Soft Hackle Fly Rod.
Just bought a St. Croix "Avid" 6' 6" - 4 weight (4 piece) to fish those small trout streams this year. Going to go tramping around, fishing waters that I never have fished before.
Got a Cortland Slyk 3 weight DT, for do some serious soft hackle wet fly, and nymph fishing, for Brook Trout. It should do just fine on the stream.
My Teton Reel balances out the rig set-up perfectly.
Normally I build my rods, but I just don't have time to commit, to build one before the Trout Season starts.
Sounds really sweet Parnelli. Let us know how that rod feels, sound like a nice rod for small streams. That Sylk is a real pleasure to fish isn't it. I have 5 of them now and will probably have more if I can find another sale on them.
That does sound like a sweet rod. I would dare venture a guess that your in new england somewhere. I myself a few years back built a short short 5 foot rod for those real narrow alder overrun streams. I can't even begin to explain how nice this rod is, I use my Sage 3100 reel with it, and a 2wt line, it works perfect.
flytyingfool:
Yes the rod is sweet, just what I was looking for to fish those trout steams where there is no backcast room, and lot of Brook Trout to play with. I tested the rod using a weight forward 4 weight line, and it cast very soft, with a open loop (perfect for soft-hackle or nymphing). I will have to wait for the water in Minnesota to become liquid, but Trout Season starts April 1st. Where I will be heading for SE corner of Minnesota, driftless area of Limestone Trout Streams.
I also plan to checkout the lesser know trout streams of Western Wisconsin that are within a 2 hour drive of my home (White Bear Lake, MN). This rod will be perfect for the Upper St. Croix River (north of the dam at St. Croix Falls, WI). Upper St. Croix is a double bonus river, with the Big Browns active during daylight hours, and sharing the same waters with Large Smallmouth (not large enough to be considered Bronzeback)!
Both shorelines are either State Forest, State Parks, or State Wildlife Management Areas. So the Trees and Vegetation, edge the waterline, and the overhead cover keeps the water shaded and cool all summer. Great place to float a pontube, or use a kayak or canoe. Best of all the entire St. Croix River is managed by the National Park Servic, because it is protected by the Scenic/Wildwater Act (only whitewater is below the dam at St. Croix Falls in the gorge of the St. Croix Dells (State Parks on both banks of the river).
[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 26 February 2006).]
Parnelli, like you I usually build my rods, and it is usually bamboo. I have wandered off the path a few times and it has been a good venture every time. Recently, Rich Margiotta had a rod for sale that was built on a McFarlands blank, and that really got me looking at fiberglass. Then I posted a thread on Agate strippers and Gardenfish put a URL in there on the McFarlands Spruce Creek....so here I go.
I should have my 8' 3 pc. 5 wt. McFarlands Spruce Creek blank, reel seat and cigar cork this coming week and I can hardly wait to build it out and see if it is as sweet as what I hear. for Fishing the Caney, it should be fantastic. May have to look at a 6-6 for taking to the mountains.
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