# Nautilus CCF-x2 silver King thoughts



## brianacnp (May 18, 2011)

Anyone fishing the silver King version of the CCFx2? Looks great/light (9.1oz). Will be paired with 11weight NRX pro1. Who has fished it and what are your impressions?


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

brianacnp said:


> Anyone fishing the silver King version of the CCFx2? Looks great/light (9.1oz). Will be paired with 11weight NRX pro1. Who has fished it and what are your impressions?


Nice reel but very similar to the Abel 11/12n. Tall but narrow with little backing capacity. I think the Monster NV is preferred.


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## cast4tailers (Mar 16, 2007)

brianacnp said:


> Anyone fishing the silver King version of the CCFx2? Looks great/light (9.1oz). Will be paired with 11weight NRX pro1. Who has fished it and what are your impressions?


I've put it through the paces many times on gulf tarpon. Has not let me down once. I've got around 200yrds of backing which is more than enough. As long as you are motoring after the fish, backing capacity is way overrated for tarpon.... It's the perfect 11wt reel in my opinion. 

Capt. Colby Hane


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## brianacnp (May 18, 2011)

cast4tailers said:


> I've put it through the paces many times on gulf tarpon. Has not let me down once. I've got around 200yrds of backing which is more than enough. As long as you are motoring after the fish, backing capacity is way overrated for tarpon.... It's the perfect 11wt reel in my opinion.
> 
> Capt. Colby Hane





obrientimm said:


> Nice reel but very similar to the Abel 11/12n. Tall but narrow with little backing capacity. I think the Monster NV is preferred.


The Abel 11/12N was on my list also.


cast4tailers said:


> I've put it through the paces many times on gulf tarpon. Has not let me down once. I've got around 200yrds of backing which is more than enough. As long as you are motoring after the fish, backing capacity is way overrated for tarpon.... It's the perfect 11wt reel in my opinion.
> 
> Capt. Colby Hane


The Abel 11/12N is in the list also. Both listed with 275yrds of backing with 11w line. Will be used by my wife and the weight was a big factor. Currently paired with Tibor 11-12 signature which I love, but it much heavier. I do like the monster NV also. The lighter Abel/Nautilus has great balance paired with the NRX.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

cast4tailers said:


> around 200yrds of backing which is more than enough. As long as you are motoring after the fish, *backing capacity is way overrated for tarpon*....


Colby, that's not always the case for all poons in all conditions.


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## cast4tailers (Mar 16, 2007)

Backwater said:


> Colby, that's not always the case for all poons in all conditions.


I said as long as you are "motoring" after fish. I realize that there are a few scenarios in which 200yrds might not be enough. But for beach and backcountry skiff fishing, 99% of the time it's more than adequate. Plus the reel holds 400+ yards of gel if it's a concern.

To the OP, I actually have both the silver king and the super 11/12N and I find that they are the perfect size 11wt reels. Tall, narrow and huge arbors. Quick retrieves and very light. Can't go wrong with either. Neither has failed or even remotely come close to being emptied after dozens and dozens of poons.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Brian, where are you going to be fishing? What flyline and backing will you be using?

No doubt the NRX 11wt Pro 1 (especially the 8'10") and the CCFX2 Silver King is a hot combo. With 20lbs of drag, you'll have no worries, as long as you use both for what it's meant for (beach, flats and back country bays in warm to hot water), leaning more towards the lighter side of poon fishing.

The CCFX2 is spec'ed out at 250yrds of 30lb backing with a 12wt line. By spooling on an 11wt flyline, you gain some backing since the diameter is slightly thinner in the head, thereby gaining something like 20-25yrds. By going to Cortland's Micron 30lb backing, it's a hair thinner than other standard Dacron backing, so you gain a bit there as well. I like the Micron since it's ultra smooth and wouldn't cut you on a hot fish if you accidentally touched it, especially with wet fingers. Note: I never recommend gel spun. You're asking for trouble with it in several different areas (i.e., it'll cut you, it'll bind into the backing, etc.).

Most tarpon fly lines are 100-115ft+/-. Most good tarpon fly anglers can't cast north of 80ft with that heavy of a line, even on a calm day, to mention days where winds are blowing around 15-20 knots. Also most of their fishing situations don't call for cast not much more than 50-60ft. So with that said, on a lighter tarpon rod like a 11wt can have the longer tarpon fly line's running line clipped back by 10-15ft (making sure it's no shorter than 90ft) and then further save on space for more backing.

So by doing all 3 things, you can potentially gain an extra 50yrs of backing and get it up to 300yrds. Even if you don't clip the running line back, you still have 275yrds, which is good for a 11wt. Anyways why do I think having more backing is important for you? Because the rod doesn't have quite the backbone as a standard 12wt and the fish could take advantage of that. Most guys who poon fish hasn't figured out exactly how to put the brakes on a fish, like guys like Colby above . So a fish can run them way into the backing before they can get the boat spun around to run after it. You might have a hot, full of spunk 90lb bright male in cool ocean side water, who is full of piss and vinegar and grey hound you way into the end of your backing before you can recover and get your head screwed on straight to run after it. Or you weren't paying attention and decided to fish some cooler deep water and a big girl grabbed it and decided she wasn't going to play around with you and decides she gonna head offshore. That's when you need that extra insurance with an 11wt.

