Flyrod help for school bluefin!

[tinkerbell]

I am buying an outfit mainly for school bluefin (BFT) and any other tuna species. I have never fished for BFT but will now have the opportunity to do so.

I am deciding between a T&T Horizon (2 pc) and Sage RPLXi (3 pc). Both 9' 12 wts with a foregrip. I tried casting them with 525 grain but I need lots more practice before I can tell which is a better caster. Here is what I did determine:

-The RPLXi felt heavier in hand but weighed the same (I weighed the rods on a laboratory grade scale . . . I know, that's anal)
-The RPLXi (to my surprise) seemed faster with more backbone
-The Horizon felt much lighter which may have given the perception of having less backbone.
-The horizon snake guides seemed beefier.

Keeping 20 to 50 lb bluefin in mind, ignoring the price factor, and ignoring the # of pieces, which is the better bluefin tuna stick?

Thanks in advance.:confused:

[Armando]

Those are fine rods, with great backbones which is the most important issue. Any rod you choose has to have great amounts of lifting power since you'll be retrieving a fish from the depth. You don't need that much of a rod weighting almost nothing since you'll be casting to the chuming area which means you wont be blind fishing (innumerable casts in a day) but a fast or even a progressive taper that allows you to reach the distance is what you have to think about and Sage is superb with its fast actions, double hauling gets very efficient.
Why don't you take a look to G loomis GLX or even to St. Croix's legend rods this have one of the greatest lifting powers I've ever seen, a 180 lbs pacific sailfish on a #9 rod sure tells something.

Have a great fishing and take care of your digits.

Armando

[sage fly guy]

Hmmmmmmmmmm, let's think about it a moment.

A 13 weight RPLXi landed the 200# bluefin record in less than 1 1/2 hours-

[talbot3]

I remember Paige (sp?) Rogers saying at a talk years ago that a 3 piece rod takes the strains and stresses better than a two piece (and therefore a 4?). I think that is a place to start.

I can't remember who said it, but I heard the opinion that a 12 weight is too light for the BFT's.

Get a good warranty. Don't buy a rod that is hot now but an orphan later.

Duncan Talbot

[talbot3]

BTW the RPLXi is discontinued. I saw that 12 weight in a shop in Worcester for short $$.

I wouldnt consider that rod to be an orphan. Sage will cover them long enough for you to break a few. Don't pay to much for it if you select that rod model.

Duncan Talbot :)

[sage fly guy]

That's the problem with SAGE, if you happened to break a 12 weight RPLXi and they didn't have another, they just might send you you a new XI2.

The lousy SOB's.:D

[masssalt]

I have a bunch of T & T's and love them all and have never broken any of them. You are a lot closer to Greenfield than to Sage if you ever do need service.

T & T also makes a 2-piece, 13-weight 8'6" Horizon which would be a great rod for those fish. I have the 8' 14-16-weight Horizon and it is a monster. The handle is a work of art, too.

I think with Bluewater rods, less ferrules is better.

[Armando]

Thats exactly what I am talking about after 2 1/2 hours a guy in the boat took the rod and forced the sailfish up bending the rod to the limit.

[stuhutch]

Hi Tinkerbell

I have recently got myself a SBFT outfit.
See my previous post in tackle forum
http://reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=32287

(Hope the link works)

After getting lot of knowledgeable advice and looking at a number of options, I ended up with: -

REEL/LINE/BACKING
Tibor Golf Stream with limited production Rio 600 gram sinking line with a 70 lb breaking strain (most lines break between 40 - 50 lbs) and approx 450 -500 yards power pro as backing.

ROD (14 wt)
Sage rplxi 8914-3

I got my stuff at First Light Anglers in Manchester, Mass Tel
1-978-526-4477. I believe the line is specially made for them.
Ask for Derek or Nat, they are great guys and are, with out question among the foremost expects on fly-fishing SBFT.

I caught a 60 lber with Derek last year.

Points

(1) I feel a 12 wt is too light to target SBFT, You could just as easily hook up with a 75 lb fish or far bigger and a 50 lber that sounds in deep water can be very difficult to lift.

(2) The Tibor Pacific reel is way over sized for a 12 wt and is not needed on a 14 wt if the boat follows the fish (they all do), many folks I talked with, have found that using thin high strength backing, quality reels similar sized to Tibor Gulf Stream are more that sufficient.

(3) Generally the weak links are hooks, knots, connections and the ANGLER. Also fly lines do break on these fish.

(4) Because of (3) it is very important that your outfit (leader-line-backing connections) are set up properly with out weak links.

I am in Connecticut but fish around Glouster mass regularly.
PM me if you what to "talk" SBFT.

Cheers
Fishstu