TFO Lefty Kreh Professional or Redington Classic Trout?

[bluegillonthefely]

So, I'm more or less a novice caster. I've been fly fishing for a bit and have caught some fish, but I've never done it often enough and consistently enough to get any good at casting. This year I have resolved to change that and become a proficient flycaster. It's too much fun to continue to be bad at it.

Long story short, a while back I replaced my first fly rod (some no-name thing whose reel seat I had to reattach with superglue, etc.) with a Sage Flight 590-4 pretty much because a friend of mine had one and liked it and LL Bean had an astonishingly good price on the combos at the time. No, I'd never actually cast one before buying it. Yes, dumb

Now, the Sage is a fine fly rod and there's nothing wrong with it, but as I have learned more I had begun to come to the conclusion that it's just too fast for me, at least at my present level of proficiency. Last weekend a member of our local club let me try his TFO Lefty Kreh Professional, and I loved it. The slower action (TFO calls it med. fast) felt alive in my hand, and it was much lighter, too. When I went back to my Sage, it confirmed my suspicions about it not being right for me, at least not now.

Which brings me to my question: I want to replace the Sage (either store it until I'm good enough to use it, or maybe just sell it) and get either a TFO Kreh Professional, or a Redington Classic Trout. The CT sounds similar on paper but probably even a slower action. I don't know anyone locally who has one I could try, unfortunately. So, without being me or knowing me, but based on my story, would you recommend the TFO or the Redington? If you own both or have casted both, you're my hero today

Oh, and this is probably relevant, my primary fishing is for sunfish and crappie in stillwater, and I usually fly fish either from my float tube or a small boat.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[wabi]

The CT is a much slower action.
I found it to be more like glass or cane in flex/action when I tried it.

I use a TFO Pro and like it much better.

 

[bluegillonthefely]

Thanks, Mike! I think I'll go ahead with the TFO, then.

 

[chased]

Its been awhile since I have cast a Vantage or that particular TFO, but if I remember right, the TFO was even faster than the vantage. If you want a slower rod I would go with the CT. In my personal opinion, the CT is one of the best rods on the market under $200. Take this for that it's worth...what I may like, you may not.

-Chase

 

[bluegillonthefely]

Thanks for your input, Chase. I decided to go with the TFO in a 5-weight to take the place of my Sage because I tried one and know I like it but the CT - a fine rod, no doubt - is a question mark because I don't have local access to one to try. I plan to get a 2 or 3-weight later this year just to make the bluegill more fun. Maybe that one will be a CT, if I can get to cast one between now and then. Even if I like the CT better than the TFO, I won't hate myself for having a TFO.

Thanks again!

 

[fly_guy12955]

Fished last two days with my new CT , 8 1/2 , 3wt. It is a great rod and I love it.

You coined the best phrase for slow and medium actions rods I've heard yet,,they feel ALIVE ! That has been just the word I've been looking for to describe why I do not really like fast actions rods,,they do not have that 'alive' feeling. It's like you are standing outside the picture casting in,,,with a rod like the CT,,you are IN that picture and feeling every bump.

My TFO , BVK is a fine rod, well made, cast a mile. But it's something a bass tourney converted to fly fisherman might like. I guess it has it's place, but I know already I'll use it less than any rod I own. I do not know much about the feel of the slower TFO's,,,just my one BVK. But you can NOT go wrong with a CT. Have two, love'em both.

Good luck,,and never feel that you HAVE to grow out of relaxed actions rods. Lot's of great fly fishermen prefer them and always will.

Michael

 

[noreaster]

Whatever you decide to do, you may want to think about holding onto the Sage. I was in possession of my Sage for many years in storage, and feel as if I grew into it. For many years it was a much better rod than I was a fisherman.

 

[bluegillonthefely]

You coined the best phrase for slow and medium actions rods I've heard yet,,they feel ALIVE ! That has been just the word I've been looking for to describe why I do not really like fast actions rods,,they do not have that 'alive' feeling. It's like you are standing outside the picture casting in,,,with a rod like the CT,,you are IN that picture and feeling every bump.

Glad to help with just the right word. I'm a software engineer of sorts and at one time considered being a technical writer instead, and it feels great to use a word that really nails it for somebody

In my first draft, I'd said that when I went back to my Sage it felt like picking up a pool cue with a flyline on it, then edited it out of politeness to Sage and those who fish them. I don't mean to offend anyone, and Sage certainly makes fine rods and it picks the line up off the water like nobody's business, but it's just way too stiff for me. I may eventually grow into it, but OTOH I don't need to be casting the whole line at bonefish (we've got them here in the bay, but I'm not really a saltwater guy).

Glad to hear how much you like your 3-weight CT. When I get my 2 or 3-weight later this year I'll probably make it a CT so I can experience both worlds for myself.

