Posted on January 02 2013
A few weeks ago Captain Greg Peterson contacted me through the T.F.M. Facebook page and passed along a few images of him putting the bend in an old Ugly Stik against a heavyweight Florida tarpon. How cool is this?
Greg wrote... "I have really been missing tarpon the last few weeks and was going through pictures. I had an epic day tarpon fishing with friend Brian Jill and with three boated beach fish already we had to do it with a Tibor Gulfstream and an Ugly Stik 10/11 weight fly rod.
One cast and this was the result after an eight minute battle. I ordered three for the crew and re-wrapped stripping guides on the rods after I was three rods down to the bridge for the year and it has come along ever since. The tennis fore grip works nicely with a straight 80 pound leader. The majority of fish never see backing!"
Don't look at that that bend and just figure wimpy stick with no control. One of the great benefits of glass is that you have incredible leverage across the entire length of the fly rod. I've seen it over and over from large trout on a four weight to brute carp on an eight weight. The ability to turn and control big fish on glass is amazing. Keeping a tarpon out of the backing and bringing him alongside the boat in less than ten minutes is certainly further proof.
Greg is waiting the arrival of his own flats boat and will be guiding soon out of the Tampa, Florida area. I am sure that this isn't the last time we'll see his exploits on fiberglass.
Greg wrote... "I have really been missing tarpon the last few weeks and was going through pictures. I had an epic day tarpon fishing with friend Brian Jill and with three boated beach fish already we had to do it with a Tibor Gulfstream and an Ugly Stik 10/11 weight fly rod.
One cast and this was the result after an eight minute battle. I ordered three for the crew and re-wrapped stripping guides on the rods after I was three rods down to the bridge for the year and it has come along ever since. The tennis fore grip works nicely with a straight 80 pound leader. The majority of fish never see backing!"
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Don't look at that that bend and just figure wimpy stick with no control. One of the great benefits of glass is that you have incredible leverage across the entire length of the fly rod. I've seen it over and over from large trout on a four weight to brute carp on an eight weight. The ability to turn and control big fish on glass is amazing. Keeping a tarpon out of the backing and bringing him alongside the boat in less than ten minutes is certainly further proof.
Greg is waiting the arrival of his own flats boat and will be guiding soon out of the Tampa, Florida area. I am sure that this isn't the last time we'll see his exploits on fiberglass.
