Figured I would ask my fellow outdoor Longhorns on the board to see if any of you have experience with 10+ weight fly rods. I have fly fished all my life mostly for trout and bass with 4-7 wts and for redfish, specks, snook, and stripers etc. with 8-9 wts. I do not own any fly rod larger than an 8 wt because I have never needed it.
However, I recently went to Belize and fished bonefish and permit and I got the saltwater fishing disease pretty badly. Well, in truth, I caught a lot of bonefish but the permit just F'd with me or outright laughed at me. Spent 2.5 days basically on permit exclusively and managed to get just one to eat only to lose it on the reef. SOBs.
But I digress......I'm headed on two trips coming up, to the South Pacific after monster Bonefish and Giant Trevally and to Costa Rica after big, mature Tarpon. I have the bonefish and smaller species covered with my 8 wts. I need a big boy rod and reel for GTs & Tarpon. My question is, with all of the new rod technology, do I need an 11 wt or a 12 wt? I read conflicting things. Clearly the 10 wt is for rooster fish, trophy permit, and baby tarpon but 11 wts seem like a bit more fun to cast than a 12 wt but more powerful than a 10. Seems like the best of both worlds provided I can still turn a big fish over with it.
BTW, I need to take a second mortgage for my set ups here. Any suggestions on brands would be helpful. I'm thinking about either Scott Meridian, Sage, or Loomis for the rods and really only Hatch or Nautilus for the reels.
Can anybody chime in on this?
Oh, and for your time and consideration, rules followed:
Thanks,
BOD
However, I recently went to Belize and fished bonefish and permit and I got the saltwater fishing disease pretty badly. Well, in truth, I caught a lot of bonefish but the permit just F'd with me or outright laughed at me. Spent 2.5 days basically on permit exclusively and managed to get just one to eat only to lose it on the reef. SOBs.
But I digress......I'm headed on two trips coming up, to the South Pacific after monster Bonefish and Giant Trevally and to Costa Rica after big, mature Tarpon. I have the bonefish and smaller species covered with my 8 wts. I need a big boy rod and reel for GTs & Tarpon. My question is, with all of the new rod technology, do I need an 11 wt or a 12 wt? I read conflicting things. Clearly the 10 wt is for rooster fish, trophy permit, and baby tarpon but 11 wts seem like a bit more fun to cast than a 12 wt but more powerful than a 10. Seems like the best of both worlds provided I can still turn a big fish over with it.
BTW, I need to take a second mortgage for my set ups here. Any suggestions on brands would be helpful. I'm thinking about either Scott Meridian, Sage, or Loomis for the rods and really only Hatch or Nautilus for the reels.
Can anybody chime in on this?
Oh, and for your time and consideration, rules followed:
Thanks,
BOD
