saltwater fly rods

[Maxg]

Hey not a problem, you should note that the Shimano Steve Starling Surf Spin 9 footer has a brother which is 12 feet long, made of the same stuff and has the same butt design. Its just as easily modified as the 9 footer and it would be hell on wheels. The only reason I din't have one is because I can't find one. The latest Starlo stx are a bit lighter but are much the same type of rods. Rather easy to modify and cast very well using two hands, Bit hunky for one hand.' Talon Graphitte is a USA mob, but TalonRa are good rods, I have 2 the 12 and 14 and they work well and are very good gear out of a very notable factory in Korea.
The TF) 12x12 is a very nice rod, bit different to most DH rods, maybe harder to cast than the general run. But its really a 12x15 rather than a 12x12.
The CTS blanks are very expensive but extra good gear, used by Bob Meiser who is on their Pro Staff.
I do think that a 14 would be a bit long for rocks, 11/12 or 13 might be OK with a preference for the 11/12. My ideas are for cheaper workable rods that aren't gold plated but perform quite well. I think that you can catch trout on a willow stick in most cases so why spend hundreds of buks on rods.
I intend to track down a long starlo stick just to see what its like. Have to go to town on monday so will trip to a far off tackle shop for a scout.
Today I got a new running line, bought a 4#DT shakespeare line for 15 buks, cut the front and rear tapers off it and its a good running line for my 12 foot 7/8. They also make great shooting heads for 2/3/4# rods. Just chop the 30 feet ends off and you get two, plus a 30 foot 4# level line.
Every buk counts. MaxG.

[GHOST-147]

Hi,

Fly fishing is such a specialist fishing area. As they say, it is "The sport of Kings". So regal it is in history that only the wealthy could afford to "dabble" in the sport itself.

Today, it still is not an inexpensive sport at all. Sure enough you can by combos and cheap fly rods, line, reels, etc, but as with soft plastic fishing, if you want to really do something with it, you should look at investing good money into it.

I personally don't see the point in buying a "cheapish" outfit for fly fishing. However, an 8wt Innovator is not too bad in price and castability.

If you do have the money to invest into fly fishing, then to cover most your saltwater angling potentials, I suggest at least an 8wt or even a 9wt.

If you're only going to target estuarine species, then start with a 7wt. If you're intending to target more pelagics such as tuna, GTs, mackerel and the like, then definitely a 9wt.

Line wise....... Rio Outbound Tropical WF (Weight forward) is one not to be missed in your choice of purchase, nor the Cortland 444 Lazer Tropical Downunder..... They are great lines and Peter Morse does endorse them. I myself use a Sage 9wt with 300yd braid backing to Rio Tropical Outbound. It casts like a dream and has 37ft weight forward head compared to the usual 30ft, which means, faster casting speed and thus increasing distance.

If you're a novice at casting, wherever you are from, find an instructor who'll teach you. It will help improve your casting distance immensely.

It is about technique, knowledge and skill, just like most areas of fishing. How far you want to get into it, is a personal preference.

Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Time for me to chase some longtails again.

[Maxg]

Martin, no problem. Those Barry rods are fine, I have 2, a 14 9/10 and a 12 7/8. I do like the 14, its about the standard for tropical beach fishing. Barry also has running lines and heads to suit.
Back in the dim darks I modified a 6" Alvey boat reel to act as a fly reel. Put a shroud over the spool, like a full frame fly reel. .
But it really didn't work and I turfed it.
Max

[Martin.E]

Thanks Max. Interested in your preference for 12wt 12 footers over 14 or 15 footers from the rocks - is that because of concerns over the extra leverage the longer rods give to heavier fish? I'd still like to get a 14 or 15 footer for the beaches as you suggest - hell of a job even fishing the close gutters with a 9 footer.

Re the TalonRA gear - what grain rating for the 12 foot 7/8 in your experience? Most DH rods seem to be designed throw shorter heads at around 4 AFTMA levels above their labelled rating, so I'd expect it should be best with something about 300-350grains?

Check out that Alvey456BE if you get the chance - nice alternative fly reels for DH rods although, with its graphite frame, flex under load may be an issue. At about $50 it, at the very least, makes a good beach reel however.

All the best for xmas and the new year.

Martin.

[Maxg]

Fly fishing isn't a specialist sport, its just that we are brainwashed into thinking that. Its just fishing.
I don't particularly prefer 12 weights 12 footers over 14/15 footers , but I do prefer the TFO 12x12 because it really is a 15#, and its somewhat different in feel and casting. It casts a 625gn SA T40 head quite well, and does like a Cortland 15# 550gn head
The TalonRA 12 footer in 7/8 is designed to cast heads in the 400gn 32' range.
The TalonRa 14 foot 9/10 is designed to casts a heads in the 550gn 32' range.
My Talon USA 15 footer is a 10/11 and casts heads in the 800gn range. At least I use a 50' 770gn intermediate on it.
I only use heads, full lines are too expensive and each one comes with a running line which is most cases isn't long enough but in every case costs anything from $1 to $1.50 per foot which is ratgher expensive.
I have 2 TFO 12x12's one has snake guides and the other has been re-runnered to single foots as a sort of experiment to evaluate single foots on DH rods. So far its a success, so much so that I definitely think it's a lot better than the rod with snake guides.
My reasons for 12# off rocks is that generally in weights, like the 12x12 TFO, it has enough grunt to handle most fish.
The longer rods are harder to work than short rods although they have lots of butt grunt.
Considering the advantages of te long rod, easier casting with the 2 hand grip, longer casts as well, which is quite often necessary off rocks, added to the speed of presentation, less casting strokes, more casting styles available and of course bigger flies.
When I used 9 footers off rocks it was 12# and above. The lighter rods are not for places like rocks, the variety of fish species around tropical and semi tropical rock platforms is just too much for light rods, like 9 weights.
The ideal rock fly rod would be a Mieser 13x13 of one of the CTS heavier class 13 foot blanks.
Bit expensive though, even in NZ buks.
Even a standard 12# is a bit light for rocks, I''ve been busted by some horrific fish on 9 foot 12# rods. Like big kings in the 25/40lb class. Big trevvors, sharks, mackerels and some lunker tunas, like LT in the 70lb region.
The cobes were great stuff.
Maxg