10 and 12 wt
- Thread starter flybum101
- Start date
Rip Tide
Well-known member
.... I only fish my 10wt when it's absolutely necessary. It's too heavy to be false casting all day.
The only time that I'll break out the 10 is when the wind is up over 20 knots and I need the extra oomph to power the line out.
The only time that I'll break out the 10 is when the wind is up over 20 knots and I need the extra oomph to power the line out.
reading about some off these guys hitting the tarpon driving me crazy wanting to play tug a war eith some of them don't know if most guys favorite 8wt is the same rod they choose for 10 wt weight or not seems biggesr following i got feedback on so far is tfo , sage , scott , some winston on the bigwater rods
mrfzx
Well-known member
Rip has it right. A 12 will flat out wear you down. Its not the weight of the rod, its the weight of the line you are pulling through the air. To be honest, unless you are chaing fish over 80-90 lbs (Tarpon, Billfish, etc.) a 10 will suffice. If you do decide you have the moxie to muscle a 12 for extended casting sessions, make sure you try out some rods first. Some of the 12wts out there are nearly uncastable IMO. Loading some of them is like trying to feel a feather on the end of a broomstick!
I spent a day in South Carolina last year casting a 12wt for Tarpon outside of the Georgetown area. By noon my right shoulder was shot, and I spent the remainder of the day casting an 8wt lefthanded for Redfish and Speckled Trout. A good double-haul will extend you stamina, but not indefinitely.
For our CR Tarpon clients we recommend 14 wts because the fish average so big, and you need the lifting power to get them off the bottom in the deeper water. In CR you aren't casting to Tarpon on the flats. Its more like trolling or swinging steamers.
I spent a day in South Carolina last year casting a 12wt for Tarpon outside of the Georgetown area. By noon my right shoulder was shot, and I spent the remainder of the day casting an 8wt lefthanded for Redfish and Speckled Trout. A good double-haul will extend you stamina, but not indefinitely.
For our CR Tarpon clients we recommend 14 wts because the fish average so big, and you need the lifting power to get them off the bottom in the deeper water. In CR you aren't casting to Tarpon on the flats. Its more like trolling or swinging steamers.
All rods are different as are all fisherman. A friend of mine has a 10wt that's a brute to cast (for him anyway) but he has another that he handles no sweat. I've been using a 12wt for striper surf fishing for 20 years and have zero complaints. I even use it for false albacore/jetty fishing when the wind really makes things tough. Lighter rods are fine for gentle conditions, but if you want to throw big flies under tough conditions and/or steer heavy fish through boulder fields, you'll want a rod with some serious backbone. The main thing is not to be afraid of heavy rods until you've tried them out yourself. Only you can determine whether or not big sticks are suitable for your situation.
stl_geoff
Well-known member
I took a 10wt to FL with me because we werent sure what we were going to find and there reports of sharks up close so the 10 was the choice to bring. I was casting it pretty much for the better part of all day at times and it didnt wear me down a bit. Now my 11wt that I have is a cheaper rod, and it wears me down after a few hours but its nothing that stopping and taking a break from wont cure.
diffently going to get a 10wt now sure what kind yet ma y also do a little muskie fishing those nicknamed freshwater barracudas and that be the size of choice what is some of you'alls rods of choice in the 10wt rods know opinions gonna differ but know some like the bvk rods longer distance in the 8wt but don't like it up close some don't think they have enough butt to lift heavier fish some like the sage some a scott some winston be curious to know on the 10wts what your like and dislike about certain models Thanks for input so far awesome
mrfzx
Well-known member
The sage Xi3 is an awesome rod, but pricey. An Orvis Access would be a great mid-price point choice. I have the BVK 10wt, 9 foot, 4 piece rod. Its definitely servicable, and at about $250, not a bank breaker.
MoscaPescador
Well-known member
What do you plan on targeting?
never done any saltwater fly fishing got 7-8-9 wt rods figure that cover and i'm hoping to get to use them reds ,strips , drums , blues , and false albies snook, and figuring need at least a 10wt for teen tarpon and i'm guessing bigger if ever got to tackle large tarpon my dream would be to get to fish for gt's also if work don't pick up just gonna be casting in yard . selling off my new shooter bows and target sights to buy saltwater gear inhopes my dream come true so if anybody needs new bow looking for nice reels and rods
stl_geoff
Well-known member
my 10wt is a Sage Flight. I love it.
