mate go check out the Avet series, I hope to be using the small ones for marlin fishing next year, they are very well priced the Avets are bloody awesome, have a look at those being sold on T/M

What does a trolling reel have to do with popper and topwater fishing? 

bonefish wrote: you troll in topwater don't you

  NO! you cast and retrieve!!

Gowest wrote: Elpescador wrote: bonefish wrote: you troll in topwater don't you   NO! you cast and retrieve!! I think Elp is technically right there

Haha its not about proving a point, more that you would have got some useful advice in the game section of the site

Dear Bonefish the reel you have mentioned is primarily a jigging reel, if you just want to troll then get a reel like a tld20-25 or any other similar type ,brand. Topwater reels are castible eg stella,saltiga in spin and trinidad,saltiga in overhead. Trolling can if you drive straight through a school of fish  push them down, try SLOWLY driving around the outside of the school and CAST a lure to them. Casting v trolling also gives you the ability to cast in any direction to get to fish, when you troll you have to use the boat to drag your lure to the fish risking pushing them down with the boat

Bonefish, working stickbaits or poppers with a overehead reel will prove difficult, unless the reel has a levelwind, which will ensure the line lays evenly on the spool. Holding a rod( with one hand) and winding ( with the other) while sweeping the rod tip or twitching it requires 2 hands, meaning laying the line evenly is difficult. It can be done, but typically at the expense of watching the lure and getting the most action out of the retreive. Flatout retreiving is not so much of an issue, but makes it difficult to watch the line lay and the lure at the same time..... There is a reason people who are serious about top water fishing use spinning reels. There is also a reason they choose reels with an instant anti reverse,( and backup reverse dogs) as it helps hook setting and working the lure effectively.