PA trout stream rod ?

[ratgunner]

Like most here I got way too many rods collected over the years. I got rods from 6' to 9' and 2wt to 8 wt. So lets say you were having your dream rod built. What length, line wt. and action would you have ? No need to mention brand names here,just the stats on your all-around PA average trout stream rod ?

 

[ratgunner]

For me I'm thinking 8' 5 wt. med/fast.

 

[bikerfish]

yeah, an 8ft 5wt is a very versatile rod.

 

[bam]

I'd have to say 9' 5 wt, fast action if I lived closer to central PA, but around here in SE PA it'd be a 9' 4wt med fast

 

[sundrunk]

8'6" 4wt bamboo, quad..3 piece

 

[jdaddy]

I have my dream rod. 9' 4wt.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear ratgunner,

How sage of you to suggest we don't mention brands out of respect for personal likes so I'll just say 490-4, anything less is just a car. ;-)

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[ratgunner]

LOL, hey if you want to mention brands and models go ahead. I just said there is no need to.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

My 7'9" 4 weight Tfo finesse has seemed to work for me from the smallest streams on up to the The Susquehanna River.

I think for an all purpose rod that covers all situations including larger streams, the longer 8'9" 4 weight Tfo would be just perfect. I would just have to get used to using it on smaller streams.

 

[jdaddy]

That's six votes for 8-9' 4 wts! Still waiting for the 5wt masses to come in.

Hey, this thread could use a poll.

 

[Wildfish]

When I first started I went to Cabelas and got a cheap combo. I wanted a 8.5' 5w--the "standard" as far as the internet told me. They only had an 8' left. After years of use I've finally bought a few more, but for SE/NE PA the 8' 5w is perfect. Easier to walk through the woods than a 9', able to toss midges to hoppers, and can false cast on bigger water but still high stick when necessary.

 

[gfen]

Oh, I just noticed the actual post says if I were having it built, I assumed you meant if you were telling someone else to buy it.

7'6" to 8'6" 1wt. I think an 8' would be ideal, but then I wouldn't know til I tried all three.

If someoen else were buying it, 8-8'6" 4wt.

 

[PennKev]

Fast action 9' 4wt. Best balance of utility and pleasure of use. This setup gets most of the action for my mid to large stream trout fishing.

The most useful all-round would probably be a 9' 6wt but it is not as much fun to use when not throwing streamers or nymph rigs on the heavier end of the spectrum.

Kev

 

[Lonewolve]

I don't think one rod does it all IMo,becuase Pennsylvania has a vast number of situations and water sizes to deal with. I prefer 7'6" or 7" 4/5 for smaller to mid size water. For nymphing/soft hackles and wets/as well as dries on big rivers or mid size streams with more wind and open canopies its a 10' or 11' rod.
So right now for me its Hexagraph 7'6" 4/5,or my first rod a Cortland 7'6" 5 wt on small to mid size water,and on bigger water i use a Cortland Brook 10'4wt although i plan on getting the 5wt 10 footer before trout season,also my Lamiglas 10' 6 wt or redington 11' 6/7 wt for nymphing ,softhackles and wets,streamers,Czech Nymph or Euronymphing,and of course the scrappy smallmouth.
One rod will never get by in my house i have been to the under gunned or wrong gun situation and have corrected that now.Try highstick nymphing out on Spring Creek with Dave Rothrock,and using a 7'6" 5 wt then try a 9 'er .You find out real quick what works and what cause a lot of grief.I prefer to keep my life sans Murphy,no offense tim if you read this im speaking of Murphy's law ok.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

 

[jayL]

9' 5wt. Fast action. No brainer, IMO.

4wt absolutely cannot do what I need it to do in too many situations. YMobviouslyV

 

[JoeE]

My all around rod is a 7'6" 5 wt (if I have no idea what I'm getting myself into), The more I cast and build Quads (I agree with Sundrunk I'm liking Quads) But I'll say an 8' 4 wt.

Joe E

 

[afishinado]

jayL wrote:
9' 5wt. Fast action. No brainer, IMO.

4wt absolutely cannot do what I need it to do in too many situations. YMobviouslyV

Yup, me too. If I were had to fish only one rod for PA trout streams, it would be a 9' 5wt fast-action rod. I can do just about every I need to do with it to catch fish.

BUT not everyone is the same with respect to rod action preference (slow vs fast) and length. Also the methods you use to fish most often and the streams you choose to fish most often may change the type of rod that' best for you.

 

[sundrunk]

Afish,

Agree

There is plenty of need for a 9' 5wt, fast action rod, in many situations. Back east I prefer a softer action rod for the kind of fishing I get into, but that is just me. Rod lenth and action preference are very circumstancle imo. There really isn't a one rod solution out there.

After I get my 8'6" quad I'll probaly want some thing else, haha!


Just like pete always says, "dry fly fisherman catch small trout"
Thats why I like softer action rods: they give all of thoughs small trout, the feel, of a harder fight, ha!

 

[pete41]

Only when I am needling Jm-my biggest Pa.fish were on dries[before steelhead].I hooked the biggest Pa. trout I ever saw at the paradise on a 22 letort cinn.ant-using a 5 foot bamboo and about a 2 wt. line-VERY short fight.

 

[sandfly]

8'6" 5 wt. can take trout and bass, along with panfish, carp, shad, even steelhead..