# One piece tarpon stick thoughts



## brianacnp (May 18, 2011)

NRX pro 1. Either 11 or 12 weight. Have both and love them. Wulf Bermuda Triangle on mine currently.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I would have to throw a one piece to see if there is really any appreciable improvement over modern four piece rods. One piece rods are a giant PITA to deal with.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

I love one piece rods for tarpon sticks but they are a hassle to store and transport. I love the Clutch Theory and used to have one. It just didn't get used enough to justify keeping it. I would probably do a 10 or an 11 now as you can pull on those those sticks all day and whoop poons quick.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

If you can find a used echo prime 12wt that would be my choice. I have one and like it better than the NRX.

I’m not really a one piece fan, but its nice to know that you rod won’t ever come apart during a poon fight.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

here ya go.
http://shop.gunnisonriverflyshop.com/Hardy-Fly-Rod-Proaxis-1pc-8-10-12wt-p/hropro81012x.htm


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

ifsteve said:


> I would have to throw a one piece to see if there is really any appreciable improvement over modern four piece rods. One piece rods are a giant PITA to deal with.



Steve, in the few rods hat I've been able to throw a 1/4pc version of the same rod, the difference was noticeable. I wouldn't only have a one piece but they definitely appeal to me.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

And for everyone else, I appreciate the input on different rods, but keep them coming! Storage/transport is no issue for me since I can either throw the rod in the skiff, or inside my SUV like I do with all my 4pc rods that never get taken apart. The only rod I've ever broken was when a ferrule slipped halfway out and I was applying heavy pressure to it.

The magic wand feeling from the few one piece redfish size rods I've thrown in the past is something I'd like to replicate. 

I guess I need to look harder for a Proaxis one piece, but preferably one that doesn't cost twice what I paid for all of the other Proaxis rods I own. Hard to justify that kind of coin when they've been discontinued for so long.


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## MSG (Jan 11, 2010)

I would never own a 4 piece if the rod I wanted was available in 1 piece and I didn't need to travel with it. Lighter and a smoother, more continuous feel. Also, generally more durable. NRX Pro1 is highly recommended. No reason to own a 4 piece unless you need to break it down - no one owns multi piece spinners unless they travel.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

MSG said:


> I would never own a 4 piece if the rod I wanted was available in 1 piece and I didn't need to travel with it. Lighter and a smoother, more continuous feel. Also, generally more durable. NRX Pro1 is highly recommended. No reason to own a 4 piece unless you need to break it down - no one owns multi piece spinners unless they travel.[/QUOTE
> 
> Know many guys with 9' spinning rods?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I used to think it could tell a difference in my one piece rods and my 4 piece but I cast my 4 piece rods pretty damn well. The main advantage with the 1 piece is they can't come apart during a fight which I'm really only concerned when it's a bigger fish. Otherwise they are a royal pain in the arse to travel with.

For me my 9 wt and down are all take apart. 10 wt and up are 1 piece.


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## squeezer1 (Nov 22, 2012)

G Loomis CrossCurrent pro-1 if price is an issue. Not as fast as an NRX, but I’ve found them for killer prices.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Loomis Crosscurrent or NRX 10 wt 1pc. Maybe an Asquith 10 wt. Why cast 12 wt line unless casting from an anchored boat or crowded area for tarpon? Or XL tarpon? XL fish in shallow water (less than 8 ft or so) can be fought with the skiff motor and reel very quickly. Deep water is a different story for any xl fish. Just my opinion but in deep water I would use the Shimano Tranx or Diawa Lexa with 60 lb braid and an 8 ft Terez with a cool lure attached to it. Kind of like a short flyrod but more comfortable and faster.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

sjrobin said:


> Why cast 12 wt line ...


size matters...like shooting ducks and quail with a 12 gauge, or whitetails with a 300 mag, or carrying a 10mm, or having a F350 dually as a daily driver, or being an empty nester with a 10k sq ft house....

BTW: _One piece rods are for people that can't put a four piece rod together without having alignment dots._


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

sjrobin said:


> Loomis Crosscurrent or NRX 10 wt 1pc. Maybe an Asquith 10 wt. Why cast 12 wt line unless casting from an anchored boat or crowded area for tarpon? Or XL tarpon? XL fish in shallow water (less than 8 ft or so) can be fought with the skiff motor and reel very quickly. Deep water is a different story for any xl fish. Just my opinion but in deep water I would use the Shimano Tranx or Diawa Lexa with 60 lb braid and an 8 ft Terez with a cool lure attached to it. Kind of like a short flyrod but more comfortable and faster.


