Okay, here is the situation. I'm 62 and was run over by a car. Leg, arm/hand, and shoulder on the right side are recovering. I have done some fly fishing in the past but only fresh water. I was effective enough, but it is clear to me my casting style is entirely wrong.

So I have this desire to try saltwater fly fishing. Strangely, given my location, I'm not really interested in bonefish. Jack Crevalle would be closer to my speed. Even Bonita and Dolphin if I could get offshore again. I have someone who has offered to take me (inshore) and he says mid-sized tarpon can be had at night with little more than a roll cast. Not sure if that will pan out and Tarpon aren't high on my list but certainly attractive. I guess you could say I like strong fighters that will take you deep in the water column.

So I'm looking for advice on blanks. I have a few I bought on closeout a long time ago. Lets just say I have a nice 6 and 12 weight and I don't think the other two will work out as fly rods.

So that leaves me looking for at least one but probably 2 blanks in the 8 to 10 weight range. Given my newbie casting status I'd likely over-line for now. However given the fish I wish to catch I do need the power in the butt for serious lifting. Budget is an issue.

Hoping someone with experience in my waters can suggest a good value blank. Rod Geeks would be stretching the budget so consider that upper end. Could be all I need is a good 8 (or 9?) weight that could be over-lined. I'd rather have 2 piece instead of 4 as I find them easier to build and I'm not flying anywhere. Can't see anything other than shore bound/small boat/kayak in the immediate future.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russ-If Rod Geeks is in you budget, buy and don't flinch. They are excellent blanks and hard to get the same quality cheaper. You can save a bit by just getting the carbon with a clear coat (which saves $15). I've not fished for tarpon but for a big hard fighting fish, consider a 10 weight minimum and a reel with a really good drag. The reel is likely more important that the rod in this circumstance.

Overlining is just to adjust casting distance in an inverse way. Meaning a 10 weight line, on an 8 weight rod is for casting SHORTER distances, since the issue is weighting the rod during casting. And I routinely use a 5 wt line to cast short distances with a 3 weight rod for Sierra rainbows.

Can you take some casting lessons? Once you understand the principles of fly casting it isn't that hard, but I've always thought (without experience) that salt water fly fishing takes long casts, everything else being equal.

Anyway, salt water fly fishing is on my radar too. Good luck with your quest and recovery.

Drew

Look at the Pac Bay Actos line at H&H.

You can do quite a bit using little shoulder, wrist and elbow can do most of it well. Look for Orvis or other casting videos.

If doing Pac Bay, shop around-their prices vary a lot with vendor.

If you're really going to use only a roll cast, I expect some actions are better than others for that. If I were limited to the roll cast, it would not go well with the rods I have and my talent.

I second Drew's suggestion you take casting lessons. Having a good double-haul cast will double your chances of hooking up when fishing inshore salt waters - a good double-haul will increase your hook-ups MUCH more than tackle modifications, no matter how expensive. A 40 foot cast on a calm lake becomes a 15 foot cast at the ocean when the wind is blowing, and it seems the wind is always blowing over salt water. I suspect your enjoyment fighting deep diving fish will sharply decrease after you struggle with a few deep-diving ocean fish - like a small (25#) tuna. A fly rod is a poor lifting tool.

We’d go with our RainShadow Revelation REVF9010-4 would be our choice. Great action but still durable. - [www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

If you prefer a 2-piece our Revelation is available in an 8wt and 9wt. -[www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

You could go with our Unity 8wt but there’s no 10wt version in that lineup.

James Taylor
Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

Hey Drew, quite sometime ago you posted the following in response to my post.

Glad you posted this Russ. I, too, bought the Utmost closeout 9wt and 10wt(listed as RX8). Both are extremely stiff for the listed weight, The 9 feels like a 10 and the 10 feels like I could catch Marlin with it. I built the 9 into a flyrod for the chuck and duck style Kenai fishing where you use a 1/2-3/4 oz weight but are not exactly casting. I was considering making the 10 wt into a spinning rod for #4 Vibrax spinners as I hate carrying 2 piece rods onto airplanes. It would replace a 2 piece 10-17 pound rated salmon rod. Think that would work?

Thanks

Drew


Just curious how that 9 weight worked out. I still have one I never built. Did you ever cast it as a normal fly rod? How durable was it?

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russ-Sent reply to your email.

Drew