Still Trying to buy a rod

[cst]

So ever since I lost a piece of my rod, I’ve been contemplating buying a rod but I'm usually not very decisive and choosing a rod has proven not to be an exception. To add onto the lack of decisiveness, my interest for fly fishing goes on and off due to the fact that I still haven't gotten around to choosing a rod. I was initially thinking of replacing the 5weight that I lost one of the pieces too, mainly because, replacing the lost piece would take too much effort but now I'm having second thoughts about that too. I know where I can get the shipping box, the cost for replacing it isn't too bad, and I don't know if I can abandon a rod like that. So a few days ago I started looking at rods again and now I am leaning more towards G-Loomis then the St Croix for a few reasons. The price and warranty are two of the main reason followed by the quality. Something about the IMX blank just feels better then the Legend Elites (at least when it comes to spinning and bait casting tackle). Which brings me to the next problem? I went over to the website and picked out the type of rod I thought I wanted, and clicked the model number to check out the msrp. Apparently, fly rods cost not only quite a bit more then even tournament style bass fishing rods but more then megabass rods too! So I looked at some lower end models and I’m now stuck. I have no idea where to go from here. The Metolius and GL3s are more along the lines of my price range but will I always regret not getting the GLX? Once I decide that, I still need to figure out what weight rod I get. I can get my 5 weight with the missing piece replaced and i can get an, atleast decent, six weight for next to nothing. Well, that's my situation, i'm not going to write the model or type of rod i was thinking of getting just because i want to hear what you guys would get if you were in my situation. thanks!

[BIGFISH4YOU]

MOST OF THE PHENIX RODS CANT BE BEAT......AND THEY ARE AFFORDIBLE

[NulodPBall]

You really haven't said what kind of fishing you plan on doing, and that affects your rod selection.

G-Loomis makes great rods...so does St. Croix.

My friends prefer Sage and Winston, I'm on the low budget end and prefer TFO, but if I pick up their setups, I can cast farther.

A fly rod is such a personal choice, you have to try before you buy. If you plan to fish alot, and the company offers some sort of extra warranty, take it. I can't remember whether Sage or G-Loomis offer a Tip Replacement warranty for a few dollars more...it's actually worth it. Don't be too upset if you have to pay like $50.00 plus shipping just to send your rod off to check if it's under warranty. If you can have your local fly shop ship it for you, even better.


If you're only going for trout, a 5 wt is great. If you might go for steelhead, a 6 wt is a good choice. If you're skillful enough, and don't mind an extra ear piercing, you can fish in the surf with a 5 wt. I fish the surf with a 9 or 10 wt.

I would get the GLX if you can afford to. If you have the money, always buy the best rod that you can. If you have enough skill, it will make a big difference in your casting. Just make sure you try the GLX (actually cast line with it) before you buy it, to make sure that the rod action that you select is what you want (they list three different rod actions). Prices should be going down on the Sage high end rods because a friend told me that their new high end line is worth getting.

A friend of mine bought a really nice Scott rod with a fast action because he wanted to cast a mile, in wind, just before our Montana trip last year. After trying one of our guide's rods (a Winston B II x) he discovered that he didn't need the fastest action in the world to cast far, and the stiffer tip on the Scott tended to snap his tippet on hooksets AND casts if he got impatient. The Scott rod was a great rod, he just discovered after using it for real fishing, and comparing it to something good, that it wasnt what he really needed.

Probably the best thing to do is to go to a fly club meeting and ask to cast everyone's rod...next best thing to do is to try the rod outside the fly shop before you buy.

Oh, and Chris: Go to bed

[Beresford13861]

Originally Posted by cst

Which brings me to the next problem? I went over to the website and picked out the type of rod I thought I wanted, and clicked the model number to check out the msrp. Apparently, fly rods cost not only quite a bit more then even tournament style bass fishing rods but more then megabass rods too! So I looked at some lower end models and I’m now stuck. I have no idea where to go from here. . thanks!

i damm near fell off my chair when i noticed that also, Chris i bit the bullet, and i got a TFO...there warenty is great, and the rod feels good...
i know its not "the best" but with a replacment for 25.00 cant beat it!

good luck chirs, its a wholel new world...and im enjoying it!

[cst]

Originally Posted by NulodPBall

You really haven't said what kind of fishing you plan on doing, and that affects your rod selection.

G-Loomis makes great rods...so does St. Croix.

My friends prefer Sage and Winston, I'm on the low budget end and prefer TFO, but if I pick up their setups, I can cast farther.

A fly rod is such a personal choice, you have to try before you buy. If you plan to fish alot, and the company offers some sort of extra warranty, take it. I can't remember whether Sage or G-Loomis offer a Tip Replacement warranty for a few dollars more...it's actually worth it. Don't be too upset if you have to pay like $50.00 plus shipping just to send your rod off to check if it's under warranty. If you can have your local fly shop ship it for you, even better.


If you're only going for trout, a 5 wt is great. If you might go for steelhead, a 6 wt is a good choice. If you're skillful enough, and don't mind an extra ear piercing, you can fish in the surf with a 5 wt. I fish the surf with a 9 or 10 wt.

