SPOOL your TLD 50 - Stand Up

[norter79]

John's right about the frame. Its ability to withstand drag is the issue, especially in a stand-up harness.

I back my tld 50s with 450 yards of 130 pound braid and use a 250 yard 80 pound topshot.

I don't use the braid to jump up a weight class and fish heavier lines or drags, I use it to maintain line capacity, reduce the cost of mono over time(since the hollow spectra will last 8-10 years+) and to eliminate the stress of seeing the "kinked up" mono deep on the spool on big fish..

Okay, on paper it does look like I use the spectra to jump up a line class... but hollow 130 is about 35% cheaper than 80 and I still have enough line on the reel for my tastes.. I used to fish 60 pound mono on them, but found that 80 is much more forgiving.... and we all make mistakes..

Maintain a true 12-14 pounds of drag, maybe even 16, on the reel and you likely won't have frame issues.... I haven't.

If you're looking to produce the drag of an 80 or 130 out of a compact reel while maintaining freespool, there are better reels for it.

[cab]

Good input. Thanks for the thoughts. Having the braid back or even full braid almost makes sense until the billfold kicks open on the counter doing the tuna shuffle. And the point about the frame not holding up to the shock or kick from a braid top shot is something to ponder. I generally have my strike on the TLD 50 b/w 14 - 16lb. Tends to set 'em no problem and now on the second season for these TLD's they seem to be holding up really well.

BOX - do you still call up the 7691 as the hook of choice? Has anyone seen another that puts a hole in 'em better?

THINKING of pickin up Partly Cloudy is makin' my pants tight. We made some changes to the running surface on this Albemarle 280 xf that is giving her 1.5kts on cruise and eliminated the need for tabs out of the hole and has dramatically improved the rainforest effect in the cockpit. The folks at Layton's in Edenton continue to do a great job.

[FishMagnet]

I have 130 lb braid on two TLD 50 two speeds that I use for Wahoo fishing on my downriggers. I have had them over ten years and I fish them regularly. I fish tight drags (well over 20 lbs) and have a lot of pressure on the rods when I am trolling, and in fact the pressure once broke the neck of a tuna that hit one of my downrigger rods. Though I have heard that there have been a few problems with the reel seat breaking when stand up fishing, that problem was supposedly addressed by Shimano when they improved the reels and came out with their newest iteration. I spoke with Tracy Melton about the reel seat issue and he felt it was when people were fighting fish stand up with a lot of drag and "pulling on the reel with their hands" instead of using the harness to help gain line. The implication was that the angler broke the seat pulling the reel toward himself instead of the harness lifting upwards. I dont think that those reels would be my first choice for swording or large tuna, but thats partly due to reel construction and drag and partly line capacity. Braid definitely helps the line capacity issue. I think those reels are a very good value for the money and you dont have to worry about scratching them and they arent as heavy as the Tiagras and the like. I have four and was just thinking that two more would not be a bad thing, and I have eight 50 WLRS Tiagras.

[FishMagnet]

I pretty much agree with Wahoonbox. You want some mono backing so that the braid doesnt slip on the reel and a top shot of atleast 80 lb (I use 100 Momoi) mono on top for trolling. I use atleast a hundred feet for my wahoo fishing setups because I like the bait away from the ball and I want mono in the release clip. The mono wind on also adds some stretch which gives less jerking on the angler and the hook in the fish's mouth when it thrashes about.

For bottom fishing I only use about ten feet above my weight and swivel, then tie the leader to the swivel. That way you really feel the bites but you weight is sliding on mono instead of abrading the braid microfiber. Join the mono to braid with two uni knots or an albright with atleast a dozen loops after you double the braid with a spider hitch or Bimini twist.

