[zerolimit]

Originally Posted by ezamora

yes, the finesse 7'9" 3wt has caught my eye, from reading reports. and i like the idea of a four pice olive colored blank. i just wish they offered that version as a blank only purchase so i could build it with my chosen components. seems to me it would make a nice small stream trout rod as well.

my apologies zerolimit. i hope my correction wasn't rude.

No apology necessary. You were right to point it out. Always best to err on the side of clearing up disinformation. I'd rather Matttrick have accurate info to go by.

the Finesse 3wt. is a great small stream trout rod. I just spent last weekend on Lavazolla Creek off of the N. Yuba River in CA. Narrow, underbrush, overhanging trees... it was an ideal tool for the most part. The only time it broke down was when the water got a bit bigger and I needed to mend line to drifts exceeding 20ft.

Mike

[Matttrick]

Originally Posted by ezamora

yes, the finesse 7'9" 3wt has caught my eye, from reading reports. and i like the idea of a four pice olive colored blank. i just wish they offered that version as a blank only purchase so i could build it with my chosen components. seems to me it would make a nice small stream trout rod as well.

my apologies zerolimit. i hope my correction wasn't rude.

by the way, i just tried largemouth bass fishing for the first time a couple of months ago. whooooo WEEEEE. that was FUN. fished from a float tube on a private lake in april and used a 7wt dark blue blank i wrapped up myself.

mattrick, you might consider looking into wrapping your own rods. the quality of components available, and the combnations increase exponentially, plus once the basic tools are acquired, the rods can be made relatively cheaply.

eric
fresno, ca.

By wrapping, you mean purchasing the necessary blanks, a basically building my own rod? If so, I hadn't considered that. Assuming I have none of the tools required to do so, would the cost (purchasing tools and using quality components) be in line with what I'm considering for a new 6wt? I assumed it would be more.

I'm glad you got to try out the large mouth black bass. We don't have trout down here so I grew up fishing for black bass. They're awsome fighters. Up until recently, I've only fished with conventional gear. I can't wait to hang a 3-5 lb bass on the fly.

-Matt

[Piscator]

All of the above comments are great advice. Check out The Full Creel Fly Shop when you get the chance. He carries the full line of TFO Rods, reels, and combos.

He also has Echo Rods

Plus the main point I want to get across is The Full Creel offers you 21-Day Test Drive Plan and FREE Shipping with $100 Purchase. Since your still in the discovery stage of what you want this sounds like a sound offer to try out one or two rods to get the feel of what you want.

I have both the TFO Pro and the Echo rods and couldn't be happier with them.

I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Terry

[ezamora]

matt... regarding the cost of wrapping your own rod compared to purchasing one of the ones we've been talking about, it would probably come out to about the same considering you'd have to acquire all of the misc tools usually used. the problem is, as your first rod, it probably would not come out as nice as one of the off the shelf rods. but then again, you might be pleasantly surprised how nice it DOES come out.

most people who wrap their own rods (i reserve the term "build" or "make" for those people who do it completely from scratch, like bamboo ;-) do it not to save money necessarily but to choose all of the individual components themselves. for panfish or small stream trout, you can choose your own grip style (i feel there's much better styles ergonomically than the usual western style most factory rods come with these days), choose a different stylish but equally functional reel seat (i love downlocking cap and ring for my trout rods and i have yet to see a factory rod in the lower or mid ranges with one), choose your own guides (i like single foot wire guides with my favorite N style pac bay strippers), your own thread combos, etc, etc. problem is a "custom" rod you'd build would not have a lifetime warranty. the blank usually does but not the full rod. the nice thing is, once you've learned how to assemble your own rod, you can fix just about anything yourself (besides the blank itself splintering), kind of like knowing how to fix your own car. another nice aspect is you learn to recognize the details in quality craftsmanship and can see many flaws, some cosmetic, some functional, in factory rods.

i should be spanked. the road i speak of is a dark, highly addictive road which would only bring you flashes of frustration and a lifetime of endless joy and personal satisfaction. it is seriously addicting.

i would recommend purchasing one of the rods we've been speaking of. and if you so wish, look into the craft of wrapping your own from blanks for the future.

