Seeking some rod advice. I have stumbled across a good deel on an 8’6" 4wt rod. Its a light med-fast rod that has alot of feel in the tip section and a good amount of backbone in the butt section. I know this would be a good trout rod, but would it fair well for warmwater fish such as blue gill and maybe even some light creek bass? Thanks for all of the help.
Mike
Mike,
Sounds to me like it would do great!..a 4 wt is a good “all around” rod for the species you mentioned. It wouldn’t handle really heavy/bulky flies well, but then that’s not what you’re looking for is it?
Mike
This site’s about sharing!
Mike,
If it’s a deal you can’t refuse, then buy it. But…I’ll bet if you stumble around a little longer you’ll stumble upon an equally good deal on a 2-wt. or 3-wt. rod of the same length.
If you’re thinking of focusing primarily on panfish with just the occasion bass now and then, I recommend you go lighter than 4-wt. Makes the whole business more exciting! Just my two cent’s worth.
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
A 4wt is a great all around rod for smaller fish.I use mine for small stream bass both smallmouth and largemouth.I have used it for carp up to about 5lbs,small stripers in the salt,as well as croakers and spot.Its a good weight rod for pickerel,perch,and trout.Of course it has its limitations on the size of flies it will handle and the wind but I think its the most versital of the light weight rods.
perfect, the same tool I have.
mfielder - I use a 3 wt for most of my creek smallmouth fishing and a 2 wt for my panfishing. I do carry a 4 wt in the boat for those “wind days” you run into - you know the ones I mean; 20mph+ gusts! Probable should just go home if that happens but when the warden lets me out I dona wanna!! I did buy an 8 1/2’ 3 wt last fall at a closeout - I’ll see if that can be my “wind rod” this season. 
tite lines…
Donald
buy it - now!
RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:22207]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:22207]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com
Hehe… you don’t really think anyone in here would try to dissuade you from purchasing a new rod, do you? 
I have 2 rods: a 2wt that I use for panfish and smaller bass fishing, and a 4wt that I use for everything and anything. The 4wt has handled some pretty big fish (24"+ rainbows and 21"+ bass) you just have to take a bit more time fighting the big guys. It doesn’t handle big heavy flies particularly well, but then the aforementioned 21" bass was caught on a small balsa popper. In other words, I don’t see much need to throw big ol’ flies for the most part anyways. It’s more than adequate for panfish, and a fat bluegill will put quite a bend in it.
If your focus is going to be moreso on bluegill and other panfish, I might suggest looking for something a bit lighter, though. I thought 'gills were a hoot on my 4wt until I fought the first one on my 2wt. Sheer joy it is.
~Matt
p.s. I’ve landed quite a few smallmouth and largemouth over 15" on the 2wt. It held up just fine. Just had to let em tire themselves out first.
Mfielder, go for it. we have 2 3wts and I have landed some nice bass on them and really nice bows. Bluegills are a blst and so are the crappie
A 4 wt is a step in the right direction.
We all know it won’t be your last rod so enjoy.
Philip
Excus my spelling and gramma, I hooked Mondays and Fridays so I could Hunt or fish.
I made a very limber 7’ 4wt PMQ cane rod just for goggle eye. It’s a blast and really lets a fish show it’s stuff. 4 wts bamboo rods are becoming my fav, they can cast a fairly good sized popper, a weighted streamer or big nymph. I do have a plastic 7’ 1wt and it’s fun and all but sort of limited if the wind picks up, I also have a TFO 3wt that is a great rod and I’ve handled 5lb bass on it before. A 3-4 wt would be a nice all around rod be it plastic or cane.
OK, for SkipS, or anyone else for that matter, what do you use for croaker and spot? I have caught croaker on jigs tipped with squid, but not with a plain jig. I have often thought that SW panfish (including specks and snapper blues) would be a lot of fun on my 3 wt.
Russ
Thanks for all of the help guys. I think I will pick up the 4wt and have some fun with the blue gills. The rod is an older model St Croix Avid. Again, thanks for all of the help.
Mike
Russ,I use Clousers for croaker and spot,usually something around size 1 or 2.Tan and white with some gold flash is good or a crab colored clouser,white/tan/olive with gold flashabou and copper crystal flash is very good.Yellow and white is another good color.Late last summer here in DE we were getting some croaker up to about 21" long.Good sport from the surf.
Perfect bass’in rod…some may even find it a tad beefy !!
It’ll work perfectly. I just purchased a 3wt with some christmas money and it works awesome. So far the biggest fish that I have landed was a 18in bass and had no problem.
My fish are all deformed. Their head grew to close to their tail!
Chris