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Random Quote: I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
I grew up flats fishing and have recently acquired a bigger boat and plan on doing more offshore fishing. I own very little heavy tackle and want to gear up for this season. I would like to set up a couple of rod/reel combos for less than $500, they will be used mostly for bottom fishing and some trolling. The goal is to get setup so I can start fishing and then gradually upgrade to better quality. The Penn Senator series is reasonably priced and Okuma has some reasonable priced reels also, I am a big believer in your get what you pay for but right now I just want to go fishing. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Shimano TLD 20 and 25's...just my .02 - stay away from the okuma...
__________________ Some people are like a slinky... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
As just suggested - the TLD is an all-around strong reel. They are reliable and tough, and a TLD 25 can handle 40 lb test mono. Personally, I have 30 lb on mine.
I went through the same exercise a couple weeks ago. What I distilled from the excellent replies was the best starting point was the Shimano TLDs, followed by the Penn Special Senator packages. I ended up getting two of the Penn packages at $ 175 each. If the local shop had carried the TLDs, I would have gotten those. I figure I will be moving up at some point, but we have five sons who come to visit, and can always use the Penns later as backup and loaners.
If you are truly going offshore and have the chance at some bigger fish, I would make your standard rig a 30 pound outfit. My first choice on your budget would be a Shimano TLD30, and you can probably find someone who has a combo rod/reel in the price range you are looking at. You can use the TLD15 or TLD25, but IMO these are too light for serious offshore use.....a big wahoo or 200 lb. marlin can spool a 25 fast. If your budget would allow, I would also get the Shimano TLD50WLRS.....the combo would probably be closer to the $600 range. I can't say anything about the Okuma.....I have a 25 pound outfit that I never use. Most of what I have read about them is split about 50-50 between love and hate. Take a look at Avet....their new 30-wide is sweet, and you can probably get into a combo for less than $600. I have a couple of 4/0 Avet 2-speeds that have caught some decent wahoo on without a problem. Do yourself a favor and add Avet to your short list. The Penn Senators would be my third choice for a good multi-use rig....these can be used for bottom fishing and trolling, and are less expensive than the Shimano or Avet.
I've had pretty good luck getting 50wlrs 2spd's on ebay (used) for $200-235 range. There's lot's more, I hold out if it goes much past that. Every now & then one comes up. For 30's I use the shimano Toriums.
great advice, but I thought he was looking for two sets at $ 500. Arent the Avets pretty pricey?
The new 30 wide is in the upper 400's, but you can probably get a decent rod/reel combo for less than 600. They offer the new EX series where you can get into a combo for around 500 or maybe less: http://www.charkbait.com/cs/csrAvet.htm
My next reel will be the T-RX.....when the admiral gives me the nod......
When I was new to offshore fishing, and I was using $500 reel, I made sure the reel is hooked to a harness, so it will not be lost in the water easily.
Exactly what are you fishing for and where will you be doing it? The TLD 25s (and up) on 30-50 lb class rods will be great for trolling for dolphin, tuna, etc. and for sharking, but they will be overkill if you are planning on trolling for smaller fish like stripers, bluefish, smaller varieties of tuna and mackerel, etc. and bottom fishing for flounder, sea bass, etc.
If you are looking for the smaller end of the range, I suggest Shimano Charter specials ($130) on 15-30 lb class reels. If true offshore trolling and heavy duty bottom fishing, the TLD 25s on 30-50 lb class rods or Penn Senators.
Daiwa sealines and penn senators special in the 4/0 and 6/0 size on ebay will be your cheapest options. They are great reels and have stood the test of time over and over again. There is a reason they are the most used reels in the charter business. TLD's are nice too, especially if you are trolling, but I prefer senators and sealines for bottom fishing. Daiwas seem to run cheaper and have better construction ie no plastic in the frame. Though I like the drag in the senators more because it has more discs in there and seems smoother, but the daiwa locks down better. Match them up to some decent rods (uglysticks, beefsticks, star rods) and you could have 3-4 combos with line for $500
I would go with two 4/0 size reels and two 6/0 reels to start off with.
Better yet think of starting off with two 6/0 size reels and a pair of spinners for small fish and light bottom fishing. That is if you don't already have 20lb spinners.
I generally fish the gulf coast of Florida off Crystal River, Yankeetown, and up to Cedar Key area. I plan on fishing the east coast some as well off of Jacksonville and St. Augustine. I have a lot of smaller spinning type tackle and one traditional Okuma rig set up w/ 20# mono, so I am fairly well covered for the smaller stuff and will most likely acquire some more medium sized rigs as time goes on. Right now I am leaning toward the TLD 25's since it seems like a lot of people own several of these reels and are still recommending them.
When you go to upgrade to the Tiagra's, you won't have a problem selling the TLD's...hot item.
Good luck and tight lines.
__________________ Some people are like a slinky... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
New to Offshore Fishing 
