[ngarcia11892]

So I know the forum is for microskiffing but the only boat I've got available til my native is ready is my dads 26ft seafox. so we are planning on going offshore tomorrow out of clearwater, what rods should I bring? I usually over gear but don't wanna take too many if I can help it, would y'all go 8wt and 12wt? 8 and 10? id prefer not taking all three. and what kind of flies?

 

[ifsteve]

Well you didn't say anything about what you expect to see where you are fishing. But in general if you are going offshore then I'd take the 10 and 12. Not much use for an 8 if you are really going for offshore stuff.

Flies - big baitfish patterns

 

[sidelock]

and some poppers.

 

[mightyrime]

i just got back from an offshore trip here in california. I use mostly a 10wt with a 400g sinking line. There is a lot of current in the open ocean and the sinking lines keep your fly in the zone. For flies i really like the trey combs sea habbit pattern. But any bigger baitfish pattern will work

 

[ngarcia11892]

Well trips cancelled boats having issues, but I’m just really getting into off shore fishing I’m an inshore guy. The reason I thought 8wt is for peanuts and triple tail I was thinking 10 for big mahi and tuna and 12 for that oh shit moment

 

[Scott Kor]

Well trips cancelled boats having issues, but I’m just really getting into off shore fishing I’m an inshore guy. The reason I thought 8wt is for peanuts and triple tail I was thinking 10 for big mahi and tuna and 12 for that oh shit moment

As IFSteve said, it depends on what you are hoping to catch, but I would bring the 8 and leave the 12. You can whoop a pretty big fish on the 10 if you have to, and I just love the lighter feel of an 8. Now if I thought there was a shot at a sailfish or Marlin, leave the 10, take the 12. Tuna are fun one, maybe two times, then it starts seeming a lot like work even with a 12. I no longer seek out tuna unless I want to harvest one. Peanut mahi, or even bigger mahi are a blast on an 8 that's my favorite offshore fish of all time. Plentiful, good to eat, beautiful and they jump! Triple tail are awesome too. BTW, I have actually landed 2 tuna on an 8. I wasn't targeting them, but they showed up and I was holding an 8. I did wish I had a bigger rod, but it can be done. (however, they weren't monsters).

 

[ifsteve]

If you are going to have a shot at tuna, even blackfin will kick our butt on a 10 and give you all you can handle on a 12.

 

[lemaymiami]

Offshore... a 10wt is a light rod... I'd want a 10 and a 12 -all day long... Inshore my heavy rod most days is only a 10wt and we do a lot of fishing with just an 8wt.. The two rods I hand my anglers inshore are an 8 and a 10 -but not offshore...

That 12wt , by the way isn't as much for the size of the fish -as it is for the size of the fly you need when the wind is blowing and a 10 wt just isn't enough stick....

 

[Scott Kor]

Offshore... a 10wt is a light rod... I'd want a 10 and a 12 -all day long... Inshore my heavy rod most days is only a 10wt and we do a lot of fishing with just an 8wt.. The two rods I hand my anglers inshore are an 8 and a 10 -but not offshore...

That 12wt , by the way isn't as much for the size of the fish -as it is for the size of the fly you need when the wind is blowing and a 10 wt just isn't enough stick....

OK this makes sense, I may have to to revise my thinking. Ha ha

 

[Andrew Jones]

I would make room to take all 3! Shouldn't have a problem squeezing in 1 more rod and reel. You will regret it if you don't.

 

[fishnpreacher]

As IFSteve said, it depends on what you are hoping to catch, but I would bring the 8 and leave the 12. You can whoop a pretty big fish on the 10 if you have to, and I just love the lighter feel of an 8. Now if I thought there was a shot at a sailfish or Marlin, leave the 10, take the 12. Tuna are fun one, maybe two times, then it starts seeming a lot like work even with a 12. I no longer seek out tuna unless I want to harvest one. Peanut mahi, or even bigger mahi are a blast on an 8 that's my favorite offshore fish of all time. Plentiful, good to eat, beautiful and they jump! Triple tail are awesome too. BTW, I have actually landed 2 tuna on an 8. I wasn't targeting them, but they showed up and I was holding an 8. I did wish I had a bigger rod, but it can be done. (however, they weren't monsters).

