Fly Rod help

[Jamen]

Appreciate all the feed back. To answer a few of the questions I would be looking for an all around rod, dry, nymph, streamers occasionally. When I said mone is stiff. It feels more clunky when I cast compared to my friends sage. Also the sensitivity is way less than his. We don't have any local fly shops in North dakota lol.

 

[LuketheDog]

I oversimplified but there aren't many places making rods. They're manufactured to company specs and spit out in the same factory thus a lot of the rods made in China or South Korea are very likely made in the same plants

I know TFO has their own proprietary shop in Korea for their nicer rods, and it's actually surprisingly small and the rods are hand-made just like a Scott or Sage here in the US. I'm sure some of the budget-priced rods across various brands are made in the same factory, but each brand will have it's own specs and taper jigs so it's not like they are just changing decals. The top-end rods from some of those brands are often made in a one-company shop though. Regardless, there are some very nice fly rods made in South Korea.

 

[JohnCushman]

Appreciate all the feed back. To answer a few of the questions I would be looking for an all around rod, dry, nymph, streamers occasionally. When I said mone is stiff. It feels more clunky when I cast compared to my friends sage. Also the sensitivity is way less than his. We don't have any local fly shops in North dakota lol.

I have a St Croix 4 wt that I bought on ebay that I absolutely hate. I was hoping that since it was a brand name it would be a great rod. I was wrong. You can't always trust what you buy online because the satisfaction with the rod is subjective. It is worth the drive to a shop before you put your hard earned money down on a rod, especially if you plan on using it a lot. My favorite all around rod ended up being a hand crafted 5 wt I got on a wounded warrior fishing trip I went on years ago. I still fish my TFO's, but I have many rods and each has it's purpose. A rod is totally up to you and your purpose and feel. It's worth a road trip to a shop to see what you like before investing more money on something you might not like like I did on that St Croix on ebay. What's the worst that can happen? A road trip with your significant other with some good food and maybe a hotel for the night?

 

[Jamen]

I have a St Croix 4 wt that I bought on ebay that I absolutely hate. I was hoping that since it was a brand name it would be a great rod. I was wrong. You can't always trust what you buy online because the satisfaction with the rod is subjective. It is worth the drive to a shop before you put your hard earned money down on a rod, especially if you plan on using it a lot. My favorite all around rod ended up being a hand crafted 5 wt I got on a wounded warrior fishing trip I went on years ago. I still fish my TFO's, but I have many rods and each has it's purpose. A rod is totally up to you and your purpose and feel. It's worth a road trip to a shop to see what you like before investing more money on something you might not like like I did on that St Croix on ebay. What's the worst that can happen? A road trip with your significant other with some good food and maybe a hotel for the night?

Thats very true!! My significant other is a retired lab haha but does give me a great excuse to go on a fishing trip!!

 

[Irrelevant]

HT talked me into a Fenwick Aetos last year, and it's easily my new fav rod.

 

[Ought Six]

Appreciate all the feed back. To answer a few of the questions I would be looking for an all around rod, dry, nymph, streamers occasionally. When I said mone is stiff. It feels more clunky when I cast compared to my friends sage. Also the sensitivity is way less than his. We don't have any local fly shops in North dakota lol.

I would talk you into a 10’ 5wt for an all around trout rod, I own a lot of rods and that’s my favorite for do-all, from tightline nymphing to bobber nymphing to dries and streamers. I buy for warranty as well as I’m in the double figures for broken rods, you’re bound to break them if you’re on the water a lot.

 

[Beignet]

HT talked me into a Fenwick Aetos last year, and it's easily my new fav rod.

Here’s the link to that one:

Fly Rods... school me up

I'm in need of a new travel fly rod. Kids smashed the old one... Any of you fishin' fools want to share some knowledge. I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to the gear side of fly fishing. I bought my first fly combo at 13 with my allowance money and have been throwing flies into various...

www.hunttalk.com

I’ll still evangelize the Aetos 9’ 5wt as the go to for anyone not looking to spend $800+ on a do it all fly rod.

 

[ismith]

I am looking for recommendations for a middle of the road fly rod. Don't really want to go over $500. Unsure of the brand i currently have but it is too stiff for my liking. I would say i am in the middle of the road for experience as far as fly fishing goes. Looking for a 5wt. Sage and Orvis is what i have been looking at. Wanted to pick your brains on ones you like or dislike. Or maybe smaller companies i dont know about that make a good rod.

