Will I get beat up?

mickflip

Hello everybody, I'm new to Florida and the salt water fishing. I'm used to small streams and ponds going after trout and bass, therefore I've got a 6 wt rod with 6 wt floating line. I'm not really able to upgrade at the moment, so this will be my weapon of choice for the near future. Is this rod too light? I figure I can use a 20lb fluro leader with a 10lb tippet, and just fill my reel with backing. Will I still find myself getting broken off and generally just not having enough rod? Primarily plan to wade the flats and walk the beaches. Any advice is helpful, and thanks in advance!

sunflower

You will be fine. You will be able to land anything you hook away from structure.

Just less able to punch bigger flies into wind.

acesover

Have fun and don't sweat it. It's light for the beach, but t's OK for the flats..

Carl Blackledge

Mick,

Who cares if your rod is too light?

Most saltwater guys like getting there *** kicked Or going to a gun fight with a knife.

Carl

mickflip

Carl Blackledge wrote: »

Mick,

Who cares if your rod is too light?

Most saltwater guys like getting there *** kicked Or going to a gun fight with a knife.

Carl

Don't worry I'll be going out regardless haha I was just looking for a heads up. It's always nice to challenge yourself but sounds like I might have to bump up for the beach, at least after a little while. By the way I checked out the what have you been tying thread, and you guys are truly amazing tiers. I can't wait to get some new materials and whip up some new flies. Tying little nymphs and dries didn't always agree with my big fingers.

Montana1

I was in your shoes a few months ago. I have been a trout guy my whole life. Till I moved here. Now I use tippet and leader thats too big to fit through the eyes of most of what I use to fish. Everything down here is big, and strong, and awesome. Make sure your knots are 100% every time, if they aren't you will find out really fast. There is little to no room for error with your knots down here.

mickflip

Montana1 wrote: »

I was in your shoes a few months ago. I have been a trout guy my whole life. Till I moved here. Now I use tippet and leader thats too big to fit through the eyes of most of what I use to fish. Everything down here is big, and strong, and awesome. Make sure your knots are 100% every time, if they aren't you will find out really fast. There is little to no room for error with your knots down here.

Great tip and was actually just looking into that. I gotta touch up on my loop knot it seams and you give me some hope. Looks like you've been killing it ever since you started down here

Permit Rat

I use a 9 ft. 6 wt. rod (7 wt. line) in Mexico for the baby bonefish and dinnerplate permit, all the time. Wouldn't hesitate to bring it to the Bahamas, either, depending on the time of year. As already said, wind is possibly going to be your arch enemy. Only caveat to this would be if your fresh water gear was bamboo or fiberglass. I would not bring bamboo into the salt....ever. This is not true for fiberglass, but most graphite rods will actually do better with one size heavier line. I have a Loomis IMX 4 wt. that handles a 6 wt. quite well.

saltybum

As Permit Rat says, I have a 6wt Redington CPX that throws an 8wt line pretty well. Just in case in the salt you do hook a biggun
you will want a reel with a bit of backing. You did't say what part of Fl you are in but here in the space coast most of the fish on the flats in the IRL are trout and reds and a rare snook which are actually more fun on a lighter rod.

mickflip

saltybum wrote: »

As Permit Rat says, I have a 6wt Redington CPX that throws an 8wt line pretty well. Just in case in the salt you do hook a biggun
you will want a reel with a bit of backing. You did't say what part of Fl you are in but here in the space coast most of the fish on the flats in the IRL are trout and reds and a rare snook which are actually more fun on a lighter rod.

Sorry I thought I had mentioned I'm in the Sebastian area so I plan to primarily wade the flats and walk the beaches

redjim

PermitRat and Saltybum is it possible to throw decent size flies with those six weight rods you fellows are speaking of?

I was think about getting a 6 but I usually throw BVK 8 (little lifting power) and a NRX 7 and sometimes have a challenge getting the bigger bugs out there. I am usually always thawing the Rio quicker shooter bonefish line which is not a light line either.

I am not the best caster around these parts but working on it every day.

Thanks!

razorreilly09

mickflip wrote: »

Sorry I thought I had mentioned I'm in the Sebastian area so I plan to primarily wade the flats and walk the beaches

One piece of advice I can give you is to clean and lube your reel and rod after each saltwater use if it's not salt water rated.

Elkchaser

razorreilly09 wrote: »

One piece of advice I can give you is to clean and lube your reel and rod after each saltwater use if it's not salt water rated.

This has been the only thing that has kept my cheap reddington 8 wt working for 3 years. Rust never sleeps.

Permit Rat

redjim wrote: »

PermitRat and Saltybum is it possible to throw decent size flies with those six weight rods you fellows are speaking of?

I was think about getting a 6 but I usually throw BVK 8 (little lifting power) and a NRX 7 and sometimes have a challenge getting the bigger bugs out there. I am usually always thawing the Rio quicker shooter bonefish line which is not a light line either.

I am not the best caster around these parts but working on it every day.

Thanks!

Jim......No. I am always casting 4's and 6's for my permit and bonefish in Mexico. (Lots of natural bunny gotchas....both species eat them) I would stick with the rods you have. My permit rat is a very heavy fly that has little wind resistance when wet, so it seems like I am casting a 1/8 oz. sinker. But I can muster decent casts with my 10 ft. 8 wt. when I am wading. In a boat I use a 9 ft. 9 wt.....sometimes with a 10 wt. line.

For bonefish you can go with whatever the wind allows, since the flies are smaller.

BTW....If you read this Jim, do you still have the 8 wt. Bermuda shorts fly line? I apologize for forgetting about this. Is it a floater or intermediate?