G.Loomis pro-blue 8' 12-25LB Good Tarpon rod or not?

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Hi guys I was thinking of a getting a G.loomis Pro-Blue 8' 12-25LB to pair with a dawia saltist 4500H I will be fishing tampa bay off a boat it's a medium-heavy but I was thinking you needed a heavy action rod for tarpon fishing. I know the pro-blue makes a 7' 15-30LB heavy but I think you need a 8 foot rod for tarpon fishing? Let me know what you guys think I was also looking at the Star Stellar Lite 8' 15-30LB or the Star Stellar Boat 8' 15-40LB Or Let me know what you guys like!!!! Thanks

johnD · February 2015

decent rod but, the Avid AIS80HF is a better stick imho. tampa fishing outfitters carries each one if you want to go give them a bend.

Jack Hexter · February 2015

The Pro Blue is a great tarpon rod. Like John said, might want to look at the Avid, as well as teh Shimano Terramar 8'XH. The XXH is too heavy, not enough tip. Another rod is the TFO GTS MC 7117-1 7'11" "musky" rod

JackAttack24 · February 2015

So that 8 foot pro blue is a good one? Or should I go with the 7 foot 15-30lb pro blue?

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JackAttack24 · February 2015

johnD wrote: »

decent rod but, the Avid AIS80HF is a better stick imho. tampa fishing outfitters carries each one if you want to go give them a bend.

I will definitely go check out that avid for sure

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tltypeslow · February 2015

For that $ you might as well go with a custom rod imho

Pmckh · February 2015

The Avid inshore is a great tarpon rod. I have the 8' 17-40 with a 10,000 for slinging bait and I have a 7'6" 15-30/10,000 for tossing hogy's(I'll throw bait on it as well) and love both.

Pilchard · February 2015

The rod is fine. Get a larger reel. 6k size will match up perfect.

Jack Hexter · February 2015

The 8' ProBlue 12-25 is a good rod, I know a couple guides who are using them

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Jack Hexter wrote: »

The 8' ProBlue 12-25 is a good rod, I know a couple guides who are using them

I'm gonna look at the avid too pick Em up at the same time and put a reel on it see if I like it I don't think I need a heavy action the two tarpon I have caught like the one in my profile pic was only 65lbs and the other was maybe a little over 100 I don't think we got those huge tarpon like in Boca

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Pmckh · February 2015

JackAttack24 wrote: »

I'm gonna look at the avid too pick Em up at the same time and put a reel on it see if I like it I don't think I need a heavy action the two tarpon I have caught like the one in my profile pic was only 65lbs and the other was maybe a little over 100 I don't think we got those huge tarpon like in Boca

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Fishing out of tampa you have a ton of fish that are well over 100 with fish in the 180-200+ range

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Pmckh wrote: »

Fishing out of tampa you have a ton of fish that are well over 100 with fish in the 180-200+ range

I haven't hooked into one of those yet but I'm sure I will eventually😁😁

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Tarpon20 · February 2015

Take a look at CousinsTackle.com the A1A Series was designed for fishing the west coast of Florida. Ive used every tarpon rod out there and the A1A Series GS8325 is the baddest tarpon rod around. Id get a Terramar before a Pro Blue if those were my only options,

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Tarpon20 wrote: »

Take a look at CousinsTackle.com the A1A Series was designed for fishing the west coast of Florida. Ive used every tarpon rod out there and the A1A Series GS8325 is the baddest tarpon rod around. Id get a Terramar before a Pro Blue if those were my only options,

I will definitely go check those out! Thanks for the help

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stpetebaitman · February 2015

I use the Star Stellar Light 15-30. Don't be deceived by those numbers. That is a straight meat stick and in the 50lb class range. I have 3 of them, been fishing with them for years. Great rod for bridge, plugging and deep water fishing. Not the best rod for beach fishing with small crabs IMO.

I also have the Star boat rod, the one I have is 7ft 15-40 and I snapped that rod last year yanking straight up and down on a fish in 40ft of water. Have never broken a stellar light.

mastercaster · February 2015

Don't look over the Teramars because of price, they are excellent rods especially in the heavier sizes. The 8' XH is one of the best Tarpon rods available.

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Hey guys decided to go with the St.Croix Tidemaster 7'6" 10-20lb for my snook and redfish fishing and the Tidemaster 8' 17-40lb for my tarpon fishing

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Jack Hexter · February 2015

Good choices

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Jack Hexter wrote: »

Good choices

I was gonna go with Avid but I decided to go with the Tidemaster instead I realized I didn't feel like paying $275 for a rod and the avids prices are up there too

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Tarponator · February 2015

Sorry, somehow I missed this thread....