MoscaPescador
Well-known member
There are so many good rods from all the major players in the industry. I suggest that you cast what you can. Like any rod, it has to feel comfortable for you to cast all day. It also has to be accurate at any distance. It also has to have the ability to handle the stresses from big fish.
Of all the 10 and 12 weights that I have cast, I am partial to Hardy ProAxis, Sage Xi3, and Scott S4s rods. I have not cast a G Loomis NRX or the new Orvis Helios 2, but I have heard good things about them.
Dennis
chuck s
Well-known member
Ten to twelve weight rods are different beasts and some are superb at casting while many are ugly to cast and wear you down quickly. What I've found is first of all get a rod with a relatively soft tip, no longer than 9 ft but preferably and 8-8'9" length. That soft tip does a several things as it helps get the rod loaded quickly, decreases the effective casting length (think waving a shorter, arm/shoulder saving lever) and gives some extra bend when the fish jumps or lunges. As far as lifting capability, most do that just fine and technique when fighting is far more important. If I can do it with most, in general, I opt for a two piece rod as it's lighter and less to go wrong, but there have been a few very light weight four and five piece rods out there which are the bees knees 
when flying.. By the way, practice loading and shooting line accurately with a minimum of backcasts for optimum wear and tear on arms, wrists and shoulders.
when flying.. By the way, practice loading and shooting line accurately with a minimum of backcasts for optimum wear and tear on arms, wrists and shoulders.There's no way I could...or want to.....cast my 12 weight all day. Same could be said for my 10 weight. When I use these tools it's mainly for tarpon and then I'm targeting individual sighted fish...never blind casting. Both weights are very doable under this scenario. The only time my 12 wright gets tiring is during a good worm hatch when rapid and multiple casts are necessary.
I've got a 9' 10wt Sage Flight which is a great caster. Just built a 9' 10wt MHX Kit.
I'm 57 in good physical condition but either will cause me some real fatigue after hours of blind casting. The line and rod simply weigh morethan a 8 or 9wt. The Flight would be my choice of these two. I think the BVK in this application would be a great choice too.
We used 8wts for sight casting for reds this spring break but the wind and size of the fly made would have made a 10wt more practical.
I am planning on building a 12wt as we will be chasing Ling (cobia), Jack Crevalle with slim chance of good sized tarpons this summer. Here you could easily be "under-gunned" with a 10wt if a brusier shows up. For me rod strength is an issue ever distance casting is less the concern, 40-60ft is aok. I like the comment above about a rod with backbone and bit softer tip here for mid short to mid range accuracy.
However every 12wt I've cast are the next magnitude up in casting effort over a 10wt. IMHO it's more like stepping from 5wt to 9wt in change in effort.
The 12wt is a much much less used rod (my sons think of the 10 & 12's like elephant guns) so possibly go with a guide and try his tackle out first.
Pete A.
I'm 57 in good physical condition but either will cause me some real fatigue after hours of blind casting. The line and rod simply weigh morethan a 8 or 9wt. The Flight would be my choice of these two. I think the BVK in this application would be a great choice too.
We used 8wts for sight casting for reds this spring break but the wind and size of the fly made would have made a 10wt more practical.
I am planning on building a 12wt as we will be chasing Ling (cobia), Jack Crevalle with slim chance of good sized tarpons this summer. Here you could easily be "under-gunned" with a 10wt if a brusier shows up. For me rod strength is an issue ever distance casting is less the concern, 40-60ft is aok. I like the comment above about a rod with backbone and bit softer tip here for mid short to mid range accuracy.
However every 12wt I've cast are the next magnitude up in casting effort over a 10wt. IMHO it's more like stepping from 5wt to 9wt in change in effort.
The 12wt is a much much less used rod (my sons think of the 10 & 12's like elephant guns) so possibly go with a guide and try his tackle out first.
Pete A.
ted4887
Well-known member
Another boom stick you should look at is the Beulah Blue Water series rod. Right around $400.
But like others said, it's definitely not a rod that you'll want to be false casting all day long. They're heavy and ultra fast. I just picked mine up, but have cast them in the past for musky (10-16" flies) and really loved it.
But like others said, it's definitely not a rod that you'll want to be false casting all day long. They're heavy and ultra fast. I just picked mine up, but have cast them in the past for musky (10-16" flies) and really loved it.