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Fly Tying
Stuart Fluke

What is your favorite fly fishing Rod?

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Agreed, @Poopdeck.  I never paid more than $240 for a rod but I have had a few I was less than satisfied with.  I always shop the outlets for discontinued models.  That's why I have a lot of Orvis stuff, there's an outlet in Rehoboth Beach Delaware where my wife and I spend long weekends.

I'm much more loyal to the dead presidents in my wallet and it always amuses me that what was the hottest rod ever 3 years ago I just bought for less than 35% of the original price.

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On 6/3/2022 at 8:36 AM, SalarMan said:

In 1966 I graduated high school and was fishing with a cheap glass rod and a Pflueger Progress reel. The combo got the job done, but before too too I discovered the pleasures of fine  tackle and never looked back, and with no regrets.

I never felt the need to go in another direction than what I have on the rack in the basement. I have cast several high dollar rods but they don't guarantee any more enjoyment or fish than my rods. I did splurge when I was working and bought a $150 rod and $50 reel but looking back in retrospect, I could have bought two rod combos for the $200.

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Depends of where or what I'm fishing for.

For thin blue line fishing I have an inexpensive Cabela's CGR 5' 3" fiberglass 3 weight that I love, but I love it because it excels at fishing the local thin blue lines.  These rivers are completely overgrown and I have to roll cast or cast side arm with pin point accuracy to no more than 15'.  A "pool" here can be as small as  2' x 2' and a foot deep. It has the action of a spaghetti noodle (technical term) and the 6" to 8" fish that live in these small streams are a lot of fun on that little rod.

For trout fishing in most of our rivers my go to rod is a 7' 6" bamboo 3 weight that I built myself from a blank.  The 3 main trout rivers I fish are 10' to 30' across with lots of overhanging tree limbs just waiting to snag my fly and make me wade over and spoil the water.

 

 

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On 6/2/2022 at 1:36 PM, SalarMan said:

To start...a fly fishing "pole" is someone from Poland who fly fishes - HA 😂HA😂 HA😂 HA😂

A favorite from 59 years of fly fishing is hard to say...expect that it would be bamboo for sure.

Starting with:
7'0" Garrison Model 201 - 4 weight
7'6" Carmichael Model 206E - 5 weight
6'3" Paul Young Midge - 4 weight
7'5" Bob Summers Perfectionist - 4 weight
7'4" Weiler Garrison repro 204E - 4 weight
7'9" Weiler Garrison repro 209E - 5 weight
7'6" Weiler Payne repro 101 - 5 weight
8'0" Nevros Model 212E - 6 weight
8'0" Jim Beasley - 4/5 weight

Prices when I BOUGHT THEM vary from $475.00 to $1000.00. Today's value for several are considerably more than that.

There are others, but enough is enough.

I like and use graphite as well, but for pure pleasure and inner satisfaction I have always reveled in using good cane rods!!!

Cheers,
George 

That's a nice selection/collection

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Antique shops and flea markets sometimes will have a treasure. I almost bought a run down no-name bamboo rod but decided it needed too much work to revive it.

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My favorites are actually two very different rods… The first is a beaten up old Sage RPL+ 8wt that’s used hard day after day ( and on night trips as well…).  The second is a 10wt I built myself using a Thomas & Thomas Horizon blank with a Powell reelseat… I built it just before I took up guiding in 1995 so it’s been used hard for everything that swims in the ‘glades, including tarpon up to and over 60lbs.  These days it’s been retired from guiding and only used by me when I’m exploring or when my TFO 10wt is out of service as a backup…. 
 

I’ve actually been guiding long enough to have two reels for every rod size (5wt all the way up to 12wt) - one that winds right handed and another that winds left handed… I’m able to set up my gear based on my angler’s preferences each day.

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19 hours ago, Sandan said:

That's a nice selection/collection

Thank You Michael. Some of those have been passed along, some are still here, but no doubt more will be sold some time in the future.

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On 6/3/2022 at 8:36 AM, SalarMan said:

In 1966 I graduated high school and was fishing with a cheap glass rod and a Pflueger Progress reel. The combo got the job done, but before too too I discovered the pleasures of fine  tackle and never looked back, and with no regrets.

