To 7 Weight or 8 Weight

[West TN Fly]

Question : I am thinking of adding another rod to the collection this X-Mas - Looking for a rod that will preform on Stripers & the yearly trip to the Keys, LA Red Fish, what is the rod and reel and line of choice ? All open thanks for any input

[Rockyraccoon]

Personally, I'd go with the 8wt.

Might be a little heavy for typical bass situations, but it would probably work well if your striper fishing with B - A, or hooking big reds....and would be enough rod to turn over most any flies and handle most stuff that might get on the other end of it.

[MikeA]

I'm an odd numbered rod guy so I like the 9wt.

The Xi2 9wt is the cats meow for what you’re describing. Pair it with Sage Equator floating line, a 250, 350 and 500 grain integrated shooting head and you’ll have a very versatile system. For a cheaper version the TFO TiCrX is a nice rod. Either one I'd build  myself with high-end ceramic guides and better grade cork and seat. Once you go all ceramic on big rods you won’t want to go back.

[grumpy]

Having owned an 8, i'm with Mike, i like the odd balls, i got a 7 & a 9, the seven will handle most situations the 9 will rock them.
Although the 7 maybe a lil small for big stripers

Grumpy

[West TN Fly]

Thanks for the info : Mike who makes the Xi2 rod > and are you interested in custom building a rod for someone ? How much do you charge ?

Grumpy thank you for your post, I am really wanting to make the right choice here I have already gotten one 8 wt this year I picked up a Orvis Zero G for a sweet heart of a deal 100 dollars )

The 9 does make sense but does it get heavy all day, that is a big rod to be slinging all day along

[RSiegmann]

For the salt ... and ever present wind conditions ... I'd also throw support behind the 9wts ...

[MikeA]

PM sent

[Rockyraccoon]

I have already gotten one 8 wt this year I picked up a Orvis Zero G for a sweet heart of a deal 100 dollars )

Sounds to me like you knoced somebody in the head, took their rod, then felt bad about it and gave them a hundred dollar tip for when they woke up! 

Man that's a heck of a deal on a smoking rod!

I personally do my streamer fishing, warm water fishing, light to medium salt fishing, and all other types of heavy fly fishing with a medium action (always been my favorite action) 8 wt Zero G.

Those Zero G's in an 8 wt and a 200 -350 grain sinking line, feel a lot like a five or six weight and that casts a lot like it too. Light weight and powerful, I can fish it all day without that fatigue in my shoulder late in the day.

I'm jealous of the great deal! That's an awesome buy.

[icthus]

I would go with the 9 wt.  I have been red fishing with a 7 and a 9 and I would rather have to much then not enough.  The wind in the Keys is tough at times and it is frusterating when you can see tails but cant get a fly to them do to wind.  Furthermore,  a 9 is more condusive to certain types of fly fishing you are talking about.  I have a TICRX 7 and 9 and both of them are SWEEEEEETTTTT.  The nine has a back bone on it that can move a truck, but still has enough touch to lay some flies under docks at night when you are snook fishing.  The seven is my favorite rod that I have even though I dont catch a lot on it whenever I take it out to priest.  Go big first so you dont have to pass up big fish,

Icthus

[West TN Fly]

Thank you very much : this site is sooooo back in action doing what it has alway intended on doing, helping anglers with questions and concerns.  We had a week or so of hick ups but I feel here lately all questions and commits are getting great attention and a lot of good, positive, feedback

Icthus Thanks for the post I already have an 8 weight so I guess the big questions should have been to 7 wt or 9 wt but ---- I like what you had to say about the 9wt and that goes for Mike and Grumpy as well ( not that I am an odd weight guy ) I believe that I should own a 1-10 weight ( always ready to fish if someone should invite me to a trout stream, bass lake, river, or the keys )



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