I have never cast the 8136, and I own the 7141.
The 7141 excels at bringing tips out of the water with either the MS7/8 and tips including the Tip Compensator. It does well with the GS7/8 and tips, however, you know that you have been casting it after a few hours.
Yesterday, I tried the 7141 on the Ocean and parts of Bodega Bay. I had read about the 7141's ability to cast single handed deepwater lines with the overhand cast on Dan Blanton's board.
So I tried my favorite deep water line, the Rio Striper 26' DC 350 Grain line in the inlet of Bodega Bay on the rocks. The wind was from the North from 30 to 40 mph. I was able to roll cast it from the rocks due west about 40 to 60'. As with Meiser's Ocean, rod I could do a double or single spey after I set the line up on the retrieve. I had a small crowd watching this fun. I was not able to overhand cast.
Then, I moved over to the beach with the wind quartering behind me, and I was able to do an overhand cast for most of the running line with a size 4/0 Gummy Minnow. I roll cast the head with about 10 to 15' of running line to set up the overhand cast and shot most of the running line out my semi crippled overhand casts.
Next, I went to my new Rio Striper Versi-Tip Line with the 26' DC heads. I went to the 450 grain, and the 7146 preformed very well with this line and head combo. It not only shot the running line, on many casts it pulled off a few feet off the spool. It was easier to cast with the 250 grain head, but the wind messed with the lower weight on my back cast and my forward cast. I will have my son make me a 26' T14 head to try with this rod and line combo.
Yesterday, I had 4 single handed fly casters, who left their rods in their trucks/cars due to the high winds, come up to me during and after my casting to find out what rod I was using and what lines.
Summary: If you want a winter steelhead rod or a mid size surf/coastal rod, the 7141 with the Striper DC line or Striper DC Versi Tip, the 7141 might be the ticket. The rod performs well with the MS 7/8 with tips and the G/S 7/8 with tips.
It is a heavy rod and when balanced with a reel and some heavy line, you will know that you are casting a heavy rod. However, its ability to rip tips out of a river or an ocean and get them out where the fish are, is excellent. The small diameters of the rod at its butt and the tip combined with its stiffness enables me to cut through the wind with minimal effort versus a rod with larger diameters and more flexibility.
The 7141's factory handle grip/cork was big even for my X-large hands. Bob Meiser made the grip smaller in diameter, easier to handle and more aerodynamic. If you are interested in a 7141, have Meise build you one to make sure the grip fits you.