I have been using spinning gear to pop, jig, and CHUNK for tuna since the late 1980s, using a rod based on the design by Kevin Bogan. This 8 foot rod tosses tuna poppers like MADD Mantis and Shimano ORCAs further than any other rod I’ve ever seen (even those 3 times the price tag!), and can easily subdue 80 to 100 pound yellowfin, 150 pound Bluefin, and has even landed Bigeye!
One area I think that spinning gear is underutilized is in Chunking for tuna. A lot of times it helps to use spinning gear to toss your chunk bait further out into the chunk/chum line, letting the bait fall more naturally with an open bail of a spinning reel. Especially in daytime chunking when you have to drop to 30-40 pound fluoro leaders, I think spinning gear has a decided advantage!
We have been pairing Kevin’s tuna spinning / popping rods with SHIMANO STELLA 18000SW and PowerPro V2 in 65# for great results!
