12wt Fly line for tarpon? Sinking, floating, particulars?

[jaym]

I just put the backing on my new 12wt and I am planning on (attempting) to entice some daisy chaining tarpon this summer on the beaches. Does anyone have any recommendations for the proper line for my situation? It will be anywhere from 5-15ft water depth, relatively clear water. I've narrowed it down to scientific angler, rio, or cortland crystal but I'm not sure what would be the best between floating and intermediate sinking tip lines. As it is relatively expensive I would appreciate some suggestions!

To make it easier I found a video from my area that demonstrates the situation I'm talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ShK4sieksU

Second splash, I fish the same areas as the video. An intermediate line like the SA Tarpon is a good choice for when you have the swells from offshore. As you want the line below the waves. You loose a bit of quick recast ability but it is worth it. A clear sink is a close second option. When it is calm a floater is fine. I use a floater 75% of the time.

[Tarponator]

That was a neat video. Thanks to Second Splash for posting it. It appears as if they're mostly fishing in shallower water (say less than 10'), not along the deeper waters of the beach past the sand bar (15+ feet) as I tend to fish with live bait. Those shallow water fish up here along the west coast, in my experience, are extremely spooky, but the fly fishermen in those videos are getting them to eat pretty well by the looks of it, where if I presented a live bait (e.g. crab or whitebait) in those circumstances they almost always turn their nose at it (I can think of only two fish in 15 years that have eaten livebait in that situation). Interesting.....and worth some thought as to why the difference in eating behavior....Mike

p.s. can't we disagree without being disagreeable?

[second splash]

Figured I'd check this thread and to no surprise... more great info!

Made my first attempt at tarpon on fly yesterday and I'm pleased to say (and in disbelief) that I had one eat :obscene it was no more than 60 feet off the beach on the edge of a pass. I saw the school blow up about 100 yards ahead of me, they went down after about 5 seconds and I tried to judge their general direction to the best of my ability and started making casts...

About 7-8 casts later I was stripping in line--not as focused as I should have been--when the line went tight, and I honestly thought I snagged some grass for a second.. before it went VERY tight.

The line started to slip, and I looked to see a 5 foot boil at the end of my line. I was basically in shock and didn't set the hook hard enough, the tarpon came to the surface head first and spat the hook back at me with what looked like a better luck next time grin

I'm hooked.

Went back to pick up a friend to get some tarpon baits during the outgoing only to pull up at a local crowded bridge and have two very rude cobia decide to follow our boat. dropped a jig back with no more than 8 feet of line out and fed it to the bigger one of the two. Definitely made me feel better about missing the tarpon!