13 stella 8000hg with 16000 or 13 stella 14000 Xg ?

[wanboon lee]

Hi, can anyone guide me in which reel will be a better selection ? im planning to pair it with my EP 88/35 , preferably pe 6.
I understand XG reels will be better for swimbait but will have a lower cranking power compared to pg and hg,
so should i invest in XG since the only available XG are in size 14000,
or will i be better off with a 16000 spool using a HG reel,which i may have more line capacity?
In short, HG enough or XG all the way ?

extra info: I currently got a '13 8000hg which i will be pairing up with ripple aqulia 76 H H(my dad will be using). so another 8000hg ?_?
                 Will be going after sailfish and GT this coming trip.
                 

Also , im intending to get popping rods in near future, both Ripple fisher reversal and Carpenter DJ or CV series, preferably pe 8. Will a PG reel be sufficient for popping? i have a 8000PG with 16000 spool now.
                 

[Brandon Khoo]

Wan Boon, there are no absolutes in this sport. It really comes down to what you prefer.
The difference between a HG and XG is a gear ratio of 5.6 versus 6.2. It isn't that much so I doubt you will find a noticeable difference in winding power.
You can use a PG reel for popping if you want but you are going to be doing a lot more winding over the course of a day.

Have you used your 8000PG with the 16000 spool? I can't remember whether the 8000 has the same sized rotor as the 14000.