I'm thinking about getting a hella flyrod.

[Bear44]

Tarpon! The fish that will test your tackle more than any other. Famous for absolutely destroying rods and reels. They will vanquish all lesser quality! And you have to make long casts with pinpoint accuracy to get them to strike. Or, at least, that's their reputation.

I have a 10wt and a 12wt, but not top end stuff, so I'm thinking about doing a serious upgrade with the clear idea of "Buy once, cry once." Right now I'm looking at the Orvis Helios 3D 11wt and a Mirage VI reel.

Thoughts?

 

[DinkyDau]

Tarpon are a challenge with a mouth of bones, just a suggestion master the Bone Fish first..They spook even if a pelican shadow is present in a fly over. I used to love flats fishing, Tarpon, Bone fish and the ever allusive Roosters..I have caught all fishing when I was young, Except the Rooster.. Wish you all the best in your quest!! Tight Lines!

 

[Bear44]

Tarpon are a challenge with a mouth of bones, just a suggestion master the Bone Fish first..They spook even if a pelican shadow is present in a fly over. I used to love flats fishing, Tarpon, Bone fish and the ever allusive Roosters..I have caught all fishing when I was young, Except the Rooster.. Wish you all the best in your quest!! Tight Lines!

Excellent advice, but I'm fishing too far north for the Bones. At least at first.

 

[Bandwidth]

G. Loomis is decent too.

 

[Bear44]

Went to Orvis in Atlanta yesterday and pulled the trigger on getting it. This rod is incredibly light. I've used 4wts what weighed more. I got an education on modern fly lines and went with a new design. We'll see how that works out. The reel is a beast! Holds 350 yards of 30lb backing and has a drag system that can deal with a train.

I also got a new line for my 8wt. It's an intermediate sinking line that should work well for Stripers on Lanier. First time I've ever used anything other than floating line, so we'll have to see how that works out, too. An interesting new twist is that the last bit of it is clear and is designed to use basically just a tippet that's about four feet long. No leader! They say if you use a leader with it the fly won't sink at the same rate as the line. 20lb fluorocarbon and I should be good to go.

 

[Bandwidth]

Went to Orvis in Atlanta yesterday and pulled the trigger on getting it. This rod is incredibly light. I've used 4wts what weighed more. I got an education on modern fly lines and went with a new design. We'll see how that works out. The reel is a beast! Holds 350 yards of 30lb backing and has a drag system that can deal with a train.

I also got a new line for my 8wt. It's an intermediate sinking line that should work well for Stripers on Lanier. First time I've ever used anything other than floating line, so we'll have to see how that works out, too. An interesting new twist is that the last bit of it is clear and is designed to use basically just a tippet that's about four feet long. No leader! They say if you use a leader with it the fly won't sink at the same rate as the line. 20lb fluorocarbon and I should be good to go.

It sounds like you're all set to pull in some monsters!

 

[Bypass]

Went to Orvis in Atlanta yesterday and pulled the trigger on getting it. This rod is incredibly light. I've used 4wts what weighed more. I got an education on modern fly lines and went with a new design. We'll see how that works out. The reel is a beast! Holds 350 yards of 30lb backing and has a drag system that can deal with a train.

I also got a new line for my 8wt. It's an intermediate sinking line that should work well for Stripers on Lanier. First time I've ever used anything other than floating line, so we'll have to see how that works out, too. An interesting new twist is that the last bit of it is clear and is designed to use basically just a tippet that's about four feet long. No leader! They say if you use a leader with it the fly won't sink at the same rate as the line. 20lb fluorocarbon and I should be good to go.

Nice man!! Congrats. I love getting new toys.

 

[Bear44]

It sounds like you're all set to pull in some monsters!

Going to be working pretty hard at it. That 11wt should be killer for Tarpon, Bull Reds, Cobia and Big Black Drum. The 8wt can handle pretty much everything else.

 

[Bear44]

Nice man!! Congrats. I love getting new toys.

Yeah, I'll be casting with it just for fun tomorrow.

 

[Bypass]

Yeah, I'll be casting with it just for fun tomorrow.

Have fun out there. I am having to wait until tomorrow to go fishing again. My trailer bunks stick to the hull of my boat and my drive on trailer sticks to my boat like velcro. I got some Mary Kates Liquid rollers that will be here tomorrow and supposedly it will allow the boat to slide properly on the bunks. I nearly tore up my trailer wench trying to get the boat back on the trailer. Right now I am having to keep repositioning the trailer in the water to get the boat on and it is a PITA.