Update me

[Ray Kunz]

While I've been fishing for decades and have progressed from bamboo to glass and now to graphite the main thing I notice is the increase in stiffness (modulus) that allow me to put more power into a cast.
Being a cheapskate and minimalist my graphite rods are the lower cost varieties. I have never used a "premium brand name" rod. Regardless, I frequently read comments in the forums that you haven't really lived until you buy one of these so-called "good" rods. Can someone explain to me what benefit I would get from a $400 rod versus the $100-$150 brands (Cabela's, Scientific Anglers, Pfleuger) thatI have?
The same sort of question also applies to reels. To me they merely store line. I can't recall any situation where I ever had to play a fish "on-the-reel". So what's with the emphasis on drag systems?
Maybe I just don't fish where the big fish live. Thanks for enlightening me.

[Lotech]

I'm with you Ray. I'm a budget kind of guy, and the only rods I have that are pricey were gifts. I find myself migrating back to fiberglass. But even that has become too expensive. My 3 favorite reels are 2 Orvis Battenkill Disc reels that each cost less than $100. I don't use the drag system at all anymore, but I do have it set just in case. My other favorite reel is a Pflueger Medalist 1494. I traded some flies and a fly box for it. It works great and I don't mind the click at all. I have to admit that I do sometimes drool when I see a McFarland or Steffen Brothers glass rod.

[ScottP]

$400 will buy you a middle-of-the-pack rod these days; think $800 for the "good stuff". The great thing about being a mediocre caster is I don't notice the difference between high-end and what I have (older Sages and inexpensive blanks I've built). As far as reels go, if you're not fishing for saltwater burners (like false albacore) or tailwater pigs, you probably don't need to invest much, although if you do hook a nice one and your drag hitches you'll beat yourself senseless.

Regards,
Scott

[Royce]

Al Campbell wrote a column that somewhat addresses this issue. The article is written from the prospective of why he, as a fly shop employee, might steer someone AWAY from a "higher end" rod. The article does give some good insight into the differences between high end and more moderately priced rods.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/alcampbell/ac011402.php

That all being said, I, personally, am firmly in the "moderately" priced camp. I simply don't spend enough days on the water to justify high end prices.

[Duffin Boy]

progressed from bamboo to glass and now to graphite

This puzzles me somewhat as I seem to have regressed....and ended up with cane.

[oldster]

I have to agree with Lotech, but maybe I'm uninformed, having never cast a $700 dollar plus rod. Every year rod makers bombard us with lighter, faster, more snsitive, etc. How much of this is hype? Has anyone done a blind test with any of these rods? How much farther can an average caster reach with with one of these wonder rods and how much will it improve his enjoyment of fishing.
I would like some opinions. Mine is "not much" Spend that extra money on learning to cast and learnng to get a drag free drift will, in my humble opinion, give you a much better return on your money.

[Ed_D]

I have to agree with Lotech, but maybe I'm uninformed, having never cast a $700 dollar plus rod. Every year rod makers bombard us with lighter, faster, more snsitive, etc. How much of this is hype? Has anyone done a blind test with any of these rods? How much farther can an average caster reach with with one of these wonder rods and how much will it improve his enjoyment of fishing.
I would like some opinions. Mine is "not much" Spend that extra money on learning to cast and learnng to get a drag free drift will, in my humble opinion, give you a much better return on your money.

Oldster, the idea of me casting with my eyes closed to do a "blind test" is too horrible o contemplate. I'm quite bad enough casting with both eyes open. But I understand what you mean. I attended the second MIFI and Castwell let me cast several high-end rods. The Gatti was the best of the batch and the "rightness" of the feel was unlike anything I have ever cast, before or since, with one exception. The Gatti felt more like an extension of me than I had ever experienced. It was better than the (cheap) cane rods I had tried. It was extremely pleasant. I still use cheap rods. I am not God's most gifted and coordinated creature. If I broke a Gatti, and I almost certainly would, I would strongly inclined to cry shamelessly. Ergo, I buy cheap rods which only require a bit of whimpering if broken.

But even as the Gatti was had and shoulders above all other rods, at a subsequent MIFI I cast the ultimate rod. Castwell let me cast a Kusse Quad. It was alive. It was as far above the Gatti and the Gatti was above the pack. It was the most marvelous feeling I have ever experienced casting a fly rod. At the prices they ran, it ought to. It cost a great deal. If I was made of money and coordinated enough that I wouldn't live on fear of damaging such a treasure, it is what I would want. It was astounding. I really cannot adequately describe that rod.

Still, I am quite contented with my modest rods. They in no way mute the siren song of the streams calling out to me for my time and attention. And I expect that, even with a magical Kusse Quad, I would still festoon the trees with my flies.

Regards,
Ed

[krauseb]

How many low end rods have a lifetime warranty?
At one time I had cheap waders that leaked, what can you do with them?
I bought Simms and when gravel got into my boot and put holes in them, I brought them to Simms, They put new booties on and sent them back free of charge, not even shipping charge. That makes the difference to me.

[caddisfly777]

I'm with you Ray. I'm a budget kind of guy, and the only rods I have that are pricey were gifts. I find myself migrating back to fiberglass. But even that has become too expensive. My 3 favorite reels are 2 Orvis Battenkill Disc reels that each cost less than $100. I don't use the drag system at all anymore, but I do have it set just in case. My other favorite reel is a Pflueger Medalist 1494. I traded some flies and a fly box for it. It works great and I don't mind the click at all. I have to admit that I do sometimes drool when I see a McFarland or Steffen Brothers glass rod.

OK Joe ... glass huh? I have a few blanks (depending what size/wt you want) here we can wrap you one

My favorite (at the moment) is the clone of the Sage 3200 type of reels. I have a few of these and gave my son one for a 3wt I'm working on

[Kerry Stratton]

I have a few top of the line Sages. I like them. I have a few middle of the road rods also. I like them. I like my Sages better and tend to fish them more often. Can I cast better with the Sages? Yeah, but the reason for that is I tend to fish them more and I am used to them. I fish them more because they are nicer rods.

From another point of view. I have a fishing partner that just purchased a bamboo two handed fly rod. It cost twice as much as my most expensive Sage. I jumped at the chance to cast it. Does it cast better than my Sage rods? I don't think I cast any better with it than I did with the Sages but I sure did like casting that bamboo two hander. That thing was cool.