going to Bass Pro this weekend

[soimcrazy]

And I want to pick up a few rods and reels. I'm really not sure what I want to buy. I'd like to stay with a level-wind type reel so my wife and son won't*reel all the line to one side of the reel.I need some medium duty rod/reels for say...trolling for stripers , or dragging a 24oz MOJO on the bottom, or if I'm lucky and catch a nice day I'll try my luck in the ocean for .....something big (dolphin, yellowfin, mackeral).

I've been looking in the Bass Pro/Offshore Angler catalog and kind of have an idea of what I want. I won't be*buying any Penn Internationals or anything that expensive. I'm looking more at the Penn GT Levelwind, probably the 330GTi for $99*or perhaps a Shimano TLD25 for $170. I even see the Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Big Game reels for $120.*

I'm probably going to spool my reels with 30 lb line.

And as far as rods....I want rods with the roller tip and the other roller (closest the reel). I see theres glass blank*rods and graphite. Which is better? I would need something sensitive enough to feel a flounder hitting the MOJO, but with enough backbone to handle a large striper.

I see the Penn Senator rods with rollers for $90-$130, and the Gold Cup for $80*,and I'm wondering about the OCEAN MASTER brand.. theres the OMSU models for $120....they any good?



What do you use....you like it??* Thanks for any input

[Mumblerone]

I would repost this question on the REEL TALK FORUM...you'll get more answers.*

[fisherman for life]

I have a garcia 7000 which is what I think your refering to as their big game reel and I love it but it's my med duty reel. I couldn't imagine bouncing a 24 ounce weight with that reel. It is fine to hook stripers with but a decent yellowfin would laugh the whole minute it took to spool your reel and burn out your gears. The 7000 is a great light to medium reel matched with a decent rod but look bigger if tuna is on the menu. I wanted an international for my big reel but want and can afford are two differnet things. I chose the penn formula 15 which holds 600 yards of 30# for my big trolling reel, a senator rigged with 50# for bottom fishing and rigged my abu garcia with 20# for casting lighter plugs and baits at surfacing fish. Just my 2 cents worth .