# 10 wt 0r 12 wt??



## MSG (Jan 11, 2010)

11 wt


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Answer is really dependent on some specifics. How often do you fish for tarpon and in what fishery? Are you routinely going to be into big fish say over 80#? What other fishing do you do where a 10 or a 12 would be usefull? Do you plan down the road to expand your arsenal?

Based upon the answers to these you can get a better idea. If you have other uses for a 10 and plan to add big rods in the future then I would go with a 10 and add a 12 at a later date. If this rod is only for occasional tarpon fishing with little use for other fish then an 11 wouldn't be a bad choice. I am just not a fan of 11 wts. Too big for most non-tarpon fishing and not big enough for anything really big like giant tarpon or big game fish. It is a great rod if its just for tarpon of all sizes IMHO.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

I posed this same question to a friend of mine who, IMHO, is one of the best tarpon guides in the state. He said that if you plan on tackling fish on the migration (off the beaches or in the Keys) go with a 12 wt. You can handle a poon of any size with a 12 and the smaller sub-adult fish will get fought and handled quickly with minimal stress. Going with a 10 on an adult fish will only stress the fish and leave it susceptible to mortality. I too am going to be pulling the trigger on a 12 wt. outfit here in the next few weeks. I am going to get a decent set up that will not break the bank to justify the fact that it will not be used 7-8 months out of the year.


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

One of the main considerations is where you catch them. If they have reasonably quick access to deep water you'll want all the rod you can stand. A 100lb tarpon can be brought to hand with a 10wt on the shallow flats where they have little choice but to jump themselves silly. A 50-60lb tarpon with 30' of water under him can tow you around for an hour with a 10wt bent into the reel seat. Some fish aren't jumpers, maybe once or twice at the outset and then they switch to slug fest mode and stay there. If you don't have the power to start pulling them backwards when they provide the window, usually 10-15 minutes in, you won't be able to beat them and might as well break them off. A 50lb tarpon is plenty sporty on a 12wt too. The issue is having the experience and the tool in hand to apply maximum pressure when the fish presents that opportunity. A 12wt and a 20lb tippet will give you the power and a margin of error that may get a fish to hand in spite of everything you did wrong. With the 10wt you can apply a lot of pressure, especially with a 1pc, but you are pushing the limits of the gear at every turn. The slightest mistake and its game over. 

Still, if you're just getting into tarpon on fly like it sounds like you are, I would go with the 10wt since you'll get more use out of it throughout the year. A 12wt will sit in the corner for 9 months and unless you are diligent at practicing through the year will feel like a broom stick and contribute to the worse example of casting you're likely to ever produce at the moment of truth. Use the 10wt, fight a few, loose most and maybe get one to the boat in a season. You'll be way ahead...


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I carry 10,11, and 12wts aboard when we're hunting tarpon and consider a 10wt just fine for fish under 80lbs. Since we're fishing dark waters mostly the fish behave a bit differently than they do out in clearer waters (my fish are much more comfortable slugging it out at medium to close ranges -we even stick 100lb + fish in rivers less than 100 feet wide....).

Of the three sizes only the 10wt has other uses than tarpon, sharks (and other rude, large fish...). The 10 wt is perfect for windy days and permit or tossing large flies around blowdowns for bigger snook. There are more than a few really bad weather days when a 10wt on the flats for bonefish is a happy choice... In short the 10wt is very versatile. I recommend to folks all the time that their second rod should be a 10wt (and really like an 8wt for that all important first rod...). If you try to keep your rods two line sizes apart you'll get the greatest range possible to deal with changing circumstances. Yesterday, for instance, fishing in a howling wind out of Everglades City, I was thankful that neither of my anglers were using fly gear. If they were it would have been a 10wt -all day long....


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## Vining (Aug 28, 2012)

I went 11wt. Because I am an odd guy. I have 3,5,7,9,and 11 weight rods.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

You should get one of both. Also pick up an 8 and a 6 for the smaller species.


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## swampfox (May 9, 2007)

> I went 11wt.  Because I am an odd guy.  I have 3,5,7,9,and 11 weight rods.



Another odd guy here. I was 3-5-6(for sale)-7-8-10-12. But I found that the 10 wasn't used much for me. There was a huge difference in feel from a 8 to a 10. The 10 was broom stick like. I even overlined it with 11wt. Trying get some soul outta it. It helped some. But then it was like having a 11 and a 12. We have some of the worlds biggest bonnet heads up here. You can sight fish on the edges of creeks. It was great on them. But that was about all it was getting used for lately. And since my move to SC the tarpon rod wasn't seeing hardly any action. I found myself using my 7wt alot for reds. So I sold my 8-10-12 setups. Got a Sage XP 9wt. And love it. It has soul. A great all rounder for windy day reds,snook,jacks,bones,small sharks and sub 60 pound poons. If you want a true big poon rod. Skip the 10. Build a big ass rotator cuff killing 12wt setup. With one of those huge 22" dub looking reels on it. To tame anything of any size that swims. Thats my plan down the road. Go big or go home My first poon and permit were on a 9wt in Big Pine Key. They have a sweet spot in my heart.
My [smiley=2cents.gif]


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