50w's or 80's

[fishingmatty]

I'm trying to decide whether to go with 50w's or spend the extra fo the 80's. I will be fishing phb and stellwagon....also has anyone had any trouble with buying used reels off ebay? any info would be appriciated. thanks, Matt

[rum bum]

if you can afford them buy the 80s. why go to a fight with a knife when you can bring a gun. dont short yourself on the important stuff.

[Col. Kurtz]

I have been struggling with the same question. I currently fish with 50ws (Shimano Tiagras with Momoi Diamond 100# test). I fish the same area and while I have yet to have a fish break me off, I question my current gear above say 300-400# fish. Ultimately I have decided to hold off on upgrading until I get beaten to my knees by a superior fish. Then I will gladly tuck my tail between my legs and seriously reconsider the whole thing.

Anyway here are a couple of questions to consider:

(1) What size fish are you targeting?
(2) Is your goal to fight stand-up, or out of a chair/rod holder?

If the answer is that you are truly going after giant BFT, why not go right to 130s vs. 80s? The increase in sheer size and weight of both reels vs. 50s makes the stand-up game that much more difficult, so honestly if I were to upgrade I would personally cut out the middleman and go to 130s.

Just some humble opinions and good luck with your purchase however you decide...

[c parks]

5 days ago fought and landed a 75" BFT on a 50 with a Shimano Tallus 5'8" rod. 40 minute fight but it almost killed me. Had a harness and a belt and that saved me. For the sport of it 50 is the way to go but these fish are getting bigger by the year. Cranking them in on a 130 (we have 2) is ok but not like the fight on a lighter class rod and reel.

[sushi42]

[QUOTE=Col. Kurtz;813800]


If the answer is that you are truly going after giant BFT, why not go right to 130s vs. 80s? The increase in sheer size and weight of both reels vs. 50s makes the stand-up game that much more difficult, QUOTE]


Actually, when using a top notch piece of equipment, custom rod, #2 bent butt, all rollers, 80 international or the equivalent attatched to a nice Braid gimbal belt and full back harness this completely eliminates the weight difference of the reels and is actually a much nicer fight vs. a fifty wide with maybe lets just say a borderline rod w/out rollers and a fish that both he and I believe are too much for the fifty that I happen to be attatched to. Ask me how I know. Somehow all my buddies have caught big fish on my Calstar custom from CMS which is outfitted with an older 80 international which I happen to buy off E-Bay(love the reel, no problems) and I keep getting stuck holding on for my life on this fifty wide! Anybody want to buy five fifties soon?

[Fortunamate]

being a mate and being a guide also i have fished with our gear and others. i have found that you can land an 81" bluefin tuna on a shimano tiagra 50 wide but there again who says that our fish was just being lazy. with the amount these fish have been growing i would consider myself to buy the
80's becuase you can fight in a belt with them or you can throw em in the holder if you need to. here is the 81" fish this is about as big as i would go on a 50 ever!

[sushi42]

Is that a toe tag and one oversized body-bag I see there Cam?

[Fortunamate]

Is that a toe tag and one oversized body-bag I see there Cam?

hehe tail rope (for hoisting) toe tag all one in the same either way shes going into the meat wagon

[Col. Kurtz]

5 days ago fought and landed a 75" BFT on a 50 with a Shimano Tallus 5'8" rod. 40 minute fight but it almost killed me. Had a harness and a belt and that saved me. For the sport of it 50 is the way to go but these fish are getting bigger by the year. Cranking them in on a 130 (we have 2) is ok but not like the fight on a lighter class rod and reel.

I should have mentioned that we also fish with a Braid gimbal belt and Bluefin harness. I also agree with your point that these fish are continuing to grow, but I am also in this game for the sport first and the meat second.

The beauty ultimately lies in the eye of the beholder, but at some point the line is crossed between sport and just winching a fish in from the holder.

[Fortunamate]

I should have mentioned that we also fish with a Braid gimbal belt and Bluefin harness. I also agree with your point that these fish are continuing to grow, but I am also in this game for the sport first and the meat second.

The beauty ultimately lies in the eye of the beholder, but at some point the line is crossed between sport and just winching a fish in from the holder.

not that i dont disagree with you about having fun with catching them but at the same time have gear that isnt big enough can be just as bad in the sense if you snap of 300 yards of line on a fish especially if it has a squid bar in its mouth what are the chances that fish will live or not have serious problems. so while i love to catch them on light gear and have a blast i also realize there is that line you were talking about between winching them in and having fun but there is also the line between having fun and endangering the fish's life just to snap it of. just my two cents