Rods that suck!

[mnigro]

There’s so many posts about which rod is best, brand X vs Y, etc. I’ve cast a slew of newer rods over the past few years and to be honest, not sure any of them were bad rods. But some rods don’t fish well once on the water and some rods have terrible components that make them poor values. Curious to know if anyone has fished a newer rod that they felt was garbage?

 

[Ard]

Back in early 1979 I bought an eight foot Fenwick HMG 5 weight, at the time I had been fly casting for about 10 years and had most recently been using the brown Fenwick fiberglass for 2 years. The old brown glass rods were actually pretty good but that new HMG didn't do anything well. I tried to 'make it work' for a couple months then sold it for 65 dollars. I had paid $125.00 for it which was nearly double what the fiberglass Fenwick rods cost. I used the extra 65 dollars toward an Orvis five weight Far & Fine and never looked back. I still have that Far and fine and use it every year at least once. I'd use it more but this is Alaska and I don't go to small streams often. Generally it gets out in late fall when the water drops and many places are just trout at that time.

So, the Fenwick 1979 HMG Graphite, avoid it if you see one on eBay.

BTW, Undesirable Fly Rods would make a friendlier thread title.

 

[spm]

I think this may have come up with a different spin. Never-the-less, I fished for many years with what many would probably describe as very mediocre rods. But, I had fun and caught fish. I guess I just didn't know any better. Regardless, today's rods, even the cheaper ones, are infinitely better than what I started with. Even so, you fish with what you have. As the old saying goes, it's a poor workman who blames his tools.

Thanks,
steve

 

[ixoye]

TFO BVK 9 '# 5 is the worst **** I've ever owned, like a stiff broomstick with a terrible swing-weight, and the quality of the cork was worse than on a 5 dollar spinning rod from the local gas station.

 

[ia_trouter]

A few come to mind. Cabela's Three Forks is a dead stick compared to anything else I have ever cast. To be fair I have seen them on sale for under $25 so what do they pay for them? Perhaps worth the the small money starting out if you get a deal. Rod has been around a long time and who knows who built them through the years? Maybe a Three Forks from 8 years or 8 days ago is better than the one I had?

Anything Redington I ever touched in weights 8 or higher. Absolute broomsticks unless you over lined them big time. I'm not the first to experience that phenomenon. I like their lighter gear just fine and it's a good value IMO.

 

[mnigro]

So, the Fenwick 1979 HMG Graphite, avoid it if you see one on ever Bay.

BTW, Undesirable Fly Rods would make a friendlier thread title.

Nah, there’s many rods I find undesirable. Only one was truly garbage IMO with cork so bad that they should have used synthetic instead. It’s already been mentioned...

 

[tcorfey]

I have never met a fly rod I didn't like or sometimes it just takes the right line to make a fly rod sing to you.

I have found that most fly rods be they good or bad have a certain sweet spot with a particular line that really makes them shine. Sometimes you may need to try many lines and sometimes it requires you to upline or downline the rod to get the action that feels right to you. However, I have had rods that really spoke to me and after I no longer had them I yearned for their particular feel and had a hard time finding a rod to duplicate the old rod. I have also had rods I grew tired of but using a different line taper or line weight resurrected my interest.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[JoJer]

I "test drove" a Sage One 9' 5wt at Silver Creek two years ago. I prefer my either of my TFOs, 9' 5wt Pro series or the 9' 6wt Signature series even without the price difference. I know lots of folks like their Ones, maybe I got a bad one.

 

[Ard]

I have never met a fly rod I didn't like or sometimes it just takes the right line to make a fly rod sing to you.

I have found that most fly rods be they good or bad have a certain sweet spot with a particular line that really makes them shine. Sometimes you may need to try many lines and sometimes it requires you to upline or downline the rod to get the action that feels right to you. However, I have had rods that really spoke to me and after I no longer had them I yearned for their particular feel and had a hard time finding a rod to duplicate the old rod. I have also had rods I grew tired of but using a different line taper or line weight resurrected my interest.

Regards,

Tim C.

Hi Tim,

Back then there were few choices when it came to lines, there was little thought given to over or underlining where I grew up and the rod makers were expected to deliver. When I bought a five weight I expected to line it with a Cortland 444 DT or Rocket taper line. If they missed the mark you bought one that worked as advertised, that Orvis Far & Fine works today just as it did 39 years ago with a #5 line.

 

[eure]

Do some rods suck or do some rods just not suit you and your casting style.

