Saltwater fly rod size?

[chris_midgett 0]

I've done a lot of freshwater fly fishing and i am wanting to start saltwater fly fishing. I am having picking a size fly rod. I am wanting to go after large snook and tarpon so can anyone help me choose the appropriate size rod for those fish species. I was thinking a 10 weight. is that too big?

[agn54 0]

For large snook and tarpon a 10 wt would be my choice. I prefer an 8/9 wt for general flats stuff but you may need more meat to tangle those bigger snook and tarpon, especially around structure

[ditz2 0]

Short of record sized Snook I would think a 9wt should suffice and generally speaking would be and has been my choice line wt......If you are talking smaller adolescent and baby tarpon the 9 or 10wt will suffice. If you are considering the 100# adults I would recommend a bigger line. I doubt that a 12wt is any too big and I tend towards light tackle most of the time. Living in TN fresh water is the bulk of my fishing and a 2wt is my general goto outfit. I do use a 7wt for throwing some bigger stuff at bass and carp. I upscale line wt to cast large flies. Not to catch bigger fish but tarpon require some heavy rods. ...Many years ago when glass was king they used a glass rod to cast to tarpon and after the fish was hooked they slid another glass rod up inside the casting rod to stiffen it up to help fight these strong fish. Don't go under gunned. These fish are big and strong and have been known to break bones when jumping into the boat.

[Paul Schell 0]

All are good rods that were mentioned. I would not go lighter than nine weight. In addition your choice of reels will or should be up graded. Drag systems must work flawlessly, these larger fish are strong and pull hard. Heavier rods will not play the fish so hard and there release will be good. Another day to fight.

[ditz2 0]

I would suggest that you post your question on the saltwater forum below....There are lots of knowledgeable folks down there.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I've never fished for either Tarpon or Snook, but I have rods from 3 wt up to 10 wt that I use & have fished a lot for other salt species. As the others have indicated, any in that heavier range can work, primarily depending how big you're talking about with the fish, plus other factors such as fly size, wind resistance of the flies & wind itself. As you go heavier or more wind resistant with the flies, you'll want a heavier weight rod for casting any distance, and if you'll be fishing in places with more wind issues, you'll want to go heavier.

 

When I was tying Tarpon flies for some Keys guides, they all indicated that they were using 12 wt rods, for the reasons I've stated plus, they often got clients who didn't have the best casting skills, so casting any distance was better accomplished with the heavier rod, regardless of the size of the fish.

 

I was told that Tarpon on a 10 wt was common when they were what they called "baby" Tarpon. I think they generally considered them 60 lbs & under as babies.

 

If you'll be fishing for Snook more often than Tarpon, you may be fine with the 8 to 10 wt rods, but if for Tarpon more, then you may want to go with the 10 to 12 wt options. Unfortunately, it's all a compromise. There's always going to be times you'll have a rod that's too heavy for the fish being caught & possibly be times you'll be under gunned.

 

IMO, since you're progressing from freshwater to salt, unless you've got a lot of experience with larger, more powerful fish, you will probably be better off going too heavy than too light until you're skill level increases with the larger more powerful salt species. These fish can bust up your tackle if you make mistakes, so the heavier gear will reduce that issue. You're going to make mistakes, we all have & we all still do. Then as you see fit, go lighter when it's appropriate. IMO, it would be a shame to hook up to a big Snook or Tarpon & have your new salt rod busted the first time out, because you were over matched, but that can happen with fish in the salt.

 

Otherwise, if you can only pick a single rod, you make a choice & you learn quickly how to best use that weight rod, or you spend the time getting the rod repaired or replaced.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I'm exclusively a saltwater type and have been doing the fly since the mid seventies... Here's the advice I've given on more than one occasion.... If you only want to own one salty rod then make it a 9wt for most inshore fishing (if you were a bluewater angler my advice would be to get a 10wt..). That 9wt will do quite a bit but frequently it will also either be too much rod -or not enough... Most that I know will want two rods and have them two sizes apart (a 7 and a 9wt, an 8 and a 10, a 9 and an 11wt). Fly rods in the salt aren't just for the size of the fish - they're also for the size flies you may use and the conditions on the water... No one will enjoy trying to cast a six inch long streamer on a 3/0 or 4/0 hook with a 7 or 8wt rod.... for example.

 

As far as your target fish, snook and tarpon... you should be able to beat any snook with a 10wt rod -but a 10 wt would probably be a bit heavy for most of the snook you encounter. On the other hand a 10wt will handle tarpon up to almost 80lbs - for the bigger fish (and they get a lot bigger...) you'll want an 11 or 12wt. My anglers have beaten many tarpon up to around forty pounds on nothing more than an 8 or 9wt rod - but the 9wt is probably the better choice for fish up to that size. I really like a 10wt for fish from 40 up to 80lbs, though. Call me anytime to hear more.. One of my anglers today jumped a 100lb tarpon on bait after having one of about 60lbs come loose on a plug. Either fish on a fly rod would have made it to the boat.... We'll be after them again tomorrow - but not with flies....