I have an 8' 2wt rod for bream fishing. I am looking for another all around rod for small bass and trout. What wt and length do you think would be best? I am currently looking at either an 9' 4wt or a 9'-6" 6wt. what do you think about these options and do you have any other suggestions? I am not into really expensive equipment or am I looking to go on that once in a lifetime trip. I just want to have a rod that will match most of my fishing in and around East Texas and maybe into OK for a little trout fishing now and them.
Which rod?
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BigCliff
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hard to say, I like a 9' 4wt for trout and a 8' 6wt for bass. I do think splitting the difference and getting an 8'6" 5wt would be a good idea. I'd get a Temple Fork rod. Sage is great too, but pricey.
Here's their line-up: http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/rods/
Here's their line-up: http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/rods/
Fish Bones
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Hello WD:
Welcome to the forum. This is rapidly becoming one of the best fly fishing forums on the continent. There are many expert members and moderators to answer all of your fly fishing questions.
I will agree with BigCliff that a 5wt would be a great overall fly rod for both trout and bass. I like 4wt rods a lot too. If you keep your bass small a 4wt will work and then it would also be good for bream fishing.
I also agree with Cliff in that TFO has a great line up of fly rods. They have done a lot of good work to make a good product and they have certainly marketed themselves well. There are a couple of other very good options however, that I think you should also consider.
First of all, let me make this perfectly clear. As Site Administrator for this forum I feel that it is my duty to not blatantly promote my fly shop nor the products that it carries. I will only discuss these products if asked to in a post. Since you’re asking for opinions on fly rods, I’ll give you mine.
Secondly, as I said above, TFO makes a good rod. You will not go wrong if that’s the rout you choose to go. Remember this though… you do not get a rod tube with a TFO rod. You will have to pay extra for that. So make sure you know what the rod tube will cost you. Also, the TFO rods are fast action rods. This is not a bad thing if you like fast action rods in the lower rod weights. It has been my experience that most folks who fish a 4wt rod prefer a little slower action. I have taught fly fishing at the college level for 7 years and have determined that most average casters do better with a moderate action rod. I’m not the only one who shares that opinion. What action works best for you is of course only your decision.
I want to point out two great rods at two great prices.
Elkhorn is an up and coming rod company that makes an excellent fly rod. They have 4wt and 5wt rods from a 2pc all the way up to a 7pc travel rod. Their most popular is the 904-4 it’s a 4wt – 4pc – 9ft rod and is more of a moderate action rod. Elkhorn also has a 5wt – 4pc – 9ft. Each rod retails for $159 and comes with a rod tube at no extra charge. There is an 8ft rod in this same line also. The 7pc 4 and 5wt rods are only $179 with a rod tube. Like TFO, it also comes with a lifetime no-nonsense warranty. These rods are also very nice looking. You can take a look at the Elkhorn rods at http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=86
OK… now… ECHO also makes excellent fly rods at fantastic prices. World-renowned fly fisher Tim Rajeff developed this fine line of rods. They have a 4wt – 4pc – 8ft and a 5wt 4pc – 9ft fly rod that are a joy to cast. Now this rod is a Moderate/Fast action rod. This rod sells for only $129 and does come with a rod tube at no extra charge. They cast like the "money" rods, but don't require financial competence to purchase. They’re also very nice looking. You can take a look at them at http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=87
Now... my favorite fly rod of all time is the G.Loomis StreamDance GLX Presentation 4wt - 4pc. This is the sweetest casting rod I have ever cast… period! OK... perhaps I am a little bias… but I did cast that 4wt before I became a G.Loomis dealer. That is the exact rod that sold me on G.Loomis. I bought one for myself and then stocked my fly shop with them. But these are certainly higher priced rods at $615.
So take your time and compare all rods that you’re considering. Try them all out if you can. If you purchase one online make sure that you can send it back if you don’t like the way it feels and casts. We offer a 14-day test drive on all of our fly gear including fly rods. If you buy it you have two weeks to try it out before deciding to keep it. You can even fish with it before you decide. If you then decide that you don’t want to keep the rod just send it back for a complete refund including the shipping costs. Since you live in Lindale and we're in Flint, TX you can test cast our rods. Just let me know if I can help.
I’m sure you’ll find the right rod for you.
Steve
Welcome to the forum. This is rapidly becoming one of the best fly fishing forums on the continent. There are many expert members and moderators to answer all of your fly fishing questions.
I will agree with BigCliff that a 5wt would be a great overall fly rod for both trout and bass. I like 4wt rods a lot too. If you keep your bass small a 4wt will work and then it would also be good for bream fishing.
I also agree with Cliff in that TFO has a great line up of fly rods. They have done a lot of good work to make a good product and they have certainly marketed themselves well. There are a couple of other very good options however, that I think you should also consider.
First of all, let me make this perfectly clear. As Site Administrator for this forum I feel that it is my duty to not blatantly promote my fly shop nor the products that it carries. I will only discuss these products if asked to in a post. Since you’re asking for opinions on fly rods, I’ll give you mine.
