Why PM? I personally would like your input.
I did that because I tend to rant on. Beweav is probably still trying to decipher my incoherant ramblings.
I might be able to sum up my thinking.
When I said many factors went into picking a redfish rod the factors are what state, where in that state, water conditions and fishing pressure.
For example, LA was mentioned. LA has notoriously dumb redfish found in muddy, deeper, water. You can get away with big flies and heavy line weights. In FL you're fishing in clearer, lower, water. Basically spookier fish. I assumed "the gulf" meant west coast of FL. That's a clear water fishery seeing an increase in fishing pressure due to last year's redfish regulations change.
Many have recommended a rod weight to land the fish.
I'm interested in a rod weight to feed that fish. I can't land that fish if I can't feed it first. [If you seen the fish I posted in the "best of the year" thread the black drum, and redfish (3 and 4) were both landed on a 691]
So in sight fishing think of the fly line weight the same as tippet size for trout. That pressure change on the water of the heavier line hitting spooks the finicky fish, so like dropping tippet on a tippet shy trout, I change line size.
Those rods are already throwing bonefish tapers and 15' leaders.
That's why I said the old standard was an 8wt but I'm seeing it trend lighter, to where I rarely pick up my 8wt anymore. That's just my observations with my feet on the casting platform and in the sand.
That's again why I mentioned the 790 Scott Sector. That rod with a Tibor Everglades is the best do-it-all rod I've found.
Now you could say "throw a 7wt line on an 8wt" but when I'm using a fast 8wt to begin with I will rock the boat (literally) trying to get that rod to load with the lighter line and no feel. Those pressure waves from the boat rocking send the fish away before the line hits the water.
