How many of us are limited to one good rod?

[glacierjohn]

I read a lot of threads on here about different rods, their strengths and weaknesses, where they excell and where they fall short, and I realize that though I might not have one rod that does everything perfectly, I do have all the bases covered with 3-4 really good rods. I can remember when I could only afford one good rod to cover all my trout fishing, that was my Scott G-904, and I didn't feel handicapped, but as I've gotten older, with a bit more money I realize I can afford to specialize a bit more.

Now I have a Winston WT 7 1/2' three weight for s,all stream bookies, my Scott G's for dry fly fishing lighter payloads on calm days, my Radian for wind and or bigger flies and a 10' Echo 3 six weight for streamers and nymph fishing. So I don't have to argue with Haligator about how well my Radian fishes in close because really I mostly use my G904 for that, and I don't have to argue with S&S about how my G906 actually cast pretty far because I would probably just pull out the Radian if I ever found myself really needing long cast all day.

 

[eastfly66]

Sounds like a pretty nice quiver to me John

 

[bigjim5589]

John, yes sounds like you have things covered quite well. I now have several rods, from 3 wt to 10 wt and just as you have, added as I could afford.

However, for many years I only had one rod, back when I first started, a Cortland 8 wt fiberglass. I did everything with it, from Bluegills to Striped Bass & even a bit of trout fishing. Wasn't the best rod for much of it's use, but it's what I had.

When I first got married, one Christmas, my wife bought an Orvis fiberglass rod for me, a 5 wt. Much better for Bluegills & Trout.

Unfortunately, we had a house fire & I lost all my rods. I went a few years with none at all, then in 1989 I bought a Cabela's pack rod, a 6 wt. Used that one for several year as the only rod I owned & still use it. I guess when it's all you have & can afford you make due. We were raising 4 kids by that time, so I didn't have extra to spend on rods.

Since then, I've added the rest of the rods, a little at a time. Two are customs, the rest are all factory rods, none appreciably expensive, but they do what I need. Since I'm primarily a warmwater or tidal water angler, I don't really have much need for truly specialized rods, but it's nice having a variety for whatever purpose I wish to pursue.

With the exception of one rod that was purchased for one of my son's, I've yet to find a rod I couldn't use. I don't get too involved with the specs or worried about whether a rod will serve it's purpose. That one rod, a 5 wt, was a cheap Berkley outfit rod, and it was a terrible casting rod as obtained. I later tried it with some different wt lines & finally settled on it being a 7 wt, which it casts well with.

In the end, all rods in my arsenal are satisfactory for my purposes, whether they started out that way or not. I could go back to being a one rod angler, but now at my age, where would be the fun in that?

 

[pszy22]

Truth be told, for most folks, half the fun of any hobby is buying stuff. That's true of fishing, guitar playing, anything with the word collecting, etc. Nothing wrong with buying stuff you might like and can afford.

I would tell someone who is just starting out, there is a big difference regarding wants and needs. Other than a few situations at the far end of the bell shaped curved, it's alot better to go fishing with less than optimal equipment than to stay home.

Here's a great example regarding Lee Wulff, excerpt from http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part343.php

As a pioneer in the use of extra light tackle for salmon, by 1940 I had come down to a seven-foot, two-and-a-half ounce fly rod, and since then have rarely used anything heavier. In 1943, in order to demonstrate to the most confirmed doubter, I eliminated the rod entirely from my tackle. Casting some thirty-odd feet by hand, I hooked a ten-pound salmon and played it by holding the reel in my right hand, reeling with my left, until I could finally reach down and tail it with my own hand, ten minutes later. Witnesses were present and pictures were taken to prove that a salmon rod may be as light as one wishes, even to the point of none at all. This experiment was the basis of an article in Field and Stream.

 

[slips74]

Up until last year I've fished since I was 10 with only 1 Fly Rod, an 8' 6" 5wt. Then I got the "Gear Bug" and filled a quiver with great rods. There is something to be said for keeping it simple but buying fly fishing stuff is so much fun!

 

[repperson29]

I only have and more importantly only want two fly rods. My 764 orvis glass rod for trout/pan fish and my 107 Redington path rod for steelhead. I may eventually upgrade the steelhead rod but not without selling it.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[boomslang]

I used to own 21 fly rods up until last year. Now I only have one rod for each type of fishing I do. For trout in the north east I fish my 10' 4 wt Z-axis a lot. For dry flies I fish a 8.5' 4wt Winston. The z-axis has been my go to rod for almost every trip. Fish up to 18" or 20" are not too heavy on the rod. Also, the rod is equally capable of fishing wets, dries and nymphs in medium to large streams.

