The fact that your better judgement is asking you to justify a $600 rods says you know better and a fly rod should not cost $600. Your better judgment is right!! Those $600 rods are for people whose bank account sees $600 as pocket change or where image is more important than function. As the folks in this thread have suggested, there are lots of excellent fly rods out there as good or perhaps better than the $600 at a lesser price. Spend so time trying them and shopping around. It’s part of the fun of fly fishing!
in college I recieved a Scott Eclipse 3wt at the shop I worked at during the summer. Great gift from the owner before I went back to School. I then had the not so great idea to adding all the rods to my collection(3,5,7,9). I have six Scott rods, but for what. I only use two of them and I went nuts when I broke one. Warrenty on that 5wt saved the day. That is the best part of the expensive rods, otherwise buy moderate and save the money. Building your own is sweet too. I haven’t had the time yet for that.
If your like a lot or rod junkies and trade in your rods for the latest models you cannot justify the expense. If your like me and like a high end rod and know that you will be using it for the next ten years the expense is not relevant. I use three RPLXi, 5 piece rods in the salt which I have been using for the past 5 years, and plan on using them for at least another 5. Loved them when I purchased them and still do.
This topic will get pounded with opinions of who’s rods are best and the justifications of “why I spent $100 or $600”… Or it’s the best, because I say so, or others say so. It get’s really old!
Suggestion: Your the one who will fish the rod.
Figure out how much you want to spend or can afford to spend on a fly rod. If at all possible cast the rods that fit your bill.
Make your decision, be happy & go fishing!!
Although much in FF is overpriced just as other items are in life it is not so very expensive that you can’t afford it. All you really have to do is want it bad enough. But don’t buy it just because it is a $600 rod. Try a lot of rods. Most shops will let you cast a rod and the shops at the shows encourage it on the casting pool. You may find another rod feels better in your hand and cast smoothly, and just might be less expensive. Look at the price tag last. It is after all, a one time payment…not like wanting an expensive house or car where even if you could afford it, the payments go on for many years. A rod is a one time payment…unless of course of course you intend to buy rod after rod after rod. There is always something you may have to give up as a trade off. Or, as others have said, you may want to unload some gear you no longer find yourself using. If you want it, get it. Just make sure that particular rod is the one you really want…
why do you have to cast a mile to fish? most of my fishing, 80%, is done within 40ft. so why spend $450 extra to be able to fish 100ft away? the few times i need to cast further, i can put a little extra work into it. but even then all i have to do is move into a better to make a shorter cast. but then again i don’t fish the big rivers very often but when i do i still try and get as close as i can. which is a better skill to learn, stalking into short range or casting long range?
i agree, jc…there are some fine old fly rods that are the equivalent of a stradivarius and worth $600 and more–old bamboo leonards for instance. but i don’t think there are many graphite stradivarius’ out there
[This message has been edited by D. Micus (edited 24 October 2005).]
You were a good little boy this year, & deserve a $600 fly rod from Santa ???
I was a good boy too, but on my finances, I will settle for a $300 dollar one from Santa.
Ah hell …just give me the blanks & I will build a $600 rod for $300 !!!
The first time I ended up with a pricey rod (XP), … I was shopping for a 5wt workhorse. The shop owner layed out almost every rod he had in stock, reels attached, 2 spools each (DT and WF) in the correct weight.
I cast every one of 'em, …took almost 4 HOURS. I didn’t look at the price, … just kept coming back to the XP to re-compare it to the others.
There were some nice rods in the bunch, less expensive too, … and some REALLY expensive ones (+850 $cdn), … I simply ended up with the rod that suited me.
Then again, … I was fishing +60 days per season back then and renting a sage here costs 15 bucks per day, … so 600$ would only get me 40 days of fishing
We have no ideas on how you will decide which rod is right for you, only our opinions about what works for us. How quick do you want this rod, can you wait till next season and take advantage of closeouts? Are there any shows close enough you can go to and cast your choice of rods?
Waiting also holds the possibility that you will have more money saved and that can be a factor in your choice.
Jerry
Dream the Life, Live the Dream
Laugh at yourself first and all else falls into place
Board of Directors, Valley Forge Trout Unlimited
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that seems to be the advertising trend. also that seems to be the consensus of what is being said here. as for me, i don’t know if $600 rods cast further, i have never cast a $600 rod. my best is $280; never caught a fish at as far as i can cast. but then again i’m not a great caster.
You don’t have to justify it at all. If you want it and can afford it, then go ahead and buy it. If I spent my life trying to justify the thousands of dollars i’ve spent in gas, tackle, park fees and cheap hotel rooms, all in pursuit of an edible fish that gets immediately released, I’d never go fishing at all.
