Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

First GT trip

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Brandon Pope:
I am a long time tuna fisherman who is taking his first GT trip. I've caught several bluefin trevally is Panama, but again, this is my first attempt at seriously fishing for GTs. I have a TR GT710-8 and a 60lb OTI blank I had wrapped years ago. I've landed tuna to 130lbs on the OTI rod, but in deep water I don't apply more than 20lbs of drag.
I also have a 10000sw stella and 18000 saragosa loaded with 60lb JB hollow. I know I'll likely need to bump up to 100lb, but an unsure about leaders. I am also unsure about hooks and which I should place on my poppers. I would like some input here.
I'll be fishing Socotra for 5 days. I have plenty of poppers and stick baits from 80-130g, but would prefer to travel as light as possible. I was thinking a dozen poppers and stick baits would suffice.
I'm bring a 500g jigging oufit and I'll be fly-fishing the beaches with a 9wt as well as using lighter spinning tackle for permit and bones in the afternoons. I need room for all of this gear as well.
Any and all input is appreciated.

Mark Harris:
Wow Brandon.. first GT trip and it is to Socotra!

My first reaction is that every piece of the equipment you mention is going to leave you under-gunned I am afraid.  I will leave confirmation of that or otherwise to the guys who have been to Socotra on multiple occasions.

Andy Rowe:
Welcome to the Money Hole  :D

Brandon Pope:
Money hole is right. I realize I'm taking another step into another hole. I'll just step lightly as I adjust to the temperature.
I have heavy equipment for cow tuna, but its not applicable here. I'm hoping getting "reefed" isn't a huge concern everywhere across the island. I can get close to 200m of 100 JB hollow on the Stella and the drag washers are beefed on the gosa. The rods are medium duty rods relative to GTs of this class. I think therein lies my main problem. Rigging is another.
As far as Socotra being an introductory trip, I've always wanted to travel there for multiple reasons. I literally had a tack in a map as a child indicating this as a goal. I think I'll try Oman in the next couple of years as well. I like remote. I do like to see people where I fish.

Simon Bomholt:
I really think you will get your ass kicked. Which operator do you use there and do they not have any guide lines on tackle you should use

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