Favorite rod...

Ok, I am thinking ahead for something to start saving for. I have a gap in my rod collection, i jump from 3wt to 7wt. I am looking for a place to start. I've cast a few but I haven't found a rod I like yet. Money isn't a concern, I'll make my final choice after casting them.

Just tell me what your favorite fishing rod in 4-5-6 weight is and why? What do you use it for (species, techniques and conditions)? What would you change (looks, parts, cork)? If you could have any rod what would it be? I'm looking for actual experience with the rod and not just a wish list.

I have a TFO TiCr 9' 5wt 4pc that is a great all-purpose rod. Handles everything from trout to bass and light saltwater. Nice components, feels light and crisp in hand, casts a WF5F with ease. Not the best rod for big flies, but then again as a 5wt rod it shouldn't be asked to do that regularly.

Marty

Sage ZXL..5wt

I have Sage SLT & Z-Axis and will fish either interchangeably with the ZXL but have to say I really like the ZXL

Species is trout...stillwaters now but the ZXL makes me want to go river dry fly fishing.

I have a number of lesser end rods and they're ok but don't compare with these.

One rod choice would equal the ZXL.

I use a 7' 6" , 5 wt, hollow built bamboo rod most of the time. This rod will almost do it all. It fishes well short and very comfortable out to 70'. I have on several occasions cast all 90' of the fly line. Things have to be just right for that trick. I make this taper in 7' 6" and 7' 9". Both are good. The 7' 6" is my most popular rod with my customers. I also make a 8', 5wt hollow built bamboo that is becomming popular.

fishbum

I love my Sage XP #5, the only thing I would change is I would have the 4 piece instead of the 2 piece. I use it for all my summer stream fishing and it handles the wind very well.
All the best.
Mike.

In marked contrast to the above TFO TiCr I'd suggest the Winston WT 8'6" 5 wt. It is my favorite rod of all time and fits right in your gap. It is the quintessential trout rod, a classic. It's a true 5 wt. that actually casts best with 5 wt. lines. Beautiful dry fly rod, fishes nymphs well and dry/dropper well. It's not a parking lot, distance competition, casting rod. It is a fly fishing rod and for me the smoothest, most accurate 5 wt. I've ever cast.

Being a "Dry Fly Nut", my favorite go to rod is my Green River "Jade"-Model.
An 8'-6" 5wt. that can do anything I ask of it.I fish with it for Trout on the western rivers, in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
As to "what would you change?", there's not a thing, I'd change on this rod.
"If I could have any, rod, what would it be?" Another Green River,in their "Enso" line, in a 4wt.

May favorite 4 wt is a Sage ZXL 490-4. When fishing dries I like the slower action which allows me a more delicate presentation. My favorite 5 wt is a Sage XP 590-4. I use this a lot for lake fishing and streams that tend to be windy and the faster action helps to drive my flies through the wind. My favorite 6 wt is a Sage Z-Axis 690-4. This is my favorite rod for fishing streamers and larger flies. My main target with all of these rods are trout and the occassional smallmouth bass.

I have been considering a switch rod. This type of rod would be great for fishing tree lined lake shores where getting good distance is a must.

I have a Winston Joan Wulff 8'6" 5 wt. that is a beautiful rod. I fish it with a 5-1/2 wt line and can toss some fairly large streamers. I've used it for nymphing trout and all kinds of LM fishing. I find the thumb spot very helpful when casting.

I have used the new Clearwater II 5 wt 2-pc and own the 4-pc 6 wt. Moderate fast, a 25 yr warranty, and under $200. If you can, try casting these babies.

I also have a Scott S3 9' 6wt, that is very fast. It is a great rod and will cast some big flies. But it is too fragile for me and I have snapped the tip twice. Scott has fixed it both times, but if you or anyone else is interested, I am willing to part with it. I have $425 invested, so.....

Sage SLT 8'6", 4 piece in 5 wgt. Use it for trout, light salt (Sea Run Cutthroat and Resident Silver Salmon) summer steelhead. What would I change, I'd have a couple more in case I get stupid and break this one.

