expensive fly rods

[RS1]

not all great casting rods are expensive but I will say that with price the chance of getting a dud is greatly reduced. I have a bottom of the line sage about 8 years old that is one of my best casting rods. I have also casted other weights of the same rod and was not very impressed. Most rod lines have sweet spots and in the case of my sage the 8'6" 5 wt. is it. I also have a 7'10" gander mountain 5 wt ($50)for my son that casts really nice.
-Jeff

"Most rod lines have sweet spots"- I believe that 100%. An upper end rod series might have a killer rod in the 4 & 5w model but a dog in a 6w or 3w. But they have a lot less dogs than a lower end brand- again 100% agreed with.
And for nymphing, a dog rod will catch fish. But will that same rod lay down a nice dry fly where you want it to?
I believe that most people that can't afford expensive rods, deep down inside would love one, but they will defend their $100 rod and say it's just as good as a Winston BIIX or a Sage TLX. It's human nature. If a person can only afford a TFO, to them it's the best rod around. Same goes for the person who owns an Echo or a Wally World SA kit.
You have to have confidence in your fishing tools.

[fcch]

I'll wade in ...

It really depends on what you cast and to what and how far away it is (and the WIND!!!).

I have some wonderful rods which I picked up, full price, for under 100$ (Cdn$ !!!).

They all cast well when I use 'em for what they can do best. The 7 ft 3 wt is great for my small(er) dries on shorter casts. The stiffer longer and heavier ones are good for the medium distance work.

That said, when I need to "get out there" ... I'll usually move up to the "more tuned" rods. I got a good deal on a TFO Axiom, mid range $$ for me and it can Haul just dandy.

That said, when I set up on the #48 or the #8 here and I really want the dry to drop in a 1 sq foot target about 95 feet from me, the big guns come out. Sure, I can cast the whole line with most any rod that is properly set-up. Distance isn't a problem, but accuracy is.

'Fur instance, when I have to work the rod to get the fly out there, I lose some accuracy. On my GLX's and XP's, the line flies by itself and I can sit back and concentrate on accuracy and presentation, instead of distance.

The more $$ rod/reel combos are better for me because they are lighter in hand, easier to stop and are less tiring to cast day after day (and we fish in June from 04h30 'till 21h30 !!

That said, ... a $$$ rod is really no good if ou don't have any money left to go fishing!!!! Use what you can afford, .... the quality and performance of rods has sky rocketed over time.

Just have fun !

[Apachetrout]

psyz22's post is right on. That high end rod should enhance or improve one's ability to do the skills on his list. Being able to cast farther, does not always mean catching more fish.

[RS1]

psyz22's post is right on. That high end rod should enhance or improve one's ability to do the skills on his list. Being able to cast farther, does not always mean catching more fish.

True, but all high end rods are not cannons. Scott G's for instance or the Orvis Superfine series, Winston's IM6's. I'm seeing a trend to more medium or med fast rods by the manufacturers lately. More people are discovering today's fiberglass rods and cane. Dropping the fly where you want to is the answer.

[joe west]

The rod I got is the Orvis Zero G 8'6" 5 wt mid flex.

pszy22 All of the above. Plus it is so light in the hand it is effortless.

[vargoje3]

And for nymphing, a dog rod will catch fish. But will that same rod lay down a nice dry fly where you want it to?
I believe that most people that can't afford expensive rods, deep down inside would love one, but they will defend their $100 rod and say it's just as good as a Winston BIIX or a Sage TLX. It's human nature. If a person can only afford a TFO, to them it's the best rod around. Same goes for the person who owns an Echo or a Wally World SA kit.
You have to have confidence in your fishing tools.

If my 80 dollar rod catches just as many fish as a Winston BIIx or Sage TLX are the more expensive brands any better? Something to think about. Personally I can afford to spend 700 bucks for a rod but just balk at the idea in general. If a 200 dollar rod or even a 100 dollar rod does the exact same thing why spend more money than you have too? RS1 you sound a little elitist in my opinion but I could be wrong!

