Rod Preference Poll

[afishinado]

No offense, but I sometimes roll my eyes when I read about the how many have a love affair with some of their older rods.

While there were some good rods made back-in-the-day I generally find them to be rather "clunky" to cast and fish when compared to many of the newer lightweight graphite models now available.

I began FFing a long time ago when fiberglass rods were your only choice (boo aside), but when graphite rods were introduced I was an early adopter and never looked back.

I find some of the newest graphite rods a leap forward for casting and fishing (c'mon, not all new rods are tomato sticks, there are many great lightweight moderate action rods now being built along with rocket launcher rods if that's what you need.).

I do find boo rods to be beautiful creations, but aesthetics aside, I have no desire to actually go out and fish one, classic or newly built.

BTW, the poll I created asks for rod "preference" and not necessary what you can afford or currently own and fish, in other words the rod type you would like to fish most.

 

[pcray1231]

When it comes to what I cast with/fish with the best, I like rocket launchers.

That said, all in all I find a "love affair" with any rod to be a little ridiculous. I don't honestly think there's a heck of a lot of difference! I have a heavy bamboo rod, modern fast graphite, etc. I've cast glass and soft action rods and power rods. Can I tell a difference when I cast em? Sure. And I can cast them side by side and say, ooh, I like that one, I don't like that.

That's while casting. With my focus on the rod itself and how it casts.

On a stream, I'm not focusing on how the rod casts at all. I may focus on what type of cast is needed for a given situation. But I can make about any rod do any of them just fine. I actually fly casted an ugly stick before and thought it'd work just fine. I don't think about the rod itself, like at all, on the water. Sometimes have to check at the end of the day which rod I actually took. And I almost never think "I woulda caught more fish if I had taken ____."

The only exception might be on small brushy streams, a rod that is too long will be a pain and remind you all day that it's too long, but that's while walking, not fishing.

I do however, notice if my waders are uncomfortable or leaky, how good traction my boots have, if I wish I had brought my lighter or darker sunglasses, if my hands are ears are getting cold and I wish I had the right hat/gloves, if my floatant ain't working, or if my flies are falling apart on me or not floating.

 

[phiendWMD]

The 2 rods I take most often are both new glass. I've never really considered it until now, but I seek out water where these rods will perform best.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Overall I prefer modern graphite as the response time and and light feel of the rod are virtually unparalleled, modern tech at work.

 

[salmo]

My old Sage rod is my go to, maybe because I have fished it so much. I can feel the memories every time I pick it up.

 

[falcon]

I have been fishing Epic and Taylor rods lately. Relatively reasonable price wise when you catch a sale. Excellent rods.

 

[fishboy71]

My old Sage rod is my go to, maybe because I have fished it so much. I can feel the memories every time I pick it up.

I also love my old sage VT2. I prefer the medium fast action over the newer graphites of today that are fast action.

 

[Bamboozle]

Most of my rods (bamboo, graphite & glass) are older (10 years+), mainly because I am satisfied with what I have and in all honestly, almost nothing in the "latest & greatest" category in any material interests me for one reason or another.

My trout rod action preference is definitely NOT fast, faster, fastest so all of my trout rods are moderate to slow(er). If I had to pick a favorite, it's easy because I like them all however, I still enjoy bamboo the most with all but a few of my bamboo rods 20 years or older.

For warmwater, I like fast graphite however the newest rod I own is a Winston BIImx which was discontinued 10+ years ago.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I have been fishing Epic and Taylor rods lately. Relatively reasonable price wise when you catch a sale. Excellent rods.

I second Epic. I have a glass 4wt 7'6" that is one phenomenal rod. I used to overline it with SA Anadro 5W-F. That thing was a roll-casting machine. I could clear most creeks with it. On one of its first outings I was really blown away by its sensitivity. I could feel 2 inch minnows on it! It can also throw dries quite effectively. With that kind of rod you line it with the style of how you wanna fish. It accepts a wide variety of lines. Sadly I decommissioned the rod with the advent of buying my Hardy Ultralight SR in a 3wt 7ft configuration, which is the best creeking rod I now possess. I still think back to the days of battling it out with Mr. Trout with the Epic, good times. I do plan to keep the rod as it is my only functional glass rod, I broke my grandfather's Heddon Pal Pro weight 5wt 7 foot by storing it improperly (basically just threw it into my car without a case). It was brittle and old.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I would like to rephrase what I said earlier about only liking fast graphite. For me it also depends on what mood I'm in. Sometimes I wanna fish a rod that is just fun to fish with, like the Epic I had mentioned above. For me I just try to pair the rod with the water I am fishing and the style I wish to implement. All of my 20 something rods are graphite, with the exception of the Epic. Someday I would like to add a Barclay 3wt 6'9" glass rod.

Overall I just think (my opinion) that graphite rods are better for most applications, like nymphing. They generate tremendous line speed and the speed of their inherent flex profile helps stabilize loops at long range. I mostly fish graphite. I don't necessarily believe that I have to have the latest and greatest as I think there is some marketing BS but there is also some truth in what these rod companies are making and saying, otherwise people wouldn't be coughing up the $1,000+ to get a new rod. Most of my rods are present to about 10 years ago in terms of when they were made. I also have an old Winston LT 4wt that I believe is dated around the early 2000s.

