Hey Guys/Gals,
What’s your go-to rod for lakes, small rivers, reservoirs and medium ponds? That should cover the average decent sized waters I’m thinking of. It’s like this, “…humm, nice day, I have 3 hours to kill; think I’ll do panfish and bass (1 1/2 - 2lb) today. Where’s my quiver…” What is your weapon of choice? And, what do you take as back-up, just in case?
Jim
My favorite all around rod for what you’re talking is a 5 wt. Five Rivers rod I built, a blank by Dan Craft. In certain circumstances when I’m canoeing and there isn’t much wind, I’ll turn to my 3 wt. Rainshadow. I also have an 8 wt but don’t use it much. JGW
If your talking under two pound bass and panfish. I love to use a 9 foot three wt. If you have wind then a 9 or 10 foot 5wt is great. As a back up for larger fish a would carry at least a 6 or 7 wt.
An 8 ft 3 wt built on a H&H blank and a 5 wt 8 ft built on a other H&H blank.
I have takne bass to six pounds on both of these. Tnhey are great for panfish.
Rick
My $29.00 closeout Orvis Streamline rod. 8.5 ft 5wt. . Unbelievable feel and yet has good casting ability.
Back up rod is a Redington 9’ 6wt in case I get into something the 5wt can’t handle, which is seldom.
Back up back up is a spinning rod to match what I am going after that day.
Given the expected catch: I would take my 7ft 5wt and my 9ft 7wt.
But, if I am going to totally new water: I take my 6wt and 8wt, both 9ft rods.
Dan Craft Sig V 4 weight. It is my go to rod in 90% of my fishing. Otherwise, I use a 6’6" Batson RX8 2 wt. My 6 and 9 weight rods don’t get out much…
For bass, I prefer to take out the Sage 8’ 6" 4wt XP but if it will be mainly brim/sunfish/bluegill it will be the 7’ 10" 2wt TXL.
99% of the time I will use my 8 1/2’ XP 4wt. If I feel I will need more rod due to wind or size of fish, I will use my 8 1/2’ XP 5wt. If I intend to fish for bass in a lake or large pond I will use my TFO 9’ Series I 6wt. If I decide to just have a slow relaxing day of fishing I will use my “boo”.
I also own and never use the following rods and wonder why I have them:
Sage 4 piece 6wt - 9’
Custom built Sage VPS 2pc. 5wt - 9’
Custom built St Croix 2pc. 5wt - 9’
Custom built “Little Trout Special” 7 1/2’ 5/6wt
Custom built Rainshadow 2pc. 6wt - 8 1/2’
Cabela’s Three Forks 9’ 2pc. 8wt
After answering your question and seeing how many rods I have and never use, I wish I had never answered your question!! :lol:
My go to rod is my Sage SLT 389-4. 3 weight, 8’ 9", 4 piece. It is a dream to cast all day long and will handle bass up to a couple of pounds. It is still light enough that the gills are a kick with it.
Jim,
I fish a big reservoir 98% of the time. Lots of water to cover and it’s usually clear, meaning long casts are required. At this time of year, I’m targeting big LMB that have moved into the shallows so I’m throwing bugs as large as 2/0 or 3/0 and often have wind to contend with. My go-to rod is a 9’, midflex 9 weight Orvis Clearwater outfit. If the big guys aren’t around, I switch to a nine foot, midflex, four weight Clearwater. I use both rods constantly. For just brim fishing, I switch to either my Cabela’s one or two weight 7’ Clear Creek outfits. 8T 
Ahhhh…great stuff. Seems to be quite a diversity in comfort levels for the same purpose.
WarrenP; you have too much stuff? There’s always Things for Sale! I’d bite.
Jim
I usually start out with my 9ft 4pc Orvis Silver Lable TL 4wt. I take my Cabela 6wt Stowaway as a backup rod and my Cabela Three Forks 7’ 6" 3wt that I use for bluegills and redears if it isn’t too windy.
Steve
I have a very old 8’-0" 6wt Cortland Black Diamond fly rod that does a good job of casting the larger air resistent flies I use for bass.
I also bought a Southbend 59-9 boo rod for bass, but haven’t used it yet.
Mine “was” a Sage 9’ RPL 6wt…but when I get back on the water next month I’m going to be deciding between a Sage SLT or Z Axis both are 9’ 5wts. 8)
My Sage 6wt RPL covers most all my freshwater needs as well as light satlwater.Occasionally I will also use a Loomis IMX 6wt.
Most of my fresh water fishing is done with a 4 piece 8 1/2 ft 5 wgt built on a Cabela’s mid price blank. For lakes and larger rivers, I use a 2 piece 9 ft 6 wgt also built on a Cabela’s blank. The 6 wgt also serves as my light salt water rod, and I use a 9 1/2 foot 8 wgt built on a St Croix blank for most of my salt water fishing, though it also serves as my heavy fresh water rod.
If I am limited just to one rod, it would be my 9 ft 4wt. but since I fish on a lake out of a boat and the lake conditions can vary, I usually take 2 more rods… a 9 ft 6wt for the wind and just in case mr. carp starts showing off his tail, and a 8 ft 2wt when the gills are taking small dries on a very still evening.
caribe
Trout = 9’ 5wt
Romantic = 8.5’ 7wt bamboo
Panfish and LMB = 6.6’ Fiberglass 5wt
:lol:
Wade or shore fishing, a 9’6" Redington 6wt. I built on a 7wt. blank…really throws well in the wind on the bigger more open waters… In the yak I’ll have The 9’ 4 wt. Diamondback all american,5’6" Global Dober 5wt. , 17’3" Shakspeare Onset Dapping Rod/w floss blowline and hope for a good stiff breeze in which to use it!!!..and round it all out with an 8’ 4wt. Headon black beauty Glass rod…I’m hoping to get back to work so I can add a few rod holders to the yak soon…