 

[sweetandsalt]

Glacier, I have no argument with you about fly rods or anything...and Lee Wulff, was one-of-a-kind!

For the first 6 years or so of my life as a fly fisher, I had one rod and reel...a Sewell Dunton Supreme 3pc. 8'/HDH (though I fished a #5 DT Aircell on it) mounted with a turned pillar Medalist 1492. I still have this rod though I haven't even thought of fishing it in decades. I have numerous rods now and add a couple each year but can still only cast one at a time. My trout quiver is not much different than John's; a Loomis Streamdance 8 1/2'/#4 for spring creeks and small streams, a Zenith 9'/#5 medium fast general purpose rod complimenting a Sage ONE 9'/#5 technical dry fly rod and, new this year, a Loomis NRX#6, a do-it-all big river rod that can present anything from a trico to a salmonfly at any distance...representing my "6-Weight Renaissance" train of thought.

But so many new rods were introduced last month in Orlando! Is it feasible for me to go on my next bonefishing trip without either/or Scott Meridian or Hardy Wraith 8-weights?

So, no, I'm not limited to one good rod and haven't been since I supplemented my first modest, slow action, cane rod with a Scott Pow-R-Ply 8', 5 piece, glass, backpacking specialty rod.

 

[glacierjohn]

Glacier, I have no argument with you about fly rods or anything...and Lee Wulff, was one-of-a-kind!

For the first 6 years or so of my life as a fly fisher, I had one rod and reel...a Sewell Dunton Supreme 3pc. 8'/HDH (though I fished a #5 DT Aircell on it) mounted with a turned pillar Medalist 1492. I still have this rod though I haven't even thought of fishing it in decades. I have numerous rods now and add a couple each year but can still only cast one at a time. My trout quiver is not much different than John's; a Loomis Streamdance 8 1/2'/#4 for spring creeks and small streams, a Zenith 9'/#5 medium fast general purpose rod complimenting a Sage ONE 9'/#5 technical dry fly rod and, new this year, a Loomis NRX#6, a do-it-all big river rod that can present anything from a trico to a salmonfly at any distance...representing my "6-Weight Renaissance" train of thought.

But so many new rods were introduced last month in Orlando! Is it feasible for me to go on my next bonefishing trip without either/or Scott Meridian or Hardy Wraith 8-weights?

So, no, I'm not limited to one good rod and haven't been since I supplemented my first modest, slow action, cane rod with a Scott Pow-R-Ply 8', 5 piece, glass, backpacking specialty rod.

Thanks for the reply, I hope you took my comment as the tongue-in-cheek way I meant it. My point is the same as yours, most of us started off with one rod that taught us how to fish, then as age, finances and the state of the art of fly rod technology advanced, we were able to become more specialized with our tackle.

Argue-debate-discuss whatever you want to call it, it's all in fun, and I certainly never want to offend anybody. My greater point is though we specialize, most of us tend to have a favorite "go-to" rod that works for us in most of the situations we fish. For me that's my G-904, but there are days where it just won't work, so I have other rods that get used that day. As a matter of fact, most of my drift-boat fishing days I start off with the Scott G in the morning and transition to the Radian as the wind picks up later in the day. Before my Radian I would switch to a six weight when the wind picked up.

Now I'm talking strictly Montana trout fishing, obviously saltwater, salmon, bass are all a different story. Even in western Montana fishing the Bighole or Missouri rivers call for different equipment. I would never use my G-904 down there.

 

[sweetandsalt]

Oh, I figure you'd use the G up around Wisdom if we had water and cool temperatures up there.

I have a friend who fishes trout East and West and, though he has several rods and could afford more if he wished, he fishes his Hardy Zenith 8 1/2'/#4 most of the time...even wading the Missouri! He maintains it does it all for him and he just loves fishing it...he "knows" he is not matching it to the habitat on the mighty Mo but just loves the sense of ultra light responsiveness he achieves with this rod and gets all the distance he requires from it too. He finds it crazy I'm fishing gigantic NRX#6 while he has his petite magic wand!

 

[glacierjohn]

Oh, I figure you'd use the G up around Wisdom if we had water and cool temperatures up there.