Thank you for you time!

With a little research you can snag a nice bamboo rod off eBay.

 

[peterk1234]

Middle of the road, lot of bang for the buck, Orvis Clearwater series. It's just a good rod. Not sure if you need a reel and line, but the whole thing can be had for 400 bucks. I flyfish year round on the Yellowstone. I put in a lot of days and I'm not kind to my equipment. I use a 6wt as my everyday rod. I have a 10 foot 3wt nymphing rod as well. I think these rods are some of the best for the money. Reputable company and great warranty. I've never needed it though. I just can't break these things.

You said your rod is too stiff. You can try to over line it, which would make it softer. You can start with an inexpensive line 1wt more than your current one. If it works, eventually spring for a better line. For me, a good line makes all the difference.

 

[Djfan]

I have an Orvis Encounter 5wt that is too loose for me. Brand new. I prefer a stiffer spine. Are you open to a trade? Not even sure what you have.

 

[longbow51]

I bought a brand new Sage LL 5 wt with blank warranty card from this shop. Already had the 490 LL, for like 4 decades. Probably caught more big rainbows on this rod than any other. Great rods, as Ben Lamb says. And enough with this Sex and Chocolate foolishness. You're a grown-ass man

But, they have great deals show up on used rods. Check the warranty and call the company as to how they actually handle warranties on second owner rods. Some companies don't care, it's a $50 charge for whomever. Some may differ.
Nevertheless, if you fish dries, and watch your car doors, unlikely to break rods. If you fish beadheads in wind, you will break rods.

Used, Clearance and Sale Fly Fishing Equipment - Free Shipping at UpCountry Sportfishing

But as others have said, Montana isn't the moon away from ND. Better to make the trip and cast rods.

 

[Bambistew]

When you say it is too stiff, do you mean that the rod speed is too fast to your liking? Flexes in the top 1/4 of the rod = fast flex rod. Flexes in the top 2/3 of the rod= slow flex rod. If you have a fast flex 4 wt. and would like a medium fast rod, you can go up a weight in fly line and it will change how the rod casts. Don't be afraid to go up or down a line weight to find the casting speed and flex that you like. Otherwise, several good suggestions have already been mentioned.

This is good advice.

Is there a fly shop near you? If so go and look at different rods and get a feel for them. Handles and balance are very personal. IMO most flyrods are way over priced for what you get.

I've had expensive rods (Winston $700) and cheap rods (Abu Garcia $25) and more than a dozen in between trout and salmon rods. I still have the Abu and my kids catch salmon on it. Good fly line can make a cheap rod work much better and as mentioned going up or down a weight, or weight forward, etc can change things a lot.

I oversimplified but there aren't many places making rods. They're manufactured to company specs and spit out in the same factory thus a lot of the rods made in China or South Korea are very likely made in the same plants

I bought 2 cheap 5wt Piscifun rods a couple summers for my kids to use in MT when we go back. They are absolutely phenomenal for the price, but I think they discontinued them. I dare say better than any rod I've owned, I was super impressed. The only thing that's nicer on the more expensive rods I have are reel seats, which are aluminum vs wood. I'm not in a fashion contest, and have broken half a dozen fly rods over the years or more.

I grew up living next to a posh private fishing club. I used to get invited to fish with the owners/clients often. I don't know how many of them I out fished, but it was often... I mean how hard is to outsmart a fish ith a brain the size of a pea? One group left me on the river and I walked ~2 miles home. I think it had something to do with catching 2x as many fish as the 3 of them combined including a PB 5lb rainbow on a dry.

I'm ready for summer! I just got a new Lamson reel on clearance for 50% off.

Morale to the story, don't get caught up on name or fashion. They'll all made in China.

 

[cedahm]

As a lot have alluded to - find a fly shop that will let you cast a few options. Everyone will have a different preference for action and feel. For the most part, an independent Fly Shop will be well worth the extra few bucks over a Big Box store and are generally great sources of information.

Vintage Rods are where it's at:

Sage LL: A 4wt or 5wt. Slow action rods, great for dry flies and light nymphing.

Sage RPL in a 9 ft 4wt or 5wt: Great all around rod.

