Favorite Rod Configuration

[Toasty]

Hello,

I wanted to hear some of your favorite rod configurations in graphite rods; particularly for wet flies. What do you enjoy and why do you enjoy it? I always love hearing folks preferences, even if its just because it speaks to them and they don't know why.

I'm looking into a new rod, mostly for tailwater M-L rivers in something like 8'6"-9' long in 4-5 weight. I wanted to hear what some of your preference were, considering wet flies are a huge part of my game (I just use a euro nymph rod for now). This rod would be for dries and wets, maybe a bit of streamer/nymph but primarily dry/wet. I know David Hughes suggests something not too fast but I tend to like faster rods (cast an X once and saw stars). All that being said, I do enjoy my euro rod for this kind of work; especially when casting short.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I guess it depends on where I'm fishing, for me. In small streams with a bit of brush on the banks, I love my 7'6" bamboo rod made by the late John Channer in 4 wgt. A Phoenix double taper silk line spun up to a 4 1/2 weight gives me a great casting rod for both the longer casts and the short game. A Baby Ballan reel balances everything out nicely.

I just gave my old favorite, a Sage SLT, 8'6" in 5 wgt to my son-in-law. That was my go to rod for years. It seemed to do most anything well. That being said, once I cast a Hardy Zenith rod, the Sage became a closet queen.

I have the Zenith in both 4 and 5 wgts and both are 9 footers. Great casting rods. Best I've ever used. They are balanced out with Hardy Ultralite reels. I use a WF floating line on the 4 wgt. It's fast enough for most anything, yet responsive enough to swing flies for Sea Run Cutthroat on western coastal rivers. I have landed an incidental catch summer steelhead while fishing for Sea Run Cutts on the 4 wgt.

The 5 wgt is my work horse. When I grab a rod for a days fishing, it's usually the five weight Hardy. Fast, responsive with backbone for some big fish. I pair it with a WF floating line for most uses, but when I'm into high banked or brushy rivers with no back cast room, I have a spare reel spooled up with an OPST 200 grain Commando Skagit head, mono running line and floating and sink tips. Like I said, the 5 wgt is my workhorse rod.

I just picked up an Echo 10'6" 3 wgt switch rod that I paired with a Hardy Cascapedia reel and an OPST 225 grain Skagit head, floating and sinking tips and mono running line. While we are just getting to know one another, it casts smooth and powerful, and at 10'6" it's good on the long and short game. It will be primarily a wet fly swinging rod for brook trout and landlocked salmon.

[Toasty]

Those sound awesome, I think those Hardy rods have such a nice look and feel to them. Might have to snag one some day.

I bet the switch rod is a ton of fun to learn. I’ve watched some of those Simon Gawesworth videos and he does a great job demystifying that style of casting.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

When I got my Hardy Zenith rods they were top of the line for Hardy. There are a couple newer models that are supposed to be better. I got mine from www.jimsflyco.com seven or eight years ago.

Several years ago I was tying at an expo in Washington State and Simon was there doing a casting demo. Had a chance to sit down and chat with him for a bit. Very nice gentleman and really know how to teach two handed casting.

[Toasty]

It’s amazing how quickly these rod lineups seem to come and go. That’s cool you got to chat with Simon. He seems like a wealth of knowledge without much pretension. Those expos are really fantastic. We had so many great folks down here for the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show. Went to as many classes as I could pack into my schedule.

[Mike62]

I have a large potato barrel with enough rod tubes sticking out of it you'd think it was a steroidal porcupine. Not one of the tubes has a twin. Perhaps that's why my casting stroke reminds some of Sybil. (This post isn't going to help you...) I change rods like I change my socks. One day I feel like running out the old Fenwick FF 806, usually with an old Pflueger and a Cortland line. Great fun. To be followed the very next day by a 9' St.Croix Ultra with a Bauer reel and a Rio line. No rhyme or reason for it, I just like variety. I do much the same with farm equipment.

I've got some wonderful older reels, English built, C&P, and half the time I choose the reel before I choose the rod. I'll decide that I want to fish the Hardy today, and then I'll go digging for a rod to hang it on.

Steven Stills said it best when it comes to fly rods: If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.

[Toasty]

A barrel of rods? That sounds like quite a collection. Those old reels are so cool looking. I really like the modern reels we are getting today, lots of good looking pieces of equipment. But nothing is as charming as the old ones.

[joaniebo]

I tend to fly fish for trout more with one of my bamboo rods that are mostly around the 6'10" to 8' range. But I often use either my old 9', 4 wgt Orvis T3 or a Hardy Classic Lightweight 9', 5 wgt fly rod that I purchased approx. 5 years ago. The T3 rod is probably 10+ years old.

Because ot these two rods' 9' length, I prefer them for soft hackle and "some" nymph fishing as it allows me a longer rod length to mend a line and also, when fishing upstream, to quickly roll cast the line forward and just raise the rod tip as the line drifts downstream towards me.

Bob

Whoops - forgot to mention that I have a few Orvis and Hardy reels with various makers fly lines but most are DT4 and DT5 weights and I use these on the above rods.

[Fishnkilts]

Toasty, if you like fast action rods, the Douglas Sky is getting rave reviews.

But for me, I particularly don't like fast action. In my graphite rods when it comes to fishing wets and dries, my Scott G2 884 or my T&T Aeros 904, both medium action are what I like. With the softer tips and hard hits, I don't break my tippet off like faster rods are known to do. So that's a plus right there. Also, with these two rods, when I have a fish on, both rods flexing deep have a sexy bend to them. And who doesn't like to see a fly rod bend?

A medium fast rod like my Scott Flex and Elkhorn AMP's work well because they have soft tips wth a strong backbone, and I'll use those when the breeze is too much for my G2 and Aeros.

As for my bamboo, I go med/fast for this. I'm about to have a 8'6" 5/6wt med/fast rod built for wet flies on the Cache La Poudre River. But for now my 7'6" 4wt boo rod I use on the creeks.

I go for feel and fun. A rod that's too fast, for example the Sage One, to me was a broomstick, stiff and no feel.

But to suggest a rod, that's a personal thing to each person. What I may like for dry and wet fishing, you may hate. So if I were you, try the rods you're interested in if you can, in all flexes and actions, and what ever rod speaks to you, buy it.

[Roadkill]

I have two favorites that I have built:
#1 is a Sage 490 LLB for finer presentation and small flies that took a slight edge over a previous Loomis 4 weight.
#2 is a Sage 690-4 RPL that is my workhorse rod for everyday use especially if the wind is up a little.

My favorite fishing gift from my wife is a used 7 weight 9'5" Hardy Smuggler that I enjoy for light steelhead fishing. We found it in a Stowe Vermont fly shop when i stopped in to buy a fishing license on the way to Ben and Jerry's.

For ease of travel I have Cabela's Stowaways in 4. 6, 8 and 10 weights.

For simplicity I occasionally use one of my backup rods in my old pickup - a Scientific Anglers Concept 9' 6wt starter outfit that they sold me several years ago for a 6th grade outdoor school casting class.