I'm booked on a Hubbards 12 hour snapper/grouper trip and I'm planning on buying an offshore rod/reel for this and future trips. I have a rod and reel picked out but I'm curious what folks are using for main line and leader. I actually prefer power pro but since this is a party boat I won't be spooling up with that, so what type and weight of line for main and leader do you like? I like to go as light as possible to help increase hits but don't want to get schooled too much. Trying to find a balance I guess. Thoughts? Thanks.

My line is already spooled with 40-50# braid. I'm going to use 30# leader. If I get broken off, then I'll move to 40#...50# max tho. You should be able to land both snappers and gags with it.

Captain David Rieumont is working with Don at TFO to put together a list of recommend gear. TheOnlineFisherman recommended list of combination rods and reels. They will come Completely predesigned. We are still working on the list, but David already has a good idea what it needs.

First comes pricing. They will be split into three categories:

Cheap: fully capable of handling the fish likely to be targeted in the rod/tackle class, these combinations will feature known manufacturers whose products stand up to pressure acceptably but are within the price range that anyone can afford.

Mid-range. The tackle in the midrange category will be just that: mid-range. Like any manufactured product, you get what you pay for, and while there is an argument - a good one - that the biggest fish could be caught on the cheapest reel, as you move up in costs you begin to experience better and smoother drags, smoother all around action, and product that will last longer when ignored, as is often the case with tackle.

Deep pockets: Why do some reels cost $800? Because there are people that are willing to buy them. Billfishing, for example, or flyfishing, brings with the sport a level of tackle elitism that is at times understandable and fun to be a small part of (we get to see everything, from cheap to made-of-platinum.).

So there will be three price levels for each tackle category. They will include:

Ultra-light spinning
Light tackle spinning/flats
Mid-weight spinning/kingfish
Heavy spinning/tarpon

Bass fishing/pistols
Bass fishing spinning

Conventional level wind light/dock fishing and skinny
Conventional tarpon/light nearshore

Mid-weight grouper
Heavy grouper/deep water manual
Heavy grouper/deep/electronic

Fly fishing bass
Fly fishing saltwater light
Flyfishing saltwater/tarpon/sailfish.

Are we missing anything?

And hit David on the "ask the Captain" and maybe he will answer the question on the television show he is about to start doing.

It is called "Ask the Captain"

:)

I think this is a great idea.

Sounds like a great idea. My issues is I'm right handed and have always casted with my right hand and reeled with my left. Since I'm right hand dominant I prefer to fight fish with my right hand. The problem is there are very few left retrieve conventional reels for the big boys like the snapper and grouper offshore. That forces me to a spinning setup and there are very few reasonably priced spinning setups that can hold a large amount of 30ish# mono and handle the pull of the big boys from 100-200'. I've found 1 conventional reel that is left retrieve but I'm not sure of the quality. So it goes.....

What brand (Ande, P-Line, etc) does everyone prefer for mainline?
How about leader line?

Captain David, if your on here? I spoke to some friends who live in Palm Harbor. They want to learn to throw a cast net. They were told to go to Wal-mart to buy your video. I told them to e-mail or pm you and one day you could meet them at TFO and teach them in person. They also wanted to meet you, cause I told them you were friendly and super helpful.

There are some very nice used left hand Penn 113 4/0's on eBay...

However, I use both spinning reels (left handed) and conventional reels (right handed) in all types of fishing... including the big boys...

With spinning gear I have found it natural to use the rods designed to wear the fish out... which means pumping and pulling to wear them out...

Since you are right handed, like me, I'm more than certain you would want the conventional reel to be right handed because bottom fishing is won or lost in the first few seconds and that requires reeling more than anything... you don't get to start pumping and reeling (most say not to pump at all just reel) until you have turned their head...

I just know that if I'm going to go after a gag, I don't break out my spinning gear, even the heavy duty Penn Slammer... but I will go after a 40# amberjack... the difference is the amberjack is up near the boat not on the bottom sitting by the front door of his rock mansion!!!

I use Berkeley Big Game and Ande mono for main line and the same for leader material... it is much more cost effective to buy the 1/4# spool for leader materiel as well... I only buy the tiny leader spools of regular mono when they are 1/2 off...

I can't afford braid and fluorocarbon and 9 times out of 10 I catch more fish than those that do!!!

I know they don't like braid on the party boats. Are we going to be ok with it since it's a private charter? I want to bring our bigger spinnig gear but they all have Power Pro on them and i don't want to respool just for one trip. We have basic cheap conventional outfits but i think the lighter spinning will catch more fish on the trip..

FYI.......

From the HUBBARD's Marine website

www.hubbardsmarina.com/um/faqs.html

THINGS TO LEAVE BEHIND: Synthetic line! i.e.; Spiderwire, Power Pro, Dacron, etc.. Several Reasons... 1 - It has little give. When you get hung on the bottom, you will lose your rigs 90% of the time, costing you valuable fishing time. 2 - A screaming Amberjack that runs you down the side of the boat, will cause you to cut a lot of fellow anglers lines with synthetic line. 3 - It is very difficult to untangle from Monofilament should you get tangled with another angler.

If you are out shopping for this trip, and are uncertain, please remember that we have a Full Service Bait & Tackle shop rite here at the dock. They carry all the tackle you could need for our trips.

CaptJack_1 wrote:
I've read that numerous times. I could see that being an issue with a bunch of inexperienced anglers. Losing gear is a given when you're bottom fishing. Don't have a problem with that. I guess we'll just use the house rods.

BenefitTournaments wrote:
What are your thoughts about this reel? They have different levels all the way up to what seems to be an 8000 level size.
Spinning Reel

Or this one....?
Another Spinning reel

Here is a conventional one...
Left Hand Conventional Reel

I'm mostly looking at Cabelas becase I have gift cards with them.

I can remember being concerned about using right handed conventional reels the first time. I had fished left handed spinning gear for 30 years. Suprisingly after the first few minutes it felt completely natural to me. Before ordering a left handed reel, I would recommend giving it a try right handed for one trip.

And I have to agree with Benefit - you want your dominant arm on the reel.

Shallow Minded wrote:
Its not that I haven't used a right handed, its that I have, and don't care for it. It feels completely unnatural ( I don't think that is a word) to me. I watch the bass guys cast with their right then switch hands and reel with their right. I've never understood that. I've always casted and fought fish with my right and reeled with my left. See my intro in the new to the site section. I have plenty of experience and have used both plenty, its that I have used both enough to know that I am a left reel. I have a Shimano Citica 201, which I have used for years for salmon fishing and now inshore fishing here and know that lefty reel is what I prefer.

srchn4salmon wrote:
Sorry, didn't realize you'd already tried it - there are plenty of left handed reels out there. If you tried it and it dosn't work for you, sounds like time to go shopping. I never understood the whole switching hands thing either, but I do all of my casting with a spinning reel these days so it's not a problem.

I have seen people use braid on party boats - usually with no problem. I only stopped using it because when you do get into a tangle it's a little harder to get untangled and the guy fishing the braid seems to get the blame regarless of how the tangle happened. I would have to guess with a boat full of forum members you'd probably be fine. I've seen plenty of keeper grouper caught on spinning gear - I'm just not sure how well it would work for the really big ones.

Shallow Minded wrote:
No worries! I think the Penn 209 left retrieve is going to be my choice. Now time to find the right rod.