[Squid]

I have 130 lb braid on two TLD 50 two speeds that I use for Wahoo fishing on my downriggers. I have had them over ten years and I fish them regularly. I fish tight drags (well over 20 lbs) and have a lot of pressure on the rods when I am trolling, and in fact the pressure once broke the neck of a tuna that hit one of my downrigger rods. Though I have heard that there have been a few problems with the reel seat breaking when stand up fishing, that problem was supposedly addressed by Shimano when they improved the reels and came out with their newest iteration. I spoke with Tracy Melton about the reel seat issue and he felt it was when people were fighting fish stand up with a lot of drag and "pulling on the reel with their hands" instead of using the harness to help gain line. The implication was that the angler broke the seat pulling the reel toward himself instead of the harness lifting upwards. I dont think that those reels would be my first choice for swording or large tuna, but thats partly due to reel construction and drag and partly line capacity. Braid definitely helps the line capacity issue. I think those reels are a very good value for the money and you dont have to worry about scratching them and they arent as heavy as the Tiagras and the like. I have four and was just thinking that two more would not be a bad thing, and I have eight 50 WLRS Tiagras.

RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THIS ONE!

The TLD's that failed were due to the angler pulling back on the top crossbar of the reel and actually ripping the reel off of the reel seats. I have personally used a TLD50II to fight a giant or two (stand up) and they held up with no problems under 30 lbs. of drag. The entire frame issue IS resolved in the new TLD50IIA series---no worries here. Not to mention the handle, drag lever, and price are better. If you're doing any kind of serious stand up fishing (marlin/giant bluefins), the Tiagra is your better option however the new TLD's can definitely hold their own--especially with your typical gulf stream quarry.
As for the braid---start with a few wraps of mono to keep the braid from slipping on the aluminum spool. You can either do this or wrap some gauze or other tape around the spool to give some friction. Join the mono to the braid via a double uni knot. On top of that you could go with 80, 100, or 150 lb. Power Pro or other braid. Personally I would go with the 100 since it is a bit thicker than the 80---this will keep it from digging into itself when under pressure. Another way to prevent this is to spool it yourself, at home, and PUT IT ON WET AND UNDER AS MUCH TENSION AS POSSIBLE!! You should be able to get 500+ yards of 100 lb. Power Pro on a TLD50IIA (I've got this same set up on my Tiagra 30WLRSA's).
On top of this, you can put a mono top shot of 50-100 lb. mono. Join the two via my "Sebile Knot" of which there is a video on the site. This will give you a VERY clean, "knotless" connection that will not get hung up in your guides. I've got approx. 75 yards of 80 on top of my 30WLRSA's which gives me a total of almost 600 yards----more than enough to stop ANYTHING in the ocean (especially in a center console where you can run the fish down if you absolutely have to). This exact set up has withstood MANY of giants up to 600 lbs.---yes, a 30WLRSA.
Another good thing about the braid is that you do not have to replace it year after year. For the average weekend angler, it will last 5-10 years (maybe more). This means that while it may be more expensive off the bat, over the course of time, it will more than pay for itself. Not to mention the time and frustration of taking off thousands of yards of line and putting it back on. Every couple of years you can simply hook up the end of the braid on one reel and reel it on to another reel. This will reverse the braid, making what was once on the top now on the bottom and vice versa---giving even more life out of it.

Sorry for the extra long post, but I think I hit all of the points. And yes, the 7691 or 7692 is the way to go. I actually prefer the 7692 since it is a bit thinner in diameter---just have to go up on the hook size by 1 versus the 7691. i.e. if you're used to using an 8/0 7691, then the 9/0 7692 is the same size. I just like the way the thinner 7692's rig in my baits a bit better. Both are EXCELLENT hooks!

Tight lines!
Squid

[FishMagnet]

RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THIS ONE!

