My friend is looking to get a new heavier reel he can use for muttons/grouper and smaller sized sharks. He is thinking about the saltiga. I've heard though that they aren't great casting reels. Anyone use them for this application?

Great reels but casting is not their strong point.

Would one be able to cast after practicing for a while or is it just mechanically un-castable?

If he is looking for distance they are not the reel to get. I could cast mine fine but they are not made for casting distance.

Ok, thanks

These reels are getting alot of praise, Some of them are known to beat up BFT's over 300 lbs.
http://www.jignpop.com/jmpe8reel.aspx

If you dont have any problems with a Jap reel

Lol thanks but he doesn't need 80lbs of drag for a bottom rod. Those reels look like beasts though.

Yeah, they look sick. Just throwing it in, along with the more common reels you see around.
BTW I found it on ebay for 50 less.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0310575429
and free shipping. comes with a 1 year warrenty.

BTW I just bought a Canyon reel, a 2 speed with 78lbs of max drag, Im going to use it for my heavy mutton/light grouper reel.

http://www.canyonreels.com/

The owner Don gave me a special price. If you join 360tuna.com you get 15% off. But I got the 2 speed for the price of a single and used the 15% off to spool it with 80lb JB hallow core.

I'm not saying to go buy the reel, but if you ever see me around fishing the dry tortugas, i'll let you test her out.

They have a excellent small reel HS-15, weighs just 12 ounces and has 28 lbs of drag. with a 2 year warrenty for just $200. They look pretty as hell.
http://www.canyonreels.com/Page_2_V8IA.php

I'll be testing my HS-30 2 speed out next week on a 4 day Captain Yuri trip with Gilbert and crew. I'll post pictures

David

Cool stuff. I want to do one of those tortugas trips when I get the money. The reel he's buying tho wont need to face those big 15-20lb muttons. yet

Drag ratings on reels are highly overhyped. Have you ever felt 30 lbs of drag on a reel ? I used a bucket harnass full setup and a Taigra 50w LRS rod rated at 80 -130 lbs. , and a scale and at 29 lbs I was lifted off my feet. I used to buy into the huge drag ratings hype until I actually tested one.

Ditto - I had no idea until we actually measured it the other day. With a drag setting of around 26-27lbs I could sit into my bucket harness and barely get the reel to give up any line. I was suprised, you will get dragged right to the rail with a lot less drag than you think.

lol, I once got in a full harness, let paul wrap the line around his arm about twenty times and he full out sprint accorss the bridge at full speed at the old causeway. He wanted to simulate what a big shark feels like. Needless to say we put too much drag on the line. I was fishing with fresh 130lb line, and it popped about 2 seconds into his sprint sending the rod to hit me on my forehead at full speed WHACK. I fell backwards and was seeing two Gus's, lol. I had almost a mild concussion, but still continued to fish threw the night.

I know what heavy drag feels like, but yeah, I dont fish over 30lbs myself, ever.

Ditto - I had no idea until we actually measured it the other day. With a drag setting of around 26-27lbs I could sit into my bucket harness and barely get the reel to give up any line. I was suprised, you will get dragged right to the rail with a lot less drag than you think.[/quote]

There is a reason the crew tells you to be set up on the rail before you set the hook on a YFT. You only don't listen once.

I hope to do a tuna trip with you guys one year, maybe not next year but the one after when things get settled up here.

Chris, you read this post last month from Marsad?

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/foru ... ort-109-10

Im also trying to get my feet wet tuna fishing at the 120 mile buoy here off Canaveral. A buddy of mine that fishes with Capital Punishment reported catching over 2000lbs of fish, with 2 of the tunas over 100lbs, one close to 200!

Yes I read his report but those trips in La are expensive and really hit or miss. The Cape trips I looked into as well but you only have a small window to work with on them . I'd rather stick to the Mexico trips. A little more money but so worth it.

The La trips are worth it, if you know the bite is hot, For instance that whole week they were catching tuna over 200lbs. Intrested in running up here to Canaveral, and running 120 miles offshore with us to kill some BFT and YFT? I think the cost is around 200 per person for a 2 day.

That sounds good but I thought the bite was strictly a summer one due to the weather and migration.

As far as I know anytime the weather is clear its always good. My buddy Rue, went last month and brought back 2000 lbs worth of fish.

My buddy Moe with the 29ft Seavee, wants to get a sonar put on his boat, so we can make the otherside trips frequently.

I got him a 4ft hydroglow for this christmas, so we can go swording as well during the night. and chase tunas during the day.

Wow. This thread sure got derailed. Let bring this thread back to focus and not spent wishing about fishing for tuna.