School me on Rods

[TLoomis]

Ok, so right now I have a Lacrosse Custom 4wt 7'6". A guy out west makes em and sells em on ebay. They are really cheap (65 bucks roughly) and they are made great! I love it, but its got so much action to it, when I fish bigger water, I really have a tough time getting the heavier flies to cast well. Maybe it's my line, but I have been thinking of getting like an 8'6" 5wt for when I fish bigger water, or am nymphing. What are some good rods similar to that size that arent going to kill my wallet. What about the reddington cross creek rods? Lacrosse Customs sells this rod, but I wanna broaden my search.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

What price range ?

 

[TLoomis]

Whops...Under 150 Hopefully.

 

[gfen]

Y'know, I've taken to a 10' 5wt I bought from one of the guys here in a way I never expected to.

Before this, it was an 8' 4wt for everything, but this long rod makes almost everything much easier to do, even in smaller water.

The only place I have issues is trying to do picturesque backcasts in small places, where it is too tall. That said, even with my 8', I rarely did them because I'd inevitably hang it up in a tree anyways.

So, for what its worth, I'd recommend a 9' or longer rod to augment your short one.

My rod in question is a TFO Jim Teeny. I find the action pleasing, its got a great, sensative tip and I'd actually consider another one in a heart beat. So far, its the only TFO rod that's appealed to me*, and I would absolutely recommend this to someone to try out. They are slightly above your budget, but not sure how hard and fast that number is.



(*without threadjacking, I was horrified to actually see a TFO Clouser in the flesh, after hearing so much positive about it)

 

[TLoomis]

gfen wrote:
Y'know, I've taken to a 10' 5wt I bought from one of the guys here in a way I never expected to.

Before this, it was an 8' 4wt for everything, but this long rod makes almost everything much easier to do, even in smaller water.

The only place I have issues is trying to do picturesque backcasts in small places, where it is too tall. That said, even with my 8', I rarely did them because I'd inevitably hang it up in a tree anyways.

So, for what its worth, I'd recommend a 9' or longer rod to augment your short one.

My rod in question is a TFO Jim Teeny. I find the action pleasing, its got a great, sensative tip and I'd actually consider another one in a heart beat. So far, its the only TFO rod that's appealed to me*, and I would absolutely recommend this to someone to try out. They are slightly above your budget, but not sure how hard and fast that number is.



(*without threadjacking, I was horrified to actually see a TFO Clouser in the flesh, after hearing so much positive about it)

Thanks! I will check that out. Do you guys know of any place where you can actually cast a rod before you buy it? I would love to try some out before I buy one.

How about line...I have 4wt Orvis Green Mountain Line right now (really crappy, but it was like 5 dollars). Should I match the weight with the rod? Or go one under?

 

[gfen]

Most decent shops should let you try the rod before you buy it. Of course, with some places you might be casting over a parking lot, so your line will feel the pain.

The LLFS lets you take it fishing out back, Cabela's will walk out with you where they sell the canoes, and... Err, actually, those are the only two places I tested rods. And FWIW, I'd suggest buying from an indepdent fly shop rather than a big box store because that's the Right Thing(tm) to do.

Paraphrased: Rod weight is based on its ability to load a line. A line weight is based on its first 30'. Overline a rod, and it'll load better with less line, underline it and the exact opposite, you'll aerielize more line at its rated load. YMMV, and all rods depend on their action and your preference and its all very subjective. Start with their rating, and experiment if you're so inclined.

 

[ryguyfi]

If you underline a rod, you'll still have issues putting flies out as far as you want, like a streamer. The longer and bigger rods will help, but you need to line it correctly.

I'll second TFO rods. I have an 8wt TICR rod and love it. I also just bought a St Croix Triumph off of Cabela's for $80 on sale....9' 5wt 4 piece, which will be my mid sized stream/nymphing rod. Great deal on those right now... I've yet to try it out, but that's on the calendar for tonight.

 

[TLoomis]

Okay that explains alot for me. I am going to shoot for a 9' 5wt. Now...I gotta pick a brand :-o

 

[TLoomis]

Here's the backup plan if I dont find any good deals.
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-LaCrosse-Custom-Rods-Axis-II-Fly-Rod-9FT-5WT-2PC-/110520408744?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bb879aa8

Oh, and should I shy away from 4 pieces? They seem iffy to me, but alot of guys use them..