Steve, I already do throw a 10wt as much as I can but a few of the places I fish have pretty good proximity to deepish water, and I was fishing solo off the hook so a 12wt makes sense there for me. I'll look more into the NRX, as I have a few friends with that rod so I can try it locally.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

MariettaMike said:


> size matters...like shooting ducks and quail with a 12 gauge, or whitetails with a 300 mag, or carrying a 10mm, or having a F350 dually as a daily driver, or being an empty nester with a 10k sq ft house....
> 
> BTW: _One piece rods are for people that can't put a four piece rod together without having alignment dots._


Lol. I wish I had time to duck hunt, I shoot at deer with a 52lb longbow, actually carry a gun for both a living, and in my personal life and have always been a 9mm guy. Oh and I drive a 2004 Honda Pilot with 235k on the clock..


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## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

Hardy Zephyrus which is their update to the Proaxis, is an excellent 1-pc 12wt. 

http://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-rods-fly-rods-hardy-sintrix/hardy-zephrus-sws-rod/1373358.html


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

sjrobin said:


> Loomis Crosscurrent or NRX 10 wt 1pc. Maybe an Asquith 10 wt. *Why cast 12 wt line *unless casting from an anchored boat or crowded area for tarpon? Or XL tarpon? XL fish in shallow water (less than 8 ft or so) can be fought with the skiff motor and reel very quickly. Deep water is a different story for any xl fish. Just my opinion but in deep water I would use the Shimano Tranx or Diawa Lexa with 60 lb braid and an 8 ft Terez with a cool lure attached to it. Kind of like a short flyrod but more comfortable and faster.


I leadered about a 70# tarpon on my 10wt down in Key West and I felt borderline under-gunned with that fish on a 10wt. And that was with using a 16# class tippet.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Dpreston said:


> Hardy Zephyrus which is their update to the Proaxis, is an excellent 1-pc 12wt.
> 
> http://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-rods-fly-rods-hardy-sintrix/hardy-zephrus-sws-rod/1373358.html


So I checked out the specs. The one piece rod is listed at 5.20 ounces. The four piece rod is listed at 5.00 ounces. So the one piece is two inches shorter, doesn't have three ferrules, and weighs more. So tell me again why I want a one piece? LOL


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## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

They are so light I don't find weight to be an issue. 0.2 oz in either direction is minuscule. Also all the 1pc rods are 5'10'' due I believe to shipping constraints. I fish almost all 1pc and find the 5'10'' to cast just fine. I think the 4pc vs 1pc thing mostly comes down to personal preference but the 1pc gives me just a bit more peace of mind when trying to lift a big poon's head straight up next to the boat, and in general the lack of ferrules/assembly/adjustment is just one less thing to worry about for me.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Dpreston said:


> They are so light I don't find weight to be an issue. 0.2 oz in either direction is minuscule. Also all the 1pc rods are 5'10'' due I believe to shipping constraints. I fish almost all 1pc and find the 5'10'' to cast just fine. I think the 4pc vs 1pc thing mostly comes down to personal preference but the 1pc gives me just a bit more peace of mind when trying to lift a big poon's head straight up next to the boat, and in general the lack of ferrules/assembly/adjustment is just one less thing to worry about for me.[/QUOTE
> 
> I don't think .2 ounces is a big deal either. But earlier in this thread someone said one of the advantages is that a one piece is lighter than the corresponding four piece. Which makes sense. But what doesn't make sense at all is a one piece being heavier than the corresponding four piece.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I run an NRX 12W Pro1. Awesome. I wouldnt change. It like RIO Tarpon. It doesnt like Airflo.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

ifsteve said:


> So I checked out the specs. The one piece rod is listed at 5.20 ounces. The four piece rod is listed at 5.00 ounces. So the one piece is two inches shorter, doesn't have three ferrules, and weighs more. So tell me again why I want a one piece? LOL


Steve I'm young and dumb, I fish Tibor's and a glass rod 90% of the time. Weight doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's hard to explain on paper but feel wise I think one piece sticks are way better. I figured that out at like age 10 with spinning rods and never looked back. Plus that's just one less failure point for my tarpon curse to use against me.


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

@Caleb.Esparza i can’t believe you would have personal preferences...


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

For sure a one piece rod has less potential for breakage during a long fight with a tough fish. And I;d love to fight a big poon on a one piece. And yes, Caleb, you are....never mind....


