looking to add a 9ft 3wt to my collection, i want to use the rod for general use in lakes for small size fish(avg 1lb). So far i only own Sage and Orvis rods. It will be the last rod for a while as i think ive just about got most situations covered. Any recommendations/feedback would be great. Thanks.
Darren
Cabelas makes one…a 9’ 3wt LST, which just happens to be ON SALE this weekend (Mothers Day Wknd) for $75 off. Just a suggestion…
rf
I love posts like this. The next 20 posts will list every model 9’ 3wt rod made by every manufacturer that produces rods. Every post they will say how much they love their particular rod. The fact is not one post will anyone say they don’t like a rod. If they do the next 10 posters will tell him how much they love theirs. Just go to a fly shop you like doing business with and get yourself a new rod. YOU WILL LIKE IT.
Interesting comments Host Ray. I have a couple of rods in my collection that I don’t like, without mentioning specific manufactures, I will discuss why I don’t like them.
Most are a matter of weight or action type. It’s not that they are not quality rods, it’s that they don’t match my style. For a new guy, that doesn’t know what he likes it’s hard to suggest a rod type, for someone with many rods they probably have a preference for length and action type.
I tend to be a long rod guy, much prefer 9’ over any 7 1/2’ rod. I also like fast action rods and avoid slow action rods like the plague.
Daz Wah, so in order to get some good recomendations, what action type best fits you? I see that you already mentioned length so that will avoid all those guys that say that they love their 5 1/2’ 3 wt. Price point will be the other big concern.
If you alread like Orvis and Sage, go look at their line. I would love a new Helios, but if I remember right they don’t make that in a 3 wt but the 4wt is much lighter than most 3 wts and has power. Shopping is always fun. - for fly fishing equipment that is.
Clay–on the money with your post above.
I expect that as with motorcycles, trucks, women, beer, cigars and the other really important delights of life, there are no “bad” ones to true devotees of a specific brand.
The 9’ 3 wt. is my ‘go to’ rod for most of my trout and bass fishing…I have four of them.
I built them all myself, though, so I can’t recommend a particular rod brand.
But they are fun to fish with and will handle much more in the way of flies, fish, and fishing conditions than most would assume.
Good luck with your search, that’s almost as much fun as using the rod.
Buddy
I wouldn’t think you would need as much as a 3wt for one pound fish…unless it is a matter of how large a fly you want to cast. There are 2 wts and 1 wts. I also don’t see the necessity of 9’. But I am pretty green at this stuff so that explains that.
I would say though take the advice above and go to a good fly shop…try and buy. I thought I could not afford to go to an Orvis shop and buy a rod. So I bought a kazillion off the internet without ever handling them. I have spent far far far more on unknown rods than I would if I had just gone to good fly shop and got fitted for what I like. I now have over 50 rods and don’t even know how to go about sorting them. And I still don’t know what I like!
Actually I bought a lot of stuff as a way…unknowingly…of coping with mourning.
I think rather than rigging them all up with different lines and reels to try them…I would be better off to just sell them all. Then go to a good shop. Their knowledge can cut through all the riff raff and stuff I don’t know…and they can get me to a rod I would simply love…much much faster than my experimental way.
I know. Dumb huh?
Just FYI
You’re the smartest guy I know, damn man and I thought I had it bad.
Sell a few rods, take some casting lessons with the money and then go fishin’ and stay the hell off of Ebay - HA.
Thanks for helping me smile, and on the serious side I’ll send you a PM. Life is all good man and fishin’ is better. 
Yes Clay. Get a good rod and go fishing. I have been on the search for the Holy Grail of a fly rod. I went to an Orvis fly shop and the owner stated I should fondle a few and go out back and cast them. He would help me find a good rod. Better than going scavenging for a rod. Well, coming from the owner it sounds like a good sales pitch. I didn’t even state it as smooth as he did. His point was to get some professional help, and handle a few good rods and find out what “I” like in a rod. Sounded like a good sales pitch to me.
Well he was dead on right. I could have purchased several rods from him and been content with all of them for what I have spent on my collection of buying rods I had never even picked up and held in my hand. It’s gotta be tough for the dealer to get that across to the buyer when it sounds like he is just trying to benefit himself. But he was absolutely correct.
I wish I had taken his advice. Gotten his help. And then saved up for the rods I like. I think now I will sell all the rods (multiple rods 1wt thru 10wt inclusive), reels (over 50), lines (also over 50)…all 7 of the fly tying vises I own…and go right back to that Orvis dealer and get some good rods. And buy me a Nor-Vise.
I will get to where I want to be with rods and reels I like much faster with his help.
Thanks for the PM Clay.
I just wanted to comment on rod searching to maybe help others not make the same dumb mistakes I have made.
Reading the comments it is looking like a bad question but for me, as all my rods have been purchased on recommendations from other people. Here in Australia we dont have a big selection of rods on the shelf to test out, this makes choosing rods really hard and the rods we do have cost twice as much as they do if i buy online.
I do prefer fast action rods and am not fussed about spending up to $750USD, so far the rods i have are;
Orvis Helios 10ft 5wt
Orvis Troutbum 7ft 4wt
Sage Z-Axis 9ft 5wt
Sage TXL 7ft10 3wt
Sage XP 9ft 6wt
Sage SP 9ft 6wt
I love most of my rods as they have a specific use for them. The intended use for the new rod will be;
My main intention for the rod is to use it for tailing fish in flooded lake margins in over populated lakes, i usually use the XP or Z-axis for this style of fishing but would like something lighter.
All im after is some recommendations/reviews to further read up on the rods;
So far im undecided for a Helios(8’6" close enough) or Z-Axis(9’) if there are any other rods to consider i would like to know.
Some specs are;
For around $500 you can buy a Gary Anderson Custom Rod. Since you like fast action, the LS series is the one to consider. Here is a link. http://www.andersoncustomrods.com/images/documents/ACR2009-2_EPS-LS_Fly_Rods.pdf
I don’t have any experience with ACR, but I have heard excellent remarks on his quality and craftmanship.
thanks looking into it now 