 

[ryguyfi]

also check out Albright for some good deals.


http://www.albrightflyfish.com/fly-rods.html

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, I simply won't buy a rod if they don't let me cast it first.

Almost every reputable shop will let you do some test casting. Cabelas actually did as well, and I was surprised.

Two things to keep in mind:

1. The reel. Most will give you some house reel. A reel that is too heavy for the rod will effect your opinion of it, you have to try to look through that to predict what it'll feel like with the reel you plan to use. If you're buying a combo, purchase the reel first, ask them to load it with line, and use that reel to test your rods with.

2. Don't just test one rod. If I pick up a rod, they all feel great, until I cast something that feels better. You can't draw comparisons with distant memory, it has to be muscle memory. Even if you have no intention on buying, demand to test some very good rods along with the rods you're interested in. Some of the lower quality rods compare very well, some don't. Cortland has honestly always been one of my favorite low-priced brands, everything I've cast of theirs is to my liking and measures favorably to much more expensive brands. Of course, it's all opinion based, and yours might be different!

 

[TLoomis]

I am going to have to go to a shop and test some rods out. How do you guys feel about TCO? I live pretty close to their main shop.

Like I said, I am trying not to spend too much money since I am saving for college, but I will be fishing alot in college, and I really would like to get another rod. As far as reels, we will adress that later. My 50$ Gold Eagle Claw i bought in montana should suffice for a month or 2

 

[gfen]

I've been to the TCO in Reading, and would love to buy more things from them. Nice shop, nice guy, and I like to patronize places where I can.

The downside is that many smaller shops only carry a a line or two, so if they don't have what you want, you're out of luck. That's the biggest benefit of Cabela's, the offset is you're not supporting your local business and the guys at Cabela's are helpful, but the corporate bottom line doesn't care about my specific needs.

I won't lie that I might have tested at Cabela's with the intent to buy elsewhere. That place gets enough of my money as it is.

I will also say that sometimes a rod changes character on the water versus on the grass. I bought a Versitex rod from the LLFS after I tried it on the water and it came alive. It wasn't so hot on the grass, but when I walked the 20 feet to put it on the water, it was a whole other animal.

As to reels: I now have a collection of very expensive toys, and some cheap ones. A Medalist may not stop a freight train like my Abel, and it may not sound as sound as good as my Orvises, but it cost $25, and if you're on a budget its hard to beat that.

I'll put the big guy on for salt or steelhead (if I ever get there), but for anything I'll find 'round here, I bet that Medalist can do the same job. Its got a palming rim if I get over my head.

Although, as the paperwork that came with the Medalist said, there's not a fish alive that hasn't been caught on it, from spring creek trout to tarpon. It just doesn't look pretty.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

OK. I've done a little looking on ebay for you and found a Redington RS4, 9', 5wt, 2pc for 145+20 shipping. The rod tube has a built in reel case. Not a bad deal. I have a 4wt in that rod and it's nice. Redington was bought by Sage and comes with a lifetime warranty. The downside, rods built overseas and a little consistancy issues with the blanks seems to be the story.

If you're not in a rush, I'll bet you can snag a St Croix Avid model on there for 150-180 if you check it all the time. That's a pretty nice rod too.

Cabelas has the St Croix Triumph in the 'bargain cave'. The rod has a 5 yr warranty and is $60 for a 2pc and $80 for a 4pc.

Cableas also has the following:
** Echo Carbon fly rod $169
** Cableas LST fly rod $175 2pc or $180 4pc. Have one and love it but has been replaced twice due to tip breakage.
** Cabelas Traditional fly rod $80
** Redington Red Fly 2 $99
** TFO Lefty Pro Series rod $149

You have to weight the pros and cons between price, quality, warranty and customer service. Sage has treated me well, Cabelas has taken care of me too. If you make the trip to Hamburg, set aside a good part of your day. They have most of the rods in stock and you can cast them in the side lawn with a loaner reel and line they have. Remember that if they use a crappy line, the rod won't cast all that well. I'm not snubbing the smaller shops but most of them have high end stuff that is out of your price range.

