You're dead right on shallow water. I've fished 130lb and been wasted almost immediately by big fish. I've found the key to this is the first couple of seconds after hookup. You need to get stuck right into the fish to see if you can disorient it a little. Of course, this doesn't always work! On the smalle fish, you tend to be able to shock them enough to ive you an opportunity to pour it on but with the bigger fish, shocking them sometimes just makes them angry!
The funny thing is notwithstanding you know how dangerous it is in shallow water, you can't resist it, can you! I've cast into spots before knowing that if I hook up, I'm dead! I pulled out a fish about 25kgs from the shallowest water I have ever caught a GT at Bugatti but it came about from a bad cast where I ended up casting the popper onto the coral flats area instead of the drop-off. I hooked the fish in something like 3 feet of water.
I don't tend to have as much trouble with red bass or coral trout because of the poundage of line I use where I can usually just exert enough pressure to drag them out.
From clean water, you've got a much better chance and even with the poundage of line you use, you have a very good chance on a big fish. Once you get a 10000, you'll be able to really load up on the poundage of line you use. You may find it useful to pick up a 16000 sized spool if you want to fish PE10.
Boy, you're going to really make us envious once you get rigged up on the heavy tackle. I think you and Sachin are about the only guys on the forum who have access to GTs in your backyard.
The Calstars are very good. If you're looking for a heavy rod to go with your 10000, Luke has one going cheap!! The Japanese rods are a completely different kettle of fish and from some of the manufacturers like Carpenter, can be very specialised for particular applications Like the SP-78UHL (chuggers - big!) or TBL711 (Stickbaits). It really is a matter of personal choice. Each of these rods will do what it is specially designed for better than your Calstar but on the other hand, your Calstar will handle a range of applications far better than any of these!
Brandon, in the shallow stuff I totally agree with you. I get very nervous casting around shallow (6ft - 15ft) bommies these days. Trouble with such shallow water is the fish doesn't need to take line to brick you. They just swim down! Bloody Red Bass are the worst offfenders.
Most of my fish lately though have been coming out of relatively clean water, anything up to 70ft. I haven't been bricked by one at all in that depth even though a 10kg fish can pull plenty of string on PE6 - they just don't seem to be as attracted to the bottom in the deeper water. Admittedly though, I'm yet to hook a real beast so can't comment on that at the moment.
Anyway, going to hang a 10000 with PE8 on the Calstar shortly, I don't think fishing max drag on the 8000 is going to do it much good in the long run!
