Hi guys - wonder if you could advise me?

As you'd guess, trying to buy a specialist 5pce+ travel rod without actually casting it probably counts as the original crapshoot... Notwithstanding, I'm looking for a rod to fly with, to fish on British and European rivers, and to do what Kelly Galloup and Bob Linsenman do: throw big streamers for predatory trout on fast full-sinking lines. That kind of thing doesn't happen much over here, so I'm pretty much on my own as far as experience goes.

Kelly himself has very kindly emailed to say he's currently using the 9ft 6wt St Croix Legend Ultra - which I'd have to order from stateside.
http://www.stcroixrods.com/rods/defa...ame=23?ion=fly

On this side of the Pond, I've found the Orvis Frequent Flyer, which I'm *told* will do the same job, and which I could buy from the shop (but they won't let me cast it - after all, the shop's in Central London)
[url=http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=8722&dir_id=758&group_id= 759&feature_id=27&cat_id=6005&subcat_id=&bhcp=1:01 551]http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_i d=8722&dir_id=758&group_id=759&feature_id=27&cat_i d=6005&subcat_id=&bhcp=1[/url:01551]

So - could any of you tell me - how do these two US rods compare to each other, in terms of feel and action? And if you know, how do they stack up to the Redington Wayfarer, same configuration, which I bought similarly uncast, on description, and found frankly far too slow and open on the loops?
[url=http://www.johnnorris.co.uk/pages/redington/redrod1.html:01551]http://www.johnnorris.co.uk/pages/redington/redrod1.html[/url:01551]

Having done a search on St Croix here on FAOL, it seems that some people find them fast, while others think they're "noodly" - yet Kelly's book says he prefers medium-fast to fast-actioned at least?! On the whole, I think I'd prefer a faster-actioned rod to a medium - this may or may not have anything to do with the godlike Simon Gawesworth teaching me to cast with a 4wt rod underlined by one or even two line weights, back in the day in Devon...

Very confused by all the hype, and conflicting opinions at this stage of researches. So any impartial transatlantic advice *much* appreciated - thanks gents!!

Theo



[This message has been edited by Theo (edited 27 June 2005).]