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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 10:44:46 AM

Title: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 10:44:46 AM
G'day all, 

I'm off to Vanuatu next Friday for a week of GT/Doggy popping and jigging. So pumped!

I am taking the following gear which I hope will cover all the bases:

Medium Pop Tackle (50lb) - Shimano Biomaster 8000SW with Shimano Terez 7'8 Extra Heavy and 50lb TUFLine
Heavy Pop Tackle (80lb) - Shimano Stella 10000SW with Ripple Fisher GT78 Flex and 80lb TUFLine
Heavy Jig Tackle (80lb) - Jigging Master PE5 and 4ft Custom Jig Stick (this thing is ridiculous) with 80lb TUFLine DepthFinder

The charter has 20lb outfits on board for some light tackle fun.

Any advice on whether I'm missing anything key or any must haves? Advice and feedback is much appreciated!!!

I pretty much will take every pictured below from my New Cal trip. This includes a good range of poppers, stickbaits, jigs and some other bits and pieces.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mvokU_o3UtQ/Tddi7m3zJcI/AAAAAAAAA30/jcJ0cdAclm8/s800/IMG_0203.jpg)

Cheers,

Anth
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Jay Burgess on March 01, 2012, 12:17:22 PM
Seems like you are pretty well covered. I haven't fished Vanuatu but if it were me going I'd probably consider a PE10 popping outfit as well as a lighter jigging outfit.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Mark Harris on March 01, 2012, 01:00:04 PM
How much Tufline 80lb can you get onto a 10000 size spool?  I would be worried about getting spooled I think.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Jay Burgess on March 01, 2012, 01:23:23 PM
How much Tufline 80lb can you get onto a 10000 size spool?  I would be worried about getting spooled I think.

Perhaps he has a SOM 16k spool?

If not, I would be concerned about the amount of PE8 you can fit onto a 10k spool.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 01:25:29 PM
Would you go up to a 20000 Stella boys???

I had figured the 10000 is a better popping reel? Probably wrong, I'm a die hard game fisho, so this is all new to me! 
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Jay Burgess on March 01, 2012, 01:31:04 PM
If you're talking about the old 10000 stella then yes, this is fine.

With the new SW Stellas you need to upgrade the spool on the 1000SW to comfortably fish PE8 or go up to the 18000SW. 20000 Stella is not ideal for popping due to the slow gear ratio.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 01:37:23 PM
Lots to think about!
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 01, 2012, 02:06:31 PM
For a Vanuatu trip, it looks to me like you're overdone on poppers and underdone on jigs. It does depend on where you are going but to me, it is more a jigging than popping location.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 02:28:43 PM
For a Vanuatu trip, it looks to me like you're overdone on poppers and underdone on jigs. It does depend on where you are going but to me, it is more a jigging than popping location.

Sorry mate, that pic is from my New Cal trip where we didn't need many jigs. I have stocked up in the 200-300g range for this one!

Trip is to the Maskelyne Islands.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Peter Childs on March 01, 2012, 02:34:47 PM
Anthony, I'm taking a PE 8-10 jigging outfit - the heaviest I fish with, those doggies can grow pretty big! 

You mentioned only a JM PE5 rod!  Do you have anything heavier than that?
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 02:45:58 PM
Hi Pete,

It's a little custom rod, so it needs a narrow based reel to go along with it. Can put an absolute sh*tload of pressure on, so am keen to give it a go! Just to clarify, it's a PE5 reel, but the rod is suited for 80lb.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 03:24:51 PM
I will probably bring a Powerspell 350 or equivalent with a PE7 reel as well...
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Peter Childs on March 01, 2012, 03:34:23 PM
I will probably bring a Powerspell 350 or equivalent with a PE7 reel as well...
Thats sounds like a good set up, as a couple of others have mentioned the more line, the better!
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 01, 2012, 04:33:54 PM
The Maskelyne Islands are a noted spot for doggies. Make sure you have some high speed jigs like Sevensea Hookers
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Peter Childs on March 01, 2012, 05:00:22 PM
Brandon, thanks for the advice, what weights would you recommend in the Sevenseas?
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 01, 2012, 06:05:09 PM
The are no set rules, Pete but I like the 160g and 220g ones myself. It is probably just a reflection of my wimpy jigging ability but for high speed jigs, I prefer them relatively light
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Peter Childs on March 01, 2012, 06:07:41 PM
Thanks Brandon, I consider myself of similar persuasion!
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Brandon Khoo on March 01, 2012, 06:21:30 PM
If you want to give yourself a chance on a really big doggie, they seem to like a big slider like a Nagamasa 400 worked slowly.
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 01, 2012, 06:40:48 PM
Keep the advice coming fellas!!!
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Anthony Dimech on March 05, 2012, 10:09:34 AM
Gear list to date (got a few PM's):

Popping:
Shimano Stella 20000SW (80lb) with Ripple Fisher GT78 Flex
Shimano Biomaster 8000 (65lb) with Shimano Terez 7'8 Extra Heavy 40-80lb
Shimano Stradic 4000 (30lb) with Nitro Viper 6-8kg

Jigging:
Jigging Master PE7 (80lb) with Jigging Master Powerspell 350
Jigging Master PE4 (55lb) with Custom jig rod
Shimano T-Curve 400 (spare jig rod)

Can't wait! Pretty sure this covers most situations (I hope).
Title: Re: Vanuatu Trip - Gear Help Please!!!
Post by: Narc on March 16, 2012, 12:26:15 PM
Hi Anthony,

Any reports from the trip?
Looking forward to some photos