Rod Weight For The Coast?

[Woodchuck]

My in-laws go on a trip to Florida every year and invited us for next year. My father-in-law fishes every weekend and then some. They saw some fish jumping out off the beach last year and couldn't stand it so the all went to Bass Pro down there and bought the biggest spoons they could find (for maximum casting distance) and a rod and reel. They think it was a ladyfish. Well I'm thinking about giving it a try with a fly rod. So my questions are, will I be able to cast very far with one, and what weight of rod do I need?

[Danoinark]

My in-laws go on a trip to Florida every year and invited us for next year. My father-in-law fishes every weekend and then some. They saw some fish jumping out off the beach last year and couldn't stand it so the all went to Bass Pro down there and bought the biggest spoons they could find (for maximum casting distance) and a rod and reel. They think it was a ladyfish. Well I'm thinking about giving it a try with a fly rod. So my questions are, will I be able to cast very far with one, and what weight of rod do I need?

If you are not an experienced fly caster then it will take loads of practice and probably a good casting instructor to be ready to cast the maximum effective range with a flyrod out to about 80/90 feet. Saltwater fly fishing typically would take an 8 to 10 wt rod because of the wind you will encounter and also larger species of fish. Remember you are not letting the fly carry the line, you are casting the line and carrying the fly.

Dano

[soggyfeet]

Im not sure but you might want to look into a spey rod. But I dont know much about rods at all, much less the offshore kind.

[timsfly]

A 10 weight or a 9 Weight is what I usually take to florida.

If you need a good 10 weight, they have a $700.00 Xi2 sage at the

outlet store at BP for about 350.00 right now, that is a good

deal, I have bought several this month for under 400.00.

[Woodchuck]

Thanks Tim, If I do get a new rod I am thinking about building one. That is if we even go. We have a baby due in June so that would add another air fair so we might have to drive. I will have to do someting though whether it be a fly rod or a spinning rod.

[swellcat]

Unless you use an eight weight for bluegills, you don't need a 10 weight for ladyfish . . . or flounder, pompano, croaker, small to medium sized redfish, mangrove snapper, or spotted sea trout. There is more fun to be had with a mid-weight rod . . . maybe a five, six, or seven . . . or whatever you need to throw your flies.

[Woodchuck]

Swellcat, Is there another fish similar to the lady fish that has long teeth? My father-in-law told someone down there about what it was and they said it was one of 2 things. It jumped when caught and was jumping on the surface while it was feeding. He said they caught them as fast as they could cast back out for 6 hours and had raw armpits from the rod butt. They only got action for the 1 day due to weather on the other days.

[swellcat]

Is there another fish similar to the lady fish that has long teeth?

Bluefish?

Spanish mackerel?

[Woodchuck]

That's it, bluefish. It was a bluefish or a ladyfish. We looked them up when he got back and I don't remember which one he decided it looked like.

[Zach Bearden]

Bluefish are some mean 'lil buggers man... Snap a leader in a heartbeat.

We went down to Galveston and used 8wts. I used to distance cast so casting 100' is no problem for me. But I found that you never needed to cast more than 60' down there. There were some reds working a shoreline and we would cast to them and get a good solid hit but could never set it on them. When you fish for saltwater fish a good thing to know how to do is a strip strike. Which in all reality is just slamming a bit strip right as you feel the fish and lifting the rod. It will go straight through.

Get a hook sharpener too....