So guys the more I hear about tarpon fishin the more I wanna do it. I went to Colts seminar and now I’m researching what I need. Somebody on here recommend the diawa Df100 or something like that. It is a big spinning reel with one bb and sounds ok but for the price I just am nervous. I don’t wanna buy somethin that’s gonna fall apart on the first poon, but at the same time need to gave 2 or 3 tarpon setups. I want to have a bottom combo and a cork setup. Colt had like an 8’ rod with a spinning reel. What would be a good big rod capable if handling a fish that’s rated for 50lb line? I know ugly stick has an 8’ surf model but idk if that’s enough. Also what is one if the cheaper reels in a 65 or 70 for my big rod for corks? Relatively cheap btw. I think for my bottom I’m gonna get a sturdy stick and the diawa reel or Okuma levelwund if those are good enough. Probably fishing 65lb braid with 50yds of mono topshot in 80lb for both rods and a 100# leader. Thanks in advance
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
any big rod and reel will pretty much work, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a combo. Just have faith in your tackle and if you don’t think it will work, then don’t use it.
That’s a great sized spinner for tarpon and many, many other species. yakman. I have a shimano baitrunner 8000D which is same capacity but a higher end reel. That seems like a pretty good deal in my opinion. Two reels is all you need to start of with. Any more and when it takes your line you will be in deep trouble getting your line tangled.
quote:Originally posted by jettiesman
i have a reel that would be a great trapon reel i could sell you. its a penn spinfisher 650 with over 300yds of 50lb braid.
Thanks sounds good I just don’t gave enough. If I get it and you still have em ill buy them. Heres my next question, I’m picking up 2 Penn mariner rods this week and one I want to use as my bottom tarpon rod(just dropped into hom/rip no casting.) They are spinning rods in a 6’ model. My aunt gave me a 40$ cap for birthday/graduation present. I am looking at an Okuma levelwind 302 and spooling it with high lb braid. Is it okay to put a level wind/conventional reel on a spinning rod if your not casting it? Or should I just stick with the diawa DF100A giant spinning reel?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
It can be fine with small fish but with bigger fish such as a tarpon deffinatley get a rod made for conventionals and for the heads up yakman I had a bad experiance with okuma reels. Right when i casted it out for the 8th time the level wind jammed and would not reel in. Deffinatley do not get the giant spinning either. That thing looks like a piece of garbage and an accident waiting to happen. Find a used spinning reel at a tackle shop or on ebay(I used to think ebay was garbage but trust me its not).
Good luck finding a reel yakman!!!
You should look at the penn SSM in 650, 750, or 850. Should be easy to find some that are used or not terribly expensive. Also the Ugly Stik custom rods are very nice for the price. If your going to get a spinning reel match it to a spinning rod as the lower guides are larger and will cast well. Spinning rods are made just as durable and high quality as a conventional rod. A lesson I learned early on was not to buy cheap junk rods and reels, they ended up having to be replaced rather quickly. Would rather have one quality rig than two or three junk rigs. Another quality rod is an Offshore Angler Power Stick. I keep trying to kill two of them to replace them with Ugly Stik’s but they just wont give up. They will whip a 100-150Lb tarpon no problem.