Farmington River fly shop has some used equip -
Temple Fork Outfitters Axiom, 9ft 5wt, 4 piece, great condition $140

Scott SES 9ft, 5wt, 2 piece, good condition $180

New rods on clearance -
Redington RS3 905, 9ft 5wt, 2 piece, was $169.99 now $100

Greys GRXi 9', 5/6wt, 3 piece, was $170 now $125





Good luck and let us know what you choose.

 

[jdaddy]

Completely agree on the smaller shop issue. I LOVE TCO and frequent there often, however they mainly stock Sage and Winston rods. Cheapest Winston they stock is the Chinese made Vapor and Accent which are still both over your budget.

I bought the LST that Sight mentions above and it is a great rod. Sight does not mention that he leaves his rods fully assembled and the back of his vehicle with all his other gear and a spastic dog (his words not mine) thus possibly contributing to rod breakage.

Sent you a PM on offer to test LST and a few other rods out if you like. We can go out on the Tully. Sight_nymph you are welcome to come along and enjoy your all time fav water . . . .

 

[TLoomis]

Wow! Thats alot to take in. I need to sit down and research tonight. Read reviews, ask more questions to you guys, hopefully I can narrow it down to 3-5 rods tonight.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Native - You might want to check out this one:

http://shop.wildwaterflyfishing.com/HX4-100-4-Fly-Rod-00410.htm

This rod would come in handy for a nice 3 day weekend in May, if you get my drift. ;-)

Between the rod you have, and this one, you'd be in pretty decent shape should you decide you'd like to pursue that avenue...

Price is nice, too. You could use your present reel and line to save even more money.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

Native,

If you decide to get together w/ jdaddy on the Tully to try rods, I'll bring a few down for you to cast. You are more than welcome to try them out. There's only one way to figure out what's out there and if you'll like it or not. Get it on the water and give it a go.

On the subject of my dog, he's not spastic. He's got a condition. LMAO. 5 yr old Brittany that runs full throttle 24/7. He's never broken a rod but I've snapped 3 putting them into my rod carrying rack that's suspended inside the vehicle. Needless to say, it's no longer in use. I've also sucked a leader into the vac and spooled up 15 ft of line before the ol' dirt devil ate the tip section. Had to see that one to appreciate it. My reactions were just as slow as when I set the hook on a rising fish.

 

[pcray1231]

Generally, I steer clear of TCO. I find the guys in the shop knowledgable and helpful enough, no problem there. They soured my opinion of them when they opened up a shop in State College right next to FFP. When I realized that they have a number of shops, I can't bring myself to think of them as the small local shop, they're a chain, though I think they did downsize a bit lately. Further, as far as gear they don't carry much in the way of low priced stuff, its mostly high-end, and often the brands are trendy brands that I just haven't been impressed with. And I have found the flies, frankly, to be of low quality.

For example, after a wading boot emergency a year or so ago, I went in with money in hand intending to buy new wading boots. The cheapest thing they had was like $120. No way! Some duct tape held me over for a few days before I bought some $60 Chotas, which is still a little much for my tastes in wading boots.

And regarding rods, while I do like Sage Rods, TCO also carries Winston, Orvis, and TFO if I'm not mistaken. I have nothing against any of those companies, but I just don't like their rods. Of the expensive ones, Sage and Loomis are a clear step above all others for me. Of the cheaper ones, Cortland, and even Cabelas and White River make rods I like.

It stops short of a total boycott, I have bought stuff there and will again. But I take my business elsewhere when I get a chance.

 

[TLoomis]

Heritage-Angler wrote:
Native - You might want to check out this one:

http://shop.wildwaterflyfishing.com/HX4-100-4-Fly-Rod-00410.htm

This rod would come in handy for a nice 3 day weekend in May, if you get my drift. ;-)

Between the rod you have, and this one, you'd be in pretty decent shape should you decide you'd like to pursue that avenue...

Price is nice, too. You could use your present reel and line to save even more money.

Oh I catch your drift

It is a shame they are out of stock and I am out of money...I will see what I can do. I really would like another rod for the trip, but its not like I dont have a rod. I have fished with this rod for 3 years now and caught alot of fish with it. Big, small, far, and close. I just look stupid trying to get it far sometimes


And thanks for all the input guys. Appreciate it