A John Channer 7'6" 2 piece, 2 tip bamboo rod in 4 wgt. Lovely trout rod. What would I change, not a thing.

I have 10 rods in this range. Two 4wts, four 5wts, and four 6wts.
My favorite rod out of the bunch (this week anyways ) is a fifty year old Phillipson Eponite Royal for a HDH (6DT)
I'm always telling people this is one of the best fly rods ever made, but that may be a bit of an exaggeration.:rolleyes:
It's probably only one of the best glass rods ever made
It might be a bit heavy for some folks tastes, but the smooth casting action more than makes up for that for me.
I use it in medium sized trout streams and in warm water for panfish.

If money wasn't a concern, I would be looking at more than one rod and Boo would be in the equation.

If I could buy one rod and you already have a 3 wt and a 7 wt, it would depend on what you want to do with it. My favorite rod is a St Croix Legend Elite, 4wt that is a 9 footer. I fish mostly spring creeks, I love the length of the rod to get up over the vegetation this time of year while wading small streams with tall grass close to the edge.

The 4 wt is a fast action rod and for a light line weight can handle the wind fairly nicely. It has the power for aggessive double hauls if I need to and the sensitivity to do many things well. While I own a Legend Ultra it is a much slower action as is the Avid that I have. In the St. Croix line the Elite is my choice of rods and I have 3 of them, 4wt, 7wt and an 8 wt.

On my, ''money isn't an issue" short list would also be an Orvis Helios. These materials just aren't available in other rods yet and these rods do break new ground. Maybe a 5 wt and I would leave everything else in the closet for a long time.

Rick

Here's what I use and I like them all for different reasons.

7'6" Sage SLT 3wt. I like this for small brush lined streams and trout in the Smokey Mountains. Some small pond bluegill.

9' Winston Boron II-t 4wt. This is an amazing rod. I use it for just about anything I like to fish for. Shines for high sticking trout in the Applachians and for casting to rising trout on mid to small tailwaters. This may become my go-to rod. I've only had it for a couple weeks so it's too early to claim it as my go-to rod yet. So far, I like the thing a lot. Let's see over time if it replaces the Scott G2 as my favorite rod of all time.

9' Scott G2 5wt. This is my go to rod. Everything from bass to trout on big streams or small. I love everything about this rod. It's a toss up between this and the Winston.

9' Redington RS3 7wt. I use this for tossing big bass poppers and other big bugs. Never used it for trout so can't say how it performs there. I've hauled some nice bass out of the water with it though.

I'm sure others will have various opinions. I tend to like medium to medium-fast action rods where I can slow down the stroke and relax a little.

I rarely need to cast more than 50' and most of my casts are under 30. Heck, most of my casts in the small Applachian trout streams involve having less than 2' of fly line out the end of the rod. Short casts and loading with short casts is important to me.

Your mileage may vary.

Jeff

I watched an Orvis Far and Fine sell on ebay yesterday for $455. which is about $100 more than the last one they made sold for at retail when discontinued a couple of years ago.

I suspect the reason it sold that high is cuz its a truly great rod and one of my favs.

Favorites:

Sage 37903 LL 3-wt with Abel TR Light reel w/RIO DT3F

Winston LT 8'9" 4-wt with Abel TR1 w/SA WF-4-F

My old Orvis Far and Fine 7'9" a great dry fly rod..I even sometimes use a DT 4wt line on it in places with no problems. A great deliberate rod for sure, it will reach out there to a point if needed. I love that dry fly for sure..

I fish a 4wt bIIt 8'6" in small to medium water.

The rod performs great with an indicator and a few split-shot or a weighted bugger. It's an absolute joy with a dry fly.

Well for the 4wt it's a Scott G2 8'8" 4wt. Just a killer stick; throws well close and way out. Handles nymphs as well as dries. I even like the look.

For the 5wt, Scott S4. It replaced my XP. Casts like a champ in the wind, but the tip is soft enough to keep 7x from breaking. It's also a nymphing machine that throws a sweet dry, too.

