Fly rod options

[Pastor]

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Autumn Wings

Fly rod

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 Start dateSaturday at 1:54 PM

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Saturday at 1:54 PM

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#1

Pastor

Senior Refuge Member

I've been fishing the same white river classic, dogwood canyon rods for 25+years. I believe they are 4 and 7 weight rods. 29 bucks back then. I've always believed that the quality of line is much more important than the quality of rod. High end line on a low end rod in the right hands fishes quit well but a low end line on a rod of any quality makes for a poor fishing experience. I've never owned a high end reel either. I don't see the need for where I fish. I'm not fishing for steelhead and salmon and dont need the brakes. My reels are pretty much just spools with a simple click drag.

My 4 weight has lost a guide and the thread on the other guids is starting to fail. I can't complain, I've caught hundreds of fish on that set up over the years with some sizable fish mixed in.

I've never fished a high end rod so I probably don't know what I'm missing.

I definitely don't need a Winston but wouldn't mind an upgrade. What would you all recommend for a rod in the 4 or 5 weight category that isn't stupid expensive? I would like to keep it under 8 foot. I'm running Rio 5 weight line right now. And 8 weight on the heavier rod. I was given advice years ago to go one weight heavier on the line than the rod. Never questioned it and maybe that was bad advice.

Most of my fishing is in the the headwaters of the Current River here in Missouri and Montauk state park at the very head. Once every few years I get to fish lake Taneycomo. Most of my casts are less than a horse shoe toss.

Not planning on replacing the reels as they are giving me no problems.

The Orvis is on the 7 weight and the little Diawa is on the 4 weight. The Orvis was a gift years ago and the Diawa was a cheap reel I picked up for it's tiny size. I've fished them both a lot.

 

[Gavin]

Call up T Hargrove Fly Fishing in St. Louis and ask Tom or Chris about repairs and a possible replacements. Then go to St. Louis and cast them. You wont know if you like the rod until you put a line on it.

[tjm]

What Gavin says about trying before buying. There are too many variations in what people like and in how we perceive a rod's action. Same thing is true of lines. Your choice of lines and mine aren't the same, so most likely you wouldn't like my choice of rods. Personally, if I had a rod that I liked a lot that wanted a guide, I'd just put a guide on it, or given the age; whole set of guides.

I'm not sure there are a lot of choices  in #5 less than 8' though. I fish mostly 'glass rods made in the '60s for 6'6"-8', found on eBay.

[Ham]

For the 4 weight, look at the TFO Bug Launcher. I have the 4/5 7 foot model and LOVE IT. I’ve caught everything from Rainbow Darters to Redfish on mine.

they make a 5/6 8 footer that I have never fished, but I would like to. 

[Pastor]

39 minutes ago, Ham said:

For the 4 weight, look at the TFO Bug Launcher. I have the 4/5 7 foot model and LOVE IT. I’ve caught everything from Rainbow Darters to Redfish on mine.

they make a 5/6 8 footer that I have never fished, but I would like to. 

Is this the one your talking about 

 

Temple Fork Outfitters Bug Launcher Moderate-Fast Action Freshwater Saltwater Graphite 2 Pieces 7ft Fly Fishing Rod https://a.co/d/b2iVDwo

[Ham]

Yes Sir! That’s the one. I think I got mine for a little less, but that’s still inexpensive. 

[T.J. Clarke]

Moonshine has some nice rods for a good price.  Very happy with the fiberglass vintage style one I picked up.  

[Al Agnew]

I'm curious as to why you want a short rod.  My first fly rods were BPS $59 rods as well, and they served the purpose...but I found that they were not even close to as comfortable to fish all day as the upgrades (Loomis and Sage) that I later bought.  I'm not sure whether it was how much the rods weighed, their action, or what, but the difference was striking.  I'm kinda wondering if you like the shorter rods because they are not as tiring to fish.  In which case, a GOOD longer rod will be just as much if not more comfortable and can do some things better.  You don't have to spend $600 on a rod to get one that's a significant upgrade over the BPS ones, though.

I use rods from Sage, Winston, St. Croix, Redington, Ross, and Loomis, and probably one or two more that I'm not remembering at the moment.  Most cost somewhere between $175-$400 at the time I bought them.  Personally I like my Sages and my St. Croixs the best, but all are good.  Gavin gave you the best advice...it's well worth a trip to T. Hargroves.  They are knowledgeable, and you can actually go out in the parking lot and cast as many rods as you want to try.  Nothing beats casting a rod before you buy it.  But be warned...you might fall in love with a rod that's more expensive than you want to pay!  Although I never fell enough in love with a $800 rod to think it's four times as good as a $200 rod. 

[fishinwrench]

5 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

But be warned...you might fall in love with a rod that's more expensive than you want to pay!

That definitely used to be the case, but not so much anymore.   Rod blank construction and materials (and fly lines) have come a long way in the last 10 years or so. 

Some of the 100.00-150.00 rods today are just as sweet as the 400.00-600.00 rods were 25 years ago.    Hell, even several of the 70.00 Amazon specials are darn fine fishing tools.  

[ness]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

That definitely used to be the case, but not so much anymore.   Rod blank construction and materials (and fly lines) have come a long way in the last 10 years or so. 

Some of the 100.00-150.00 rods today are just as sweet as the 400.00-600.00 rods were 25 years ago.    Hell, even several of the 70.00 Amazon specials are darn fine fishing tools.  

I haven’t bought or test-casted enough rods to confirm this, but I suspect there aren’t any modern fly rods from name manufacturers that are so bad as to impede the fishing of a competent caster.  

 I’ve fished with a lot of different rods, some mine, some borrowed, and some are definitely better than others. But I can generally adjust my cast to get the job done. 

Way back when I bought a bamboo blank and finished it with really pretty hardware. It’s a beauty, but I ought to just hang it on the wall because it’s not pleasant to cast. But I have fished it with success. I guess if that’s all I had that’s what I’d fish.