I would get the GLX if you can afford to. If you have the money, always buy the best rod that you can. If you have enough skill, it will make a big difference in your casting. Just make sure you try the GLX (actually cast line with it) before you buy it, to make sure that the rod action that you select is what you want (they list three different rod actions). Prices should be going down on the Sage high end rods because a friend told me that their new high end line is worth getting.

A friend of mine bought a really nice Scott rod with a fast action because he wanted to cast a mile, in wind, just before our Montana trip last year. After trying one of our guide's rods (a Winston B II x) he discovered that he didn't need the fastest action in the world to cast far, and the stiffer tip on the Scott tended to snap his tippet on hooksets AND casts if he got impatient. The Scott rod was a great rod, he just discovered after using it for real fishing, and comparing it to something good, that it wasnt what he really needed.

Probably the best thing to do is to go to a fly club meeting and ask to cast everyone's rod...next best thing to do is to try the rod outside the fly shop before you buy.

Oh, and Chris: Go to bed

thanks. I've put all your fly rod posts into consideration but i'm still having trouble with the idea of paying that much for a type of rod i've never used before while at the same time, i know the value of a good rod from other types of fishing i do. it's really a dilemna, if i hadnt fished before, i would just buy the cheapest one and not think much about it. Unfortunatly, that's not the case and it might end up costing me some money.

i damm near fell off my chair when i noticed that also, Chris i bit the bullet, and i got a TFO...there warenty is great, and the rod feels good...
i know its not "the best" but with a replacment for 25.00 cant beat it!

good luck chirs, its a wholel new world...and im enjoying it!

have you tried it out yet or are you waiting for the sierras to open up again?

[Beresford13861]

Originally Posted by cst

have you tried it out yet or are you waiting for the sierras to open up again?

ive casted a few time and realy like it, not sure if im totaly doing it right, but im not hitting the water like a firecracker! and i did not spend 500 bucks on it!

[NulodPBall]

(chanting in the background) "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

(cue in the stomping, like the "We are the Champions song") "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

(key on the electric guitar solo) "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

Spotlight turns on, CST is in an octogonal ring with his he bowed, wearing a boxing robe...the cheering starts...CST slowly raises his head as the music and the chanting get louder.

The music and the chanting stop, the spotlight widens out, and you hear the sound of flyline whipping through the air, like the guy in "Underworld" at the end of the movie, you suddenly realize that CST is successfully false casting with rods in both hands...he moves around the ring and you only hear the sound of the rods moving and his breathing...all of the sudden he stops, with both lines laid out perfectly in front of him, and like that popular cartoon he says "I choose..." ...

Here is the album cover

http://www.hookupsportfishing.com/fo...erra#post74323

[cst]

lol (i think).

[Beresford13861]

Originally Posted by NulodPBall

(chanting in the background) "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

(cue in the stomping, like the "We are the Champions song") "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

(key on the electric guitar solo) "Go Chris go! Go Chris go!"

Spotlight turns on, CST is in an octogonal ring with his he bowed, wearing a boxing robe...the cheering starts...CST slowly raises his head as the music and the chanting get louder.

The music and the chanting stop, the spotlight widens out, and you hear the sound of flyline whipping through the air, like the guy in "Underworld" at the end of the movie, you suddenly realize that CST is successfully false casting with rods in both hands...he moves around the ring and you only hear the sound of the rods moving and his breathing...all of the sudden he stops, with both lines laid out perfectly in front of him, and like that popular cartoon he says "I choose..." ...

Here is the album cover

http://www.hookupsportfishing.com/fo...erra#post74323

[Wahoo!]

Have you found any you like yet?

[mamoo]

Chris, get the Metolius 9ft 5wt 4 piece. Its a great all around float tube rod that you can fish just about everything you need to fish for trout. Ill be getting mine in a week and Ill let you know how I like it.

[Eric]

Checkout this web site.$250.00 and u get a extra tip.http://www.beulahflyrods.com/products.html
or checkout Echo rods, here is the link http://www.echoflyfishing.com/freshwater.php
rods go for $269.00 with two tips. also u can't go wrong with a tfo finese rod for $179.00
hope this helps.
Eric

[cst]

Originally Posted by Wahoo!

Have you found any you like yet?

yeah the Metolius that Mamoo mentioned was the one i was looking at the closest.

Originally Posted by Eric

Checkout this web site.$250.00 and u get a extra tip.http://www.beulahflyrods.com/products.html
or checkout Echo rods, here is the link http://www.echoflyfishing.com/freshwater.php
rods go for $269.00 with two tips. also u can't go wrong with a tfo finese rod for $179.00
hope this helps.
Eric

those TFO Finesse look nice too. I'll take that into consideration as well.

[NulodPBall]

since the z-rods came out the prices on the XP and XLT have gone down on e-bay, I'm not sure if that'll translate to lower prices in the shop. My guess would be if you're persistent you can get one for about a couple of hundred dollars less.

---

oh, and Ecco's aren't bad, especially if you buy a setup complete with line.

[cst]

that whole extra tip thing is just weird though but Tim Rajeff is usually on Fly Fishing Masters

so here's a question. what's the difference between an IM8 and an IM6 blank, performance wise, in a fly rod?