Howdy, all.

I picked up a two piece 8' 6" All Star Austin blank from Andy Dear at one of the ICRBE shows in High Point a looong time ago. He told me it was a 10/11 weight.

I have used it but not a lot and was wondering if anyone had opinions on what grain weight fly line I should use on that rod?

I can get the model number off the blank but it is in my storage unit. I can also tell you it had Titanium in the butt section. Hoping someone here is familiar with the blank.

Thank You,

Tony

I guess it will depend on the distance you plan to cast and fish. I assume you will be using a shooting head? What running line type?

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I sold mine about 20 years ago, I used a SA saltwater taper instead of a tarpon taper because back than the tarpon lines were shorter tapers, they might still be, and I didn't think they worked as well at 30-40 ft. and the long distances you may experience in the same day. I also used a Teeny TS 450 sink tip which I now use for salmon on a 10 wt. Dan Craft Sig V. The TS series has a longer 30 ft. sink tip that carries better than many 400 and heavier 24 ft. tips do, for me anyway. I used a red flat mono running line, the name escapes me now, on a Lamson Litespeed 4 reel. I use 30 lb. braid now. Went to a tarpon tournament once, a T & T rod and these Austins seem to have been the rods that held up, that said I never saw so many blown up rods in one place, at one time in my life, the anglers really put the screws to those rods.

Interesting, Spencer. 450g is a lot and if you liked a longer head, that means this rod can carry line well. Very interesting. Thank you

Definitely a sinking line, Tom. Could be floating or int running line, but likely either. Thank you

Teeny used to make a 750 line for tarpon fishing deep in and around the bridges, etc. I have fished a TT 400 24 ft. for steelhead on an 8 wt. Definitely not a long caster with marginal roll over, but it fished deep when I needed it.

Teeny used to make a 750 line for tarpon fishing deep in and around the bridges, etc. I have fished a TT 400 24 ft. for steelhead on an 8 wt. Definitely not a long caster with marginal roll over, but it fished deep when I needed it. Just don't do it with a 9 ft. 9 in. rod for a few days if you ever want your shoulder to work again.

Right!

I'm still using some old Fenwick shooting heads on my 11 wt. All Star. I'll have to weigh them to remember exactly what they are, but they are intermediate depth lines. I use a mono-type running line so the head doesn't have a hard time pulling it out.

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Thank you, Tom. I would be curious to know. Thank you