Seant, what time of year are you most likely going to be fishing and is this gear for an 8-day trip? In my experience fishing the 8-day trips in June you'll be using mainly 40 and 50 line and perhaps a 60 or 80 for dropper loop for the big yeller tails, but mainly it's 40-50 string. Flouro can play a BIG part in your setups also. About the only time you'll use the lighter stuff on an 8-day is to make bait or if you've limited out and just want to have some fun. Seems like Penn has been coming out with some good products the last couple of years. I also like some of the Daiwa reels, I see they're on your list, work fine (Saltist 50). Good luck!

Hi Big Fish,

Thanks for your reply, that is a good question, looking at it as general purpose rigs, setup(s) that will work year round, I'm interested in making a trip mid summer to late fall! I also might be moving to New Zealand in the future, they have huge yellows and two types of groupers that can get big (100+), plus albacore, southern bluefin etc. I grew up fishing southern cali, so I'm kind of familiar with stuff, but would be great to get general advice on setting up the gears while I have a chance to collect them!

I'm really leaning to pick up Penn 16vsx and 30vsx to roundup my collection for reels.

However will really need help for the rod selection, giggin will be easy, Penn has three
new rods for gigging, I'll pick up their upper two!

Thanks!

p.s. I am(was) a big fluorocarbon fan, but some site did an extensive on all the fluoro and certain things like visibility was inconclusive against straight mono, and some were much weaker after the knot! So it really burst my bubble!

????????? what boat???????????