Hello all! Been lurking around for a little while and am finding your site very informative.
I was wondering if anyone has used a cabela’s PT series rod? I am looking at getting a 3wt for trout and panfish and was wondering if anyone had any experience good or bad with this line of rod’s.
Thanks
Dan
hunterdau2,
I have built a 3 wt on the cabelas PT series rod blank and could honestly tell you that it is my favorite fly rod to fish with. I think the action is well suited for the lighter weight.
I have built a few rods on the Cabela’s 5pc ‘Stowaway’ blanks. I originally purchased them because of the price, under $40 on sale!
The 3wt is one of my favorite rods, it fishes as well as my $600 Winston LT.
The fit and finish of the Cabela’s hardware, while certainly adequate, are not quite as high level as you would find on the higher end rods.
Yes, I have the 8’ 2 pc. 3 wt. PT series rod. It unfortunately has a broken tip section. I really loved the rod and fished it for 2 or 3 years before I slammed it in the tailgate of the truck. Also unfortunately I bought it out of the Bargain Cave, which carries no waranty. I wouldn’t hesitate to get another one, but I already have a 5 pc. stowaway in 3 wt. that I like equally. Also a very good rod for the money.
Satchel,
You may want to check with the Cabela’s store where you purchased your PT rod. I recently bought an LST from the bargan cave at the Ft. Worth Cabela’s and this rod normally has a 25 yr. warranty. Before I bought the rod I asked the sales associate in the bargan cave if this rod still carried this warranty. I was told that since the rod was a “customer return” that it did still carry the original 25 year warranty and the sales person even showed me the warranty card that was included with the rod. There are some items in the bargan cave that are customer returns (warranty claim) that the store repairs (or sells so you can repair) and those items don’t have a warranty. At least at the Ft. Worth Cabela’s these items are always marked “As Is, No warranty”, which mine was not.
At the very least see if they will replace the rod under warranty the worst that can happen is that they say “No”.
Brian
I have PT in a 5wt, and although I don’t know a lot about rods in general, I don’t like the PT nearly as well as my LST 5wt. The PT feels heavier in the hand and at least to me much more work to cast. I can cast the 3wt LST farther and more accuratly than I can the PT and the 5wt LST is even more pronounced. The rods cost virtually the same and both carry the 25 year warranty.
hunterdau2, I have a Cabela,s PT rod, 7’6" 4wt. I like this rod. It is a moderate action rod and I agree with yonks311 that the action is well suited in these lighter weights. I usally always use this rod for trout fishing.
I have an 8ft 6in 5pc 3wt Cabelas rod I bought about 3 years ago, a great rod, I use it on small streams for wet-fly fishing (spiders) and on stillwaters, again with a team of small spiders ( as chironomids). One of my favourite rods. 
Cabelas rods and reels have not seemed to be a problem for me
Junk, pure & simple. Want an example, just watch the Bulletin Board for sale section. A used one will barely get 1/2 of it’s selling price. Remember buy cheap get cheap. There are a lot of other rods that are priced the same that are much better.
Have a Three Forks 7’6" 3 weight 3piece for five or more years. It is the rod that stays in my truck all the time. I got it for 20 bucks because they had to reglue a bunch of handles back on. It works great!
Ray, I find it interesting that based simply on your assessment that the resale price of Cabelas rods is “barely half” of retail that the rods are “junk”. I personally do not buy rods based on their resale value. I plan on keeping rods. I have found Cabelas rods, and other merchandise in general, to be very good values. If we base our assessment of things solely on the resale value, then most American cars are, in your judegement,…junk.
Of course I guess we can simply glean a more realistic evaluation of Cabelas rods from all the other positive posts from owners in this thread to the one negative post from…let me guess…one who does not own a Cabelas rod.
hunterdau2,
Cant’ tell you anything specific about the PT series of Cabela rods but I’ve had others that were wonderful! I have the 5 section 7 1/2 ft. four wt that is almost the equal of my Sage 7’9" 4 wt LL series rod (not quite , but close). I’ve also purchased at least half a dozen 7 & 1/2 ft 3 wt Three Forks set ups to give to friends/new fly folks. They’re great and universally loved. Low price does NOT mean second class quality. The Cabela tackle is excellent! And if you don’t like what you receive, their return policy is also superb. They’ll take good care of you.
Don’t like it? Send it back!
Bill
Thanks guy’s I have an older cabela’s rod i’ve used for steelhead that still works great. The reason i’m looking at this rod is for trout with small flies and light tippet’s and want something a little forgiving. Like i said above i’ve mostly flyfished for steelhead with a 7wt so have little experience with the small stuff.
Another question i have is what would you reccomend for a line a weight forward or a double taper also how well will a sinking tip work with this light setup?
On my 3wt PT I have been using the cabelas prestige double taper fly line. Been using it for about 2 seasons and it has held up nice.
Weight forward vs Double taper? I tend to like the DT more, but it is really personal preference I think.
I use a DT3 with mine, generally I am not making longs casts and I find a DT does all I require. I have also used it for dry fly, and as my casting style is on the whole slow, a very suitable combination.
Note:- I have quite a few rods, Orvis, Hardy and a few others, all much more expensive rods, which I am quite happy with. I did not buy any for resale value.
I bought the Cabelas wt3 because it was the only one I had seen that fitted my requirements. I am not sorry I did.
As long as you get any of those lines rated for the rod …they should work fine…personally for what you describe I’d get a DT…
I will mention… I have both the Rio Multi-tip set and the Cabela’s Prestige Multi -tip set and I find the Rio to be better…of course the prices are different too…no experience comparing the other types of Prestige lines…
I have both the TFO and Cabela’s. I like my TFO but don’t let the guarantee fool you. They have a $25.00 no questions asked guarantee. Plus it costs you shipping. They normally replace the broken section. I had one break twice. The second time they didn’t charge me and replaced the whole rod. Can’t complain all it cost was the shipping.
I’ve broken Cabela’s also. They gave me an over the counter return, no problems. I live fairly close so I don’t have to ship it.
Personally I think you have to try them out and decide which one fits your budget and feel.
Satchel, I did not base my response solely on resale value, read my post again, I said it was just 1 example. Did you ever wonder why NO guides or Pros use them??? Have you ever seen a single Cabela’s rod at an ACA tournament?? How about a casting demo at a flyshow, ever seen a Pro use one??? Wonder why??? There’s a reason, if they were so great they would all use and endorse them.
I’ve got the 8’ 3wt. and it’s a nice little rod. It’s landed a lot of good sized fish for me and never gave me any problems. It’s not in the class of a Sage or Winston, but still pretty nice.