# Tuna casting reel



## Jimbo100

I just got back from Venice, LA and found it troubling trying to cast surface lures for Tuna. The problem if the reel is castable it doesn't hold enough line and if it holds enough line its to hard to cast. We were using a Shimano 8000 and Cabo spinning reels with 65LB line and they were both spooled in about 12 seconds on a nice yellowfin. You can get the BFT in with it just not any good Yellowfin. 

Any suggestions on Tuna casting gear?


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## Muddskipper

The big Shimano Stella ....! (some like the saragosa's)

Some used to use the old penn 9500, but the big girls were breaking them off the base or the reel....


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## mad marlin

Yes , Shimano 8000SW lacks off line capability . Meaning if you want 300 plus yards or more of 65lb or 80lb you're stock , same goes for the 10000SW. Ive gotten a few of the JM16000 Monster spools , with this ones you can easily load 400 plus yards of 65lb . Unfortunately the cabo 80 is not a player for the LA yft , i would just used for TX waters.
Regarding casting reels you,re on the right track Shimanos 8, 10, 18 SW are some of the best . If you can afford the Daiwa Saltigas go for it.
just my two cents

http://www.jignpop.com/jigging-master-16000-monster-spool/


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## tank8677

up to size 14000 or 18000 on saragosa, 18000 or 20000 on stella.


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## mad marlin

Tank Stella 20000 is a low gear ratio more suited for jigging


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## Ex Boat Capt. Carp

Gosa 18000 or Jigging Master PE6


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## kevindog312

Stella if you can afford it but the Saragosa 14000 or 18000 works just fine. Metal construction with 44 #s of drag and holds about 325 yds of 80# braid.


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## tunaCRAZY

spheros 18000 with 80 jb


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## bluewateraggie

I second the spheros 18000 with 65lb braid or the fin nor 7500.


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## hog

Larger size Spheros, Saragosa, Stella, all cast pretty much the same for spinners (theres lots of good other brands also)

TranX HG for conventional is a awesome casting distance reel (overall line capacity is the down fall for big'ns I would say) But, a fun reel.

on a 7'6" quality Casting rod with alot of backbone..

my .02.


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## HTownBoi281

need to go with a Stella 20K!!


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## capt4fish

We pop with both Talica 16's, and big Penn spinners. 
But we do not cast. Just let alot of line out and slow troll over the area where the tuna are busting. Works just fine.

Kenneth 
Paparda Rey


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## FishBurd27

*spooled*

Oh how I love braided line... :dance:


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## Fin-Atic

For conventional, the Shimano Torium's will cast a long way. I use the 20's and have reeled in 85lb YFT with them. Will take a little longer to get them in, but they hold plenty of line. I use 65lb braid on them.


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## 2wahoo

I have the Fin Nor 6500 Offshore spinning reel on a Shimano boat rod. Its loaded with just under 400 yds of 65 lb braid. I've never had any problems and its half as expensive as the Stella. Friggin LOVE IT!!!


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## 2wahoo

FishBurd27 said:


> Oh how I love braided line... :dance:


Except on big snapper. Those things just pound my poor overpitched right shoulder!


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## wLeeBull

If you want to quality go Stella 18k, (20k's ratio is for jigging) but 2nd choice would be saragosa.

Are you willing to loose a lifetime fish because of equipment failure. It's worth a couple of hundred bucks IMO. check the chat rooms (360tuna.com), you can find stella 10k and 18k for hundreds off list price.


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## red34

The best budget spinners are the Daiwa Saltist and Shimano Saragosa. Both will handle GoM tuna. Stella and Saltiga are without a doubt the best, with VanStaal being the work horse (and lightest weight).


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## drfishalot

accurate twinspin as well, I have done it with avet lx-2 as well.


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## Captain Wilk

We had really good luck on the Daiwa Saltist just until we beared down on the drag. There is a nylon bearing on the reel line guide that melts and locks up usually resulting in a lost monster. If you stay liberal on the drag all is well. We just swapped over to the Saragosa's 14K & 18K's. They seem to be handling things so far. Many YFT over 100#'s landed with them.. The conventional gear of choice for us is the Daiwa Saltist and Shimano Talica II's. We have Penn 950's but prefer a higher gear ratio and the increased drag of the others. Our experience is get on the big gear if at all possible. 

Wilk


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## Muddskipper

2011 Seahunt 25 Gamefish said:


> For conventional, the Shimano Torium's will cast a long way. I use the 20's and have reeled in 85lb YFT with them. Will take a little longer to get them in, .....


I have seen more than one toruim lock up on big tuna, on the party boats ....

they simply dont have the drag capaility ...

We use them for jigging for snapps and near shore trolling ... they are good reels... just under matched for yellow fin


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