Use my old gear to try popping.

[Jon Hsu]

Haven't fished in a couple years so new to GT popping but it looks like so much fun.
I have a couple of questions regarding the equipment I'm using.
Been reading this board a ton and learning a lot of stuff about gear and stuff.

Right now, I have been using.
G.Loomis GL2 Classic Hot Shot. 10-20 lb. 8'6" Ex-Fast Action.
Penn 460 Slammer. Have 50 lb powerpro braid in there.
Swivel from main attached to about 5 feet of mono then straight onto popper.

Went bonita casting the other day and we also tried GT popping around some cliffs with Halco 135 poppers.
Had a lot of fun catching 10 lb bonitas with these but GT popping, not so fun.
Found that popping is hard with the reel, pretty slow line retrieve. Have to reel a bunch of times before the next pop.
Also, I think the rod is too soft to give the popper good action, took a bit of work.
Only caught a small blue trevally like 1 or 2 lbs.

I know local charters take out fishermen from Japan and catch big GTs from what I can tell looks like 30-40 kg+.
http://www.wildblueadventuresguam.com/gtcasting.html

What am I doing wrong, lures too small?
I don't think I can work any of those big lures as well as the big GTs with the pole I have.
Any helpful advice?

A bunch of my friends really wanna get out but spent most of the time catching bonitas instead.

[Brandon Khoo]

Hi Jon
if you want to target decent sized GTs (20kg and upwards), I think you will need to think about investing in some GT specific gear. The rod you got at the moment hasn't got much of a chance of working any decent GT popper. Catching GTs is a very different proposition from catching bonito. If you have been doing heaps of reading, you'd have a fair idea on the kind of gear you need already.

[Jon Hsu]

Yes, heaps of reading, I think I been trolling this board since I went to Palau in March.
And tons of video watching as well.
Think I'm about to bite the bullet and get a reel with a strong drag, most likely a 10000SW, I see a lot of 10000FA for sale on the tuna boards but probably just get the SW, I forsee a lot of fishing in the near future.
As for a pole. I've been looking at all the Japanese rods but might start out with one of the cheaper Tsunami Airwaves or OTI popping rods.
Pretty bruised up from tuna fishing on light gear so can't imagine what a big GT on a heavy set drag pole will do to me not if I don't have a gimbal.
Any comments on these poles?
They will have to all be special ordered from off-island as the poles available are all geared towards trolling, and they would have to be shipped so I can probably get anything if these poles won't be up to par.

[Brandon Khoo]

If you want to get a 10000, then I assume you have done enough reading to know that you will probably be best off with an after-market spool like a 16000 No Limits from Studio Ocean Mark. On the rod, I think it is masochistic to fish for GTs without a gimbal. I have only ever know own angler who does this - crazy!

[Jon Hsu]

I bought this on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250902262824

Seems it is an older model SW16000 spool on a newer model JDM Stella SW10000HG.
Should I still get an aftermarket SOM spool?
Says it is loaded with 80 lbs of JB spectra.
All the info I could find on it was 6.0:1 ratio with 66 lbs of drag? nutso.

Lemme know if it's correct info according to you guys's experiences.

edit:
Did a little more research. seems like a JDM '01 Stella SW10000HG with a spare spool from similar year Stella 16000.
80 lb is probably about 300 meters in there.

[Brandon Khoo]

Jon, the 10000HG is from the same generation as the 16000 spool. The JDM 10000 used to come with a spare spool being the 16000 spool.

You cannot fit a SOM No Limits spool to it. That spool is only for a current generation 2008 Stella 10000XG or HG.

[Darren Cook]

You can however, fit an FA 20000 spool which will give you enough capacity to........ do anything.