Secondly, as I said above, TFO makes a good rod. You will not go wrong if that’s the rout you choose to go. Remember this though… you do not get a rod tube with a TFO rod. You will have to pay extra for that. So make sure you know what the rod tube will cost you. Also, the TFO rods are fast action rods. This is not a bad thing if you like fast action rods in the lower rod weights. It has been my experience that most folks who fish a 4wt rod prefer a little slower action. I have taught fly fishing at the college level for 7 years and have determined that most average casters do better with a moderate action rod. I’m not the only one who shares that opinion. What action works best for you is of course only your decision.
I want to point out two great rods at two great prices.
Elkhorn is an up and coming rod company that makes an excellent fly rod. They have 4wt and 5wt rods from a 2pc all the way up to a 7pc travel rod. Their most popular is the 904-4 it’s a 4wt – 4pc – 9ft rod and is more of a moderate action rod. Elkhorn also has a 5wt – 4pc – 9ft. Each rod retails for $159 and comes with a rod tube at no extra charge. There is an 8ft rod in this same line also. The 7pc 4 and 5wt rods are only $179 with a rod tube. Like TFO, it also comes with a lifetime no-nonsense warranty. These rods are also very nice looking. You can take a look at the Elkhorn rods at http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=86
OK… now… ECHO also makes excellent fly rods at fantastic prices. World-renowned fly fisher Tim Rajeff developed this fine line of rods. They have a 4wt – 4pc – 8ft and a 5wt 4pc – 9ft fly rod that are a joy to cast. Now this rod is a Moderate/Fast action rod. This rod sells for only $129 and does come with a rod tube at no extra charge. They cast like the "money" rods, but don't require financial competence to purchase. They’re also very nice looking. You can take a look at them at http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=87
Now... my favorite fly rod of all time is the G.Loomis StreamDance GLX Presentation 4wt - 4pc. This is the sweetest casting rod I have ever cast… period! OK... perhaps I am a little bias… but I did cast that 4wt before I became a G.Loomis dealer. That is the exact rod that sold me on G.Loomis. I bought one for myself and then stocked my fly shop with them. But these are certainly higher priced rods at $615.
So take your time and compare all rods that you’re considering. Try them all out if you can. If you purchase one online make sure that you can send it back if you don’t like the way it feels and casts. We offer a 14-day test drive on all of our fly gear including fly rods. If you buy it you have two weeks to try it out before deciding to keep it. You can even fish with it before you decide. If you then decide that you don’t want to keep the rod just send it back for a complete refund including the shipping costs. Since you live in Lindale and we're in Flint, TX you can test cast our rods. Just let me know if I can help.
I’m sure you’ll find the right rod for you.
Steve
Cliff Hilbert
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If you'll mainly be targeting bass then I'd suggest at least 9' -6-wt rod, anything lighter would be a little light if you think you'll be catching 4 lb + bass. I have a 9' - 6/7-wt St. Croix rod that I use for bass fishing and it will handle the larger bass bugs that I like to use. Anything smaller than a 6-wt. and you'd be very limited as far as the bass flies you can cast on it. If I were to buy another rod mainly for bass fishing I personally would opt for a 9' - 8-wt rod because it would handle the larger bass flies easier and enable me to get the larger bass out of vegetation and timber quicker.
On my 6/7-wt rod I have caught 9lb, 7-15, 7-12, and a foul-hooked 7 lb bass, and my rod handled them well. If I had used a lighter rod any of those fish could have broken it.
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If you'll mainly be targeting bass then I'd suggest at least 9' -6-wt rod, anything lighter would be a little light if you think you'll be catching 4 lb + bass. I have a 9' - 6/7-wt St. Croix rod that I use for bass fishing and it will handle the larger bass bugs that I like to use. Anything smaller than a 6-wt. and you'd be very limited as far as the bass flies you can cast on it. If I were to buy another rod mainly for bass fishing I personally would opt for a 9' - 8-wt rod because it would handle the larger bass flies easier and enable me to get the larger bass out of vegetation and timber quicker.
On my 6/7-wt rod I have caught 9lb, 7-15, 7-12, and a foul-hooked 7 lb bass, and my rod handled them well. If I had used a lighter rod any of those fish could have broken it.
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Fish Bones
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Yes... I agree. If bass is your main target with an occasional trout trip. A 6wt might be your best choice, especially if you're after larger bass. Myself, I mainly trout fish with only an occasional bass trip. So if I were going to choose the rod for myself then I would go with a 4 or 5. I have caught 4lb bass with 4 and 5wts and it works fine. However, as Cliff suggested, when the bass get over 4lbs you may need a little larger rod. A 6wt would likely be in order. Also, if you're going to be bass fishing with streamers and need to cover a lot of water you're probably going to want to make long casts. If that's the case a 6wt will serve you better.
Now... a 6wt is too large for fishing for trout at, say, Beaver's Bend State Park. I use a 2 or 3wt on that river. A 4wt would be fine and a 5wt would be OK. I use a 2, 3 or 4wt on 99% of the trout streams that I fish.
