# Which 11 Wt Reel for Tarpon?



## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

First choice would be the Tibor Gulfstream. But take a look at the Galvan Torque T-12, too. Only 8.6 ounces and 300 yard backing capacity of 30-pound micron. 4.5" diameter and 1.35" spool width. Very smooth drag system and also a family-owned US company.


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## ReelBoi (Dec 17, 2020)

If you are thinking nautilus, I'd go silver king all day. Basically the same weight and even better line pickup. The Tibor will give you reliable drag and great sound, but they lack in the weight and line pickup department. My vote would be the Hatch 9 or the ross evolution R if you are open to rethinking it. Great pickup and lightweight, plus the same drag that's in the Abel SDS. Drag knob is pretty much a non factor except for personal preference. Echoing Zika, I still think Galvan Torques are the best value in fly fishing, but lack the fame and appeal of the others ha.


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## Keith Sharp (10 mo ago)

I agree that the big drag wheel on the Ross Evo R Salt seems odd, but there is a reason for it. The Ross has a monster max drag at 20+ lbs. Not sure any other reels have this much. For most people, the reliable way of applying drag is to let the reel do it, rather than palming, etc. This doesn't work as well as it could if the reel only has say 5-10 lbs max. The big wheel makes it easy to crank the drag up, and it's easy to find by feel. The reel is one of the lightest, has one of the largest arbors, and it doesn't sound or look bad either.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

I'd go with the Gulfstream personally though I prefer a 5" reel on a #11. I use Gulfstreams on my #10's and Pacifics on my #12's and while I can tell a difference in weight when I cast them side by side I've never noticed that one was more comfortable to fish than the other. Unless you're doing a lot of blind casting I wouldn't sweat an ounce or two.

The Silver King is a really nice reel if you'll always be able to chase the fish with the boat and you don't really fish with the drag, but the reality is the two I owned didn't come anywhere close to holding 275yds of 30# even with a #10 line. It is light as a feather though, mine weighed 11.8oz with backing and no line which is roughly the same weight as a Riptide with backing and no line.


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## Jreinfly (Sep 8, 2021)

I like the Tibor gulf stream and the hardy fortuna z a lot. The hardy carbon Zane is a pretty solid reel also


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## Ferrulewax (Mar 19, 2018)

Do yourself a favor and check out the Lamson Litespeed M and the cobalt. I have a cobalt and it’s a freaking tank. The litespeed is the same drag with a lighter weight frame, had it been out when I got the cobalt I probably would have opted for the LS. The LS 12wt is 8 ounces vs the Cobalt at 11 ounces.

the Cobalt has a single rotation indexed drag with a large knob and very positive clicks. The drag is super stout- it can dish out more resistance than your rod can take, or your tippet if you fish IGFA. It’s also the only reel on the market that is actually tested by an independent lab for submersion (like a dive watch). I really don’t have anything bad to say about it.


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

Thanks for all of the responses so far. I appreciate the insight and suggestions. Certainly a lot of love for the Gulfstream. A few initial reactions...

Re the Galvan Torque: I'm a big Galvan fan, they are my preferred reels for trout weights. I tend to prefer narrower spools for saltwater reels and the T-12 is pretty wide, but I'll think about.

Re the Ross Evo R Salt: My issue with the drag wheel isn't the diameter, but rather how flat it is. I've never fished one, but I did play with one for a bit (in a smaller size). Based on that experience, I'd be worried about catching my fingertips in the spokes if I tried to adjust it with a fish on. And when I tried to adjust it with my palm, I found it just wasn't precise. Maybe something that I'd pick up quickly though. It certainly checks the large arbor and light weight boxes--as does the Silver King.

Re the Fortuna: I had looked at that, but it's over 13 oz. If weight was a total non-consideration I'd probably go with the Hatch 11+.

Re the Gulfstream: If I didn't own my Super 12s I think there's a good chance I'd pick the Gulfstream and I wouldn't give the weight a second thought. As mentioned, I really love my Riptide. But I'm just not sure it's different enough from the Abels (I know both Abel and Tibor have their fans that think one is better than the other), in terms of weight and diameter/arbor size, to justify the expense. Obviously something only I can determine.

Thanks again, and additional responses/suggestions are welcome!


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

Tailer said:


> The Silver King is a really nice reel if you'll always be able to chase the fish with the boat and you don't really fish with the drag, but the reality is the two I owned didn't come anywhere close to holding 275yds of 30# even with a #10 line.


Thanks for that info. I had wondered about the actual capacity based on some other Nautilus reels I've owned (though I'd likely use hollow braid and so not overly concerned). And good to know about the drag. As mentioned above I likely would always fish it out of a boat, but I don't want to be towed for an extended period!


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Alright, lots of opinion here, but the reality is that tarpon fishing can be exhausting. It is hard enough already - so a good reel does make a big difference.

