Alright, my wife is buying a new digital SLR camera and, because she feels guilty, I am going to help her with her guilt and buy a new fly rod. Currently I have a sage Fli 9ft 5wt. Overall I am happy with it, but I would like one that is a bit stiffer (slower action?). I tend to have a short stroke so I thought a moderate to fast action would be better for me. I am considering a Winston WT 5wt (the two piece version). Anyone have this rod?
Also, I know that it is available in 3 pieces, but I don’t like the idea of that many pieces. Anyone ever had any problems with multiple pieces? Your help is apprecaited.
You can’t go wrong with a Winston regardless of the number of pieces. I have Winston’s in 2 pc through 5 piece configuration with no issues.
By the way if you heart ISN’T set on a two piece, check out the new Winston BIIt which is a NEW 4 piece rod with a more moderate action than the BIIx. I have heard great things about this rod from folks who have tried it.
If you can stomach the price, the BIIx is the sweeeeeetest thing I have ever casted. Light and fast. I have only casted my buddies since my wife already has a camera !
Blur, why the three piece? My thoughts are that the more pieces/joints the more that can go wrong. Is there a reason that three piece is a better set up? Just curious.
As for the Boron IIX I am interested in that, but I still have problems with that many sections… someone, please help me past that prejudice (or at least explain to me why multiple sections are a good thing). :?:
Depends really… do you want to upgrade your 5 or go for another weight? If I was in the market for a new #5 rod now, I would probably get one of those new Sage ZA.
Also consider spending the cash on a fishing trip instead of a rod.
A couple of years ago I stumbled across a clearance sale on a really great selection of rods. I bought a St. Croix Legend Ultra 9 ft. 5 weight. After fishing with it once, I realized I didn’t really like it all that much, as I thought my 5 weight TFO Series I had a better action for me. Unfortunately for my bank account, my neighbor FORCED me to try out his Winston WT 5 weight which he bought at the same sale. I had never felt a rod action that suited me so well. After agonizing over the cost for a couple of weeks, I took the St. Croix back and bought an 8 ft. 4 weight Winston WT. I had the option of the Boron II at the same price, and wish I had tried it. However, the WT is still the sweetest action rod I have ever cast, whether in close or out to 60 feet. Another nice rod with a similar action is the Loomis Streamdance Presentation series, whether in the GLX or Metolius versions. Having cast both, I opted for the Metolius, which I felt gave nothing away to the GLX version, though much less expensive. Several years ago, I felt that the four piece rods somewhat deadened the action compared to the two piece rods. Today, I think only the most critical (or expert) casters could even tell the difference. I much prefer the multi-piece rods for the convenience of travelling and storage. I would suggest going to a fly shop and trying out as many rods as you can.
I’ll skip the advice on ‘which rod’. All that is pretty well subjective and no one but YOU can decide if you truly ‘like’ a rod. It’s pretty hard to go wrong, whichever you choose.
As to the ‘multi piece’ phobia you have. Get over it.
For years, it was true that every ‘joint’ or ‘ferrule’ on a rod had an adverse effect on the action of the rod, compromising both feel and performance.
The industry has improved mightily over the last 30 years, and that is no longer the case. Modern graphite internal ferrules flex with the rod, have been carefully engineered to be both light weight and durable, and now don’t ‘alter’ or ‘degrade’ the feel or performance of a rod.
As long as you use them properly (the instructions on how to assemble the rod will come with it, if they don’t, don’t buy the rod), the ferrules on a modern graphite fly rod will NEVER wear out, at least not in your or your grand children’s lifetimes.
A decent 3, 4, 5, or even 7 piece rod you can buy today for somthing around <$100 to >$300 dollars will be superior in EVERY measurable category to ANY rod you could of purchased for ANY price 30 years ago. This includes durability of the ferrules.
Buy the rod you want. Don’t worry about how many pieces it has.
Good luck!
Buddy
p.s; I’ll gurantee that a Mercedes has more parts to ‘go wrong’ than a Hugo. Which would you choose?
I own a Cabelas LST 7wt 9’-6" 4 piece, and have not had a problem with it. It makes for a great travel rod, and with its 25 year warranty, it should be useful longer than I will be. :lol: If there were problems with the multi piece rods, I would not expect the lengthy warranty.
Also, I’ve read that the new blanks and manufacturing techniques have improved to where multi piece rods have virtually the same performance as 2-piece rods. I like a fast action rod, so it suits me well.
the WT is one of the finest rods currently available.
that’s my opinion.
stiffer equates with faster action.
I think you need to test cast as many rods as you find available. I own many 4 weight rods. different actions (TMF/IM-6 precurser to the WT) slooow to a Cairnton 9’ & that one’s quite fast.
Maybe you do want another 5 weight. Maybe not. You just won’t really know until you cast a few different actions, lengths & weights.
& Buddy S is correct when he says it’s your choice & that won’t be resolved by getting different opinions.
[ask 10 fly fishers for opinions & you’ll get 12 replies].
Maybe you could test a few at your local fly shop or hook up with a club to try some other people’s equipment… & meet some new friends.
Later,
Peter
Oh, BTW, I buy mostly used high end rods… like the quality but don’t like the price of new… & some rods (like the IM6 TMF is no longer available as new). Maybe you could buy two used rods instead…
I read it somewhere but can’t recall where or exactly why, but as far as multi piece rods, a three or five (uneven pieces) where suppose to have an advantage. I seem to recall that it has something to do with the guide placement.
Maybe some who knows more can jump in on this.
I remember reading something along those lines too. I believe it had something to do with vibration frequency or harmonic vibrations or sympathetic vibrations or some other such gobbledeguck.
I guess I just ain’t built right because I can’t tell much difference in the feel of a 3, 4 or 5 piece rod and I’m pretty sure the fish can’t either.
That said, give me a 4 piece simply because they are easily made into 2 piece rods for storage in a rod/reel carrier.
The rod you want is the one that fits YOU. If the store you buy it from won’t set it up for you to cast, buy somewhere else. I was fortunate enough to catch the Joan Wolff Winston (5wt - 3pc - 8’6") at 40% off, but I would not have bought it without “feeling” it. It fits like a glove.
As for the number of pieces, I now have that 3 pc and a Sage 3wt in 4 pcs. They are so much easier to carry around and I can’t tell any difference between them and my old 2 pc rods.
I remember reading something along those lines too. I believe it had something to do with vibration frequency or harmonic vibrations or sympathetic vibrations or some other such gobbledeguck.
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Harmonic frequency of the vibrations, if my first year physics serves me well :lol: As for where you read it, I was gonna say that it was a post by JC, but I was wrong once before
My post about the stiffer (slower action) is a sure sign of my confusion of the “action” lingo. I believe my Sage Fli is said to have a “fast” action and it seems a bit soft for my casting style (meaning that I have a hard time effectively throwing streamers and on some size 14-16 nymphs I get a wobble on the forward cast, as if I am over powering). So I cast my bosses older Sage, which is much stiffer throughout. And that is the action that I think suits me better. The info on the Winston WT says that it is a moderate to fast action rod, which sounds like the area that I want to be in. Never could figure out that “action” stuff.
