I'm in the market for a couple of new fly blanks, and reels. One is going to be an 8wt- 9' for redfish, jacks, and trout in the surf and bays. I allready know what I want for it, and that's a GLX fast action blank. The other blank is where I'm not sure. It will be a 12-14wt - 9' for catching fish up to about 100#s form my kayak offshore, in the wind, lot's of 15 knot winds!. I looked at a 12wt GLX and that is probably what I will get, but I would love to hear what y'all have to say about thse blanks. Will they cut through the wind with tight loops, and will the 12wt+ GLX do the same? I have used GLoomis blanks for years on spinning and casting rods, and I have heard good things about their fast action helping in this relentless texas wind. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance...................Kyle aka Kcon

Ps, what about the lengths? Do I have them right?

PPS, one more thing, I need a waterproof reel so I have picked out 2 Danielsson reels, The 8twelve, and the 9thirteen, but they are on back order for the next month, but winter is coming so I'm not too worried about that since the good big trout fishing is after december, and shrks aren't good on the fly untill the end of next summer [danielsson-flyreels.se]

As for price, these blanks and reels are the most I can pay, $310 and $430 for the two reels and $320 and $365 for the 2 blanks. Parts are free, except for a few custom parts I will buy, like titanium guides for the 8wt, and an extendable fighting butt for the 12wt, Maybe a couple other things might pop up later on when I go to work

PPPS, I have a sales tax # because I build rods on the side so if there are cheaper places that sell wholesale, I'm game!

You will be surprised at the quality and performance of the Pfuegler Trion reels. Worth 2 or 3 times the price compared to other reels out there. Obviously, the saltwater species work a reel pretty darn hard, but I find these to be holding very well. I've just about replaced all my other reels with them.

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No way I'd have a GLX in a kayak after fishing my 6 and 8 wts for over 12 years, they just don't hold up to tough conditions. I'd find a hardier, tougher blank like Angler's Workshop Salt Stalker, Graphite USA, CTS, or something similar. Sooner or later you have to land or release a big fish and that's when the rubber meats the road.
If I didn't already have all the fly reels I'll ever need I'd also get some nice Pfluegers, I'd have saved a bunch of money.
Angler's has some of the heavy Salt Stalkers on sale at a great price and also carry the Pfluegers.

Tom, are those Pfuegler Trion reels waterproof? Mine have to be able to be submersed regularly due to offshore fishing in my yak. I fish in seas 4-6' high so they get very wet at times, especially if the yak gets dumped with the rods strapped onto the yak. Thanks, Kyle

Spencer, do you have a source for your favorite 12wt? I googled around and didn't find what I wanted, mainly cast or spin blanks. Do you fish in the bays or offshore in your yak? Thanks, Kyle Ligon

If you are looking for reasonably priced fast action blanks the Dan Craft FT series are hard to beat. I have only used them up to six weight but they perform extremely well. Call Dan Craft and visit with him about blanks to meet your needs. You won't be disappointed that you did.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I used to fish once a week out in the bay with an old retired major league pitcher-Ted Wilkes. I once told him that I was going to try out a new reel that was salt water proof-little did I know. He laughed and said that the only thing salt water didn't hurt was salt water. Any reel will have to be taken care of after salt water use. One of my sons sent me Pflueger Trion for my birthday. I have it on a Tiger Eye six weight and couldn't ask for a better reel but I do take care of it.

I agree with Spencer. I would not fish out of a kayak offshore or in the surf with a GLX. One of my nephews was kayaking from shore with an expensive rod in his rod holder. A wave hit him cross-wise and flipped the kayak over an broke his rod.

Pretty funny ... I too fish with Pflueger Trion reels and have been slowly getting rid of many other "premium" brands that used to hold my attention.

Along with the others that have commented, I would also recommend something MUCH tougher than a GLX blank for the kayak. I have no earthly idea what possesses you to fish in 4-6 foot seas from a kayak, but you are going to need some very durable gear AND gear you don't mind Dave Jones using.

The Pflueger Trions, we have found over here in Oz, have one fault when it comes to SW: the bearings seize fairly quickly, even with religious washing and cleaning. They do NOT take kindly to being dunked. It's well worth it to strip it down and replace the bearing with a stainless steel bearing.

Kyle,
I would try the Angler's Workshop SAF9012 which is a Graphite USA blank which have a very good saltwater reputation. Their part number for the blank is B L S 1014. The price now is considerably less than listed on the site. Very tough blanks. I have 3 of them in different configurations and weights I use in tough fishing conditions here in the Pacific Northwest and in Alaska.
Don't own a salt yak , I use an inflatable whitewater self bailing Hyside Padillac kayak that I use to get into whitewater fishing areas that you can't get into in any other way. Have went through quite a few rods till I found some that hold up bashed and crashed and hung up on brush. They certainly are not indestructable but hold up very well compared to other rods I've used.
R.B. Meiser to the left has used GUSA to design and build the blanks for his custom rods for many years.




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2007 11:30AM by Spencer Phipps.