blanks can be bought from TFO ($70 for the pro) but i usually use blanks from companies like pacific bay, batson, sevier, lamiglas, dan craft, etc. all but the dan craft are usually under $50. dan's are about $100. some of the surprisingly nice performing imported stream blanks in the 7'-8', 2, 3 and 4 pieces, 3-5wt class are under $30. a good reel seat could be anywhere from $12-$30, extra fancy up to $70. a preformed grip from $12-$25. a set of guides basically $15, a stripper $3, hookkeeper $2, tip top $3. thread costs about $3 a spool. you'd need basic stuff like an Xacto knife, tape, small sharp scissors. specialty stuff which can be used over the span of several rods include adhesive for assembling components (rod bond costs about $12), thread finish ($12), plastic cups for mixing (i use flattened foil), stirrers, a rod wrapping stand (you could use a cardboard box) and a rod dryer (some turn by hand periodically as it dries in the cardboard box but you can make your own or buy someone elses from a popular auction site for about $30) or a nice manufactured one for $70. i forgot to mention, you could even acquire fiberglass blanks for under $70. that would be cool on pan, trout and even bass fishing.

people talk up catching fish on their own hand tied flies. it's the same satisfaction when you wrap your own rods. it'll take a couple of rods under your belt to overcome the knack of applying the finish well but combine the two crafts for a fuller fishing experience. i can point you to some online sources and communities if you so wish, just email me or send a private message. i've droned on waaaay too long about it in this thread. sorry everyone.

eric
fresno, ca.

[Piscator]

Great Eric, just one more thing for me do with my fly fishing addiction problem is to start building rods. Just now getting my full fix with tying flies. Sure, now I'll have to collect everything to build the rod. Then more late nights with no sleep and every waking moment studying and day dreaming about fly fishing: gear, flies, rods, reels, etc. Oh, I guess about the time I start making graphite rods I'll have to start making bamboo rods. More equipment needed. More loss of sleep. Ah, sweet madness....

No seriously, sounds like the way to go to complete the circle of fly fishing.
Thanks,
Terry

[Matttrick]

Originally Posted by darkknight

Oh, I guess about the time I start making graphite rods I'll have to start making bamboo rods. More equipment needed. More loss of sleep. Ah, sweet madness....

Thanks,
Terry

Man, when ever I dream about building rods, I skip the graphite rods and dream about building bamboo rods. One day I will, but not right now. Eric, I definately think I'm going to purchase a rod or two and fish a few more years before I undertake wrapping my own. Sounds quite addictive. Though my wife is happy to see me fly fishing, now she always has ideas (with much of my input) as to what to get me around my birthday, holidays, etc...

-Matt

[BigCliff]

The standard 2 rod quiver for Texas is a 5wt (trout and panfish) and an 8wt (bass and salt), but I'm willing to say that if no fishing will be done at the coast, then a 4wt and a 7wt is a better combo. I would go with a more medium action rod for the 4wt (pro or finesse series) and a medium fast rod for the 7wt (TiCR).

ECHO makes great stuff too, but the 4wt in the classic series being only 8' long keeps it from being one i'd recommend. The ECHO 9' 7wt looks great, but I've yet to cast it.

[Jim Abbott]

The finesse is a softer action rod. I have a 4 pc 4 wt for small stream fishing in the Smokies etc., and absolutely would not trade it for the world. Contact Little River Outfitters - no sales tax and they do a huge amount of out of state (TN) business.

[Joni]

I have the 10' 4 piece 5wt Pro. I don't see any difference in a 2 piece or a 4 anymore except transporting.
I consider the Pro series a Medium action rod.

Me personally, if I am going to build a rod, I would go with a little better blank. Reason being, at around $170. for a pre made rod that is a GREAT rod like the pro, and full warrantied, makes more sense than having to rewrap a blank if it breaks.
I did check out the 10' 5wt St Croix first then the Professional and I prefered the slower action of the Pro.
Too bad they don't make a 10' 6wt.

[hardhat]

This thread has been going on for some time, but I thought it would be nice to inform some people about a 4 wt I saw. Cabela's has a Scierra IC3 9' 4wt that they sell for $149.00. After testing the rod out I must say that it is a smooth casting rod. I was not looking for another 4 wt rod, but..... well you know how it is. This rod also has a lifetime warranty. The people at Cabela's said that they would honor the warranty through them. I gave my son my 3wt. so I will probably look at a 3wt Echo from The Full Creel later in the year.