Educate me.

[Ray Kunz]

I've fly fished for over 50 years and am troubled with a repeated comment similar to, "You haven't really enjoyed fly fishing until you've used a really good rod.". I have an assortment of Fenwick glass, a Phillipson and a Granger cane and a bunch of newer graphite rods. I do not consider myself a good caster but when I went to a "Sage" demonstration I was wired up with several accelerometers and found that I only "needed work" in one area. What I need to know is what should I be looking for if I go for one of the really pricey rods? Today's graphite rods in the $100 to $150 range seem to work well for me. Could this all be status symbol stuff with a fancier handle? Thanks.

[Rick Z]

I think it advertising. I think what is being said is that "you haven't really enjoyed fly fishing until you've bought a really expensive rod, each year."
I gave so much fun going out each time that I don't pay attention to what advertisers say.
If I believed all the advertisers about what I need I would have to live in large whare house that I would not be able able to afford.
MU 2 cents.

Rick
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[James Smith]

Ray,

While I've only been fly fishing about half as long as you have, I found out many years ago that the limitations on the rods I fish with are not due to the rods. I do have several Sage rods that I either purchased second hand or built from Sage blanks, but I also have graphite rods in the price range you mentioned and they perform just fine. I am definitely a person who likes to have good tools and good toys, but I'm also not one to fall for the latest gimmicks either. Stop and think over the last 20 years or so all of the latest and greatest must have rods from the hexagaph fly rods to the ultra-fast broomstick-like rods. They come and they go as most of them are simply attempts to revitialize rod sales. The only rod I've added to my arsenal in the past few years is a Ross 4 piece 3 wt to keep in my truck and I got that on sale for $41.96.

The way I look at it is anyone who thinks differently of me because I don't have the latest status symbol gear is not a person I care what they think.

Jim Smith

[jcampbell]

Good question Ray. I must have about 15 rods, including the first fiberglass rod I ever owned and an expensive bamboo rod. I have pricey rods, mid-range rods and not so pricey rods. Granted, most of them are different weights for specific purposes, but my favorite is not one of those pricey rods. So, what should you be looking for in a pricey rod? I don't know. I can't put a fly in a coffee cup with any of them, so I think it is more me than the rod. I have to agree with some of the other post about advertising. Look at the advertising for golf clubs for example. I know some golfers who have to have the latest thing being advertised every year for distance. I can normally out drive them with an old persimmon head driver regardless of the club they purchased. So I'll stick with what I have in Fly Rods given the number of years I have left on earth.

[rainbowchaser]

Lefty Krey said many years ago most $100 rods were capable of better performance than most fly fishers could get out of them. The dollar amount may have risen with inflation but I think it is still true. A competition caster may get a couple more feet from a high priced rod but I don't think it's that important for my fishing.

[NJTroutbum]

Much of the costs and "improvements with today's rods are built around the survivability of a rod companies business model. Probably the pinnacle of Orvis rods was their original Far-and-Fine. But do you think they would have been able to stay in business had they stopped there and not developed new models to sell? Fat chance....that's reality. Same with Sage's LL series of rods. Is there a difference in quality of assembly/components? Sure. But what you really pay for begins to dwindle after that point. That's where your return of investment gets seriously narrowed. "Best rod" is a subjective term at best person to person. I do not like today's graphite much at all. Most are not worth half of their cost...In my opinion. I've bought and sold to many rods and reels in my life to this point...it's embarrassing to admit. Chasing the new years technology or model. And I've come to a conclusion a little while back. There is no rod technology out there that will magically "make me a better fish catching fly fisherman", any more than a 1970's Fenglass in competent hands will. These days, the majority of my fishing is done with a $100 Cabelas CGR glass rod. And not because of finances. Its because I absolutely love the rods.

Find the rod you like, ignore the price tag, and fish.

[Byron haugh]

it is not just distance you want from a rod. Most fish are hooked within 30 feet. Other rod factors, even more important, are accuracy, lightness of the rod, and a somewhat subjective "feel" of the rod while casting and after hooking a fish.

As to the rod making someone a better fisher: they won't but, it should always be compared "all other things equal", take a good caster and give him a $100 rod to fish all day........and an $800 rod. Ask him at the end of the day which rod he enjoyed fishing more.

[NJTroutbum]

[QUOTE=Byron haugh;519544

As to the rod making someone a better fisher: they won't but, it should always be compared "all other things equal", take a good caster and give him a $100 rod to fish all day........and an $800 rod. Ask him at the end of the day which rod he enjoyed fishing more.[/QUOTE]

I would agree with you...at times. But I would not say the top end price. Because I don't find much difference between the $800 rods and most $400 rods. Most of those $800 rods carry 50% of their value in their Brand.

But again, for somebody who likes a slower action rod or glass, it doesn't matter how expensive the graphite is, it still won't feel better casting. Much of it is subjective.

Not just to pick on Graphite either. There are some expensive custom glass brands out there. But when you start casting many of them, though the furniture and assembly is top notch and head and shoulders above the cheaper rods for the most part.....the blanks don't cast much different. And dependent on tastes some seem to cast worse than the cheaper glass.

I understand buying a brand. I do in many things as well. But in reality you are spending a lot of that money on vanity. Not a bad thing, to each his own. But it is what it is. When I drop $50 for a Fishpond accouterments that would cost $30 at Cabelas....I'm not doing it because it's made twice as good. I'm doing it because I want my stuff to match.

[sagefisher]

Ray,

There are differences in fly rods. Aside from the actions (slow or medium or medium fast or fast or hyper space) not all fly rods are made the same. The differences in graphite design and composition really do affect the way a rod casts. Combine that with the way each caster casts, those differences can explain why some rods 'feel better' to some people and not to others. The far more expensive rods are built after extensive testing of the materials and how they handle various line weights and styles of casting. I suspect that some of the less expensive rods are simply built based on data collected from other rod companies so they do not have to do extensive testing. That may be an over simplification but the idea is sound. Many of the older rods were really good rods and if some other companies copy them, then they should be really good rods as well. I have a number of rods, most in the high end range, and each one fits a particular need or style of fly fishing.

You are right when you say that you only needed work in a few areas in order to cast better. All of us need some work with our casting. So, work on getting the timing down and the amount of power you apply then go out and test some rods using the same line and style (speed) of rod. If you can find a place that will allow you to do that you will be surprised at how some of the more expensive rods will actually feel better and cast better.

So, that is when you need to decide if that improvement is actually necessary with your kind of fly fishing. Otherwise, pick a lower priced rod that also feels good to you and casts decently enough to get the job done.

One thing is for sure. Until a person can cast properly, no fly rod will really feel good.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Byron haugh]

This seems to be an ever-recurring question...... I have found that you do, generally, get what you pay for. I believe that if you selected two rods with the same "action"........one being $150 and the other $800...... and were blindfolded, you would prefer the $800 rod.

Would the better fly rod justify the $650 difference? Only the fly fisher can decide that, but I firmly believe the much higher priced rods are generally an improvement over the less expensive rods.

You can certainly question the integrity of George Anderson's rod testers if you wish. I do not. And, I believe you will find that the highest rated rods tend to be the higher priced rods...not necessarily the highest, but higher priced.

Just my thoughts, but I have found that there generally is a relationship between cost and quality......in most products. Not always, but generally.