I bought a cheap guideline #7 rod on close out. The build quality was good for the price point, the cork handle wasn't fantastic but it's a cheap rod so corners are going to be cut somewhere. I found the rod excessively stiff and completely lifeless, over lining the rod helped but not much so I sold the rod on. The new owner loves it

 

[mikechell]

The worst fly rod I ever cast, was one of those Pflueger $34.00 combos in the cardboard package from just about any store.
Kind of like a fly rod made from a broom stick. Heavy, hard to get a good feel for casting with it. It's the only "combo" I've ever had that I would warn others away from.

 

[flav]

I bought a little W W Grigg 3 weight that was the worst casting rod I've ever used and the components were garbage. I tried several lines in different weights and it still cast horribly. I sold it for $20 at a garage sale and felt guilty for selling it for that much.

 

[Rip Tide]

My first 2 rods when I was a kid were a $3 Japanese bamboo and a Conolon 'blue'.
Easily 2 of the worst fly rods ever made.
That made for for some early casting issues that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
I've had rods since then that were 'a challenge' but there's nothing on the market now that can compare to my early rods.

My latest challenge is a Cortland Sapphire (Diamondback) that I bought a few years ago. "New, old stock".
It was a 'top of the line' rod in it's day, but to me it's a broomstick.
I like a challenge, but this one is hardly worth it.

 

[tcorfey]

Hi Tim,

Back then there were few choices when it came to lines, there was little thought given to over or underlining where I grew up and the rod makers were expected to deliver. When I bought a five weight I expected to line it with a Cortland 444 DT or Rocket taper line. If they missed the mark you bought one that worked as advertised, that Orvis Far & Fine works today just as it did 39 years ago with a #5 line.

Ard, I agree that the Orvis Far & Fine was and is a great rod, but, the older graphite HMG rods have a solid reputation in the competition casting circuit still today. Of course not all rods in a series are considered great rods so maybe the 8' 5wt is/was not the best in that series or maybe it just did not work right for you. At my clubs casting pond I have seen guys that are excellent casters with their rod of choice and when we switch rods neither of us can readily adapt to the others rod. One gentleman in particular is a double haul master on his Sage rod (awesome to watch him work) but I can't cast his rod worth a dam (too fast for me) and would not consider his rod something I would ever enjoy but he loves it and it works well for him and his style.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[westcoast]

We used to have a guy in our weekly golfing group that couldn't putt worth of **** and exchanged his putter for a different one every second week.

 

[Ard]

Hi Tim,

There's always the chance I had a rod that was somehow defective. By the time I purchased that one I was fairly good at putting things where I wanted them fly wise. I just couldn't get warmed up to it and moved it on. When I got that F & F I fished it for all species for14 years. It was still my #1 when I came here and caught many fish with it. Best money ever spent on a rod based on longevity I think.

 

[mahoka]

Bought a Hardy Angel around 2005 something...One of the most expensive graphite rods to find thesedays. in ten fishingtrips two of four sections just broke during casting...Not impressed at all...got new sections on warranty...but still...a Rod of this pricerange...not able to go fishing without a replacement if it breaks during normal casting...The most useless fishing rod i ever bought... Still have it, but never use it!

 

[clouserguyky]

Most rods available today are serviceable. However, the 8' 4 weight Cabela's Three Forks rod I had was truly bad in comparison to every other rod I've ever touched. Still caught a lot of fish on it, until it broke on a short cast in the yard.

 

[flytie09]

My dad bought a 13' Cabelas Tradition II Spey rod. I swapped it out with my switch rod because I couldn't see him struggle with that rod any more. I then promptly passed it along to a member on here. I hope they're not cursing it as much as I did. I think I even through in a long belly Spey line with it. Which is crazy...because I loved that 11' Tradition II Switch rod.

 

[spm]

Okay, this thread is moving in a different direction than I had anticipated. Maybe I just didn't read the OP closely enough. I was referring to my old rods that by today's standards would be considered inferior. As I read the replies, I can see I misinterpreted. It seems to be more what wouldn't work for the individual.

Sooo.
I had a custom 7'6" 1wt that I just couldn't make friends with. It was a full flex and maybe that was the problem. Or maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance. Which sounds like me. I also had a Orvis Power Matrix PM-10 8'4" 3wt that didn't work for me. It felt very fast and stiff to me. I had assumed in each that I was the problem, and maybe I was.

I ended up selling both of them.

Thanks,
steve