If one is fishing around Catalina Island or anywhere the white seabass inhabits, what reel (for an older not so strong senior), loaded with 40 lb. line, would stand up to a large seabass? I'm figuring to target smaller fish in kelp, but I wouldn't turn down the chance to fight a big seabass. I don't know what the best reel would be, a TLD,another brand of levelwind reel, or would a Calcutta 400 hack it? I'd like to be able to cast it on what would be the equivalent of a muskie rod. Is the seabass as they are now growing along the south Pacific coast of California stronger than snook or muskies? How long can they run with a 30 lb. force pitted against them? I'm mostly worried about the drag systems holding up. Maybe that's not a worry, but it seems to me that a 70 lb. seabass could take a lot of line in deep water.
Thanks,
Mo Bass

I wouldn't go as high as 40lb in a kayak, and definitely wouldn't go much higher than 20 in a float tube. The beauty of kayak fishing is the fish tows you through the water so you can use lighter gear. I wouldn't want to be pinned to a 70lb seabass boatside with 25lbs of drag and 40lb line that decides to make another last ditch dive. Big potential for flipping there...

My general La Jolla rod set ups are:

20lb plastic- 400S/Rainshadow 967
25lb bait- Progear 545/Calstar 700ML
30lb surface iron- narrow Penn 500/Calstar 800L
30lb heavy iron- TLD 15/30/Sabre Stroker

Your main concern should be getting spooled, because from a kayak, or float tube especially, you really don't have the leverage of a solid platform to put the screws on your drag. It's also dangerous, like I said. It's a good idea to back up your smaller setups with spectra, something I haven't gotten around to doing yet.

If you're gonna do a lot of casting lighter baits like plastic, then something like a calcutta 400 with spectra backing, or even a small trinidad would be good. For iron and bait you can get by with just about anything, from old Penns to Accurates. Depends on what you'll be using the reel for.
-Brian

We'll be using the reel for bait mostly, if we can get fresh squid. Also, swimbaits like Big Hammers could be used part time. But mostly bait.
I'll stick with the Calcutta with superbraid backing of a lower pound strength in case I do get spooled. I'm not sure a person could break it off in kayak as there won't be the leverage, especially with all that line out. I'd just have a pen knife handy as I don't want to go out on the high seas in a kayak.