unfortunately for some, it's time to get back on topic.
I'm back from the trip and i was lucky enough to hook up with a king that started this whole thread. i caught a 25 pounder which turned out to be the largest fish caught. Before anyone says anything, remember this is gulf of mexico and not the baja peninsula I luckily was in the pool and won a free 3-day trip. I am psyched.
It turned out though that i caught it on my tld 25 and not my avet becuase the seeker rod i was using with the avet had a nasty bur on the top eyelet that i had not noticed before and i didn't want to put the jx on my heavy bottom pole. i guess i could have but didn't. Strangely enough i found that because the lever drag on the tld 25 has more space to move up and down on, it was alot easier to set a lighter pre and strike drag than the avet and still have enough room on the lever to get heavier drag in it's upper third. i hope this makes sense but it's true. i'm certainly not saying that i don't love my avet's smoothness but the tld 25 was more user friendly in this regard. thanks again for all the advice and i wil be back to ask more questions and apparently sow more dissention in the ranks. have a good one.

p.s. now i have to get out to Cali and go on one of those 14 day tuna trips. God and wife willing.