# Tarpon Rod, Spinning



## krash

Looking for a new, or new to me used, Tarpon spinning Rod. What are you's guys using and/or suggestions ? But also not looking to break the bank.

This rod will be paired to a Penn SpinFisher 5500 V, spooled up with 30# braid and used mostly from a boat for the big boys off the beaches or in the passes. Want something stout so as battles can be won in acceptable amount of time with out exerting to much pressure pulling a hook, but also soft enough tip for casting pass crabs.

I'm thinking I want a Heavy but Fast action rod. Was kind of eyeing something like the Star Stellar Boat Spinning, 7' 20-50#, but the tip seems to be a bit stiff for casting a bait.


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## Backwater

Shimano Terramar size Heavy for 30-40lb braids and size Extra Heavy for 50lb+ braid. I do like the Star Stellar Lite, but they are a very fast rod with faster tips, which doesn't make throwing very light crabs or small greenbacks that easy. They seem to chunk bigger crabs and bait well tho. I think the tips on the Terramar are softer and easier to throw lighter baits and the size Heavy seem to be the perfect poon rod for beach fishing IMO. We've use the Extra Heavy mostly for deep pass fishing where you need more backbone to haul a submarined fish off of the bottom. I'm also a big fan of cork handles.

I think if you were trying to stick with matching Penn products, go to Bass Pro and take a hard look at the Penn Legion series rod. They are very well built and they have rods in the tarpon size range of rod requirements. If you do, just try to find one with a bit of flex to the tip to help cast those light baits. Haven't used them in tarpon sticks, but have seen people with them. But I've tried them in lighter inshore rods and they seem nice for the money. Just don't know how they hold up. 

Ted


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## Zika

X2 on the Teramar rods. Graphite/glass composite construction that is rugged yet with a soft enough tip to cast well, as Ted explained. I just got a backup outfit to my custom tarpon spinner and went with the 7' Heavy with medium fast action. Rated for 15-30 and I have it matched with a Shimano Ultegra 5000 spooled with 30-pound PP Maxquatro braid. $300 for the combo, including line.


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## krash

I like Teramar rods, have a couple, agree on the cork handle.. actually had the reel on a Teramar 7' Heavy/Med-Fast 15-30# rod but it just felt unbalanced. This SpinFisher 5500 V replaced an old SSG 550 and is heavier. I moved the SF 5500 to a Chaos rod 7' 15-25# and it's a great cosmetic match Black and Gold but not heavy enough to do the job.

Looked a a Penn, don't remember the model, and it was a close choice. 

I'll have to look at the 8' Teramar XXH or XH rods, was hoping to stay 7' or 7'6" so's it will fit inside my Honda Civic for trips over to Tampa... 8' is pushing the limits but may fit.


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## Backwater

krash said:


> I like Teramar rods, have a couple, agree on the cork handle.. actually had the reel on a Teramar 7' Heavy/Med-Fast 15-30# rod but it just felt unbalanced. This SpinFisher 5500 V replaced an old SSG 550 and is heavier. I moved the SF 5500 to a Chaos rod 7' 15-25# and it's a great cosmetic match Black and Gold but not heavy enough to do the job.
> 
> Looked a a Penn, don't remember the model, and it was a close choice.
> 
> I'll have to look at the 8' Teramar XXH or XH rods, was hoping to stay 7' or 7'6" so's it will fit inside my Honda Civic for trips over to Tampa... 8' is pushing the limits but may fit.


Not real crazy about the terramar in light inshore rods, but they make great tarpon sticks.

Why you come over to Tampa? We have no fish over here!


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## krash

Backwater said:


> Not real crazy about the terramar in light inshore rods, but they make great tarpon sticks.
> 
> Why you come over to Tampa? We have no fish over here!


My son lives over there, sister too along with a couple nephews an a neice, mom used to live in St. Pete. My son (actually his wife) is having a new grandson to me on Thutsday. I'm headng over tomorrow for a few days. If it was not birth week we'd be fishing, he's got a sweet 25 Pathy-Hybrid with dual upper/lower control stations stand on t-Top with 350 merc.


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## Smackdaddy53

I’m no seasoned tarpon veteran, still have not even caught one but bought a Crowder abd paired it up with a Penn Clash 6000 and 30# Sufix832 a while back after confiding in Buddy Kirkhart. It casts anything from lighter jigs to big plugs and I’ve had it offshore dragging up 25 pound snapper and big ling with no issue. It has plenty of backbone once it loads up but a decent tip for lighter lures.


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## topnative2

Star rods


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## crboggs

Heh...I bought a Shimano Teramar XH and put a Spheros 10k reel on it several years ago. Literally a week later I picked up a fly rod for the first time...so its never been used for tarpon even once. I just put a hogie eel on it when we go offshore and keep it handy as a pitch rod for cobia.


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## Pierson

crboggs said:


> Literally a week later I picked up a fly rod for the first time...so its never been used for tarpon even once.


Funny how that works....Ive got 2 TFO GIS Inshore rods 7'11" Magnum Heavy for tarpon. They sure do feel amazing.....can they land a tarpon? Couldn't tell ya!


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## Daz

Another vote for the Terramar. My big tarpon spinners are 8' Terramar TMS X80XH paired with Saragosa 8000SW reels.


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## krash

Over the weekend had a chance to check out my sons setup, he tends to use heavier tackle than I do but he also claims to be more prepared for that 200 pounder than I would be.. 
His setup was a Terramar XXH with Boca 80... looked good but felt a bit to stiff at the tip for tossing a 3 finger crab. He also uses that rod dropping live baits to Sanpper and Grouper in 80-100 ft. in the gulf. The BPS80 also is a bit heavier than the SF5500, I may have to go with an XH model.


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## Greg Allison

I will throw in another option, Fenwick Elite Tech Inshore has a nice Tarpon Rod, 8'0" XH. It is literally in between the Terramar XH and XXH in action. And not the most glamorous rods, but Ugly Stick Big Waters are hard to beat. I just wish they had an extra guide on them.


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## krash

? for guys with the Teramar XXH... checked one out today and it seems a bit stiff for casting a 2 or 3 finger size pass crab.
How well do they cast ?

The Star Stellar Lite, wish they made one step heavier, is nice but just a little bit to light.

would like to look at the Fenwick if there was someplace in Ft. Lauderdale that sells them, but the XH jumps the price 50 bucks and I kind of like the Fuji guides on the Star and Shimano.


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## Backwater

krash, depending on if you are beach fishing or pass fishing. My buddy had the XXH while I fished the XH for the passes and H for the beaches and never felt undergunned. But if you are just drifting crabs or mullet back behind the boat in the current, in really deep pass waters and really want to put the juice on the fish once he's hooked, then use the XXH. But the XH seems to be better site casting crabs and greenbacks at fish, even in the shallower sides of the passes and the H can me used for smaller pass crabs and smaller sardines and small artificials and jigs at beach and flats fish. My buddy uses 80lb braid with his XXH, while I used 50lb on the XH and 30 on the H, and it all seemed to be a perfect fit over the years.










Ted Haas


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## f86sabjf

Im a fan of these folks 

https://bullbayrods.com/
Use the 15-30# rod with my 5000 clash and love it.


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## Fishing_TX

http://www.lunkerdogapparel.com/rods.html


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