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Thread: The "Natural" fly rod

  1. #1

    Default The "Natural" fly rod

    I am appealing to (relatively) experienced casters here; and the question is this: Have you ever found a fly rod that was such a good fit to your casting style that you would be able to descrivbe the fit as a "natural" one?

    Without trying to sound like I'm gloating, but I just purchased a fly rod that just was such a natural caster that I nearly cryed tears of joy yesterday as I took it out on the lawn for a brief session! I won't go on a long rant or review, but I will say that the rod is a Sage 589-3 SPL. Took it out for a good fish today on a local tailwater only to confirm what my gut told me on the lawn. The rod performs just as expected and seems to be an absolute perfect fit for my type of fishing. What a joy to cast a fly rod that just seems to cast itself. Loads deeply and recovers quickly and with buttery smoothness. Enough said. How about you? Have you found your natural rod mate?

    aa
    US Veteran and concerned citizen

  2. #2
    NewTyer 1 Guest

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    I had a custom 3wt rod made up by Kevin and other than being a little fast, feels great. I think if I lined it with 4wt, it might slow it down a bit. The best rod I ever casted is my old Phillipson"Master"glass rod, smooth and slow, just the way I like it.

  3. #3

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    I probably would never think of putting it in those terms, but I have a Hexagraph Classic 7'9" for 4/5 that fits just fine.

    BUT, as a 4/5, it only fills a niche in the range of rods I fish and actually sees rather limited use.

    John
    The fish are always right.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Liberty Lake, Washington
    Posts
    3,566

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    This last weekend I was casting a Ross Essence FW, 8 1/2', 4 piece, 5 weight with a Cortland 444 Peach. Everything worked so well I didn't even have to think about what I was doing. It loaded well, recovered well and was smooth as butter. That being said, I once had the opportunity to cast a 7 1/2', 4 weight Channer with a WF4F Sharkskin, and it performed just as well.
    Where you go is less important than how you take the steps.
    Fish with a Friend,
    Lotech Joe


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Northern California
    Posts
    1,076

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    Odd way to put it. I have definitely picked up rods, cast them, and immediately liked them. I have picked up rods, cast them, and disliked them. And I have picked up rods and not been quite sure and after some use, decided one way or the other. All the rods I own I like, but I think of them as specialized tools that each shine when applied to their assigned task. I have no single rod, however, that does all things perfectly, so I have never had an analogous experience myself.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Lakeland, FL USA
    Posts
    2,186

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    I feel that way about the old Sage RPL rods. They just seem to fit my casting style and every cast seems effortless. That being said, I recently bought two Redington Minnow Beginner Fly Fishing Outfits as birthdays gifts for two of my grandsons ages 6 and 8 and I was amazed at how well these rods cast. Complete outfits including rod, reel, backing, line and even a leader for $41.57 each and they are really nice casting rods. One thing I've come to realize is that I've never met a fly rod that was the limiting factor in how well I cast; I am always the limiting factor. You can take a rod that one person struggles to cast with and hand it to the next person who can lay out 90 feet of line with little or no effort.

    Jim Smith

  7. #7

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    We had a conversation recently regarding the idea (Trav's) that the manufacturers could have stopped making any "new" "improved" rods years ago. The old(er) rods were just fine and what have we really gained except increased prices in the current rods on the market. It is an interesting thought, think it through, you might have some ideas on it as well.
    As for me personally I cast but did not fish a Russ Peak rod probably 30 years ago that I fell in love with. I could not afford one at the time, and I think Bob Jacklin has the exact rod in his stash. I wonder if he ever fishes it.

  8. #8

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    I can never undertand the folks who "collect" rods. If I had a Russ Peak, and liked the way it cast, I would fish it. I think builders like Russ, even with their exquisite attention to detail in their builds, would not only desire, but expect the recipients of such to fish them! To me, the only wall hangers out there are the fly rods that are beyond fishable repair. I say if you find that dream rod, buy it! Not just the aestheticly pleasing job, but the one that casts in your hand like the staff of Moses. There is nothing wrong with having a peice of gear that you can cast, fish and just simply admire. Get the good stuff (especially when you can find good used deals!) and go out on the river or lake and enjoy it!
    US Veteran and concerned citizen

  9. #9
    NewTyer 1 Guest

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    Not to get off subject but, when I was a small child, I lived along the banks of a brackish river and there was a bridge everyone fished from. During the spring, the skipjack blues would come through. I would find a nice piece of willow and a knoted up birds nest of string and untangle it. Tie it on the end of the willow branch and scrounge up a hook and a small piece of bait, which wasn't hard because everyone used a chunk of the first skip jack they caught. I would drop that sucker over the bridge and bammmm, skip jack on. Everyone on the bridge would call me Huckleberry Finn. Man those were the days

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Location
    Sedro Woolley, Washington, USA
    Posts
    1,558

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    The first time I cast a Sage 8123 I knew I had found the best two handed rod ever. To this day I haven't cast anything that works as well as the 8123 for me. The Sage 6126 is a close second.
    "The reason you have a good vision is you're standing on the shoulders of giants." ~ Andy Batcho

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