[FowlHabit]

This will be my first fly fishing set up. I am leaning towards starting off with a 3wt for the local small streams for trout.

Here are the three in my price range that I've tried out and narrowed it down to:


(A) 2 piece Sage Launch 3wt/7'-6" rod for $175 plus tax.


(B) 4 piece TFO Pro Series 3wt/7'-6" rod that I like for $139.95 plus tax.

(C) 4 piece TFO Pro Series 3wt/8'-6" rod that I like for $139.95 plus tax.

The questionsI have for each of these are:

(1) The Sage Launch 3wt is only available in 2 piece. How important is this to you?

(2) The Sage Launch 3wt is only available in a 7'-6" rod. Is this rod length enough for a beginner to cast properly or am I just setting myself up for a torturous experience?

(3) One benefit I see is that Sage does offer a no cost (except for the shipping) lifetime warranty on thier product. Also, according to a dealer I talked to, Sage has a very good consistancy in thier product. The dealer was telling me, if it needs to be replaced or you want another one for back up, it will be the same as the one you had before. What's your opinion on the consistancy issue?

(4) Again, is the 4 piece TFO Pro Series 3wt/7'-6" rod going to be a torturous experience for a beginner to learn to cast properly?

(5) Are TFO rods not going to match up in consistancy, like a Sage, if I need to replace it or buy another one for back up?

(6) Having a $25 lifetime no fault warranty seems good to me, what do you think?

(7) Is the 4 piece TFO Pro Series 3wt/8'-6" rod going to be too unwieldy in a small stream situation?

Thanks in advance for your help with my delimma!

[tie one on]

Buying fly fishing equipment is like most everything else,
you get what you pay for. If you are thinking that you
maybe doing this great sport for sometime then I would
recommend going with the Sage. Lifetime warranties are
great. You break it, they replace it. You may initally pay
a little more, but it's worth the extra few bucks in the
long run.

How big are the streams you will be fishing ? The shortest
rod I own is a 8'-6" 3 wt. If the stream is more open you
may want to think about a 4wt 9' by Sage. I tried one a
while back & will be saving some $$ to hopefully get one
sometime in the future. I have always had trouble using
that short (7'-6") of a rod. Others may not have that
trouble, but a longer rod, in my experience, helps with
the more delicate fly presentation.

Please believe me there is nothing wrong with the other rods
you have thought about, like other sporting equipment it
comes down to choice. Good luck ! Enjoy this great sport, I do.

Tie One On

[FowlHabit]

tie one on
Thanks for your input. To answer the stream size question the local ones are mostly no bigger than 20 ft across, 1 1/2 ft deep with some tall brush/trees on the side. I was thinking of getting this first rod in a 3wt-7 1/2 to 8 1/2ft for the small local streams then getting a 5wt-9ft set up later this year for when I go float tubing.

[fshfanatic]

Before you actually purchase, check with Steve, he can probably beat any price on brand new gear through his shop.

[FowlHabit]

fshfanatic
I don't know who Steve is.

[Piscator]

FowlHabit,
Steve is Steve Robbins the site admin and owner for this forum. He goes by the handle of The Full Creel which also is the name of his online fly shop located at http://www.thefullcreel.com. To say Steve is an avid small stream enthusist would be putting it mildly. He would be a good resource for you on small stream rods and how to fish them. Here is an article that Steve has written about small stream rods called The Perfect Small Stream Fly Rod. You could learn a lot from him. The Full Creel Fly Shop also offers 21-Day Test Drive Plan and FREE Shipping with $100 Purchase & No Sales Tax. Thats pretty hard to beat.

Your choices above are great ones. Any of them would work well for what you want to do. I own the Echo 3wt 7'6" for just this type of stream. I also use a TFO 4wt 8'6" as well for this situation. For the area you described the 7'6" in either brand would work fine. Think of it this way if your in the middle of the steam you have about 10 feet to each side so that's not much of a cast and in front of you 20 to 25 feet to cast is plenty for a small stream situation. Now this is my opinion and like certain body parts everyone has one.

Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Terry

[BigCliff]

One word of caution, rods/lines lighter than a 4wt are generally harder to learn how to cast with because there is so little weight there to load the rod. A casting instructor could definitely teach you how to cast with that rod in your hand, but the light weight of the line could make it hard to get the feel on your own. You may find yourself less frustrated if you start learning how to cast with a 9' 5wt and then move your new skills over to your small strream rod.

Another thing, if the streams you are talking about fishing are steep and full of tumbling fast water, you would probably be better off with a 9' 5wt rod anyway. The trout stream I fish the most is a fast and steep tumbler and I would much rather have my 9' 4wt than my 7' 4 wt every single time. Most of my casts consist only of the leader and 8-15' of fly line, but having a longer rod that can reach over the currents helps a ton. I am also fishing nymphs and weight under an indicator most of the time. I find this much more effective in fast water, as trout have a tough time seeing dry flies going by in turbulent water.

[FowlHabit]

Dark Knight
Thanks for the help. I'll be checking out what The Full Crel has in stock. That article on small streams really has me questioning what rod to select now. Is a foot longer in length of the rod going to be that much harder to cast? It seems a longer rod would be a little more advantageous in this situation. I'm starting to lean towards the 8-'6" to be in between the 7-'6" and 9'-0".

Big Cliff
Thanks for your advise as well. I am getting an instructor to help me out before I learn on my own the wrong way. As I stated above, I am thinking of the 8'-6" rod length now but will probably be sticking with the 3wt. I figure this will be the one I'll use the most and right away plus it'll motivate me to want to get a 5wt later.

[BigCliff]

I am getting an instructor to help me out before I learn on my own the wrong way.

Great! You will be very glad that you did. Make sure to let them know that you also would like some instruction specifically on casting in tight streams.

I've got the 8'6" 3wt TFO pro and like it very well. If you have the need for it, you'll find it to be lots of fun for panfish on small ponds as well. I am normally totally opposed to overlining rods, but if all of your casts are going to be 25' or less, a 4wt line would work well on that rod too, as its pretty fast for a 3wt.

[BigCliff]

I am getting an instructor to help me out before I learn on my own the wrong way.

Great! You will be very glad that you did. Make sure to let them know that you also would like some instruction specifically on casting in tight streams.

I've got the 8'6" 3wt TFO pro and like it very well. If you have the need for it, you'll find it to be lots of fun for panfish on small ponds as well. I am normally totally opposed to overlining rods, but if all of your casts are going to be 25' or less, a 4wt line would work well on that rod too, as its pretty fast for a 3wt.