The 6 I have a Sage TCR for salt (that I put a 7wt on). For fresh I'm out a 6wt but it's a toss up between a 6wt S4 or a 6wt G2. I kind of want a heavier 6wt with a fighting butt like the S4 for streamers and smallies, but I cast the G2 last week and loved it. Also, the Z Axis 6er is a pretty dang good stick.

I own some 5#, but rarely fish them as they are to slow for my casting prowess. :p My go to stream/river rod is a Sage 490-4 XP. Rivers meaning the Colorado, S.Platte, etc, in Colorado. Cuts the wind, hauls, and does all the tasks asked of it. The latter is probably true of all higher end rods.
My stillwater/streamer rod is/was a St.Croix legend ultra 9ft 6# which when combined with the Rio Clouser coldwater line is a cast across the river, get stuck in the bushes rod. Good power for a moderate/fast rod.
I say "was", because yesterday the SC got blown in an open door and then the door got slammed by the wind. Still feel sick about it. The good news is, it only broke completely in 2 places.:rolleyes:
There's a ton of good rods out there, especially in the upper end. The other part of the equation, other than ability, is line. There are lines out there that will make you ask "why did I pay so much for this rod"?, and ones that will make you smile.
Self edit:
In the #6 rod, I own some Orvis superfine blank rods, but if I smoked, could smoke a cig waiting for the cast to load. Would have preferred the Sage XP, but couldn't justify it to the "little women" for the amount of stillwater fishing I do. Maybe if I said frogwater...hmm.
Some will say XP etc are broomsticks, but you will see some (one this site) who can cast a broomstick, but that's not what they fish with. It"s a matter of technique and angles. I like the faster rods, for when the wind comes up and most others leave, I have the river to my self.

My favorite rod is a 4 weight Dan Craft Sig V. An incredible rod that makes me a better caster than I really am. I am looking into another Dan Craft this time in a 5 weight, but am not sure which one yet.

I like to wade rivers, fishing surface flies presented upstream.

My fav. is a Sage ZXL 8.5 ft. 5wt. This rod loads easily enough for me at very close range, but it has a great feeling of progressive power. I always feel in touch with the rod tip, and I’m not let down, when I go to tighten up the loop with a snappier stroke. This rod has greatly diminished my desire to use 4wt rods.

I love all my rods, but as for FAVORITE, well narrowed down to two.
My 9' 6wt 7.5 mid-flex Zero and my 8 1/2' JWF 5wt.

My fly rods range from 4wt to 9wt with all points inbetween filled. The most stardard used, the one that just seems to work best, is the 5wt. So much so that I have two of them ... an eight footer for stream fishing and a niner for stillwater. I love 'em! On last years trip to Alaska I took the 8' 5wt for the cuttroats and a 9' 9wt for the salmon and dolly varden.

Yeah, I'm with the 5wt crowd.



Dale

I'm on my 3rd "far and fine" Orvis and use a 4 and 5dtf interchangably-- its a great rod. (Broke the tip on 1 and another stolen with a Hardy reel)

For a faster rod in a 5--- i use an old Fenwick boron (1980's?)and a Loomis IMX both of which have a limited longevity (had 1 Loomis replaced while they were still in production---failed in a double haul)

In 6wt I like The Echo II and if i need a cannon the Sage Z-Axis is hard to beat with a bit faster response.

All of the above rods are my favorites and i wouldnt feel bad using any of them for the day. Generally i like a slower rod on windy days and a faster rod when im blind casting without as much wind.

for me it's a tossup...

I mostly fish for trout on medium to large streams/rivers. I think I use both my Mike Brooks 8' 5/6 bamboo and my Mark Steffen 8' 5/6 S-glass equally. Last year, I fished the bamboo almost exclusively but this year it's been mostly the Steffen. I love 'em both. The Steffen is one of the smoothest rods I've ever cast and extremely sensitive. The boo is also pretty smooth but very powerful and extremely sensitive...especially when fighting a fish...I love it when you can feel every little head-shake.