[cycler68]

Thought I'd put my $.02 in this debate which has been debated before and no doubt will be debated again. My take on this is the #1 ingredient in making a good cast with any rod is the man. A good man can make a good cast with about any rod & some few can even cast a fly with no rod at all. That said a good top of the line rod will help the cast more than a lesser rod. If the man is a lousy fisherman he still won't catch many fish but at least he'll be making better casts.
I own a nice selection of rods from a top of the line rod Orvis Helios to an old Shakespear Ugly Stick that truly is a dog. The Helios is quite simply a joy to use but I caught my first bass & my largest pike to date on the Ugly Stick.
So if you want to become a better caster get yourself the best rod you can afford and practice, practice, practice. If you want to catch more fish learn all you can about catching fish and get out there a lot. Put them together and become a dynamite fly fisherman.

[Greybeard]

I'm just curious, when people say it improved my casting, what do they mean?

- more distance
- can hit a tea cup
- tighter loops
- less tangles
- rod casts itself
- all of the above ???

Also curious, did it improve your fishing? (i.e. I now catch more fish than before)

Of course the bottom line, it sounds like it improved their enjoyment, which when all is said and done, what it's all about.

I'm enjoying the heck out of this thread! I asked a similar question a month ago about some $600+ Sage rods and never got a solid answer. Personally, I have a few cheap rods that I don't use and some mid range graphite rods that I've build up from blanks that I do use regularly plus an assortment of glass, graphite, and bamboo rods that I've accumulated over the years. For my money distance might be something I would look for in a high end rod (if I were to get one) but typically I'd be looking for balance, accuracy, and the ability of the rod to transmit the sensation of small and large fish with the backbone necessary for fishing I'm doing. For most of my fishing that would be 2-3 pound fish (bluegill, crappie, and small bass). My trout fishing days seem to be past but they would have included fish up to 5 pounds (albeit all too rarely). For bass I want something beefier; 8-10 pound bass are fairly common here and bigger ones are possible. I wouldn't expect one rod to handle this range but each rod should be able to present the flies I'm intending to cast accurately and have the backbone to deal with the biggest fish I'm likely to encounter.

There are intangibles that are important, too. The static and dynamic "feel" of the rod are very important and I don't know how to quantify these. Certainly the reel and line you match up with the rod come in to play here, too and what you're casting makes a difference. When playing a fish there's another dynamic intangible. I too wonder if a $500 to $1,000 rod is worth the money. The most I've ever spent on components is almost certainly less than $250 and I love the rod. I have others that I like too that I've build for around $100.

I believe that most people that can't afford expensive rods, deep down inside would love one, but they will defend their $100 rod and say it's just as good as a Winston BIIX or a Sage TLX. It's human nature. If a person can only afford a TFO, to them it's the best rod around

That's an interesting observation but I sure don't fit your stereotype. I'd spring for rod up to $1,000 (and maybe more) if I thought there really was a difference. I'm not rich by any means but I will admit to being gainfully employed and at a stage in my life where I can afford to spend some money on things that bring me pleasure and a good fly rod certainly would - or does. I'm still reserving judgment on whether the difference exists - or perhaps better said, if by careful selection (including building your own) the difference between a mid range and high end rod is really worth it. In the meantime, I'd rather save or invest the money if I can't find a real difference.

Graybeard

[Kerry Stratton]

If my 80 dollar rod catches just as many fish as a Winston BIIx or Sage TLX are the more expensive brands any better?

Sort of like comparing a Hyundai Accent to a Mercedes SL65 AMG. Both will get you there but which would you prefer to drive and which one is going to give you the best ride?

[glm38]

I'm enjoying this thread too even though it has been done before. My opinion is that rods are as individual as people regardless of price. There are dogs out there at all price points. And what is a dog to one person isn't to the next.

I'm not wealthy by any means but make a good living. I've owned rods that I liked from $50 to $600. My current favorite is a Sage Launch. I also have a $600 rod in the same length and line wt - but I prefer the Launch - even though it doesn't look as "pretty". I feel there are lower priced rods that have all the accuracy and "feel" as the highest priced rods.