Fly Rods... school me up

[Irrelevant]

I still love my old Akron, O era Medalist. Dressed it up a bit with a contemporary CNC milled foot and a metal disc drag from One Pfoot. Someday I’ll get one of those old CFO’s or a Hardy click and pawl that really sings.

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but why do you love it? I don't love mine, it works, but not have a good as all of my newer reels.

 

[longbow51]

I still love my old Akron, O era Medalist. Dressed it up a bit with a contemporary CNC milled foot and a metal disc drag from One Pfoot. Someday I’ll get one of those old CFO’s or a Hardy click and pawl that really sings.

View attachment 289352

My fishing buddy, who is worth more millions than we can imagine, fishes mostly Pfleuger Medalists. From Argentina to New Zealand.

And I'll check my stash for CFOs and Hardys.

 

[Hem]

My fishing buddy, who is worth more millions than we can imagine, fishes mostly Pfleuger Medalists. From Argentina to New Zealand.

And I'll check my stash for CFOs and Hardys.

I like good reels. Not Hatch good, but you know. I caught bonefish, tarpon (small), snook, sharks, barracuda, redfish...all on a Medalist years ago when the Billy Pate reels were the rage. Now I have a hodge podge of budget to " older" school high end.
A reel holds line for most species.
Still wouldn't mind ONE Hatch...its like a jet fighter versus a Cessna.
At this juncture it's not necessary unless I go to the salt for certain fish.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Hatch is pretty nice!

 

[Beignet]

but why do you love it? I don't love mine, it works, but not have a good as all of my newer reels.

I mean, it holds line, has a classic patina’d aesthetic, and a nice click sound when let out line on a running fish. I keep the drag wide open and just use my non-casting thumb, so that’s about all I need a freshwater reel to do. I also like that the spool isn’t exposed on the outside, or caged by the reel. That thing has absorbed many of tumbles on a slippery rock and still spun true.

 

[SixPoint]

I’ve spent a fair bit of time with many a brand of fly rod from top end on down over the years. A 9’ 4 piece would be ideal in 4 or 5wt. For the cost conscious it’s pretty tough to beat a TFO. I’ve got a quiver full and they work great. If you want something with a little more character I’d suggest keeping your eye out on eBay for used Winston rods. I’ve picked up several B2X and IM6 rods over the years and really like them. It just depends on how much you want to spend. Like anything the cheap equipment will still get it done but the more expensive stuff can be appreciated and more useful in the right hands.

 

[LuketheDog]

So I actually have a pile of fly rods still. I have a steelie rod, and a 10' 5wt for lake trout or bigger river fishing (sink tips, streamers, etc), plus a couple older glass rods for nostalgia.

I'm sorta looking for that 3-5wt (but probably a 4wt), in the 7.5-9' range, 3-5 pc. Something that can live in my day pack for creeks and mountain lakes.

I mean I could dabble in the mid-range nice shit, but I feel like I'm more like @Mthuntr

Find a used Scott Radian 4wt on eBay. I've caught literally 1,000s of fish on mine, from creeks and alpine lakes to big rivers...or this 3wt

Scott Fly Fishing Rod - Radian - 3 Weight - 7'6" Plus Extra Case | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Scott Fly Fishing Rod - Radian - 3 Weight - 7'6" Plus Extra Case at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Irrelevant]

Thoughts on these three. As much as I'd love to take @Salmonchaser advice, I'm just too cheap.

Fenwick Aetos 865-4 Freshwater Fly Rod - 5wt, 8’6”, 4-Piece 2XWMN - Save 49%

Fenwick Aetos 865-4 Freshwater Fly Rod - 5wt, 8’6”, 4-Piece 2XWMN at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

Temple Fork Outfitters Professional II Fly Rod - 4wt, 8’, 4-Piece 94HPX - Save 53%

Temple Fork Outfitters Professional II Fly Rod - 4wt, 8’, 4-Piece 94HPX at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

Moonshine Rod Co. The Drifter Series Fly Rod with Extra Tip https://a.co/d/eesrKhj

 

[LuketheDog]

Thoughts on these three. As much as I'd love to take @Salmonchaser advice, I'm just too cheap.

Fenwick Aetos 865-4 Freshwater Fly Rod - 5wt, 8’6”, 4-Piece 2XWMN - Save 49%

Fenwick Aetos 865-4 Freshwater Fly Rod - 5wt, 8’6”, 4-Piece 2XWMN at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

Temple Fork Outfitters Professional II Fly Rod - 4wt, 8’, 4-Piece 94HPX - Save 53%

Temple Fork Outfitters Professional II Fly Rod - 4wt, 8’, 4-Piece 94HPX at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

Moonshine Rod Co. The Drifter Series Fly Rod with Extra Tip https://a.co/d/eesrKhj

Of those 3 I'd buy the TFO, TFO rods punch above their weight

 

[TheJason]

You hand-tie your leaders? I did that many years ago and felt the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.