Jonathan

 

[yonder]

I am also a fan of the red CT...and the TFO finesse series...I like the medium action feel. I have a BVK, and a TFO pro, but I really do not care for the faster actions. Nothing wrong with them, it's just not my thing. So last year I overlined both rods and now they are coming "alive." They are now back in my current rotation. I fish smaller streams that are usually protected somewhat from the wind with rarely any fly larger than a size 14. You mileage may vary. Just my humble opinion, based on personal observation.

After a quick check....I overline all of my TFO's.....but I do not overline the Red CT's.......

 

[pabrown_yb245]

Bluegill I'm in the same situation here in south central pa, I just bought a Redington red fly 2 about 2 weeks ago, I'm praticing every couple of days of roll casting in my yard the rod is 9' 5w, my problem is fly line coils up on my foward cast, it looks horrible, I've tried all kinds of speeds and nothing works, my next step is to work with the fly line, I'm going to yellow breeches outfitters on sunday and hopefully work with some new fly lines, my sense is work with the rod and make the line do the work, any rod you buy needs a (mate) line to it, if you watch roll cast videos on you tube you have to think these guys just didn't pick a rod up and the hole rod and reel combo was right, adjustments are needed, there's thousands of rods out there & they're all going to vary. Hope this helps.

 

[nick k]

I noticed in your original post that you purchased a 590-4. I'll take that to be a 5 wt 9ft 4 piece. I also noticed that your username is bluegillonthefely.

In my opinion, you should not only rethink your rod model, but also your rod weight, that is, if I'm correct in assuming that you primarily fish for bluegill. Bluegill flies are generally small, as well as the bluegills that eat them. You may have more fun on something like a 3wt.

However, if you also catch bass from time to time, the 5wt isn't a bad idea. Or maybe a 4wt would be a nice compromise. Not telling you to go one way or the other, just something to consider.

 

[ditz]

Before you buy the new rod:
1. Find out what line your friend has on his rod
2. You should try overlining your current rod. It may come alive also.
3. As mentioned above, consider a 2 or 3wt rod instead of 5wt.

I fish a 6' 2wt TFO signature. The original WF line was a 2wt and I did not care for the rod. I overlined it with a DT and the rod 'came alive' and it is now what I always use in the small creeks I fish. Sunfish, rockbass, and SMB are my targets and the rod handles them all very well and all the flies I need for them all as well. I like slower rods as well since I learned on glass many years ago. I also use fast rods for my heavier rods for larger bugs and to fight the wind on the salt.

Another thing to consider is a DT line. Everybody is touting the WF lines including me but I really like the DT on the 2wt and I am considering one for my longer 5wt.

 

[bluegillonthefely]

Hi pabrown,

If the problem is just that your line is coiled from being on the reel, here's a neat trick that a member of a fly club taught me: pull out the entire fly line (not the backing) and wrap it around a smooth tree, fence post, or one of your kids (I had my 10 year old be my assistant on this so that the midpoint of the line is around the object and both ends are in your hands. Then, tension the line to straighten it and stretch it a bit and hold that for a while. Voila! Straight fly line!

If the problem is casting form and technique (like me), having one or more skilled flycasters watch what your doing and instruct you is priceless. My initial plunge came from watching some videos and going out to practice, but the problem for me was that a video can't tell you what you're doing wrong, which in my case was pretty much everything. As a result, I spent years as an incompetent caster.

In the city I just moved to, the local club holds casting lessons every weekend at a lake near my house. I just attended one this weekend and it helped _a lot_ so I'll be going back as often as I can. One thing that will be confusing in the beginning if several people are helping you is that different people will have different ways to describe things and sometimes it almost sounds like they are contradicting each other even though they probably aren't, so you need to listen to a lot of advice and then pick out the bits that work for you and put them together. It gets a little easier every time.

If you already have the correct line weight for your rod (if it came as an outfit, you should), weight may not be the problem. OTOH, I believe the Red.Fly2 is a fast action rod, maybe similar to my Sage. In that case, overlining (putting on a line weight heavier than what the manufacturer recommends) may help because it will load the rod sooner and with less line out. I considered doing that for my Sage Flight, but a good fly line isn't cheap and might not produce results as satisfactory for me as a softer rod. I bought a new TFO Signature for $1000 + $10 shipping, whereas a good line can easily go $50 or more, plus the time to put it on. If I return to fishing the Sage in the future, I'll probably overline it with a 6, or maybe even a 7, anyway. I'll have to stop in a fly shop with it some day and try a few, then get the line that feels the best. Or I may just sell it. It's worth more even used than the TFO I just ordered, and decent fast rods are always available if I want one.

My wife is one of those people who can just watch a video of somebody doing something, then go and do it just like that herself. She's a hairstylist and learns new techniques and styles just from watching somebody do it once or twice, then practicing on her own. I bet she'd be a great flycaster if she were interested in it.