!

That I would...

 

[golfnfish]

I'm fortunate in that I have more than one good rod. Up until a few years ago, between cane, glass and graphite, I owned about 30 of what most would consider good rods. I've since cut my # of rods by more than half due to my age and changing fishing habits. I could probably cut that # in more than half again and still feel I had all my bases covered.

I enjoy nice equipment and have been lucky enough to be able to afford it. Were my circumstances different, I don't think my fly fishing enjoyment would be significantly less if I only had one rod for freshwater and one for salt. I tend to think about my equipment more when I'm not fishing than when I'm on the stream or flats.

---------- Post added at 10:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 AM ----------

Oh, I figure you'd use the G up around Wisdom if we had water and cool temperatures up there.

I have a friend who fishes trout East and West and, though he has several rods and could afford more if he wished, he fishes his Hardy Zenith 8 1/2'/#4 most of the time...even wading the Missouri! He maintains it does it all for him and he just loves fishing it...he "knows" he is not matching it to the habitat on the mighty Mo but just loves the sense of ultra light responsiveness he achieves with this rod and gets all the distance he requires from it too. He finds it crazy I'm fishing gigantic NRX#6 while he has his petite magic wand!

Nice story and a great example of how we each fly fish for the enjoyment it brings us. What is important in maximizing that enjoyment can differ greatly from person to person.

 

[Rip Tide]

What constitutes a good rod ?
I have a bunch of rods that were "top of the line" at one time for their brand, but I doubt too many here would now consider them "high end".
Still I manage to catch a fish or two with them.
I have many other rods that I enjoy using for various reasons and a number of those have been very good to me too.
If a "good" rod needs to be "popular" or expensive then you've lost me, as those are qualities that I don't value.

 

[bigjim5589]

Rip, great post! IMO, a "good" rod only has to be good for the person who fishes it! :thumbsup:

 

[mike_r]

I am a big fan of doing more with less, just as long as it is not a strain on me or my gear: which detracts from the enjoyment of the whole process for me. I have constantly traded rods to aquire that "good" or perhaps better rod for achieving the results I desire for the application at hand. I would love to be able to do all of my fishing with just one rod! I figure then, being so tuned to my rig, I would never have to think about it's limitations at all...just get out there and fish! I have such a rod that will do all what I love best well, but is not in the realm of most enjoyable for all. Most of my fishing these days is centered around fishing tailwaters for trout, and medium sized rivers for smallmouth. I could do all of that with my now favorite Winston BIIIx 690. Problem is, most of the trout fishing I like to do can be done efficiently and comfortably with a 9' 4 wt; my current choice is my Sage Z-axis in that particular caliber. I have others, but these two cover my preferred haunts very well.

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

Limited to, as in no option? Not I. However, for all intents and purposes I actually limit myself more often than not to a single rod, in fact the first serious new fly rod purchase I made, my 1993 Orvis HLS Bighorn Special 8'6" 5wt..

Just like some have mentioned, I rather quickly began picking up other Orvis and G-Loomis rods for not only fresh yet salt water yet no mater where I would travel or what species I was targeting there would be that 5wt.. Now that might sound crazy in that "why would you take a 5wt. when fishing for Marlin and Tuna?" Well my thinking was I still might want it if getting into smaller fish under scum lines and naturally once back in shore for small Barracuda and such.

Don't get me wrong, I bought my 7'6" 3wt. simply because the Bighorn was too much rod for one of my favorite trout rivers and when there will typically use it. In kind I purchased my Powerhouse 8wt. in that the 5wt. couldn't chuck the size of flies I wanted at Small Bonefish, Bass and Pike....But truth be told I still hedge a little and grab that 5wt. when I probably shouldn't.

Just this morning I was using it on our lake at dawn shooting for Pike and Bass (catching nothing until I switched up to the 7wt. thinking Carp yet instead landed a tint 18" Pike lol). I've used it for fishing Great Lakes Steelhead and Bulltrout out West over-lining it with 7wt. line to cast larger flies, same for Pike, Musky and Bass, in fact you name it, if it's smaller saltwater or any size freshwater except Salmon I've had my options yet still grabbed the Bighorn Special.

So though I have multiple rods, each meant for specific situations, and in truth better suited for them, I still find myself often grabbing for my "go-to" rod the Bighorn Special in that you just know if you're going to catch fish, that's the rod that is going to be able to do it.