However, when it comes to creeking the game changes entirely. I actually prefer glass, and this all comes from a rod test at Orvis with their new Superfine glass 2wt 6'6". I lawn casted it and was blown away by the rod (I will type a separate review of that on here or on another fly fishing forum). Needless to say I fell in love with that rod and will have one in the quiver by the end of the year. Glass just puts the line down more gently, avoiding the spooking of fish. I overline my graphite rods and they tend to just spit the line out without a care for how it lands, or maybe that is just something I need to tweak in my casting stroke.

Here is my latest acquisition;

SAGE ONE 1wt 8'2". A surgically accurate dry or dry dropper rod. I will be employing this on small creeks where tossing bushy dry dropper rigs are the go-to (think wild brown and native brooky habitats). The rod has insane line speed and accuracy. I still haven't figured out the line for it yet, but I am working on getting it dialed in.

 

[scs]

I’ll take my dad’s ‘60s glass rod out once in awhile. Though it works, it reminds me how much I prefer graphite.

Steve

 

[Swattie87]

I like my rods like I like my politicians. Middle of the road. (Both are getting harder to find.) I voted older graphite for the thread, though only one rod I own right now probably fits that age range.

Classic med/fast graphite for me. And relatively inexpensive, under $300 or so. I wanna be able to beat on it, and not treat it like a tube princess.

As far as length goes…Longer is better, except when it’s not. 🧐

 

[troutbert]

How do you get a chance to cast all these rods? I guess you have to go to those big fly fishing shows every year and cast different fly rods all day.

I started out with a Fenwick glass rod. I've cast them again in more recent times, and they are OK, but graphite rods cast much better, IMHO.

I won a Sage RPL+ in the 1990s at a TU raffle and liked that rod a lot, but I lost it.

I've cast some rods that were way too stiff at their rated line weights. One was a Loomis, one was an Orvis, and both were high priced. People often overline these rods, but IMHO a rod should cast well with its rated line, or it's just a badly designed rod.

The rod that I liked casting the best was a friend's Loomis Trilogy. It casts with good feel on short casts, and on long casts it's a rocket launcher. It's perfection.

What I'd like to find is a rod with similar action for under $200.

 

[Drifly]

Really depends on what type of fishing I’m doing, if I’m nymphing the lightness and feel of some newer graphite is superior and doesn’t wear this old arm out fishing it all day. Dry fly fishing there is nothing at all like the feel of those big head shakes on a bamboo rod and I’m particularly fond of square rods rather than hex shaped.

 

[falcon]

The Epic rods I fish are graphite. The 590G and 690G both Reference Models. These rods retail for about 300.00 less than the same rod called the Studio Version (the semi customable New Zealand version rod with choice of reel seat / grip etc). All Epic rod blanks (proprietary tapers) are rolled in S Korea probably in the same high tech factory as Douglas, Hardy and others. Reference models and Studio models are the same blank. The tapers are designed by Carl McNeil who is a excellent caster, fisherman and talented taper designer. I got the 590G for 555.00 with the 20% sale the 690G was 630.00 with the 10% sale. Shipping was free, no tax and arrived at my door in 8 day from NZ.. My only charge was a International transfer fee that my credit card charged me which was about 12 bucks. The Epic 590G gets you Loomis Asquith performance at half the price. I fish the 5wt Asquith and the only difference is that it has a touch more lower taper reserves than the 590G at 70 feet. The fit and finish are top rate and the cork is flawless.

Epic has 10% or even 20% sales quite frequently.

Epic's glass rods are top rated and you can even buy the build kit at a better price. I will be looking into glass in the near future.

1000.00 dollar rods are no longer required for top performance.

Don't discount Taylor Fly Fishing's rods either as are they are excellent.

 

[DomR]

I prefer to fish my 7'9" bamboo that got new 17 years ago, it just has that "it" feel for me. That said I fish a lot of different rods throughout the year. Other bamboo, a glass rod (Fenwick), and older graphite (mostly Orvis but I do have 25 yo Loomis). I love them all and most have special meaning to me, i.e. my wife gave them to me as gifts or I inherited them from my dad or uncle. I try to take each out at least once a year for sentimentality sake and catch a fish for those that no longer can fish with me in this world.

I really haven't bought a brand new rod since so I have no perspective on current graphite or glass for that matter. Will likely not buy another until my shoulder gives out and I need to quit the heavier rods, though I like the heft.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

My favorite rod is my 7'5" 5wt Fenwick.
But I can fish w/ anything really, and be content.

 

[JimNovo]

My favorite is my 9ft 4wt William Joseph.
I’d love to try bamboo or fiberglass, but being new to this game, I’m stuck with a hand full of graphite. Anybody want to share??

 

[Tigereye]

I like the idea and feel of bamboo; but I fish mostly larger waters where it is really not that practical. That said, my older graphite Sages have worked well for many years, thus no reason to change.

I have dabbled a bit in Euronymphing and recently purchased a modern glass rod. For all intents and purposes, those are niche rods used in unique situations.

 

[redietz]

I like the idea and feel of bamboo; but I fish mostly larger waters where it is really not that practical.

Why do think that?