Cheers,

Jonathan

 

[nick k]

Bluegill I'm in the same situation here in south central pa, I just bought a Redington red fly 2 about 2 weeks ago, I'm praticing every couple of days of roll casting in my yard the rod is 9' 5w, my problem is fly line coils up on my foward cast, it looks horrible, I've tried all kinds of speeds and nothing works, my next step is to work with the fly line, I'm going to yellow breeches outfitters on sunday and hopefully work with some new fly lines, my sense is work with the rod and make the line do the work, any rod you buy needs a (mate) line to it, if you watch roll cast videos on you tube you have to think these guys just didn't pick a rod up and the hole rod and reel combo was right, adjustments are needed, there's thousands of rods out there & they're all going to vary. Hope this helps.

Why so much roll casting for you guys? Trouble with back cast rooms. Might not be your form or anything, roll casting is hard to accomplish with some lines, flies, and rod lengths.

 

[bluegillonthefely]

Around my usual lake, the only place where there isn't either vegetation growing right down to the water's edge or a hill covered with vegetation only 15 feet from the water is a length of shore right nex to the park area that has a wide, shallow flat extending out farther than I can cast. Might be some fish in there during the sunfish spawning season (will check this year) but not much the rest of the time.

So, if I'm not in my float tube or a boat, it's roll casting for me, too

---------- Post added at 01:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 PM ----------

I fish a 6' 2wt TFO signature. The original WF line was a 2wt and I did not care for the rod. I overlined it with a DT and the rod 'came alive' and it is now what I always use in the small creeks I fish. Sunfish, rockbass, and SMB are my targets and the rod handles them all very well and all the flies I need for them all as well.

That's very interesting about the DT line; I've never used one but will consider it later this year when I get a 2 or 3 weight for bluegill fishing. However, I'm pretty much an exclusive stillwater fisherman (creeks aren't terribly common hear in coastal southern California <g>), so would that influence the choice of DT or WF?

Thanks!

 

[nick k]

I have the same situation around me here in MA. I actually just ordered a spey rod the other day to get around this. Not the typical spey use but I think it will help. Plus I just wanted one....

 

[bluegillonthefely]

In my opinion, you should not only rethink your rod model, but also your rod weight, that is, if I'm correct in assuming that you primarily fish for bluegill. Bluegill flies are generally small, as well as the bluegills that eat them. You may have more fun on something like a 3wt.

I do plan to also get a 2 or 3 weight, but I'll also keep my 5-weight around (as you surmised, it's a 9-ft, 4-pc, 5-wt) because I do sometimes catch bass by accident (had one that went right underneath my float tube a couple years ago and I couldn't move the thing for a few seconds, thought it must be a huge BG but it turned out to be a 13" LMB). Also, an 8-10 inch BG is (IMO much) stronger than a 12-inch trout, so a 5-weight isn't always out of place in panfishing. Granted, smaller bluegills don't put much of a bend in the rod, although even a 6-incher can be fun on a 5-weight.

I expect an 8-inch BG on a 2-weight would feel like a tuna, so I am looking forward to getting one

 

[nick k]

I do plan to also get a 2 or 3 weight, but I'll also keep my 5-weight around (as you surmised, it's a 9-ft, 4-pc, 5-wt) because I do sometimes catch bass by accident (had one that went right underneath my float tube a couple years ago and I couldn't move the thing for a few seconds, thought it must be a huge BG but it turned out to be a 13" LMB). Also, an 8-10 inch BG is (IMO much) stronger than a 12-inch trout, so a 5-weight isn't always out of place in panfishing. Granted, smaller bluegills don't put much of a bend in the rod, although even a 6-incher can be fun on a 5-weight.

I expect an 8-inch BG on a 2-weight would feel like a tuna, so I am looking forward to getting one

I do also love catching big bluegills. I have had many big ones on the end of the line that I thought were decent sized bass. Panfish always fight very well for their size.

 

[bluegillonthefely]

I do also love catching big bluegills.

Nick, if you like big bluegills, you should check out bigbluegill.com, it was made for people like us, and there are many bluegill flyrodders and tiers on there.

Jonathan

 

[nick k]

Nick, if you like big bluegills, you should check out bigbluegill.com, it was made for people like us, and there are many bluegill flyrodders and tiers on there.

Jonathan

Too be honest, as much as I enjoy catching bluegills, I think people go way overboard with them sometimes. For example, there are so many different bluegill flies out there and everyone swears by certain ones and people always say they are so picky. In my experience, bluegills will eat ANYTHING that lands anywhere near them. I have even caught bluegill on naked bare hooks.

I do, however, also think the same similarly about largemouth, so don't think I'm just trying to put down bluegills. I don't think LMB are nearly as selective as people think. I think we all want to make it seem like we are fishing geniuses, when in reality, we could fish all year long with a black wooly bugger and do just as well as a whole bunch of fancy flies.

I do appreciate the link and suggestion though, and do wish you the best of luck with your bluegill hunt. Don't mean to appear so negative about it.