So I have been in need of a faster reel for whopper ploppers for some time now, because fishing them on a 6.3:1 reel actually hurts my hands cranking it so fast. A few years ago, I decided to take the Plueger Patriarch which I have used with 10 or 12lb mono for topwaters and often jerkbaits (because I use them on the same rod) and use that and buy a Tatula 80, but I never got around to it.

I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a Tatula 80 a few weeks ago. Now that they have discontinued it, I got a good deal on it, but because of the wind, I hadn't taken that setup out. Yesterday, I got it out a bit - although there was a fair amount of wind so I didn't really get to use it that much.

However, this reel threw a 1/4oz popper amazingly. I set the brake to 10 because of the wind and was getting better distance and no birds nests at all. Spooled with 10lb mono.

Just thought I'd share.

Nice...I almost bought an 80, but I went with an SV 100 instead, and I like it. I probably would have been happy with both.

The 80 is great. More Mag Z reels!

Those 70/80 size reels are great at that weight range whereas that Patriarch, depending on how old it is, is likely at that spool weight where 1/4 is possible but not necessarily desirable.

Great reel. Didn’t realize they discontinued them.

Yes, the 80 is great!

I also didn't know it was discontinued....

I bought the Gomexus shallow spool for mine, was my first plunge into bfs.

On 5/31/2026 at 6:10 PM, Boomstick said:

So I have been in need of a faster reel for whopper ploppers for some time now, because fishing them on a 6.3:1 reel actually hurts my hands cranking it so fast. A few years ago, I decided to take the Plueger Patriarch which I have used with 10 or 12lb mono for topwaters and often jerkbaits (because I use them on the same rod) and use that and buy a Tatula 80, but I never got around to it.

I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a Tatula 80 a few weeks ago. Now that they have discontinued it, I got a good deal on it, but because of the wind, I hadn't taken that setup out. Yesterday, I got it out a bit - although there was a fair amount of wind so I didn't really get to use it that much.

However, this reel threw a 1/4oz popper amazingly. I set the brake to 10 because of the wind and was getting better distance and no birds nests at all. Spooled with 10lb mono.

Just thought I'd share.

I bought 2 at $105 each, don't remember from who; really like them.

I also really love mine, I literally just had it out a few hours ago.

18 hours ago, brophog said:

Those 70/80 size reels are great at that weight range whereas that Patriarch, depending on how old it is, is likely at that spool weight where 1/4 is possible but not necessarily desirable.

Normally if there's no wind, it casts flawlessly, but in wind I need more brakes because it's impossible to not get a little bit of overrun at times. It actually did pretty good with a 1/4oz popper.

I was surprised it cast so flawlessly especially when the wind was gusting.