Ideally, two rods would be great. A 3 or 4wt for trout and a 6 or 8wt for bass. However, now we're talking twice the money. But with the price of quality rods dropping, its a little easier to afford a complete arsenal. It looks like the majority of the folks that responded to our previous rod poll owns over 5, and even over 10, fly rods. The multi-species issue is the main reason why.
Anyway... for only one rod to serve multi-purposes, you just need to decide exactly how much of what type of fishing that you'll be doing. You can find the right rod for you. Take your time and don't rush your decision.
Good Luck,
Steve
Now... a 6wt is too large for fishing for trout at, say, Beaver's Bend State Park. I use a 2 or 3wt on that river. A 4wt would be fine and a 5wt would be OK. I use a 2, 3 or 4wt on 99% of the trout streams that I fish.
Ideally, two rods would be great. A 3 or 4wt for trout and a 6 or 8wt for bass. However, now we're talking twice the money. But with the price of quality rods dropping, its a little easier to afford a complete arsenal. It looks like the majority of the folks that responded to our previous rod poll owns over 5, and even over 10, fly rods. The multi-species issue is the main reason why.
Anyway... for only one rod to serve multi-purposes, you just need to decide exactly how much of what type of fishing that you'll be doing. You can find the right rod for you. Take your time and don't rush your decision.
Good Luck,
Steve
dougm
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Steve's right-on ... two would be far better than one. I sure wouldn't want to play golf carrying either a single 3-iron or a single 9-iron. However, put the two together and you might break 100. I would go for a 4-weight and a 6-weight. I would add a fighting butt to the 6 and use it in the salt as well as for Mr. Largemouth. Assuming you select a fast action, the 6 offers the extra lifting power and wind fighting ability I think you will need.
Doug
Doug
Thanks for the information. It always helps in making decisions when you have opions based on fact and experiance verses just making it up. I think I will look at a 8'6" 5wt for this purchase. I'm not out to catch a 9lb bass but like mose people I'll be fishing for the 1-3lb fish and maybe an occational trout trip. Thanks again for the help.
Robin
Robin
BigCliff
Well-known member
After looking further at the Echo rods, I'd probably go that way. The tube they put with it would cost at least $30 and likely more like $40+ on its own, and the triangular shape would keep it from rolling around.
I think Mr. Rajeff is smart enough to realize he is going to be replacing fewer rods if they're in a hard case to begin with.
Their US distributor Tim Rajeff has built himself quite a reputation within this industry, and would have a good bit to lose by selling crappy rods.
I think Mr. Rajeff is smart enough to realize he is going to be replacing fewer rods if they're in a hard case to begin with.
Their US distributor Tim Rajeff has built himself quite a reputation within this industry, and would have a good bit to lose by selling crappy rods.
I'm actually looking at the Redington Red Start II rods. They too come with a case. I'm sure they are not the best rod out there but as a novice I think it will do. If I get hooked on this sport and get better I can always upgrade to a little better equipment later on. The ro does come with the rod tube and has a Life Time warrenty. That seems like a decent deal to me. What do you think?
Fish Bones
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Redington makes very good equipment. I have owned a couple Redington rods and have been pleased. I have never used the RedStart rods but I'm sure they maintain the same Redington quality. Also, if I'm not mistaken, those rods are on sale at a great price. I think that rod will serve you well.
Steve
Steve
dougm
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Hi WD,
Nothing wrong with going with the Redington but I would offer an alternative that might serve you better and longer for about the same cost. Take a look at Cabela's Stowaway 7 and Stowaway 5. Of the two, I prefer the 7 but that's because it has a very good action and, more importantly, breaks down into a little 16-inch package -- carry it anywhere. However, nothing wrong with the 5 except the package isn't as small.
If you take to the sport and buy other rods, I doubt you will ever let this one go. It's versatility is hard to match except for lots more money. I have reviewed two in the past and will soon do another... If you've never delt with Cabela's, have no fear -- they back what the sell as well, if not better, than many manufacturers. http://www.cabela.com
If you don't like it, send it back...
Doug
Nothing wrong with going with the Redington but I would offer an alternative that might serve you better and longer for about the same cost. Take a look at Cabela's Stowaway 7 and Stowaway 5. Of the two, I prefer the 7 but that's because it has a very good action and, more importantly, breaks down into a little 16-inch package -- carry it anywhere. However, nothing wrong with the 5 except the package isn't as small.
If you take to the sport and buy other rods, I doubt you will ever let this one go. It's versatility is hard to match except for lots more money. I have reviewed two in the past and will soon do another... If you've never delt with Cabela's, have no fear -- they back what the sell as well, if not better, than many manufacturers. http://www.cabela.com
If you don't like it, send it back...
Doug
I would second that opinion for Temple Fork Rods. I personally have five of them and they are great. Also, the five rods cost me less then one Sage TCR and left enough money to get to the river. Check out the TICRX line. They are some of the finest casting rods I have ever had my hands on.BigCliff said: