I've just bought a 12 wt ...........

[Pikefly]

for Tarpon, to find out that most tarpon fishermen (uhhh ........ what I do hear from them) are stepping down to 10 wt outfits now, because a 10 wt. line would stress the fish less and allows the fly to be presented with greater finesse.

Looking at my GLX 10 wt......... phewwww for Tarpon, feels a bit light for me, but maybe they are right and I am wrong..... or ????

Did I bought the wrong stick, is a 10 wt the right tool for Tarpon upto about 100 pounds, or would the 10 wt still be the better tool ???

Would a Tibor Riptide hold enough backing with a 10 wt or do I need to use a Gulfstream on my 10 wt.........

TIA, Gerald

(PS. We dont have Tarpon overhere, but maybe a can test on waterscooters.........) ;)

[Hawk]

I would not worry about it, the 12wt will be fine. I caught my biggest Tarpon +/-125lbs. on a Silver Lable Orvis 10wt. not a very sturdy 10wt. and it broke as we got the fish to boat finally exhausted. I did it but I was wishing I had my 12wt. hooked to the fish the whole time. I have caught 60-70 pound Tarpon with a 9wt also it just makes the fight a lot longer and harder on you and the fish. If there is any shot of hooking fish 75lbs. and up I would prefer a 12wt. As for heavy line presentation I am no expert but I have never spooked a fish with a 12wt. line that I wouldn't have spooked with a 10wt. line. Backing as long as you can get a couple hundred hards of backing on your reel you should be ok Tarpon don't seem to run quite like bonefish they seem to like to slug it out by the boat. Though every fish different and if a +100lbs. Tarpon decides intially to head for Cuba there is little you are gonna do to stop it. Good luck, by far my favorite fish to catch but it can be a real pain in the arse to get them to eat a fly sometimes.