I’m looking at purchasing a new 6wt and am trying to stay around the $200 mark.Was wondering what everybody thought of the St. Croix Avids(maybe even a 7wt in this model) and the TFO Professionals. I’ve tried some fast rods and that is not my casting style. At one time I owned an Avid and it felt about the right speed. There are no flyshops with either of these nearby to try so I need some input. I know you guys’ and gals have input.Thanks and God Bless!
I own both though neither are 6 wts. I liked the Avid early on. It’s a great rod. Lately I have become a fan of TFO. I have two Professional rods and would get another easily. I had a chance to cast an Axiom. That’s a nice rod also.
-wayne
John
My 6wt is a 9’ St Croix Avid with IPC. I use it primarily for smallmouth and love that rod. I have a spare spool with a 5’ sink tip line and it handles that very well. I don’t think you’d be dissapointed.
Dave
Go to the flyshop and cast them. If you find a nice rod that you like in your price range but it seems too fast for you, try it in a 5 wt. with a 6 wt. line on it. You may be surprised. Some people who do most of their casting close (30 feet or less) will overline a fast 4 wt. with a 6 wt. line. Softens it right up. Mends in close like a dream too. There are all sorts of tricks like that for small streams. Just don’t plan on blasting out any 80 foot casts.
Godspeed and good fishing,
Bob
john the sage fli’s are on clearance right now. they have a nice 6 weight. i think you can still find them at “the fly shop” and a few other places.
Is the FLi a med-fast or fast rod?
I’ve got the Fli in a 7 wt. I put it very definitely on the fast side. Using a Rio Selective Trout WF7F, it needs some line out before it will load, maybe 20’ or so. That is fine with me because I bought it specifically to fish tandems of big nymphs on our bigger rivers and sometimes in pretty decent breezes.
It is a very nice rod, but you do have to work with it. It ain’t delicate, and I doubt that overlining it would make it so.
Bobinmich made an excellent point about the combination of rod wt and action and line wt. You can overline to slow a fast rod down, and to some extent, underline it to speed it up or cast longer distances. When I tried a Rio Grande WF7F on the Fli, it loaded off the tip and felt good in close, but it really bogged down quickly at any distance at all.
Having said that, the Fli is very good for the purpose I had in mind. And I doubt very much it would suit you considering your preference for slower action rods.
John
I second the Echo. Sweet rod that I cast and it’s only around $180 or something like that.
Thanks much for the info!
Opening day this year I broke the uplock on my 10’ 6w right before opening started. I used tap from my first-aid kit to attach my reel so I could fish. About 2 or 3 hours into fishing we had a thunder storm so I used that time to buy a new rod. I bought a 4wt TFO signature series (before I broke my 6wt I was going to get a 3wt just for dries, but decided to get 4wt for better casting of nymphs and streamers). Except for some of my heavier flies (which I had tied to use with my 6wt) I can actually cast my 8’6" 4wt further than my 10’ 6wt. The rod has great feel&action while costing less than $100. The hardware on it is cheap but durable, and I highly recommend this rod.
The Avid’s are alot of rod for the money.
I see that you have asked about action type of the FLi in an earlier post John3:16. I also see that you have posted a number of times on the board so even though I don’t know you personally you have experience at this game so you probably know what action type you prefer.
I own an Avid in a 4 wt and I also helped a friend of mine that was looking for a very soft 3 wt select the Avid in a 3 wt for his panfishing and small spring creek trout rod. So I like the Avid as a soft rod, BUT I much prefer a fast action rod and like Bobinmich said overline it to smooth it out if you must. For me, even though timing is more critical with a fast action rod, the stroke matches my own style much better.
I would recomend the Redington CPS rods on close out as well, very high end components but a fast action in a light wt rod. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=OBZZXRWDP1IFPLAQBBISCOFMCAEFEIWE?id=0029949318398a&type=product&cmCat=catfeatflyfsh&_requestid=20168 There are other deals out there this time of year.
Rick
John 3:16,
Here is the 6wt. I have owned for years and it is a fast action rod that is a great lake rod also: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/showthread.php?t=24365
Doug
Definitely take them for a test drive first, if you can. The Avid does have a slower action than some of the other rods mentioned. The Fli, is a little softer in the lighter line weights and faster in the heavier. I’ve never cast the 6wt. but I have cast the 9’ 4wt., and it has a fairly soft tip (especially compared to the same size VT-2). The Redington CPS was definitely a fast rod.
I can’t say for the Professional, … but pickup an Axiom this fall and like it very much. Pretty “stiff”, but not so much that I didn’t order a Native Run GLX this afternoon in 6 wt 10ft :oops:.
Elkhorn!!! Traveler series for less than $200.00. Moderate action. Great customer service!
I think you would be more than satisfied with either the TFO Pro Series or the revamped Orvis Clearwater II. I have cast the TFO in a 3 and a 6wt and the Orvis in a 5 and I own a 6. As med-fast rods, they all cast beuatifully and are under $200.
I just acquired an Albright A-5 in 5-pc 10’ configuration a few weeks back and really like the action. I’d call it moderate-fast.
It’s in the process of being replaced (due to broken tip section) but I like it a LOT. It was on sale for $124.50 when purchased in late Oct.
However, if that’s not your style, TFO, Echo and the others recommended in this thread are all great suggestions.
Marty