What is your go to dry rod?

[Acristickid]

Is it a fiberglass or bamboo rod?

Is it the same as your nymph rod?

My go to is a Winston LT 5-piece 8'3" 4wt - it has medium action , to me meaning it’s slower than my fast action rods.

Guess I’m starting to think of rising trout.

My go to rod has been broken for the last 2 seasons but I am now motivated to send it back for repairs. I knocked the rod into a branch and graphite exploded inside the 2nd ferrule.

Not really looked at gear for years but I have an interest in fiberglass but I really don’t know much about it. Any thoughts on fiberglass?

Hatches and rises forever!

 

[moon1284]

Depends where and what bugs. Upper delaware I use a 9' 6wt livingston traditional mostly. I used a scott g 906 for a long time before that. For tricos there I usually go down to a Larry kenney 8'8 4wt glass rod. If its windy on the upper delaware I might use an rpl or glx.

Smaller streams I use a 7'9 kenney 4wt glass rod.

For a stream like Penns, i use an 8'4 4,5, or 6 at scott g depending on the wind.

For me I'm more worried about hooking and fighting a fish than casting. I like rods with softer tips because they protect tippet better than a rod with a stiff tip and I don't break off many fish.

Glass rods are fine but I think they are harder to cast especially at a distance. I don't really think they are more accurate than graphite I think the real advantage with a glass rod is during and after you hook a fish.

I think the perfect all around dry fly rod for PA would be an original Scott g 856 (8.5' 6wt). I had two and sold them both but that rod is hard to beat.

 

[Bamboozle]

Every rod I own throws dry flies just fine, from a diminutive 5"0" Winston Retro glass rod to a bunch of sweet 9'0" graphite rods and a ton of graphite, glass and bamboo in between.

For trout, I chose my rod length & line weight based on the size water I am going to fish, weather, water levels and wind and I might favor bamboo over anything when I can because I like fishing it the most.

 

[dryflyguy]

Well - all my rods are graphite.

Depending on stream size, I use a 7'9" 5 wgt - 8'6" - 4 wgt, and 9 ' 5 wgt

My favorite - the Orvis 7'9" Far and Fine. Got a a real unique action that's perfect for dry flies

 

[CRB]

My Winston WT 8’6” 4wt, it is simply a joy to cast. Large waters such as the Allegany below the dam my 9’ 5 wt XP it can get the casts and mending out to the rising Trout.
The Pux Phil did not see his shadow so spring in 6 weeks.

 

[krayfish2]

Not sure I could pick one favorite but change my "favorite" based on the size of water and size of bugs.

Smaller water - sage 7'9" in 3 wt
Medium water - st croix legend elite 9' in 4 or 5 wt
Big water - have an old sage rpl+ in 6wt and a sage method in 5 wt

I've fished that 3 weight everywhere and with every possible type of fly. Sentimental favorite from 35 yrs of service.

 

[RLeep2]

I seldom fish streams for trout that average over 40-50 feet wide. When I do, I generally use either my St. Croix Imperial or my older Diamondback. Both are 9 foot/5 weights.

My favorite dry fly rod for the places I fish is my 7'9"/5 Far & Fine. I have to say though that a very, very close second is my Bean Pocket Water 7'10"/5 weight. It has been the most pleasant surprise of any rod I've bought in the last 15 years.

Honorable mention goes to my FF605 glass. I have a sentimental attachment to it, but is also a pretty good tool on smaller water.

 

[DEPete53]

I fish mostly small streams such as Manada, Clark and the Quittie so I do not need to cast great distances. Given that, my favorite dry rod is one my wife bought me in the mid 80s. It is a Fenwick Iron Feather 7'3" 4 wt. I think this was still made in the US as a friend of mine got the same thing in a 3 wt but his says "Made in Taiwan" on it but mine does not. (If anyone can provide more info I would be delighted to hear.)
Anyway, that rod coupled with a Triangle Taper line is a joy to cast! I am not a particularly good fly caster but with this setup I can effortlessly (and fairly accurately) cast 40 feet if needed and still make short 15 foot casts on little Brookie streams. I would love to find one in an 8-9 foot 4 weight.