I'm not an off shore expert by any means, but this has been my thinking while reading thru the responses. The 8 for mahi, ttail, other manageables. Then use the 12 for unseens, and larger targets

 

[ngarcia11892]

Yea I think ima try to make room for all 3 we need more rod holders on the boat my dad says 14 is enough...but when you take into account fly rods, jigging rods, bottom rods, trolling, pitch/flat line...I think we need more

 

[permitchaser]

Since your not going I don't have anything to say. But if you where going. I'd listen to the ones saying 10/12. And bait flys but dont forget squid flys

 

[FlyBy]

I fished offshore Friday and Saturday. I had one six wt, two 8's, two 9's and one 12 wt. At a different time of the year or other conditions I'll swap the 6 for another 12.

 

[Scott Kor]

I fished offshore Friday and Saturday. I had one six wt, two 8's, two 9's and one 12 wt. At a different time of the year or other conditions I'll swap the 6 for another 12.

Just curious, what did you use the most on that trip? (and what did you catch?)

 

[FlyBy]

Just curious, what did you use the most on that trip? (and what did you catch?)

Unfortunately I didn't catch anything. Not the first time. I used the 6 to cast to breaking spanish mackerel on Friday. They were so boat-shy I couldn't get close enough to get a fly in them, even drifting and letting them come to the boat.
Saturday I ran offshore to my first spot about 15 miles out, saw 1 school of spanish on the way but by the time I got the fly rod out they went under and didn't come back up. Moved to another spot 32 miles off and had barracuda and kings come to the boat but couldn't get an eat. I had a squid fly on the 12 and threw it at the cuda and kings. Didn't find the AJ's, cobia or dolphin I was looking for. Back in to 22 miles, nothing there, hit two AR's on the way in, nothing. Ocean was mirror slick which probably didn't help. Had a friend at the first stop, called on the radio for me to call his cell. He was maybe half a mile away and a sail had free-jumped six times in front of him. Had to get back early to switch boats for a tide at 6, saw three tailers but I wasn't fishing, just showing them to a friend who had never seen any.
I'm used to being skunked, it happens when you're sight-fishing with a fly. Next trip will be epic. (I hope).

 

[Scott Kor]

Unfortunately I didn't catch anything. Not the first time. I used the 6 to cast to breaking spanish mackerel on Friday. They were so boat-shy I couldn't get close enough to get a fly in them, even drifting and letting them come to the boat.
Saturday I ran offshore to my first spot about 15 miles out, saw 1 school of spanish on the way but by the time I got the fly rod out they went under and didn't come back up. Moved to another spot 32 miles off and had barracuda and kings come to the boat but couldn't get an eat. I had a squid fly on the 12 and threw it at the cuda and kings. Didn't find the AJ's, cobia or dolphin I was looking for. Back in to 22 miles, nothing there, hit two AR's on the way in, nothing. Ocean was mirror slick which probably didn't help. Had a friend at the first stop, called on the radio for me to call his cell. He was maybe half a mile away and a sail had free-jumped six times in front of him. Had to get back early to switch boats for a tide at 6, saw three tailers but I wasn't fishing, just showing them to a friend who had never seen any.
I'm used to being skunked, it happens when you're sight-fishing with a fly. Next trip will be epic. (I hope).

Thanks for the report. I'm still envious. Would have loved to see the sail.

 

[FlyBy]

Thanks for the report. I'm still envious. Would have loved to see the sail.

They come in close in July.

 

[Shallow Expectations]

A 10wt is perfect for offshore here in FL. I can get away with my 8wt if just using it on bonito, kingfish, mahi or cobia but i'd rather have the 10 in case a very large verison of one of those shows up. I do bring my 12wt offshore too but I have very heavy, fast sinking line on it. I'll send a clouser to bottom in 60ft and just hold on for whatever may bite. As for flies any baitfish pattern will do but I like large surf candies, eat me flies, and clousers.

 

[jay.bush1434]

I fish beachfront and offshore all the time. I take my 8wt with WFF line, 9wt with sink tip and 330gr full sink, and my 12wt with WFF tuna taper and 600gr full sink. I can cover just about any fish and get down about 40-50’ with my dredging flies and the 600gr line. I don’t really like using the 12wt but no telling what is going to eat when I’m fishing the oil rigs so I just go big. Having spare spools has really allowed me to quickly change out line types and cover as much water column as possible. If I had to choose 2 set ups, it would be an 8 and a 10 with a spare spools of full sink line for the 10.