The TLD's that failed were due to the angler pulling back on the top crossbar of the reel and actually ripping the reel off of the reel seats. I have personally used a TLD50II to fight a giant or two (stand up) and they held up with no problems under 30 lbs. of drag. The entire frame issue IS resolved in the new TLD50IIA series---no worries here. Not to mention the handle, drag lever, and price are better. If you're doing any kind of serious stand up fishing (marlin/giant bluefins), the Tiagra is your better option however the new TLD's can definitely hold their own--especially with your typical gulf stream quarry.
As for the braid---start with a few wraps of mono to keep the braid from slipping on the aluminum spool. You can either do this or wrap some gauze or other tape around the spool to give some friction. Join the mono to the braid via a double uni knot. On top of that you could go with 80, 100, or 150 lb. Power Pro or other braid. Personally I would go with the 100 since it is a bit thicker than the 80---this will keep it from digging into itself when under pressure. Another way to prevent this is to spool it yourself, at home, and PUT IT ON WET AND UNDER AS MUCH TENSION AS POSSIBLE!! You should be able to get 500+ yards of 100 lb. Power Pro on a TLD50IIA (I've got this same set up on my Tiagra 30WLRSA's).
On top of this, you can put a mono top shot of 50-100 lb. mono. Join the two via my "Sebile Knot" of which there is a video on the site. This will give you a VERY clean, "knotless" connection that will not get hung up in your guides. I've got approx. 75 yards of 80 on top of my 30WLRSA's which gives me a total of almost 600 yards----more than enough to stop ANYTHING in the ocean (especially in a center console where you can run the fish down if you absolutely have to). This exact set up has withstood MANY of giants up to 600 lbs.---yes, a 30WLRSA.
Another good thing about the braid is that you do not have to replace it year after year. For the average weekend angler, it will last 5-10 years (maybe more). This means that while it may be more expensive off the bat, over the course of time, it will more than pay for itself. Not to mention the time and frustration of taking off thousands of yards of line and putting it back on. Every couple of years you can simply hook up the end of the braid on one reel and reel it on to another reel. This will reverse the braid, making what was once on the top now on the bottom and vice versa---giving even more life out of it.

Sorry for the extra long post, but I think I hit all of the points. And yes, the 7691 or 7692 is the way to go. I actually prefer the 7692 since it is a bit thinner in diameter---just have to go up on the hook size by 1 versus the 7691. i.e. if you're used to using an 8/0 7691, then the 9/0 7692 is the same size. I just like the way the thinner 7692's rig in my baits a bit better. Both are EXCELLENT hooks!

Tight lines!
Squid

Squid-

Youve got me convinced. Now where can I get a good price on two more???

[Squid]

Squid-

Youve got me convinced. Now where can I get a good price on two more???

They're going to be the same price no matter where you get them from. I'm sure many of the site's sponsers have them in stock and can hook you up---Melton's, Alltackle, Off the Hook, just to name a few. Give them a shout and see what you can work out. Please let me know if you've got any more questions--will be glad to help!

[cab]

Damn right. Good feed.

How about breaking down the TLD 50's now that I have a good season on them? The literature says at least once a year on the bearings and oiling the innards. They claim the drags are good for 100 miles of pull or something crazy like that.

Now, orderin' up the greenies. Are they still phat from FL? Last year I stocked up from Baitmasters around this time of year and they were better than the best Hoos I saw all summer in the shops. This one little early season prep. is I think the best investment. Nothing like having good firm hoos that have held their color and scales while the late season stuff is soft and skinny.

.....All wound up, trying to figue out how the 6 month old baby is going to factor in to the fishing equation, and watching the cold water flow...

[FishMagnet]

I dont know what the literature says. I can tell you that I dont treat mine anywhere near that good-In fact you are making me feel guilty that I am neglecting my poor TLDs. They seem to be surviving though. 100 miles of drag, huh?

[Sweet Caroline]

I don't use the braid to jump up a weight class and fish heavier lines or drags, I use it to maintain line capacity, reduce the cost of mono over time(since the hollow spectra will last 8-10 years+) and to eliminate the stress of seeing the "kinked up" mono deep on the spool on big fish..

You are right on the money here. Just because you go to braid you do not have to increase drag. If you are primarily standup fishing then you can get away with a much smaller reel and still get the line capcity by using the braid. I will be changing to braid this year in an effort to decrease long term costs as well as being able to fish the wwwb with capcity comfort.