# New tuna outfit help needed



## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

as you all have read Ive been busted up by a few tuna, I have a heavy outfit for them but its not suited to throwing the plastics that they have been taking so today I went out and bought a Diawa Tierra 4000, Im going to load it with 20lb fins braid. Im just after a few opinions on a rod that would be suitable for the application. I have about $150 to spend. the rod should preferably be around 7foot 8kg and be able to throw the 5" plastics on 1/6th - 1/4 heads at them. I had a look at the 5-8kg berkley drop shot today and it looked ok any other thoughts??

Lee


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## Nodds (Feb 28, 2007)

Yeah, get a gaff.

I don't think your lip grippers will do the job if you manage to get one of those monsters to the yak.  

I bet you couldn't wipe the smile off Jamies face while he had that biggn on, pitty bout the long paddle back though.


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

lol yeh I had the gaf you guessed it in the car lol

Lee


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

thanks gatsey, I think I was more disappointed then him. I had to follow him once he started to get towed because he has diabetes and if he went low paddling back it would not be good. I just wish this weather would bugger off so I could get out and have another crack at them

Lee


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## yakfly (Jun 8, 2006)

Lee
id look at least 30lb braid and a 6-10kg outfit.there were 20kg plus fish out there and youll need some grunt to knock them over
before the sharks show.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

yakfly said:


> id look at least 30lb braid and a 6-10kg outfit.there were 20kg plus fish out there and youll need some grunt to knock them over


Dave while you make a good case, the following quote from Billybob who has a well documented record on quality fish is also worth considering


> I match my 4500/20lb Fireline rig to a 6-8kg Wilson Live Fibre rod. It's the heaviest rig I use and will comfortably handle a 30kg fish.


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## Billybob (Aug 29, 2005)

20lb braid's more than enough.

Much heavier and it starts to limit casting distance anyway.

The Wilson Live Fibre's great for trolling but no good for casting soft plastics.

I use the Shimano Taipan 6kg-10kg 'Snapper' rod as my second troll outfit. I run a Shimano Baitrunner 3500 on this rod with 14lb Fireline. It'll flick a 10gm or 15gm slug a mile and still has enough grunt to handle a 15kg+ tuna. Just takes a little longer than it would on the Wilson/4500/20lb braid outfit as it doesn't have quite the same grunt.

Another rod you might like to consider is the Shogun 'Barrier'. It's 7ft, 6kg-8kg (I think). It's a graphite but not a 'high modular' composition so is not too stiff and seems to handle the rough treatment on a yak pretty well.


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

thanks for you input guys ill have a look at the few suggested

Lee


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## Alex (Aug 28, 2006)

Hey Lee, 
I recently bought an outfit with the capture of big cod, big barra, tuna and snapper in mind.
I got a 5000fh Shimano Stradic reel and the guy at Jones tackle talked me into a rod called a ' hard stick'
Its graphite, 7ft long, cork grips, light weight for $99. 
Having used it a few times now, although nothing big yet, I have full confidence in that it will do what I want it to.
I am running 20lb braid for the cod and barra on one spool and 16lb mono for snapper etc on the other spool.

Alex


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

sounds good but so you know where id be able to look at one up this way?

Lee


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## Alex (Aug 28, 2006)

Lee, 
I don't know for sure if they will have this exact brand of rod,
I used to deal with the guys at Kawana tackle world on Nicklin way, they seemed to know their stuff.
But any fishing specialist shop should have something, BCF and the like are great but it is also great to talk to some of the tackle shop guys about what you need.

Alex


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

yeh I know the guys at tackle world there, also the bloke at tacklebusters mooloolabah is good. I onl usually shop at bcf or amart when there specials cant be beat

Lee


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

ok I think I have narrowed it down to 4

shimano Raider snaper 7'6" 5-8kg $119

berkley drop shot 7' 5-8kg $99

tica extreme 7' 8-15lb $90

Pflueger trion 7' 8-15lb $99

any comments on those three would be greatly appreciated

Lee


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## peter trainor (May 8, 2006)

Hi Lee

I get my rods built by John Pope in Scarborough, he does a excellent job and listens to what you want and gives you a few options, trys a few different blanks. the best thing he is very reasonable on price. Mid week he weighted a long tail it went 25kg. He is in Jeays rd down by the Combie Trader.


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## troutfish (Jun 21, 2007)

i like the raider, and am looking at doing the similar thing. I reckon the t-curves have got a bit more guts again though.

like hi-yo said, i reckon the the real struggle will be the last part of the fight, and lifting the fish.

good fun though


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## bombora (Mar 8, 2006)

If you can spend a touch more I can vouch for the Shimano T-Curve 702 7ft 6-10kg rod. Mine now has a Tierra 4000 on it filled with 10kg braid. The rod was awesome on a surfing trip to some atolls several hundred kays west of Tahiti where the fish were big, mean and numerous. The rod (with another reel on it then which couldn't hack the pace) handled brutal stop em or pop em fights with reef brawlers to 10kg in 5-10 metres of water. Loved the parabolic curve, which I reckon would be perfect for sitting fighting a big fish in a yak (and gives some flexiblity to line classes too). No worries about strength: on the atoll trip, the non-fisho surfers would grab the rod whenever I had my back turned and, well, it wasn't pretty as they winched solid fish without pumping and winding. No probs casting anything from a little quarter oz bucktail jig to solid poppers and metals. Five and six inch plastics should be sweet. Quality build with real Fuji components, that construction method used in high end boat jigging rods, and two piece so it's now my go-to travel rod. Would have no issues with locking down and breaking a tuna's circles at the yak. Cheers.


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

thanks bombora, I have been looking at the t-curves and thinking it might be worth the extra $$ I think you may have swayed me
]
Lee


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