Look it is not the justification or the worthiness of the angler or the I wants.
It is rather simple EARN the rod as reward.use the $600 on the house for with the house repaired it won’t fall down around your ears.Then save up for the $600 rod as a reward.Otherwise you COULD end up being a homeless man with a high end rod to fish with. (Waders and vest walking down the street with a grocery cart and a box)
It is amusing how the original question posed here somehow got translated into equating a six hundred dollar rod with distance. It reminds me of a kids game where the kids sit in a circle and someone starts the game off by whispering a sentence in the next persons ear and by the time it makes full circle…well, you know the results… Of course by installing a false premise it gives the poster a stump to stand on and pontificate. (and ‘please’, this is not aimed at any poster or posters in particular but just the general trend).
[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 25 October 2005).]
Justification = Any reason someone cares to use. Some don’t need any at all.
For some people, justification is simply, ‘Because they can’. At a net worth of $43B Bill Gates; $36B Warren Buffet; $21B Paul Allen; $19B Alice Walton; $19 Helen Walton; and others on the Forbes list, do you think any of them needs to justify a purchase?
I like this topic, because people always ask why I look like the Orvis or Simms catalog when I fish. I like most, work my butt off every week. I have a 6 year old daughter that is into every activity under the sun, so I am constantly on the run. So heres the answer to the above question. When I get to fish, my free time to do so is limited, consequently I want the best. I value the time more then the money I spend on the equipment. If it is raining I want to be dry, I hate leaky waders, and worst of all a rod I won’t be able to count on or feel that I can. This comes from experience. I have had two rods break while fishing and both happened to be St. Croix and both there upper end. The problem was the lack of customer service I received on both rods when I sent them back. I know others have had good success with St. Croix but not me. The rods are now tainted. I switched to Sage and wont go back, I even have a hard time fishing the other two rods. It is important to be comfortable, because in my case I have limited free time. Hopefully in the future I can get out more and my wallet will be a little bit heavier. Until then I will by the best I can afford and take that part out of the equation when I fish.
It’s one thing to indulge yourself, and quite another thing to indulge yourself beyond your means. Probably why there are 50 percent divorce rates and a growing plethora of personal banruptcies in this country. If we’re all of a sudden gettin down to personal stuff on this website, here’s mine:
My one regret was that early on I always knew I would never have enough money to own a custom made shotgun. This is when I was young(er). But I wanted something nice, made by an artisan, in one of the sports I loved…hunting. So I stuck to the standard everyman’s shotguns within reason; Remington model 870’s, Model 1100’s, Winchester model 12’s and the like. But I still wanted something hand crafted…So I had a custom made “bird and trout” hunting knife made to order for me. My specifications. two and 3/4-inch blade… O-Grade tool steel for easy sharpening…3/16-inch tang instead of 1/8-inch for more strenth (I can do deer with it too)… solid brass bolsters…coca-bola wood handle…oiled, hand-sewn cow hide, form-fitting sheath…the works. Several letters back and forth to the maker to make me feel involved. Not a “lookin at knife” either (although it was), “a carry all the time usin knife”. I luv it, an heirloom. Grandson will get it…that type of thing. Cost at the time (30 years ago) $325 dollars. I saved for it…long time. Had three young kids to raise. It was actually pretty stupid now that I think about it.
That was my one “indulgence” in the sporting life. Not necessary, plenty of good stock knives on the market for 10 times less…I owned em all too. Did just as good a job…Buck, Shrade, Western, etc. I just wanted it.
That was my last indulgence. As for fishing. I don’t own a rod that costs over 125 dollars. I have one Hardy reel that costs more than any two rods I have put together. That could probably be considered my one indulgence in fishing. Do the fish know? Do they care? I think not. Did the game I gutted and dressed out care what knife I used? I don’t think so. I catch as many fish as any of my friends…plenty of fish. I’m happy and content with what I’ve got. Did my mother raise any foolish children…I don’t think so. Instead of ownin lots of expensive “stuff” do I go on a lot of fishin trips?.. yes. Do I owe anybody any money…no. Do I have a car payment?..no. Do I have money in the bank…yes. Nuff said.
You want a $600 rod, or even a $2,000 rod then buy it. But if you’re just a regular workin stiff with a family, I wouldn’t do it too often. You get “too much” of that “stuff” and you come not to appreciate “any” of it. I still love that knife and still use it. But I’d never buy another one. Nuff said.
Later, RW
“We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours.” -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-