Though Moby Dick might take me a little while to get him landed.

B.E.F.

 

[sweetandsalt]

GLM, I'm saving my little used 8 1/2'/#5 HLS in case you ever break yours on one of those unintended large fish...you can come to me for a replacement (for big$ of course). But your preference story strikes a pertinent point...regardless of its age, $ value and fame, rods optimally must suitably match the habitat and species you are intending to fish. Sure, like my friend above who intentionally "mismatches" his little #4 to large trout inhabited big rivers, you can get away with it and have fun too...up to a point.

Last fall I was paired up with a friend of a friend in a boat in Abaco, a nice guy and we were seeing quite a few good fish, but he just couldn't get his fly out in front of a bonefish. My friend is an expert caster and certified instructor and I'm thinking to myself that I'm going to have to talk to him about giving his old buddy a lesson or two. Then my partner for the day asks me to hold his rod while he does something and I glance at the writing next to where it says Orvis...he is fishing a 5-weight trying to toss a lead dumbbell weighted fly 70 feet. Well, duh! I make a comment and he says, "It's my favorite rod!"

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

S&S;

Well I appreciate the sentiment and I'll start saving my pop bottles now!

In any case, though I agree with you 100% about the right rod for the situation, I honestly feel it's like I hit on a "Winchester 1 of 1,000." Don't misunderstand, with each subsequent rod purchase I fully expected it to be my next favorite rod, yet it has never happened (though I'll keep trying).

At first I simply thought I hit on a lucky strike out of the production run, you know, one of those that just by sheer luck exceeds the expected performance by a vast margin. However oddly over the past couple of years I have run into forum posts and articles wherein folks speak of their all time favorite rod, or a rod that was so exceptional that it was like magic, and sure enough.....It's the same one.

My guess is that mine is NOT any better than the others made. Instead that it was one of those editions that just got everything just right, and not recognizing that, Orvis moved on as they SHOULD.

It will be a sad day when I have to cash in those pop bottles, yet that one once un-repairable will definitely retire on my wall.......I just regret not fishing the Bighorn last year with my Bighorn Special. Then again, excuse No. 379 (or perhaps 586-2) why I must head back to Wyoming :thumbsup:

B.E.F.

 

[huntschool]

I must agree willingly with what has been posted. I started back in the late 50's as a one rod kid (rod given to me by a family friend). There has been a bunch of water under the bridge since then and a notable number or rods and reels have been in my hands.

I, like many others, I am sure, went through the "short money" stages of school and work. Along the way I managed to rat hole some mad money and bought a rod every now and then. Today I have a pretty good quiver of rods all of which I guess could be considered high end in one way or the other including at least two that as someone else mentioned above were considered the latest, greatest in their few years of production.

John brought up his Scott G 904.... that is also my fav. for prescion work. I have used it more frequently than any other rod I have save for some real speciality rods. Fact is I love the G/G2 series of rods but then I grew up on cane and glass. I will admit to liking my Winston B III LS 7'6" 3 wt for a lot of the water I fish but I can also use my Scott 2 wt or 4 wt in that same water.

Sure, now I have some faster rods but what the heck, life is short and I am getting old. The rod I most anticipate right now is the 904 Radian which I will have this month. Yep, its another 4 wt.

Soooooooo........ Do I fish with one fly rod..... sure, the one I have in my hand when I am in the water. I have been fortunate to have mad a good living and can indulge myself every so often in fly gear and shotguns.

I am a happy guy............... I was also a happy guy(kid) back when I got that first rod.

 

[cab]

One could fish for a lifetime here in Colorado with a 9ft 5wt, and be very happy. I did, for many years. That Daimondback Aeroflex felt like an extension of my Self. Then I fished a small creek where that rod felt like a telephone pole. Enter the 8' 3wt. A TFO BVK, it's surprisingly good. Everyone likes that rod.

Then the ol' D-Back started to feel a bit lame. A new, better line helped; but it's still heavy. After some research, a Hardy Zenith found it's way to my door. While not the instant love that was the Aeroflex, when it's good, it's golden. That rod goes everywhere, even Alaska. The tube cap may not get unscrewed, but it goes along.

Thanks to a job with quite a bit of overtime and this forum (dang you!), I'm starting to build up a quiver. And asking myself why. Right up until I fish with my new toy.

CAB