FWIW, the Tidemaster is plenty good for tarpon -- we've caught many, many tarpon on that exact rod. It's been a mainstay on my boat for six or seven seasons, and I have two fishing buddies who have had it even longer than that. Solid rod.

In some ways, the Tidemaster can be seen as better than the Avid -- in that it's a bit thicker/tougher of a blank and will stand up better to the abuse rods take. My girlfriend's newer Avid casts a bit better than my older Tidemaster (due, I suspect, to the difference in guide type and spacing between the two), but the difference is negligible.

One you didn't buy, the Terramar, is also an excellent rod for the price -- a few friends and guides I know and trust swear by them. I briefly used the TFO last season, and it seemed pretty darn nice as well.

All that said, I don't think you'll be disappointed in your new tarpon rod, and I hope you put it to good use.

Good luck...Mike

[edited to add] I don't like that ProBlue model you mentioned for tarpon -- too light. I'm not a fan of any of the Loomis spinning rods for tarpon, to be honest. Their older rods were great (i.e. Saltwater Series), but they're not what they used to be, IMO. Loomis has some great casting and fly rods for tarpon, but their heavier spinning rods are lacking, IMO.

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Tarponator wrote: »

Sorry, somehow I missed this thread....

FWIW, the Tidemaster is plenty good for tarpon -- we've caught many, many tarpon on that exact rod. It's been a mainstay on my boat for six or seven seasons, and I have two fishing buddies who have had it even longer than that. Solid rod.

In some ways, the Tidemaster can be seen as better than the Avid -- in that it's a bit thicker/tougher of a blank and will stand up better to the abuse rods take. My girlfriend's newer Avid casts a bit better than my older Tidemaster (due, I suspect, to the difference in guide type and spacing between the two), but the difference is negligible.

One you didn't buy, the Terramar, is also an excellent rod for the price -- a few friends and guides I know and trust swear by them. I briefly used the TFO last season, and it seemed pretty darn nice as well.

All that said, I don't think you'll be disappointed in your new tarpon rod, and I hope you put it to good use.

Good luck...Mike

[edited to add] I don't like that ProBlue model you mentioned for tarpon -- too light. I'm not a fan of any of the Loomis spinning rods for tarpon, to be honest. Their older rods were great (i.e. Saltwater Series), but they're not what they used to be, IMO. Loomis has some great casting and fly rods for tarpon, but their heavier spinning rods are lacking, IMO.

Thanks Mike no worries on missing the thread I can't wait to put this Rod on some tarpon so bad I recently just hooked into my first two tarpon this past year and I was immediately hooked most fun fish to fight in my opinion and I agree with your opinion on G.Loomis I love there rods especially the Greenwaters but your right they need to make some more rods for bigger fish especially tarpon

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Pescatoral Pursuit · February 2015

Edit:

New OP

JackAttack24 · February 2015

Pescatoral Pursuit wrote: »

What makes for a good Tarpon rod, anyway?

I have done some recent upgrading to my med hvy/ hvy spin gear, and in doing so, have made some observations, and raised some questions as this one.

Recently I bought an 8' XH Teramar that has roughly the same power as my MH 8' Tidemaster, but with a faster (lighter) tip. Great. I went back to buy a 7' hvy Teramar and was very disappointed that the power was nowhere near heavy, but in my estimation a heavy medium, if you will. I was told this was the best "Tarpon" rod.

I prefer my fishing rods to be stout with a faster tip with one exception: My plug rod is medium power and medium action for the purpose of not allowing the fish to shake loose small treble hooks. Is the reference to a good tarpon rod based on the same principle? Does the fact that they are big jumpers and head shakers necessitate having a limber rod to absorb that extra stress, particularly if one is using braid? Or was this guy just trying to sell me something I wasn't interested in?

This is very interesting to know thanks

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trponhunter · March 2015

Just got a Terramar XH8 footer and used it and hooked 6 poons yesterday - all about 90 to 140lbs. Great casting rod - I'm gonna cut about 3.5 inches off of the butt as it feels a bit long. Really like it overall as casting distance was a big priority for me - but felt a little under gunned once I had some of the big boys on the end of the line.

G.Loomis pro-blue 8' 12-25LB Good Tarpon rod or not?

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