Mid price and up

DomR said:
I haven't bought a graphite rod since 1995, at that time it was a low-end GLoomis Venture. Nice 8' 5wt handled everything I needed it to do, paid the princely sum of $195. Rod design was the same taper as the upper models but with less expensive hardware. The fish didn't care. On a few guide trips I've fished the guides low end Orvis rods, they were fine as well throwing dries and droppers on a medium sized creek.

Between it and a few other Orvis rods I doubt highly I'll ever buy another graphite rod for trout or bass.

Now BAMBOO....that's a whole different addiction! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Rediscovering graphite and later "discovering" fiberglass after decades of fishing nothing BUT bamboo is how I hit the lottery in regards to former "high end" graphite & glass rods.

My trip back fortunately started at my buddy's fly shop where I tried out and immediately purchased a Winston Tom Morgan Favorite. That led to the Winston DL4 series, probably the absolute sweetest rods, I ever cast or fished that HAPPEN to be graphite and later the Winston Retro fiberglass rods.

All were discontinued after only a few years, but they still command prices on the used market well in excess of what I paid in the early 2000's which makes me feel like a (lucky-a$$) genius... 😉

However, I much prefer graphite for warmwater, conventional & fly fishing. However, in the last several years I have bought and started fishing with bamboo spinning & casting rods which is whole other kick...
 
DomR said:
I haven't bought a graphite rod since 1995, at that time it was a low-end GLoomis Venture. Nice 8' 5wt handled everything I needed it to do, paid the princely sum of $195. Rod design was the same taper as the upper models but with less expensive hardware. The fish didn't care. On a few guide trips I've fished the guides low end Orvis rods, they were fine as well throwing dries and droppers on a medium sized creek.

Between it and a few other Orvis rods I doubt highly I'll ever buy another graphite rod for trout or bass.

Now BAMBOO....that's a whole different addiction! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I picked up a W&M Grainger Aristocrat 8642 over the winter that I am pumped about using this season. It's my second bamboo rod, my first is a 8.6" Heddon #14.
 
Kms said:
If you go a bit older there are many good rods for not much $$. Over the past year I’ve picked up a raft of barely used, late 60s and early 70s, 6 to 8.5ft, fenwick and browning/silaflex fiberglass rods for around or under (some well under) $100 each. These weren’t top dogs, but they’re very nice and not so dear that I’d be too upset if I wrecked or lost one.
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Fenwick & Silaflex fiberglass WERE pretty top dog in their day and @ $100 each, they appreciated in value which goes to prove their value.

If you love them and wreck one, you may end up being more upset than you think... 😉
 
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jifigz said:
As I said, I am going to be picking up a new rod soon. Does FFP still allow lawn casting? I haven't been in there as much as I used to be, and I have always like Dennis, but I don't like the shop as much as I used to, either, when Steven ran it.
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I can't see why they would say no. They don't carry as many brands as they used to. Orris and TFO.
they stopped carrying SAGE because I believe that SAGE (and others companies started) a "preferred vendor" program that make it hard for small shops to carry them. Also, when they change out models so frequently shops have to sell at a steep discount really cut into profit margins.
 
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wildtrout2 said:
I still have a 1974ish Browning Silaflex 2pc 8.5' 5wt. Only fished it a couple times.
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I had a behemoth of Silaflex (9'0" 8wt) I bought for a song a gazillion years ago as NOS (from Eyler's) that I pared with a big-a$$ Medalist to fish in the salt.

My total catches were one snapper bluefish caught off a fishing pier in Virginia Beach (the locals wanted to kill me) and one seagull accidentally snagged on a forward cast because my buddies were pissing me off by feeding them bread...

Realizing my ineptitude as a saltwater fly fisherman, years later I sold the combo...

AT a profit...!!
 
If the economy shits the bed a lot of the current fly rods/fly fishing goods will be on sale for at least 25-30% off. Look at the Great Recession boy there was some great deals to be found then.
 
CRB said:
If the economy shits the bed a lot of the current fly rods/fly fishing goods will be on sale for at least 25-30% off. Look at the Great Recession boy there was some great deals to be found then.
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Time to start looking this weekend!
 
CRB said:
If the economy shits the bed a lot of the current fly rods/fly fishing goods will be on sale for at least 25-30% off. Look at the Great Recession boy there was some great deals to be found then.
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I beg to differ, since the economy is $hitting the bed as I type this. The Dow is down over 6000 points since last year! That won't be recouped any time soon. Not that the two are necessarily tied together. But, today I bought a pair of Orvis (Vietnam) Ultralight Convertable waders that were $300 last year, today I paid $379. You do the math. We can all speculate the reason for a roughly 30% increase in cost, but I think I know why. 😉

Hold onto your boot straps! (pun intended)
 
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Kms said:
I didn’t think they made anything that long in 5wt. What model is that?
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I stand corrected on two counts, since it's been quite some time since I've taken it out of it's tube. It's actually an 8' 6-7wt rod. My apologies.
 

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wildtrout2 said:
I beg to differ, since the economy is $hitting the bed as I type this. The Dow is down over 6000 points since last year! That won't be recouped any time soon. Not that the two are necessarily tied together. But, today I bought a pair of Orvis (Vietnam) Ultralight Convertable waders that were $300 last year, today I paid $379. You do the math. We can all speculate the reason for a roughly 30% increase in cost, but I think I know why. 😉

Hold onto your boot straps! (pun intended)
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You should have waited to buy those waders...


Knee Jerk Reaction.jpeg
 
Bamboozle said:
????

You blame the tariffs (which won't take effect for 30 days) for a $379 price tag, but don't think a potential LACK lack of tariffs may have the price go back to $300...??

There is this bridge I have for sale...
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Tariffs are in effect in many places as we speak. Prices ain't gonna go down, that's for sure.
Where's that bridge located?
 
wildtrout2 said:
Tariffs are in effect in many places as we speak. Prices ain't gonna go down, that's for sure.
Where's that bridge located?
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Maybe if you bought waders made in the USA, tariffs, real or imagined it would be a non-issue... 🙄

As for me, I go to bed a lot happier knowing someone on Bozeman, Montana has a job versus someone in Saigon, and I am will to pay the price for that better night's sleep...
 
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nymphingmaniac said:
I can't see why they would say no. They don't carry as many brands as they used to. Orris and TFO.
they stopped carrying SAGE because I believe that SAGE (and others companies started) a "preferred vendor" program that make it hard for small shops to carry them. Also, when they change out models so frequently shops have to sell at a steep discount really cut into profit margins.
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Do they carry TFO? I hope so. They didn't come up as a listed dealer on the TFO website. TFO pro 3 is what I'm probably buying in 8 weight for my new bass rod.
 
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