I also have a love for fine tackle, and no, I can’t provide a single logical reason why.   Tackle does not make the angler but to me and for some unexplainable reason nice tackle adds an undefinable level enjoyment to the sport.  For others that’s not the case. The more pragmatic of us view the rod and reel as nothing more than a tool, it just needs to work.   I almost always fish alone so my love of fine tackle is not driven from prideful boasting.  It’s also not about income level.  When buying anything, as a rule I generally try to buy the best that I can afford.  I’m a working class guy who will do without until I save enough money to be able to get what I want.  I do know a guy of means who fishes with gear that you would have a hard time giving away free at a yard sale.   To each their own

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At one time I had a collection of Fenwick, Sage, Bamboo, and even old Wonderods. Most of these have been sold and now I use primarily two bamboo rods.

First, 7' Penta 3wt. bamboo build of Jeff Hatton "The Gnome" with a Cholla Cactus handle he built special for me. It comes alive as only high quality bamboo can with Wullf 3wt. Long Belly Line and balances beautifully with a Hardy Cascapedia 2/3/4  reel.

Second, a 7'6" bamboo built by a member of the Classic Fly Forum. It is a hollowed Penta faster than most bamboo rods and does the job for bigger flies. I bought the blank and finished this two tip rod myself and it does the work I don't want to press the lighter rod for. It handles and balances with a Wullf TT 6wt. on a Hardy Cascapedia 4/5/6 reel.

Picture with Hardy Bougle I had on before the Cascapedia.

DSC01622.JPG

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3 hours ago, vicrider said:

At one time I had a collection of Fenwick, Sage, Bamboo, and even old Wonderods. Most of these have been sold and now I use primarily two bamboo rods.

First, 7' Penta 3wt. bamboo build of Jeff Hatton "The Gnome" with a Cholla Cactus handle he built special for me. It comes alive as only high quality bamboo can with Wullf 3wt. Long Belly Line and balances beautifully with a Hardy Cascapedia 2/3/4  reel.

Second, a 7'6" bamboo built by a member of the Classic Fly Forum. It is a hollowed Penta faster than most bamboo rods and does the job for bigger flies. I bought the blank and finished this two tip rod myself and it does the work I don't want to press the lighter rod for. It handles and balances with a Wullf TT 6wt. on a Hardy Cascapedia 4/5/6 reel.

Picture with Hardy Bougle I had on before the Cascapedia.

DSC01622.JPG

The Gnome builds art

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What brand: Maxxon Versa
Rod length: 7'6"
The weight of the fly rod: 4-5wt
Action: Medium-Light
Is it a Fly Rod Combo? No, but it converts to a spinning rod!
What do you fish with it? Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill.
What did it cost you? $100-ish

Bought on recommendation from my work partner who's been an avid fly fisherman his whole life. He doesn't use it for spinning, but I have switched when my arms get tired or I'm in a tight spot and it takes only a minute to swap the reels and flip the back around. I use a 4/5/6 Reddington Crosswater reel on it in 5wt. This rod taught me it's less about rod weight and more about fighting smart, after I watched him catch some big fish on it. Fun little rod to keep packed in the car for when the mood hits.

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Having built rods for well over 20 years, you might guess that I would own more than a few and you would be correct.  That being said, currently I'm enjoying a certain 8ft 5wt fairly fast glass rod  for much of my warm water fishing. But when heading out after larger smallies, my go to is a high modulus very fast, lightweight graphite, 9ft either in a 5 or 6 weight depending on conditions, built on an MHX blank.

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I favor shorter glass rods as i fish brush lined ponds quarries etc and do a lot of roll casting for mostly panfish.I also employ a few 8foot 8wts for bass bugging and carp.I have Phillipsons,Wonderod panfish specials,Browning /Silaflex  glass St Croixs a bunch of Heddons and am liking cane more and more.I see the attraction of high end stuff but i have many vintage glass blue collar rods that are like new and fish well.My favorite bluegill rod is a 6foot cabelas prime 3wt 1 pc that is as smooth a rod as i have ever fished.I have landed a few 5lb plus Bass on this wispy little rod.It flexes to the cork.I have favorites for different waters ,species and situations.And they all have multiple species and rarely only catch the intended fish.

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My favourite is Winston Pure 8ft 4wt. I ordered new 3wt from Winston and it is in mail. Winston Air2 8'6" 3wt.

 I will not be able to use it this year (winter is around the corner here and streamer fishing is way to go!) but that small rod could be my primary rod next season. 

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