Need one rod/reel to rule them all

J

JSOutdoors

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Oct 5, 2023
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PA
I started with a TFO Black Label NXT kit in 8'6" with 5 weight. I used it for a little and thought it was too large for the small streams I go to. SO i bought a cheap maxcatch one on amazon that was 7' 3 wt. Well the line didn't go through the rods very well and the drag system was terrible. But between those two I could see how paying more helps. I just want a rod that I can use on small streams as well as medium ones like the Tulpehocken creek. I thought the 7ft one was just a little too short for where I needed to be in that water but I feel the 8-6" would be too long for the smaller streams. I don't want a collection of 10 rods I just want one nice trout rod/reel to accompany my spinning setup. THanks. TFO quality is what I am looking for.
 
Dear JSOutdoors,

I've fished plenty of small cricks with a 9 foot fly rod. Just pay attention to where you are swinging it when you cast and you'll have no problems.

On a side note, the best small stream fisherman I ever met fished a Fenwick fiberglass 8' 6" 7 weight rod with a floating level line on it. He could put his fly everywhere it needed to go quickly and accurately.

To quote Ty Webb from "Caddyshack" just "See the ball be the ball Lonnie!" ;)

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
My first good fly rod was, is, an 8 foot 6 weight Orvis Rocky Mountain Superfine that I bought in 1992 for $185. Fished both small and large streams and rivers with it. Caught a lot of fish with it. I’ve been using mostly 8 foot and 9 foot four weights but I’m going to use it this spring. Thanks for reminding me! 😁
 
IMHO the most versatile "one fly rod" is an 8 1/2 ft 5 wt.

For two rods to fish them all, I'd recommend a 9 ft 5 wt and a 7 1/2 ft 4 wt
 
You can get a tfo pro II or Fenwick Aetos on STP for $125 or less. Not sure if they have 8'-4wt, 8.5'-4wt or both options. Either should work. For where you are fishing, drag isn't a concern. Getting a decent line would be more of a concern than the reel.

You should find both of those rods as good as or better than your current one. Good luck, follow up with what you end up doing and leave a review that might help others facing the same decision.
 
The OP hasn't mentioned how much of an issue price is. If it's not too much of a factor (it always is for me) I've always been intrigued by JP Ross’ Peacemaker line. It's a 10'6" 4-5 wt. 4 pc. that can be assembled as an 8'0" 3-4 wt. 3 pc. 2 rods in one.


I've never put hands on it but I do have other JP Ross rods I've built from his blanks. Extremely impressed with his quality and CS.

If you like the idea of a convertible setup, I think Greys has a line that operates on a similar principle - a section that stows in the handle that changes the length of the rod on the stream.

A couple of one rod to rule them all options for you to consider.
 
I don't think you need 10 rods. Drama much?
I basically had two rods for a very long time. A 9ft5wt and a 7ft 3/4wt. Wasn't until I decided to try Steelhead (15-20 years ago) and salt that I got 9ft 8wt. Recently i bought a 10ft7wt. Just because it was a good deal. After 30 years. Still nowhere near 10 rods. And I'm not someone who spends lot of money on gear. If your concern is that 9ft is too big for heavy cover small stream fishing, you're right and you don't need to sell a kidney to do it. There are plenty of inexpensive outfits that will fill the need. Especially for the small stream need.
 
When I first started fly fishing in PA, the recommended arsenal for trout was an 8'6" and a 7'6" rod...

Not bucking the trend, I owned an 8'6" 6wt and a 7'6" 5wt and fished them everywhere for a really long time before replacing them with a 7'0" 4wt, an 8'0" 4wt and an 8'0" 6wt.

Bottom line, I fished those few rods for a few decades before losing my mind and buying a bunch of rods in different lengths and line weights...
 
I started with a TFO Black Label NXT kit in 8'6" with 5 weight. I used it for a little and thought it was too large for the small streams I go to. SO i bought a cheap maxcatch one on amazon that was 7' 3 wt. Well the line didn't go through the rods very well and the drag system was terrible. But between those two I could see how paying more helps. I just want a rod that I can use on small streams as well as medium ones like the Tulpehocken creek. I thought the 7ft one was just a little too short for where I needed to be in that water but I feel the 8-6" would be too long for the smaller streams. I don't want a collection of 10 rods I just want one nice trout rod/reel to accompany my spinning setup. THanks. TFO quality is what I am looking for.
If you want one rod for streams up to the size of the Tully I would recommend a 8' 6" #5. You can pretty much do nymphs, all sizes of dries, and most streamers to #2 if you slow down your casting stroke so the line fully straaightens out behind you. An 8' #5 would be fine for the nymphs & dries but I like the extra 6" for throwing streamers.
 
If I could only have one, it would be a 9' 5wt.

Two... 9' 5wt and 7'6" 3 wt

Three... 9' 5wt, 7'6" 3 wt, and 9' 7 wt

My first rod was an 8' 5/6 wt. I liked it but wanted a little more length. Not long into my fly fishing career, I decided an 8'6" 4 wt would be the perfect trout rod. I bought one and used it almost exclusively for several years. I caught a lot of fish with that rod. I was almost ten years into it before I got a 9' rod.

Starting over, I'd go straight to a 9' rod. If 9' is too long, 8'6" likely is as well.

I can vouch for the Fenwick Aetos. It's a good rod for the money.
 
Sorry, one does not exist. If you want one you already have it. If you only want one you’re going to have to compromise somewhere. I don’t think many people are concerned with drag when it comes to a 3 wt but if you can’t make concessions you’re going to need a few more rods. I’m by no means a gear junkie and take a minimalist approach yet I have 6 fly rods (3, 4, 5, 6 and two 8 wts) for trout, bass, carp, sunnies and whatever else swims near me. if I really wanted to just have one rod your 5 wt TFO would rule them all.
 
Nothing wrong with cane pole. lol GG
 
Well since I know you already have a T.F.O 9ft 5wt might I suggest you get a proper nymph rod? Sounds like you really want to pound the Tully, which is good long rod territory. Ideally, I'd nymph with an 11ft 2wt there but have since given up on the particular 11ft 2wt that I had interest in because of it being next to unavailable in the states, and I also don't know much about sourcing a rod directly from Europe, not that I need an excuse to buy a rod (just need one more for Erie haha...). I have found that 10+ ft rods are just great, they manage line tremendously well and make line control/mending easy. Sometimes you don't have to mend which is great because I suck at mending. This year I bought a 4wt 11ft and made things even easier. That rod and a 3wt 10ft rod are more go-to rods for Tully, larger central PA streams, and the Delaware. These are nymph-specific rods that are excellent for that style of fishing but I wouldn't recommend them to people wishing to fish differently on those creeks. My 3wt 10ft does tight-line only and the 4wt is for lobbing indicators and maybe doing some light streamer work. I could throw a dry on it too but it would be annoying to work with that much length.

I will say it's important to find a rod that caters to your preferred style of fishing. The one rod to rule them all philosophy is silly and the equivalent of saying that you want to use only one golf club or one choke in a shotgun for everything. Each rod model has qualities that are desirable for certain fishing applications in terms of fishing style, tactics implemented, and the water on wishes to fish. In you case I reckon the TFO will by a a good indicator tossing, a decent streamer tossing, but no so hot on light dry fly delicate presentations. Anyone who only fishes one rod most likely fishes very similar bodies of water and doesn't employ a wide variety of tactics. If someone told me one could encompass all of the fishing applications I do I'd laugh in their face.
 
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