St Croix Imperial or Legend Ultras in the 8'6" - 9.5 foot ranges. The Imperials are good, solid medium action rods & the LU's are mod-fast action to fast action & good all-around rods.

Of FFS, those are 'vintage' now? Why am i constantly reminded that I'm getting old. I hear 'vintage' and I think Payne and Garrison, not rods from the 1990's I love my RPL and have or previously had multiple LU's...they're fantastic.

I have a St Croix 4 wt that I bought on ebay that I absolutely hate.

PM me @JohnCushman - is it a 9'?

My trusty old Legend 4wt currently resides at the bottom of the Arkansas a mile or two above Rincon and I might be interested in taking it off your hands. Pretty sure I have some NIB camo pattern Crocs sitting around the house to sweeten the deal

 

[Hem]

For the record I have broken 3 tips in 48 years. Broken rods don't come from " I fish alot", they come from poor casting skills, blind inattention, and a little bad luck for good measure.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Lots of good rods mentioned, I found the Echos very forgiving with novice fly fishers. Had quite a few of those. We had 25 or so Loomis 4wts and 8 wts. Universally well appreciated by guys who broke their Sage Rods. I'm retired now and have an affinity for Winston's.
Big fan of Lamson reels. They held up to hundreds if not 1000 fish, a season. It's not a Ross but will give a lifetime of service.
Personally I would pick something that is forgiving then book a trip to Alaska in August. Make a good cast, hook a nice char. Make a crappy cast, no joy. Make a good cast with some appropriate line handling catch a nice silver. Make several crappy casts no joy, put it all together nail a 32 inch rainbow. Positive reinforcement works wonders. Have fun.

 

[Irrelevant]

For the record I have broken 3 tips in 48 years. Broken rods don't come from " I fish alot", they come from poor casting skills, blind inattention, and a little bad luck for good measure.

You forgot kids...

 

[cedahm]

You forgot kids...

and:

- dogs
- car windows
- PenAir baggage handlers
- short garage ceilings
- cows (that was fun)
- over-zealous brother in laws that manage to rip the oar out of the lock and smash it on the stern guys rod

I suppose there's an argument that all of these meet the criteria of "a little bad luck"

 

[Bambistew]

For the record I have broken 3 tips in 48 years. Broken rods don't come from " I fish alot", they come from poor casting skills, blind inattention, and a little bad luck for good measure.

Also comes from using too small of a rod for too big of fish. Hard to break rods on 1.5lb Montana trout. I broke one of my favorite 7/8wts last summer hauling in a hog Kenia sockeye. No idea how many fish I caught on that rod but it was well into 100s many years. I've broken a few others, most I think due to weights hitting the rod and nicking the finish. I slammed a door on one and ran the tip onto the ground on a few others. For me rods are like sunglasses. They all eventually get broken or lost the more you use them no matter how careful you are. I won't spend big money on a fly rod again.

 

[MTLabrador]

Vintage Rods are where it's at:

Sage LL: A 4wt or 5wt. Slow action rods, great for dry flies and light nymphing.

Sage RPL in a 9 ft 4wt or 5wt: Great all around rod.

St Croix Imperial or Legend Ultras in the 8'6" - 9.5 foot ranges. The Imperials are good, solid medium action rods & the LU's are mod-fast action to fast action & good all-around rods.

My dad has a Sage RPL 5 wt and 7 wt that I always have to take a few casts with when he goes fishing with me. Awesome rods.

 

[Hem]

Also comes from using too small of a rod for too big of fish. Hard to break rods on 1.5lb Montana trout. I broke one of my favorite 7/8wts last summer hauling in a hog Kenia sockeye. No idea how many fish I caught on that rod but it was well into 100s many years. I've broken a few others, most I think due to weights hitting the rod and nicking the finish. I slammed a door on one and ran the tip onto the ground on a few others. For me rods are like sunglasses. They all eventually get broken or lost the more you use them no matter how careful you are. I won't spend big money on a fly rod again.

Yep, gotta use the right rod for the fish.
I hooked a 5' tarpon on an 8 wght once, quickest intentional break off to save the rod.
My point was most rods are broken by errant treatment.
The latest warranty hassle for companies is replacing rods that people shove in rod carriers. Those rods rattle around in those tubes unless protected by a sleeve. Everyone in Bozeman uses those things.