I have the Abel SDS, Gulfstream, Nautilus and also lighter Lamson Litespeeds.

Lamson drags cannot hold up to the precision for tarpon. You are great from 8 weight down. I would not use them on Tarpon with any confidence. Sorry Lamson, you may be light, but the drag size is so small it cannot hold up. I've actually had one of these fail on poons before, but it was an older model.

Tibor is the best, most proven drag on the market. But, it does carry more weight and the pick up speed is on the lower side. Tarpon do crazy shit - being able to pick up a lot of line is important. But.... no other drag and outgoing sound compares. But the weight is more than the other reels here, which sometime tarpon require a lot of cast. That weight adds up to fatigue.

The Abel SDS is a bad ass machine - I got one a few years back and love it. It doesn't have a great sound like the Tibor, but sound doesn't matter when it comes to start up inertia. The Abel is great here.

The Nautilus also has a gradual start up inertia. However, the drag knob tolerance is difficult - you can turn without it feeling much of a difference, then the next turn cranks down a lot. Its a small knob, and when shit hits the fan, it is fine tuning that can be frustrating. The Abel has a massive knob that one click means something - this doesn't happen on Nautilus.

You want a work horse with a great drag, low start up inertia, and fine tuning of drag. If you can afford the Abel, do it. I love mine, but also still fish Tibor. That's my second choice.


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## Ferrulewax (Mar 19, 2018)

coconutgroves said:


> Lamson drags cannot hold up to the precision for tarpon. You are great from 8 weight down. I would not use them on Tarpon with any confidence. Sorry Lamson, you may be light, but the drag size is so small it cannot hold up. I've actually had one of these fail on poons before, but it was an older model.


I totally agree on the standard Lamson reels, but these are a completely different breed. Not the same drag as the freshwater Lamsons at all. Try one out before you dismiss them as being the same as the standard Lamson conical drag.









Lamson Cobalt Saltwater Fly Reel Review


The Lamson Cobalt is a big game fly reel with a pedigree. I’ll be honest, I’ve always thought of Lamson as a trout reel company. I don’t mean that to be dismissive, but I think of them as making great trout reels and, for saltwater reels, I never really thought of them at all. The demands...




www.ginkandgasoline.com





I'm not sponsored or anything, I just think it's a freaking awesome reel that doesn't get much attention. My Father has a few Tibors and he's considering a cobalt for his next tarpon stick.


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## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

Silver Kings are good reels and probably your best bet for weight and performance across the board, especially for an 11wt setup that you want to keep on the lighter side. Drags are ok - smooth but there’s a large curve that isn’t the easiest to fine tune on the fly. OK if you fight fish by hand/palming, but not ideal if you want to fight them more off the reel with drag. Also they’re tough enough but not bulletproof.


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

coconutgroves said:


> Tibor is the best, most proven drag on the market. But, it does carry more weight and the pick up speed is on the lower side. Tarpon do crazy shit - being able to pick up a lot of line is important.
> 
> The Abel SDS is a bad ass machine - I got one a few years back and love it.
> 
> The Nautilus also has a gradual start up inertia. However, the drag knob tolerance is difficult - you can turn without it feeling much of a difference, then the next turn cranks down a lot.


Thanks for that very detailed response. One follow-up. Do you find the retrieve rate of the SDS to be vastly superior (or even noticeably different) to that of the Gulfstream? I don't know the actual arbor sizes, but the diameter of the SDS is only 1/8" larger than that of the Gulfstream. So perhaps the bigger difference is the weight. Per the official specs the SDS is just under an ounce lighter, though it could be a bit more or less as I've found the actual weights of each company's reel to be different (usually heavier) than the official/published weights.

As for the Silver King, I've handled some CCF-X2s. I think it's a really good reel, but my one complaint is that the drag is "too adjustable", or at least requires so many turns with some full turns seemingly resulting in no difference in the tension.

Thanks again!


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## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

You’re right about the drag revolutions. Not as much of an issue if your style is to fight them with less drag and more hands. But that’s the main reason I stopped using them and switched to Mako a couple years ago and have not looked back. But then there’s the weight issue trade-off.


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## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

Maybe you have places where your going to make 100 casts at 100lb plus poons on a morning or evening and if so then weight matters. Not so for me unfortunately at least not yet, well back in the early 90's maybe. Its all about drag, capacity, to a lessor extent arbor size and confidence in the reliability of the reel. Tibor, Abel then the others. Full disclosure I have as well as my gulfstream, a nautilus and and an Orvis Mirage.


