Favorite trout rod.

Wulff

Wulff

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Joined
Jul 20, 2011
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103
I'm curious what rod (length, weight, make, model) everyone considers their favorite. I know different specs are more useful on different streams under different conditions, but I know we all have that one favorite.

Mine would be my 8' 5 weight J.D. Wagner bamboo.
 
9ft 5wt loomis gl3 is still my favorite of all time. Need to get another one of them.
 
8' 6" 5 wt med fast action, currently using a St Croix Legend Ultra. Learned on a Diamondback Americana 8' 6" 5 wt and that type of configuration is still the most comfortable for me
 
If I could only keep one "favorite", it would be my Orvis Golden Eagle 7' 5wt that was handed down to me by my father when I was about 5 years old. It's the first rod of any type I ever caught a fish on and I still like to air it out once or twice a year. That's a sentimental favorite though.

For actual fishing time, I split most of my time between two favorites, an Orvis Battenkill bamboo 7.5' rated for a 6, but better with a 5wt and an Orvis Spring-creek graphite 9'3" 5 wt that's really a 4wt.

Sorry, I can't pick just one.

FWIW, my favorite reel is, hands down, my CFO IV.
 
The bulk of my fishing is done - on mid to large size streams - with an 8'6" 4 wght orvis HLS rod with a battenkill reel.

However, for smaller streams - I use a 7'9" 2 wght loomis IMX with a CFO reel. And it's really sweet. My favorite for sure.
 
However, for smaller streams - I use a 7'9" 2 wght loomis IMX with a CFO reel. And it's really sweet. My favorite for sure.

Now that sounds like a nice rod!
 
My favorite for all-around use is my Sage "SLT" 9ft. 5wt. 5 piece with a Sage 2550 reel. For smaller streams my favorite is my Sage "TXL" 7ft. 4wt. 3 piece with a Sage 3200 reel. I have other rods but these two get alot of use.
 
7' 3 wt. sage txl with hardy flyweight reel. Can cast all day long and still have some shoulder left with that setup.
 
St. Croix LU 7'9" 3wt is my favorite, but the LU 8'6" 4wt gets more use.

peace-tony c.
 
Since I fish small to medium streams most of the time, im gonna go with my mcfarland yellow glass 7'6" 3 piece 4wt.
 
Mine is St. Croix Custom that I built (twice becasue my wife ran over it). 9' 5wt. with a jade wood reel seat and that canteen green blank looks good.

Although I built a rod for Hilles and when the busines changed hands 5 years ago I bought it and have never fished it. So I guess I cherish that rod too.
 
Hands down my 8' 4 wt Ben Turpin custom superfine rod. Small enough to fish smaller streams, and at the same time can fish large limestoners.
 
It's seasonal, talk to me in the summer and its my 9ft echo ion 10wt. And right now I'm in love with the 9ft 7wt. lamiglass g1000. I built. I'm on a good run in eriie with that rod.
 
Without question my 7.5 ft 4 wt bamboo that I built this summer. It seems to cast itself, but I'm a bit biased.
 
redington pursuit 8ft 4wt in PA
redington sv 9' 5wt spooled with 6wt line in Idaho
 
redington pursuit 8ft 4wt in PA
redington sv 9' 5wt spooled with 6wt line in Idaho
 
Any length that is 4wt for the condition I'm fishing.
 
The rod I reach for more than any other in the quiver when fishing for trout on smaller spring creeks is my 486-4 Sage ZXL, which I've now paired with an Abel Pt.5 - previously paired with a Galvan 3.0 Standard. I fish it with Airflow Ridgeline Tactical Trout. Fantastic set up.

If I'm fishing similar streams, but flow is very clear, and the nymphs or dries are small, and the wind is low... I fish my Loop Opti Creek 388-4 with a Loop Opti Creek reel spooled with Rio Gold WF 3. This is my true favorite trout rod for small/medium stream trout in the 14" and under class. An absolute pleasure to fish.

If I'm fishing a larger creek/river, I reach for the Sage Z-Axis 490-4 for nymphs and dries loaded with SA GPX WF4 wt. line carried on my Galvan Standard 3.0. Fabulous rod for larger water.

If I'm fishing a larger creek/river and have a stiff breeze or am streamer fishing or throwing larger nymphs/indie fishing I reach for the Z-Axis 590-4 with SA Textured GPX carried by an Abel Super 4. This set up is big time and I can pound out three nymph rigs on CO rivers or throw big bugs into the wind as needed.

Can't just pick one favorite... but for pure pleasure on spring creeks - I have to go to that Loop. It's a bast, the rod is fast enough but super soft with the 8'8" length, the reel is hot knife through butter smooth protecting even the finest of tippets with that Loop reel.
 
I have a couple favorites depending on the type of water I will be fishing. For larger water, where I can open it up, I love my 9' 5 wt. Scott A3 (4 piece) lined with WF5F Rio Gold held on a Lamson Guru 2.0.

For smaller creeks I usually grab my 7'6" 4 wt. Sage VPS (4 piece) lined with WF4F Rio Gold on a Lamson Guru 1.5.

I use other lighter weight rods if I know I will be catching 5 inch fish all day, but always come back to these two. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Sage.
 
Small to medium: 6'6" Trout Bum in 4 wt. just so much fun I reach for it even when it does not make sense.
Large: Orvis Hydros 9' 5 wt
 
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