7.6ft tica spinning medium action and a 6ft rod for jigging rated to 15lb solid like a rock and a fast tip! The rod was rated a bit more powerful than a 30lb class rod but in this case it had a fast action.

REELS: V80 twindrag system max drag of 30kg, but more realistically 18kg working drag. Drag set at 3kg initial.

I was using one outfit at a time since mY friend was using his Shimano AX400 and his Mitchell 50lb class rod.

Shimano Stella loaded with 300M of 15lb braided line matched with my 6ft light action spinning rod for playing around!

Okuma ‘Eclipz’ reel, I read reports about the reel and it is avaialible in the U.K about 40 quid, the advert recommends it for BASS fishing!!! Value for money I’ll say and I can pull the biggest bass I reckon!

I caught some sleep during the early hours and got ready a few hours before the trip. brought a few trevallies for sharks and had a few mackerel for snappers. We couldn’t connect with the mackerels on 8 miles, so no handline fishing.

We started trolling I set up a squid jig, nothing intersting and my friend was trolling with an artificail squid. I moved to an artificial squid of 9 inches long, still nothing. We decided to moved on to 12 miles, took us 1.5hours to reach from 8 miles. As we reached there, there was one boat fishing and they connected with a Mahi Mahi, they were fishing about 200m from us and they successfully gaffed the fish. They didn’t have a bite for the rest of the day.

After 20 mins trolling nothing came on my kona head. The birds were active and I was surprised not to connect even with a bonito. I changed to a Yozuri Tobimaru, on the second passage, I hooked up a skipjack tuna on the eclipz, 30lb drag. Drag set at 2kg for initial strike, increased the drag to 3kg, Impressed with the smoothness! Pulled the bugger after one rapid run when I was increasing the drag progressively! Fought on Standup!

Changed reel quickly and went on 80lb braid at 60M behind using the same lure, hooked up and I was on 3kg set drag,end of line with a ‘small’ Rapala Magnum, what a Mistake!!! Hooked up and a jump on 3kg and this was like a rocket! Leaped out again and it was a billfish. Things started to get serious Tighten the drag progressively to 5kg on stand up, line slowed the fish down and it it was below and went to take more, Increaded the drag to a turn and went to 7kg. It stopped the fish and I was standing with a 6ft fast tip on the 15lb outfit, No problem I pumped the fish and it came up about 40M, run again. I had about 175-200M of 80 line left on my spool and I was happy enough that my 80lb leader joined with a 40 turns bimini (on the braid) and a GT knot was up to the test! I was fighting the fish with one arm into a butt pad and I was standing on that small rocking boat which wasn’t easy. Gave it some good hard pump to drive the fish up and it did eventually came up for 20M. I went to 10Kg drag, which was a mistake, I took the bent leg stance and pumped with two hands and turned the handle surely, and it came no problem, the wind blowing through the braid and ring was whistling! I found more balance and high stick the bugger with both hands, it loaded the butt and kicked in a lot of power, and the inevitable happened went loose and nearly lost my balance! 5-7 mins of pure intense emotion. Guess what broke loose! The hooks were maruto big game hooks which I replaced from the original VMC’s, The bruddy split ring went with my hook and I was left with the rear hook and the front wire was still solid! I’ll be back with owners ring next time. It was the ordinary rapala magnum not the steel mags.

No worries, I moved back on 30lb braid on the eclipz, and a Tobimaru. Hook up on 2kg drag. Yellowfin Tuna! Blimey at 3kg drag this fish was testing the reel and I have to say it was smooth enough for the sudden run and the one more run at 10yds from the boat. After couple of mins I surfaced the fish and grabbed the leader and landed the fish.

Landed more skipjacks which were bigger, I landed 4 skipjacks and a yellowfin and my friend landed

30lb drag… should read 30lb line… 8th paragraph