A few things I recommend. Don't overline that rod. It doesn't need it. 11wt is plenty to load it. If you need help figuring out how to get it to load properly, just ask someone who knows or an instructor. For that rod, overlining it will only be a crutch for not having good big rod casting techniques. You are getting great gear, don't compromise on the line.

Don't get all concern about splitting hairs and choosing one reel over the other because it's a partial oz lighter than the other. That might play well with lighter rods, but I have no problem going to a heavier reel to help counter balance the heavier rod to begin with (tho the NRX Pro-1 is as light as they come, but just commenting on stepping up to 11wts in general), especially the heavier line, which, in turn will cause the overall rod and swing weight to be lighter in-hand, as well as helping you to put a deeper flex in the mid section of the rod, which it turn causes it to load quicker. If you are worried about wearing out your rotor cuff waving around a heavier reel, then you certainly need to re-think how your casting a big rod in the 1st place, cause you'll wear it out with the lightest of outfits. Again, an oz or 2 lighter in the reel will not make a big difference making things feel lighter overall with a big rod.

Nice setup overall and I say go for it if it doesn't break the bank for ya.  Hopefully, you live near the water and/or you can trailer the boat to the water with the rod in the gunnel racks, cause a 1 piece rod is a b_tch to travel with.

Ted Haas


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## brianacnp (May 18, 2011)

Backwater said:


> Brian, where are you going to be fishing? What flyline and backing will you be using?


Primarily beach tarpon. Panhandle and keys. I use the 30# Dacron. Not a fan of the gel spun for the fear of cutting my fingers/hands. Bermuda fly line. I fish out of a skiff so staying close to the tarpon usually isn't a problem and relatively shallow water, but I do understand there are some situations where 200 yards of backing could be a problem.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

brianacnp said:


> Primarily beach tarpon. Panhandle and keys. I use the 30# Dacron. Not a fan of the gel spun for the fear of cutting my fingers/hands. Bermuda fly line. I fish out of a skiff so staying close to the tarpon usually isn't a problem and relatively shallow water, but I do understand there are some situations where 200 yards of backing could be a problem.



I just edited that comment above and added all that stuff that will cover what you just said.


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## cast4tailers (Mar 16, 2007)

Backwater said:


> I just edited that comment above and added all that stuff that will cover what you just said.


Ted,
Not sure I am reading your response correctly? Are you implying that I don't know how to properly apply the brakes or the other way around?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

cast4tailers said:


> Ted,
> Not sure I am reading your response correctly? Are you implying that I don't know how to properly apply the brakes or the other way around?


Colby, no worries, I'm saying guys like you who have experience putting the brakes on fish and keeping them around the boat, especially in warmer water beach or flats water can get away with less backing, and who are experienced in running them down. Not a lot of people coming into the game has a pulse on doing those things correctly and can easily get spooled. I've seen it a lot over the years.


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## brianacnp (May 18, 2011)

Yeah. L


Backwater said:


> Colby, no worries, I'm saying guys like you who have experience putting the brakes on fish and keeping them around the boat, especially in warmer water beach or flats water can get away with less backing, and who are experienced in running them down. Not a lot of people coming into the game has a pulse on doing those things correctly and can easily get spooled. I've seen it a lot over the years.


Yeah, live near the gulf so trailering with 1 piece rods isnt an issue. I have a couple of the NRX rods and also carry a 12 weight. The primary focus was having a balanced slightly lighter outfit where her technique wouldn't suffer related to casting a outfit too heavy overall. I agree over lining can be counterproductive. I really like 11weight NRX/11weight line combo also.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

The Silver King takes 450 yards of Gel, but I'd put Hatch backing on there instead. Same diameter and soft to the touch. It won't cut and bind like Gelspun either.

Don't hesitate to get a Tibor Gulfstream if you get the chance. My favorite tarpon reel hands down. The drag is bullet proof.


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## Wolffie (Nov 4, 2015)

I have a silver King on my Marshfly 9' 10wt. It balances well! I have 250 yd of #30 backing with an airflo ridge Chard/grand slam line. I got the feel with 275 yd of backing but had to pull 25 yd off so I don't have to pay attention to how the line lays when reeling. That airflo line is thick! 

I like the drag knob on the CCF X2 series way better than the NV series. Capacity should be comparable. 

Will it hold up? I'm only guessing. My other CCF X2 reels have. That combo has muscled tiny winter large mouth and bluegill to the shore on streamers, when I've practiced with it in the lake. But haven't gotten either salty yet... Soon...


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