 

[fritz]

8'6" 4wt Sage RPL two piece cause that's what I have.

 

[gfoledc]

Depending on the size of the water
7’9” far and fine 5wt
8’9” sage ll 3wt (older model)
10’6” Helios 3

 

[redietz]

Bamboozle wrote:
Every rod I own throws dry flies just fine, from a diminutive 5"0" Winston Retro glass rod to a bunch of sweet 9'0" graphite rods and a ton of graphite, glass and bamboo in between.

For trout, I chose my rod length & line weight based on the size water I am going to fish, weather, water levels and wind and I might favor bamboo over anything when I can because I like fishing it the most.

What he said, although I'm probably not going to use a graphite rod for dries. The exception might be if I'm travelling by airplane and want a rod that breaks down into four pieces.

 

[ryansheehan]

My 10 foot 4 weight helios gets a ton of use throwing dries but I use it because it's so versatile. If it was strictly for dries on larger streams it's my zero gravity 9 foot five. On smaller streams it's my 8 1/2 4 weight zero gravity. If you can't tell I love me some orvis rods.

 

[coyoterahn]

While I’m not one you would ask to recommend a favorite dry fly rod, I feel good knowing a few others stated their Orvis 7’9” far and fine is their favorite sine I too own one. Maybe I need to practice up!

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Rivers: Sage VP, 9'5WT. It has plenty of flex to protect light tippets and it casts long leaders (12'+) well up to 50 feet. It would be nice to have a fast action 5 WT to get more casting control at long distances, though.

Streams: Sage LL, 8'1", 5WT. This is nearly a full flex rod with the ability to shoot line with only a small amount of line out of the tip. It is great on tight brookie streams. When I have over 30' of line out it starts to get overpowered.

I have an Orvis Trident 9' 5WT as a backup dry rod. It feels big and clumsy compared to the two Sages.

 

[afishinado]

ryansheehan wrote:
My 10 foot 4 weight helios gets a ton of use throwing dries but I use it because it's so versatile. If it was strictly for dries on larger streams it's my zero gravity 9 foot five. On smaller streams it's my 8 1/2 4 weight zero gravity. If you can't tell I love me some orvis rods.

+1

My 10' 4wt Orvis H2 sees the most duty in larger to medium sized streams fishing dries nymphs and wets.

 

[zenriver]

By far my favorite is the venerable Sage LL 9’ 4wt. About as full flex as graphite gets. It just casts beautifully and accurately- I love it.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Depends on the size of the water and the bugs, but here goes my personal favorites for dry's.

Small streams- Sage TXL 7' 4 weight

Medium streams- Sage SLT 8 1/2' 4 weight

Larger water- Loomis GL3 9' 6 weight / Sage VT2 9' 6 weight

Trico/Midge's- Loomis GLX Streamdance Presentation 8' 2 weight.

Too hard for me to pick just one. If forced to I would pick the Sage SLT 8 1/2' 4 weight as the best all around. Glad I don't have to though.

 

[Tigereye]

I seem to always fall back on Sage 590 RP (9ft 5 wt) for just about all of my trout fishing. Great all around rod. Disclaimer -most of my fishing is on larger waters.

Others in the Tool Box are

Sage 480 RP
Sage 390 XP (this isnt a bad EU nymph rod either)
Cabelas CZN 10 ft 4 wt

 

[afishinado]

Tigereye wrote:
I seem to always fall back on Sage 590 RP (9ft 5 wt) for just about all of my trout fishing. Great all around rod. Disclaimer -most of my fishing is on larger waters.

Others in the Tool Box are

Sage 480 RP
Sage 390 XP (this isnt a bad EU nymph rod either)
Cabelas CZN 10 ft 4 wt

^ Looks like you contributed to the Bob Sentiwany retirement fund back in the 80's and early 90's.....lol. Me too.

 

[Tigereye]

Yeah Bob got a few bucks--Bob and wife Mary Lou were quite the couple.

Those rods however were built by Mike Leskowski (sp????) of Plains PA. I believe he is in Oil City now.

The XP was purchase from a guy in MN or Wis I believe his name was Cedric Knuckey and went by Interior Alaska Fly rods. Met him at a show once. Beautiful work.