How much 80lb Tuffline will fit on a Stella 20k

[Jon Li]

In some areas , you give a big GT 20 m to run and you are a goner , for sure .

Jon .

[Kasey Leong]

One really needs to go to New Caledonia, if only to experience how a GT can spool you using PE10. 

Hi,
How much drag you get spoiled?

Normal drag setting (~15kg). I'm not kidding - because in NewCal the reef is a vertical dropoff into very very deep water, the GT cannot always find structure immediately. Cast (60m) + GT run (60m) + boat driving in opposite direction (100m) = spooling.

50-70kg beast, there is nothing you can do if you cannot turn its head. 1 run gone

Of course, it is still more common to be busted off, but the chances of being spooled by GT in NC is very high compared to places like Komodo or Shoalwater (instant death).

Like I said, I did not believe it when I first heard it, thinking it must be angler weakness - but ask any reputable angler who has been to NC and I am sure they will agree. You can be spooled by GT!

[Kasey Leong]

Brandon's report will give you a better idea:
http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=784.msg7999#msg7999

[Travis Heaps]

I personally think the 10000 spool is big enough - GTs are strong but they aren't going to outrun a billfish over any distance, any popping is generally done from a drifting boat and as such if you hook a monster GT that for some reason does the bolt into clear open water the skipper should have plenty of time to get the boat following the fish before you even get close to losing 180m or so of line (even if you do hookup immediately after a 80m cast).

I can see sides of the points made by everyone however, as usual there's no straight out correct response, just horses for courses.  Being the occasional angler i'm more than happy to run my 10000 spool Angus.

Travis, have you ever hooked up to a 60kg+ GT?

Yes, they don't run like a Bill but don't underestimate these larger fish. They have and will continue to spool unlucky anglers. Been there, done that - been humiliated 

  Nope, sure haven't Luke - where we fish the biggest i've caught would be 35kg or so with the average being smaller than that.  Although we get up to shoalwater occasionally it's not all that often - hence, being the occasional fisherman, i'm not prepared to spend the dollars to have multiple spools rigged up with varying different PEs.  Because of the average size of the fish i'm also not prepared to fish a 20000 spool with PE 10-12 just in case a 60kg GT jumps on the end of it.  Popping isn't something I do for a living, nor do I spend thousands on thousands of dollars each year on charters so rigging up purely to chase that fish of a lifetime isn't important to me.  My 10000 spool with 80lb tufline has handled everything thats been thrown at it so far and I feel its good do deal with 98% of the fish I will ever be likely to encounter.

Disclaimer - I reserve the right to revoke all above statements when I get unceremoniously spooled by a monster GT of a lifetime on my next trip out 

[adrien antunes]

I am going to try N C GT's next month
 

[Luke Wyrsta]

I am going to try N C GT's next month
 

Good luck Adrien - I know it has been a long time waiting for you.

You will be fishing the great fringing reefs...drop to over 60m. BIGGEST POPPERS 

[Luke Wyrsta]

In some areas , you give a big GT 20 m to run and you are a goner , for sure .

Jon .

In NC, even 60m can have you hot under the collar. Particularly when the big boys are out to play 

[adrien antunes]

 ;DI hope to figth a very BIG ONE..........ready

[Angus Hulme]

  Nope, sure haven't Luke - where we fish the biggest i've caught would be 35kg or so with the average being smaller than that.  Although we get up to shoalwater occasionally it's not all that often - hence, being the occasional fisherman, i'm not prepared to spend the dollars to have multiple spools rigged up with varying different PEs.  Because of the average size of the fish i'm also not prepared to fish a 20000 spool with PE 10-12 just in case a 60kg GT jumps on the end of it.  Popping isn't something I do for a living, nor do I spend thousands on thousands of dollars each year on charters so rigging up purely to chase that fish of a lifetime isn't important to me.  My 10000 spool with 80lb tufline has handled everything thats been thrown at it so far and I feel its good do deal with 98% of the fish I will ever be likely to encounter.

Disclaimer - I reserve the right to revoke all above statements when I get unceremoniously spooled by a monster GT of a lifetime on my next trip out 

Travis, this is probably about where I am at too.......and on our Whitsunday trips, the average GT we encounter would be probably 25kg. We have seen bigger but the class of fish is clearly not like the Coral Sea, Shoalwater, or a myriad of exotic overseas destinations.

As a result, I think I should probably take your approach and just go with the 10000 spool/80lb at this stage. I simply wouldn't use the outfit often enough to justify further expense, but anything less would continue to result in being bricked by fish that (by GT standards), are still only in high school. 

But I see plenty of merit in both approaches, and I do appreciate everyones comments and experiences. Thanks all.