Need Suggestions For New Combo
Hey
I am looking to buy a nice new combo that will be used mainly for panfish. I am think something 3wt atleast 8'. Any suggestions? I would like the rod to be one with a lifetime replacement warranty also. I don't wanna break the bank, but I don't mind spending a little money either. I mainly fish baitcasters, so I am not familiar with all the fly fishing rods/reels. I'm just wanting to upgrade from my Walmart Shakespeare combo. Might as well suggest a fly line also.
Thanks
While it's not 8'. I love my TFO Signature-2 3wt paired with SA GPX.
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Mottled Fly Fisher - My Fishing Blog
stumpy, a suggestion would be to check out the house brand rods/reels at Bass Pro and Cabela's. Another good quality rod is the ones by Temple Fork Outfitters and these can be found at BP, I know, that's where I've gotten two of mine. The 3wt. is an excellant choise, lots of action and fun with out being too light in case of a bass. Get yourself a good rod/reel combo andf enjoy catching 'gills, take care. Just keep on keeping on, John.
I have the 8'6" TFO Signature in 3wt. these are great rods for what you want. i use mimne for panfish and trout. broke it once and sent it in with $20 and got a new one in less than 2 weeks. no questions asked. you can find these used for under $100.
Another recommendation for TFO - but the BVK. And not so much for a 3 wt, but for a 9' for 5 wt lined with a Rio Selective Trout II ( or equivalent ) WF4F.
As fast as the BVK is supposed to be, the 5 wt handles the 4 wt line ( which is a small step up from a 3 wt ) beautifully. With the fast rod and heavier line ( 4 wt ) you'll be able to cast larger flies easily and have a lot more flexibility if you decide to fish for bigger fishies, in bigger breezes, on bigger water. And you can line up to a 5 wt line for some real "medium duty" work.
John
The fish are always right.
John,
I don't quite follow what you are saying. you propose he buys a fast 5wt rod and under-line it with a 4wt line, is that correct? how will that be better for bluegill or even be easier to cast.
Sounds kind of weird, doesn't it ??
A couple weeks ago, I decided to try a Rio Selective Trout II WF4F on my 9' for 5 wt BVK. I thought it would be a difficult set up to cast because the BVK is supposed to be fast. I'm casting FEB skwalas that are about a "size 6" and FEB salmonflies that are about a "size 2" off a thread furled leader and 3-4' of 4X tippet - and the rod is a cannon with great accuracy lined and rigged that way, and the casting is effortless. ( I think the thing is, the BVK has a lot of "feel", and that is why this particular rod will handle the 4 wt line the way it does. )Originally Posted by rizeye
It was a real surprise to me - a very delightful surprise, since I like fast rods, and the BVK in particular, for this kind of fishing and I had a couple WF4F lines that weren't getting a lot of use. They are now.
Now I don't have the opportunity to fish for bluegill and bass and other warm water fishies in this neck of the woods, at least not on the scale that it makes sense for me to learn what I would need to know to successfully chase them. But there is so little difference between a 3 wt line and a 4 wt line, that the set up I've been using seems like it would work well for bluegill and bass and other warm water fishies, and would be more flexible than a 3 wt rod in that fishing bigger water, bigger wind, and bigger flies for bigger fishies is one line weight ( 5 ) away.
Maybe I'm all wet. That's okay. And maybe not.
John
The fish are always right.
my bluegill rod is an older orvis silver label full flex 2 wt. i don't have problems throwing any of the flies i use for bluegill. i land fish quickly and safely with my 2 weight and have never felt undergunned. i caught a 20" channel cat on this rod last year and he was landed without any issues. like a lot of things in this sport it is really going to end up a matter of what you want and like. in my opinion a 5 or 6wt. rod is tremendous overkill for panfish and would take away some if not all of the enjoyment of fishing for them if that was the only rod i had to use. i just really enjoy light line fishing for bluegill. if you want more info, i'd suggest you go to ultralightflyfishing.com and pose any questions you may have there as well.
Just a reminder ...
... that stumpy is talking about a rod that will be used mainly for panfish, not exclusively for panfish.
From what little I know about panfish, I'd agree that a 5 wt ( even lined with a 4 wt line ) would be overkill.
But what about other species that he might want to fish for with the same rod ?? The 9' for 5 wt BVK offers a lot of versatility for the money. From fishing it effectively with a 4 wt line to uplining it to a 6 wt, as EdD and some of his acquaintances prefer.
John
The fish are always right.
There are often times, especially earlier in spring, when taking panfish, means getting down into the 5' + depths is you want to catch fish. This requires weighted flies and or sinktips. My "panfish" rod is an old Orvis Far-and-Fine 7'9" 5wt. This rod feels like most of todays broomsticky 3wts, fishes like a 4wt, and has the guts to throw sz 10 tung BH buggers 70' threw modest breezes with a WF6F line. It flexes quite nicely with a 7" bluegill on, yet has the power to quickly wear down incidental fish such as smallmouth, largemouth, channel cat, carp and drum. Why fish a 3wt rod with a 3wt line and make a chore of casting weighted flies and even small pan-poppers? Maybe cause most of todays rods are so stiff? Or is it more of sometihing to brag on fishing an "ultra-lite"? Fiberglass rods in 5wts will flex deeply with panfish on yet allow the angler to fish with 5 and 6wt lines effectively. Personnally I like and will recommend the versatality of a 4 or 5, or dare I even suggest, 6wt fly rods if they are of the Softer variety with moderate to slow action.
aa
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