Hi, all. I’m new here and appreciate the great info on this site. I’m an active member of the fiberglass flyrodders forum and predominantly fish glass rods for trout here in western Colorado.
But I still love my graphite rods. I like medium, progressive action rods; my graphite quiver consists mainly or Winston IM6, Sage LL, and the older unsanded Orvis Superfine rods.
What are your favorite medium, progressive action graphite rods? Modern and older rods included. I’m curious.
Looks like you finally came in from the dark side after lurking for almost a year ??
Welcome and greetings from SE Idaho.
As far as medium, progressive action rods, I think my Powell LGA 9’ for 5 wt would fall into that category. Really nice rod. Hope nothing happens to it, 'cause Powell isn’t around to help out.
That is pretty much all I fish
Winston: LT and JWF
Sage LL , Scott V2
Orvis: F-N-F, One Ounce, Med-flex: Helios, Zero
Fiberglass: Steffen, McFarland, Lami, Fenwick
Bamboo: Penns Creek, Battenkill and one custom Payne, one custom Edwards.
Like I said, pretty much all I fish.
The speed associated with any given action, seems to be almost as flexible a set of terms as the rods that get labeled with them.
I can’t count the number of rods I’ve owned that when originally purchased were touted as fast actions, only to be replaced by a new - fast, faster, extra fast action rod a few years later. Of course by that time, my old fast action rods were then being mysteriously re-rated as moderately fast actions.
Is it like youth and aging?
Do we really slow down with age or do most new things just move faster?
Of the ones that come to memory, I’d say that my old G. Loomis 1084 IM6 ( Burgundy Blank ) had to be one of my favorite medium action rods. Oddly, the action of a nine foot, four weight T.F.O. Professional reminds me of that old Loomis, but that’s about where I’d draw the line in that comparison. My G-III Sage 486 LL is a real pleasure to fish as well, but it doesn’t see the light of day much anymore…to many other toys to play with.
Given enough time I suppose that all of my rods will get re-rated as slow, which should work out fine. By that time, slow will probably be fast enough.
Well said. Action description sure is relative. The faster rods get these days, the slower my “medium” rods become. In the glass community, we often talk about “fast for glass” which is still slower than most “medium action” graphite rods.
G. Loomis IM6 . . . was this same blank that Winston used after transitioning from Fisher graphite to their IM6 blanks as well? The Winston IM6 8’6" 5 wt was my first rod and defined my casting stroke.
Winston Retro
Fenwick Glass
McFarland Spruce Creek “standard tapers”
Winston DL4’s especially the 7’6" 3wt & 8’0" 3wt
Winston TMF
Any bamboo that is medium to slow
Well said. Action description sure is relative. The faster rods get these days, the slower my “medium” rods become. In the glass community, we often talk about “fast for glass” which is still slower than most “medium action” graphite rods.
Sorry to disagree, but Action, when used by knowledgeable rod builders, refers to “where” a rod bends. If one wishes to be precise in describing “how or where” one’s rod bends, use the quantitative term “Action Angle”. Once a rod is built, that value remains constant?until you break the rod.
I recently picked up a Winston DL4 8’6" 4 wt, thinking it would be med-slow based on others’ descriptions; in my hand it feels med-fast, a little faster than my IM6 8’6" 5 wt. I guess the taper is different enough from your 3 wts. Either way, it looks like it will be a great tailwater rod for big trout out here.
Winston WT - I have the 7’6" 4 wt. and the 8’6" 5 wt.
Orvis Superfine - I have the 7’ 4 wt. Trout Bum and the 7’9" 5 wt. F & F
Diamondback Classic Trout - I have the 9’ 4 wt.
Scott V2 - I have the 9’ 5 wt.
Diamondback Diamondglass - I have the 7’ 3 wt.
Winston BIIt - not progressive but definately medium - I have the 8’6" 4 wt.
Scott G - I don’t own one but a terrific rod, the only competition for the WT
T & T Paradigm - I don’t own one but also terrific.
I had one of the original unsanded Orvis 1 weights, it was a great rod. I fished it until it literally wore out, Orvis replaced it (without a problem or question) with the then current model (still a 2 piece, thank goodness). It’s an ok rod, but not nearly as nice as the original. I guess that’s progress.
