Is a 12 wt EVER inadequate?

[josko]

Does anyone have first hand exprience of being undergunned with a 12 wt. Seems to me a stiff 12 wt can break a 20# tippet in a steady pull in a 60 deg arch. Given that, under what conditions, or with what fish, is a 12 wt rod underkill?

[backman]

<FONT color=black face=Verdana,Geneva size=2>you would have been outgunned on that giant BFT w/ the 12 wt :-)</FONT>

[bassman]

I think if I take a shot at them this summer I may up to a 13wt and use 30lb class tippet. Im not interested in setting any records. Josko...I know what you mean about the stiff 12wts. I have a Sage RPLX 12 wt that is about as lively as a 2x4. Just ask Mike F. how lively it is...I whacked him over the head with it when he lost a nice bass off my skiff...;-))

[josko]

I wonder if offshore fly lines have a breaking strength of more than 30 lbs? Anyone know?

[BobD]

Josko,

I tried to contact all the line manufactures we currently carry at the shop, but had to leave messages with your question. I tried looking it up in their line specs, but none of the manufactures list breakage strength as a spec.

Hopefully I can get you an answer by tuesday.


Bob D

[J.Horton]

I have no first-hand experience in this area, although I hope to have a LOT by this time next year<G>

In the voluminous Loomis catalog, in describing the Nautikos 13/15 weight, they state, " It's one of the few rods we make that will handle a twenty-pound tippet."

I think that what they're saying is it's one of the few rods they make which is designed to protect twenty-pound tippet. Which I also take to mean that with a nice smooth drag, set to seven or eight pounds, you should never damage the rod, or break a clean 20-lb. tippet.

I think rod length has a lot to do with it too, the shorter the rod, the better it is for applying pressure to the fish.

I was picking Capt. Tom's brain at Old Salt the other day, and he said that,the biggest problem with charter fly fishing for sharks is that everyone wants to cast to the 100 lbers. and then it takes you an hour to get them in. I think he uses 13/15-weights for shark.

So based on that, and my empirical experience with my eleven-weight, I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that the 9'12-weight is going to be fine on sharks to 50-60 lbs., and tuna to 25-30lbs. Beyond that, it will simply be a matter of clamping and praying.

13/15-weights in 8' or 8'6" would be the hot setup for the bigger guys.

Remember, this is pure speculation.

Can't wait to test out my theories.....

J.Horton

[josko]

I know first-hand you can put the hurts on a 70# yellowfin with a 12 wt just fine. The hardest part is lifting it up the last 100'. Belt and foregrip are an enormous help here. Can't exactly short-stroke a flyrod, though, so the angler is at a huge disadvantage over standard stand-up 30# gear. It's als tough to work at alow rod angle with the fish directly below the boat.
I suspect the principal advantage of 12+ wt rods is the lifting ability to get them to the boat after they've given up on running.

[bassman]

Food for thought....At last years Wilmington show I happened upon a booth with some seriously heavy fly tackle. Started talking to the guy and found out he uses 30lb standup graphite *Loomis* blanks and makes them into flyrods...He guides for tuna off the Outer Banks. I believe the blanks were 6'6 or 7ft. Of course the *purists* would have a problem with such a rod but obviously is quite effective for pumping tuna from the depths....And for those on a budget the blanks were pretty cheap...Pair it with a Fuji grip and gimbal butt and your set for any mega reel.....

[J.Horton]

Foot-In-Mouth disease strikes again, that's what I get for speculating<G>

How long did that last 100' take with the 70lb. yellowfin?

J.Horton