I don't fish graphite anymore for trout because I feel that I just don't get the sensitivity. I also get more than enough power from those two rods...
~Randy

If you could have any rod what would it be? I'm looking for actual experience with the rod and not just a wish list.

Z-Axis, hands down. But that's just me. I've never cast as far or as accurately.

Fly:

This is WAY too subjective a question to ask at opinion central. ;)

My favorite rod is the one that puts the biggest smile on my face when I'm fishing. My smile makers do what I do excellently. If you like to fish long, fish tandem rigs, big flies, streamers, or like to fish real deep; YMMV.

A couple of qualifiers:

• I typically only fly fish for trout in small to mid sized streams with dry flies and single nymphs or wets.

• I DON'T like fast action rods.

• I could care less about rod weight.

• I don't like fishing big water or slinging big flies.

• Did I say I don't like fast action rods?

Two of my non-bamboo faves:

The R.L. Winston WT 8'0" 4wt 2pc TMF or Tom Morgan Favorite. The TMF is as smooth a dry fly rod as they come. It is a 2pc rod so if packability is an issue you may not be interested. It was the first non-bamboo I owned after 20 years of fishing nothing but bamboo and it was a real eye-opener.

A current favorite 5wt is a McFarland Spruce Creek Fiberglass 8'0" 3 pc 5wt with the traditional taper. Fiberglass is a relatively new fascination of mine and not for everybody but this rod has completely blown me away. If you do ANY of the kind of fishing I do; check out glass.

Good hunting!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clarkman23

for me it's a tossup...

I mostly fish for trout on medium to large streams/rivers. I think I use both my Mike Brooks 8' 5/6 bamboo and my Mark Steffen 8' 5/6 S-glass equally. Last year, I fished the bamboo almost exclusively but this year it's been mostly the Steffen. I love 'em both. The Steffen is one of the smoothest rods I've ever cast and extremely sensitive. The boo is also pretty smooth but very powerful and extremely sensitive...especially when fighting a fish...I love it when you can feel every little head-shake.

I don't fish graphite anymore for trout because I feel that I just don't get the sensitivity. I also get more than enough power from those two rods...
~Randy

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I have a Steffen also....it is sooo deceiving! It can't be GLASS:lol:

Just like everyone else on here, I have many rods in various wts. So I would have to say my favorite one is the one I am using at any given time. If the question was which one do you use the most, my answer would be my 7 wt 11' Winston IIBX. I do a lot of steelhead fishing and that is my go to rod for that. I like all my rods and they all serve a purpose. Just don't tell my wife how many I have.

For small stream fishing, my favorite is my 7'6" 4wt., Sage XP. It does it all. It will handle larger, heavier streamers, down to tiny little dries. It handles wind extremely well, yet can drop a dry very softly.

For larger streams/rivers, my 9' 5wt, Sage RPL+. For the same reasons I love the XP. It just has a little higher swing weight.

I can't think of anything I would change on them.

My first fly rod is my favorite. An LL Bean Streamlight, 2 piece 8'6" 5 wt.
Like most I ended up loving the sport, then went out and bought a bunch more rods. I don't regret that, but that 5 wt. is my favorite to fish. If I had to get rid of all of them and keep one, that would be it. It's action fits my casting stroke. I also like the dark green blank and the walnut reel seat. Nothing fancy, but nicely built. A close second would be my vintage South Bend fiberglass 2 piece 8' 6 wt. That rod is a pleasure to fish, but I don't love the grip. It's just doesn't fit my hand right, but the rod itself is fun to fish. Here's a picture of the SB:
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...ictures017.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fly Goddess

I have a Steffen also....it is sooo deceiving! It can't be GLASS:lol:

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they are sweet...I've noticed that when I fish a Rio ST (5wt) line on it, it certainly feels more like graphite but then when I throw on a Cortland 444 DT 5wt on it, it feels more like bamboo...I've starting fishing it with Cortland 444 WF 5 and that gives a pretty good balance...

The boo on the other hand, I think wants a 6...

I love all these posts......because I know every single one of them is correct.
caribe