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

If the abel sds only had a 5" arbor........
I now use an abel super 13 as primary, sds on second rod. Tibor guys I know use the pacific not the Gulfstream for poon. Weight doesn't really bother me for a tarpon reel. Fished with a guide and since I didn't have a clear line I used his rod with new siegler prototype, I bet it weighed as much as my super 13, we estimated 75-85 shots that day, weight of reek didn't bother me at all. I have a friend who bout 2 makos this year, the drags on both got warped in a month, not what I want in a reel over 2k. Mentioned this to a different guide friend and he told me he had a clients mako "blow up on the first fish" . I have never heard that about mako prior to those 3 reels, I bet it was a certain production run, some mess up.


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

7WT said:


> Maybe you have places where your going to make 100 casts at 100lb plus poons on a morning or evening and if so then weight matters.


I actually haven't fished for tarpon all that much, although I intend to do so more often. My first trip, to Belize, actually did involve repeated effectively blind casts with an intermediate line (usually after seeing rollers and guessing where they might be, but often to channels/areas that the guide thought might hold tarpon even though we had not seen any signs), sometimes for the better part 5-6 hours. So even when trying to let the rod do the work, at times, or after enough casts, weight matters to me. But my other tarpon outings have involved far fewer casts, and spending much more time on the bow with a fly in my hand scanning the water than casting. As I've said above, I'm not hung up on the weight in terms of the reel being too heavy, but rather just looking for something that's "more different" than the Abel Supers I already have so as to give me a good reason to get another reel. Thanks again.


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

Fishshoot said:


> If the abel sds only had a 5" arbor........


The new Rove 11/12+ is just a hair under 5"


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## Will Poston (Dec 26, 2016)

Another vote for the Silver King. Definitely one of the more versatile reels out there. It feels balanced on 10-12 was (I've even put it on a 9 before). To those talking about capacity, I recently put around 400 yds of SA 50# GSP on it and have plenty of room on the spool for a SA 10wt Grand slam. If I was looking for a dedicated poon reel, the new GTX looks really sweet--more drag than you'll ever need too


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

If I had to pick one and only one reel for tarpon I would stick with my Abel Super series. Fished my Super 12 for years. Got a new SDS 11/12 and loved it. Fished it for several years but since I do this so little anymore I downsized to just one outfit.

Sold the SDS and kept the Super 12. Now that said the drag of the SDS is crazy strong. But at the end of the day I just like the simplicity of a cork drag.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

7WT said:


> Maybe you have places where your going to make 100 casts at 100lb plus poons on a morning or evening and if so then weight matters. Not so for me unfortunately at least not yet, well back in the early 90's maybe. Its all about drag, capacity, to a lessor extent arbor size and confidence in the reliability of the reel. Tibor, Abel then the others. Full disclosure I have as well as my gulfstream, a nautilus and and an Orvis Mirage.


Fishing for tarpon in rivers or stained water - lots of cast to rollers. That does get a bit tiring.


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## Wiggles (Dec 25, 2020)

I’ve recently become a shilton reels man. That’s 240yd backing with 10 rio elite floating flats with a sage x 10. If you don’t know now ya know


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

I've got a couple of Shiltons, though not custom like yours (just the basic titanium) - go Giants! (or is it Bills? - actually it really matches your Pepsi bottle)

I think they're terrific, but as with the Gulfstream just not sure it's all that different or better than my Super 12s in terms of weight and diameter/arbor size. I also liked them better when the price was tied to the Rand rather than the USD (now that some US shops sell them).


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

Old school Tibors are hard to beat. Screw all the new “sealed” drags. The records landed speak for themselves. I just added a Gulfstream to my Tibor pile. Looking to land some of the big girls around here soon


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## Renegade (Aug 30, 2015)

I used to fish only Hatch. In my opinion, they are the most bullet proof. They are also heavy.

So, when I started building my own rods, rods significantly lighter than production rods, it was a mess.

I did lots of homework and settled on Nautilus. Very happy with the Silver King on my 11wt-1 piece.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Everyone is measured against a Tibor in my opinion.


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## CAEX (Oct 29, 2021)

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded above. It's been educational, and fun, reading the responses.

In a rare moment of self-restraint, I've decided to stick with what I have (my pair of Super 12s), at least for now. I haven't even had a chance to lawn cast the rod yet (I found a deeply discounted leftover closeout at an out of the area shop and so bought it without the benefit of test casting it) and, even more importantly in regards to timing, I don't envision actually fishing the rod until next April or May at the earliest. So I'm not in a hurry. I remain open to several of the reels I listed at the outset, and also am re-considering my earlier dismissal of the Ross Evo R Salt (it's lighter than even the Silver King, and so weight wise would be quite different from my Abel Supers). Anyways, for now I'm going to sit tight and watch the classified ads here and some other places. While my choice will be based on quality rather than price (a tarpon reel is not the time to cheap out), if I come across one of my top contenders in gently used condition at an attractive price that may lead me to pull the trigger. Thanks again!


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## Wiggles (Dec 25, 2020)

Where are you located? Dealers in the panhandle have tibors, shiltons etc in the local shop


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