Another question on 12wts

[cmountain]

I'm currently shopping around for a heftier fly-rod. I
would like to find something that I could use chasing tarpon
and also turn around and handle some tuna with as well. My
favorite rod at this point is my Sage RPL+. I know Sage
doesn't make an RPL+ as heavy as I want to go and I'm not
necessarily adverse to casting a faster taper. Anyone have
any advice or suggesti

[josko]

Spend some time looking for the heaviest rod you can 'comfortably' cast. I was surprised to find I can cast the Orvis TL 12 wt easier than a RPLXi 11 wt, and almost as easily as a RPLX 10 wt. I think it has to do with the nature of your stroke and how the taper matches it. I'd guess you'll find the softer rods easier to cast. It makes a surprisingly large difference, since you're at the limit of your casting strength.
Another consideration is fragility of the rod. These are fish-pulling sticks, and sages and T&T's just seem to me to be 'meatier' than the Orvis rod.

I'd look at something like StCroix Ultra 12 (medium-fast), Sage RPLXi, T&T Vector, and the $100 Penn, just for reference.

[artb]

I had built a Cabela's 14 weight last spring, but6 I never got to use it. The times I went offshore I used my 10 weight as most of the fish were Dolphins, and Oceanic Bonita. I did hook a yellowfin, how do I know it was a yellowfin? because it almost broke my thumb. For the big fish I believe that the reel is most important, I want an anti reverse reel. Josko did you get the private message I sent? It was about offshore flies.