Same.

 

[TheJason]

I like good reels. Not Hatch good, but you know. I caught bonefish, tarpon (small), snook, sharks, barracuda, redfish...all on a Medalist years ago when the Billy Pate reels were the rage. Now I have a hodge podge of budget to " older" school high end.
A reel holds line for most species.
Still wouldn't mind ONE Hatch...its like a jet fighter versus a Cessna.
At this juncture it's not necessary unless I go to the salt for certain fish.

A few decades ago, I was tying flies for store credit for a local shop. I had a shit load of credit and decided to use it on an Abel reel and extra spool. Big splurge for me in those days.

 

[nastynate]

Another thing to consider is if any of them have decent warranty. St Croix has a good warranty (or at least did at one point, you'll have to look). I bought a really nice rod musky rod in high school from them with a lifetime warranty. Busted it last year (I'm 20 years out of HS) and got a replacement for $50.

If you're going to use it a lot, it makes sense to have a really nice one and not be so worried about a mishap.

 

[nastynate]

They’re all warrantied—if you break them you can get them replaced for free or very cheap.

Shoulda read further before posting. Yep!

 

[Salmonchaser]

Of those listed the only ones I’ve used often were the TFO. Very nice piece of equipment.
Side note; drove over into chukar country a couple of days ago after the remnants of Hillary dropped about 4 inches of rain overnight. Looks to have been bad timing on a second hatch of birds. Water in all the draws now really has the birds spread out. Still too early to tell how that will impact the season. Did see good numbers of adult birds.

 

[Irrelevant]

Of those listed the only ones I’ve used often were the TFO. Very nice piece of equipment.
Side note; drove over into chukar country a couple of days ago after the remnants of Hillary dropped about 4 inches of rain overnight. Looks to have been bad timing on a second hatch of birds. Water in all the draws now really has the birds spread out. Still too early to tell how that will impact the season. Did see good numbers of adult birds.

That beats here, I haven't even seen an adult bird this summer. I feel like we had great bird years when I was just starting in, but the last 3 years have been tough. Keep having to travel further your way to find good hunting

 

[Irrelevant]

Well the Fenwick won the day. I would have liked a 4wt vs a 5wt, but the price and reviews sold me. I have a couple of smaller glass rods I can take for creeks.

 

[Salmonchaser]

One of my regular clients was a parish priest out of Colorado. A fine fisherman, he told me God does not subtract fishing days from your time on earth. A little information to file away.

 

[LuketheDog]

One of my regular clients was a parish priest out of Colorado. A fine fisherman, he told me God does not subtract fishing days from your time on earth. A little information to file away.

I think he may have poached that from Herbert Hoover...good quote nonetheless

 

[Salmonchaser]

I think he may have poached that from Herbert Hoover...good quote nonetheless

I believe you are correct, I wasn’t going to argue the point with him as he may have had the inside lane so to speak.

 

[longbow51]

You hand-tie your leaders? I did that many years ago and felt the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. As for the fluoro (or mono) question, I’ve aways been partial to Rio’s stuff. For line though, AirFlo is tops.

That was kind of in jest but yeah, I used to, with Maxima butt sections, tapering down to whatever tippet you wanted. The owner of a small fly shop handed me a formula and some spools and said "here". That was late 80s. And they worked, even in New Zealand.

There was a certain peace in tying leaders. My wife and I set up a station, cut the various lengths, then tied the knots, and made many leaders an hour. Then had a little wine and watched the sun go down.

Trouthunter pretty much finished that, with ideal tapers that worked in spring creeks (Armstrong, etc., and, let's face it, the Missouri), and Henry's Fork, his home River. I remember people hollering at me "There's a moose behind you." I didn't think the moose would take a #16, so wasn't worried, but after reading Gary Paulsen's accounts of moose attacking for no reason, I would think twice now.

For the fast rivers, e.g. Madison, doesn't matter as long as you can land the fly 1/2" from the bank in stonefly season.

2" from the bank is no take.

So, fellow fishers, enjoy every cast. Like the Zen archers at full draw, the cast embraces the eternal.

A quote from A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western Montana, and our fathe...

www.goodreads.com

And I'll bet John tied on a nymph when they weren't rising. But, we know they weren't actually fly fishermen. But we wish they were.