and sensitive.
Agreed too that the Saltists are excellent reels and excellent values. I bought one a few years back for a jigstick, and I've been extremely happy
with it. It's a direct competitor with the Shimano Torium line, but I believe it's a better reel.
Finally, although I like 8-foot rods instead of 7 for a lot of applications, look into the current baggage restriction situation. I believe 84 inches
is the max length for rods on at least Delta and maybe Alaska now too. Of course, even with 7-footers you can't stay under that because your rod case
will add at least an inch or two. But it is something to keep in mind.
Jim, is there such a thing as a decent two-piece rod for 25 or heavier?
ZT
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Don Alley
Super Nomad
Posts: 1997
Registered: 12-4-2003
Location: Loreto
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Yeah, what Zack and Pescador said.
I too use Calstar and Seeker blanks for my rods, and like the Avet reels, especially the two speeds. But the Avets are a bit pricey. I have a Diawa
Saltist, and it seems to be a pretty good reel. And for 15 to 40 lb reels, I've had three older Diawa SLX Sealines that are one of the less expensive
decent reels out there and they have been bulletproof. Those are a good alternative if you are really on a budget. So is the Shimano Speedmaster.
I like 30 lb for summer surface stuff, dorado, sailfish... and when a marlin shows up I've done fine with the 30lb. I'll also use 25lb. I've played
with a 20lb spinner offshore; it's been fun but I've also been outmatched a couple of times, imo.
Heavier stuff is OK for guests to troll with but after a fish or two, if they are good fishermen they should get on with the lighter gear. My heavier
50-60 lb rigs were put together with yellowtail around structure in mind. If you aren't fishing structure for yellowtail, I'd recommend two 30lb rigs
instead, one rigged to troll and one for bait.
7 foot rods are fine for most stuff. I often use 8 footers for throwing jigs. For heavy pulling with 60lb line, though, shorter rods like 6 feet are
easier.
Inshore, sometimes the visions of big roosters and jack crevalles don't pan out. Triggerfish and creole fish fish may be the action. The you'll want a
maximum of 15 lbs. Lighter is better. Of course, then something huge will bust you off and you'll always wonder what it was, and just how huge it must
have been. 
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rleon
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 8-11-2008
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Just one recommendation. Try the relatively new Fin Nor Offshore reels, they are build as tank and for the price believe me you’re money will be very
well spend. They are reliable reels, comfortable to fish with (a little to heavy but that’s because they are tanks) and with great line capabilities.
I use them with GSP lines and till today 2 fishing seasons and they keep performing excellent for boat applications. It’s a great and cheep option and
far more better than many reels of higher prices.
Personally, I prefer those Fin Nors than any Shimano, Penn, Daiwa or other reel in the same price range or even $100.00 or more dollars more expensive
so I think it’s a very good option.
If I had to keep only 3 reels for a trip to Loreto I’ll get a small spinnig reel for having fun with small animals, something in the 10 pound range,
another reel for general boat and casting applications in the 30 pound range and a big reel for big game and deep fishing. It’ll be for me a Fin Nor
Megalite for 10 pounds of Power Pro and a 7 foot long Tsunami Rod, an Avet SX2 loaded with 30 pound test Power Pro and a G Loomis Pelagic Series Rod
and for heavy applications my Fin Nor 9500 Offshore with a Shimano Speedmaster Rod (6 footer) and 65 pound test line GSP, It's a great combo to enjoy
heavy jigging, casting live bait to marlin, trolling big lures or bottom fishing heavy structure. But then again those are only my personal favorites
for my way of fishing.
Best regards
[Edited on 8-11-2008 by rleon]
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Fin Nors in star drag are nder $200; levers are WAY expensive !
But they DO look nice.
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1626
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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You have already received some great advice from some of the most experienced anglers on this board. I think the big question is how much you want to
invest in your equipment. I too build my own rods and won't waste my energy on anything other than Calstar or Seeker with Fuji, AFTCO or Perfection
components as both have proven track records. Reels are an entirely other matter. There is lots of great gear out there from $100 to $500. A lot
depends on what you want it to do, personal preference, and how much you want to invest. Stick with those who have a proven track record such as
Penn, Shimano, Newell and now Avet. Personally I rarely even allow coffee grinders on my boat and only allow them for someone who can't cast a bait
past the gunwale any other way
Right now my personal choice is the Trinidads with Penn Internationals for 60-80#. I just really like the way Trinidads feel when I fish them. To be
very generic I would suggest a 5 1/2 - 6' rod for 60-80#, a 7' rod coupled to a 40# reel and a 8' rod for 20#. This basic quiver will handle every
situation you will likely encounter adequately. Yes there will be situations that a special combo could handle better and you can expand your arsenal
accordingly but these 3 should cover all of your immediate needs.
My Personal Nightly Prayer: Dear Lord, If I should die, please don't let my wife sell my fishing equipment for what I told her I paid for it.
In Memory of E-57
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