I’m looking to purchase some setups for trolling AND bottom-bumping and was wondering if there are any rods and reels that would allow me to do both? I’m aware of how highly-specialized rods and reels have become, and I’m sure there’ll be trade-offs associated with do-it-all setups, but it sure would be nice to avoid selling a kidney for separate setups tailored to each type of fishing.
Please get back to me with your ■■■■■■■■. I’d like to hear your opinions, pros and cons from your experience, and/or ANY information you think may be helpful. Thanks in advance.
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”
I really like the Star Paraflex PGSU59XXH for stand up trolling as they’re very light with a good, strong backbone, aluminum reel seat and gimbal, slick butt and a roller tip. They’re a great rod to bottom fish with too as it’s an XXH jigging blank and nice and light. I’ve got Avet HXW4.2s on them and they’d be great for bottom fishing if I had braid instead of 40 lb mono. They come in right around $500 per combo and are great for dolphin and most pelagics but I’d get nervous if a reel big, gnarly wahoo or marlin bit.
TLD 25s on tallus rods and senators with the metal spool (not the cheap plastic spool version). Get some of both and you can do it all. The star drag on the senators will be better for bottom fishing, but you can troll with them as well. Get at least one shimano spheros 8000 or bigger on a decent spinning rod for pitching and bottoming as well. Catch 'em up.
If you posted your budget, this would be a much easier question to answer.
With a tight budget, I’d recommend TLD 25 on a Star Rod with roller tip.
Load it up with 65# PowerPro and topshot of 80# mono and you’re in business for whatever comes your way short of a large billfish.
Those TLD series reels are hard to beat when it comes to cost:durability and power.
Even the TLD15 reels have got some amazing power for what they are, but the TLD 25 will give you good line capacity as well.
I agree with the advice you’ve been given by the other fishermen. Id probably lean a bit more towards the Senators if you plan on bottom fishing as often as you troll. Senators are pretty cheap and will last longer than your boat will!
Capt. R. Killin
“Day Tripper”
Shamrock 20 cuddy
Ford 351W
Rap, we had an opportunity to check out the Avet HXW4.2 against a big blue marlin last season. We were trolling 6 lines, just two of us in the boat, when the marlin hit. Line was screaming from the reel, 420 yds of 50 lb. mono. We cleared the other lines as quickly as possible and he hasn’t even begun to slow down. Reel is close to being spooled when we are able to start chasing and get some line back. He comes out of the water twice so we get a good look, big azz blue. He proceeds to burn off line again and almost empties the reel again. We are still chasing and start gaining some ground when he runs through a thick weedline. The weeds keep the line out in front of us, but the marlin doubles back under the boat and breaks off. We had him on for 20 or 30 minutes. I was very impressed with the way the Avet held up to that kind of punishment.
I fished with the single speed Squalls in FL and I found them to be great for the price. I’d choose them over a TLD.
Bart- I’m going to buy three more of those HXW/Paraflex combos from HPT this fall. They have me thoroughly convinced.
Thanks for all the replies, fellas. Rap, a mutual friend of ours has sold me on the importance of 2-speed reels because of their resale value. Your thoughts, please?
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”
For $500, I would look into getting 2 different combos. For that price, I bet you can find a used TLD25 combo for trolling and a used Torium 30 combo or something similar for bottom fishing. I bet for $500 you could spool them both up and have them both rebuilt. If you pay $150 per combo, $40 for each rebuild, $30 to fill the TLD with mono, and $50 to fill the Torium with braid (~125 yd mono backing), you’ve still got some cash left over for some quality snap swivels and leader material.
If you just don’t want to tote around 2 rods, then maybe one of the bigger 2-speed reels would be best. I would fill it with braid for bottom fishing, then keep a 100’ top shot on a leader wheel and just tie it on whenever you want to troll. Wind it back on the wheel and cut it off when you’re ready to bottom fish.
I might be biased, though – I run 4 TLD25’s in my spread, plus as a Torium 30 and a Fin Nor OFC30H. Both of the star drag reels are rigged up with braid and a mono top shot so that I can bottom fish with them once I’m done trolling for the day.
2000 Sportcraft Sport Cat 255 - “Morning Bite”
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160
All of my trolling reels are 2 speed.
I started out with a mix of single and 2 speeds, and eventually sold all of the singles because the 2 speed option is so convenient. Especially for the lady anglers and newbies.
I bought them all used, and if I had to unload them, I could probably get most of my money back out of them, but I got most of my money back on my single speeds as well.
They’re all Penn Internationals. I guess they could work for bottom fishing, but they’d probably get a little heavy.
If you’re worried about getting your money back, 2 speed or single speed doesn’t matter so much. It’s more important to find good quality used equipment at a good price and make sure you take care of it.
For $500, I would look into getting 2 different combos. For that price, I bet you can find a used TLD25 combo for trolling and a used Torium 30 combo or something similar for bottom fishing. I bet for $500 you could spool them both up and have them both rebuilt. If you pay $150 per combo, $40 for each rebuild, $30 to fill the TLD with mono, and $50 to fill the Torium with braid (~125 yd mono backing), you’ve still got some cash left over for some quality snap swivels and leader material.
If you just don’t want to tote around 2 rods, then maybe one of the bigger 2-speed reels would be best. I would fill it with braid for bottom fishing, then keep a 100’ top shot on a leader wheel and just tie it on whenever you want to troll. Wind it back on the wheel and cut it off when you’re ready to bottom fish.
I might be biased, though – I run 4 TLD25’s in my spread, plus as a Torium 30 and a Fin Nor OFC30H. Both of the star drag reels are rigged up with braid and a mono top shot so that I can bottom fish with them once I’m done trolling for the day.
2000 Sportcraft Sport Cat 255 - “Morning Bite”
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160
Good stuff, Bryson, hanapaa and everyone else. I truly appreciate your advice.
Another question: do the 25’s and 30’s provide the same torque/cranking power as the 50’s, or are the bigger reels superior in both capacity and power?
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”
For most trolling around here, you don’t need a 2 speed.
For pretty much all bottomfishing, you don’t need a 2 speed.
My thoughts exactly. I have one two speed Avet 50 SDS for my planer rod and one of the HXWs I’m getting for next season will be a two speed for a Waaaay The F Back There bait. I’ll use the two speed HXW for that purpose because the high gear is a bit faster than the single so I can clear weedy lines faster. Single speeds are stupid easy and I mostly fish with very inexperienced anglers who can manage to mess up even the simplest of things.
Thanks for all the ■■■■■■■■, y’all. Now that I have a pretty good idea as to what I need to be looking for, the easy part’s over; the hard part will be convincing the wife that I need all this stuff…
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”