Unless your dealing with 200 lb or more bfin you don't need over a modern 30 2-speed, if it were out at a canyon where you can hook up in the deep then 50's are nice but still we run Penn International 30VSW's, Avet 30 Pro EX,w's, and I think the best reels are probably the Shimano Tiagra's in the same size. All these reels have much stronger drag systems then the older single speeds, so you can put 80 lb braid backing and 80 lb mono topshots on top and have plenty of line to handle most of the bfins we hook, if you get into the Giant BFin then that's different, but you can't keep one anyway. You will want to have a jigging reel or 2, for the bfin, a lot like to have one spinning set-up with Shimano Stella's being the top one, in case you catch them on top and can nail them with plugs, and some people like using spinners for jigging to the bottom, I prefer conventional reels, we use a Avet Rapter HX, but there are several jigging reels out there you can spend a ton of money on, rigged with 80 lb braid and a windon leader you can handle bfin well into the 250 lb class on the 20f lumps, but I warn you I won't be saw fighting one. You better be in good shape and watch this heat, don't be to proud to tag in another angler several times , it's better then having a heart attack. I fought fish stand up even in the canyons when in my 20's for upto 3 hrs on a 305 bigeye which we landed on a 50TW, but I trained like a mad dog for intensive sports or I would never have been able to do so, I can handle maybe a 5 lb skipjack now. Check some archive post on here and you'll see plenty of list of what reels to get, or contact one of the many Vendors and they will be happy to set you up. If you need to save some money watch the Barnsale.