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)




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## mxbeebop (Mar 22, 2013)

K3anderson said:


> I run an NRX 12W Pro1. Awesome. I wouldnt change. It like RIO Tarpon. It doesnt like Airflo.


X2


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## mxbeebop (Mar 22, 2013)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> I leadered about a 70# tarpon on my 10wt down in Key West and I felt borderline under-gunned with that fish on a 10wt. And that was with using a 16# class tippet.


True, I've run into a fish or two in the 70# class that just put it on me. You never know when your going to jump an over achiever.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> The one piece rod is listed at 5.20 ounces. The four piece rod is listed at 5.00 ounces. So the one piece is two inches shorter, doesn't have three ferrules, and weighs more. So tell me again why I want a one piece? LOL


You're right. I lost so much draft on my skiff with the added .2 oz from the NRX I decided to can it.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Sorry but .2 of an ounce isn't noticable. That kind of negligible weight difference wouldn't be a deciding factor for me. I do see an advantage of a 1 piece for tarpon, but it's not based on a slightly lighter rod.

If you don't have transportation issues with a 1 piece then buy it. I always thought the 1 piece was fine since I had a skiff to put them in for transport. That was untill I took several impromptu trips to the keys without my boat. At that point a take apart rod became a lot more appealing. Having said that all my poon rods are still 1 piece.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Of course 0.2 ounces isn't a big deal. I was joking hence the LOL I put at the end of it. But I'll be more direct in my point/question.

Why is a one piece that is shorter than its corresponding four piece heavier? Less length and no ferrules? What's the explanation?

And for the record if I used my 12wt for only tarpon and didn't travel then I would for sure have a one piece. But I don't see enough of an improvement to warrant having a tarpon specific rod. My 12 has to travel. Now maybe I'll get lucky this year and get to try Caleb's. Then I might change my tune!


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## MSG (Jan 11, 2010)

ifsteve said:


> So I checked out the specs. The one piece rod is listed at 5.20 ounces. The four piece rod is listed at 5.00 ounces. So the one piece is two inches shorter, doesn't have three ferrules, and weighs more. So tell me again why I want a one piece? LOL


It's not the total weight - it's the "swing weight". The one piece rods definitely "feel lighter" if that's important to you. 8"10" is for shipping purposes. Not sure on the particular rod you looked up the specs on - thats interesting. Also, no ones trying to convince you - keep the 4 piece if you like it - but I've thrown the 4 piece nrx back to back with the one piece - I like the one piece - much more continuous feel to it. Same with the orvis H2. However, I like my 4 piece asquith better than all of them, but I bet it would be even better if they offered it in one piece


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Lots of good input here, thanks guys! And for the record, I do already have a 4-piece 12wt which I will keep as a travel/backup rod. I just would like to also own a one piece 12 weight for all the reasons I listed above.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I would fish it till you break it unless you have big fish to throw at year round.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

So nobody knows the answer? Guess its the engineer in me but I can think of zero reasons why a one piece rod would weigh more than the same four piece rod. Wonder if there is a typo in their specs?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Contact Ron Hickman who's on here he builds custom rods. I think he makes a 8' tarpon rod the cast like a 10'


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## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

I've yet to throw an NRX but they have a pretty good following. Will probably end up checking those out once I snap both of my Proxaxis-X 1PCs.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Another guy running a "heavy" Tibor Gulfstream on a 12wt NRX Pro 1 here.

Have only had one eat from a big beach side poon and got absolutely owned. (I need to tie better knots...) 

But after that experience, I'm making no plans to downsize to anything lighter. *lol*


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> So nobody knows the answer? Guess its the engineer in me but I can think of zero reasons why a one piece rod would weigh more than the same four piece rod. Wonder if there is a typo in their specs?


That is strange. Either a typo or something added to the one piece.


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## WillW (Dec 6, 2012)

The NRX if you don't mind spending a little cash. Cross current pro 1 is a great rod & can be had for a fair price. I cast to/fought my share of big fish on both sticks with some heavy pressure & loved the performance. I own both rods.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Roger_Cook said:


> That is strange. Either a typo or something added to the one piece.


We're talking about 2/10th of a gram difference right? It could be any number of things.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I'm sure DPreston meant to say 8'10" on the rod length. I agree the Zephyrus in the 11's and 12's are the nicest poon rods I've thrown to date. UnitedFly's proaxis are pretty sweet too and would be a deal for the money if you can find some barely used or close-outs.


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