Question fly rod evolution
 

On Aug 15, 4:07 pm, Scott Seidman wrote:
Mike wrote in news:1187184135.504014.121350
@r29g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

Although it often upsets people to hear it, most would be perfectly
fine with "mid range" rods, or even cheaper Korean and Chinese rods,
( which are also mainly mid range), than paying top dollar for the top
rods. The reasons are also exactly the same as in the car analogy
which is often used. There is no point buying a Maserati or a
Lamborghini if you only drive a few miles to work in heavy traffic
every day, and are not even a very good driver, but people still do
it.

Keep in mind that the top rods come with top warrantys these days, and you
do pay for that.

One thing the constant upgrades in graphites and rod models do, is it
creates situations where dealers need to unload last year's model. This
can create some amazing deals for the wary shopper. I got my Sage SP like
this, not quite for a song, but for way less than the some odd $600 retail,
which I would never even consider.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

That is also a good point to note. I have a couple of Sages, and a
nice Loomis rod, among other things, which I think are very very nice
rods. I got them pretty cheap at "angling flea markets" which are
held in the winter here in various places. I would never have paid
the full price for such rods, because I don´t think they are so much
better than my own blanks, or indeed some other factory rods, to
warrant the hefty price tag. But they are very nice nevertheless.

Of course there is no warranty on such rods, but I don´t care about
that anyway. There is none on mine either, and up to now, nobody has
ever reported breaking one!

It seems quite a lot of people now also use e-bay. I have used e-bay
only for a couple of things up to now, and I am not really very
impressed. Of course it is pointless bidding on a lot of American
stuff anyway. I have got some really good bargains on fly-dressing
materials though, some of which are unobtainable here.

If I was buying blanks and fittings, I would prefer to go with a
reputable dealer such as hook and hackle etc. But for second hand
factory rods. that might be an option for you.

Building your own is still probably the best bet though.

I noted with interest that another poster also eschews the use of
epoxy on whippings etc. So do I, and I only produced matt finished
blanks and rods as well. ( Although those I made for demos were
finished with epoxy)

Also, on my own rods I use Fuji reel seats. No flash and bling!

--
Regards and tight lines!

Mike Connor

http://www.mike-connor.homepage.t-online.de/

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/Flycorner?hl=en

Question fly rod evolution
 

"mdk77" wrote


I tried that with the "local shop" owner and he said "Oh. Are you one
of those 'wand-wavers'? and looked at me like I had dog poop on my
shoe :-) That's a true story.



Back when I started fly fishing it was very hard to find equipment or advice
and very common to be scoffed at for fishing with fly equipment.

In some ways I miss the side effects of that difficulty ... i.e. people that
fly fished back then had to really want to fly fish, not just want to do
something trendy.

Stick with it, I admire your more genuine interest in the sport as opposed
to interest in just doing an 'in' thing.

More to the point of rod evolution ... most of what's been said here is true
.... don't be suckered into "latest and greatest" adman hype.

I've been FFing about 40 years and, being retired, do so 90 - 110
days/year. But I am still the big limitation most times not my rod.
Each year I spend some time searching for a rod that will "improve me" and
I've never found one. But, as I have improved I have found my tastes
changing slightly. However, I still fish rods purchased 25+ years ago
BECAUSE they are still the best for a given function I've found.

I Have found an assortment that suits my fishing and my stroke but that
assortment contains rods from nearly the cheapest to very high end sticks
.... example, for me ( and remember I've tried a lot, usually in actual
fishing) the best rod I've found for stillwater trouting is a $89.00 TFO and
the best for the spring creeks I mostly fish is a 8 1/2 foot 4wt Sage XP
that until recently was 'latest and greatest' and pricey. If I find a $700
rod that improves my ability to pick up a ton of line and toss it again
quickly in a differnt direction on Hebgen that TFO will be history as will
the XP if I find a rod of any reasonable ticket price that out performs it
for very short to mid range accuracy ... in MY hands.

About all I can suggest is buy online from someplace with a liberal return
policy ( Cabela's come to mind, but they support bad politics and I hate to
support them G ) and be prepared to return a rod if you don't like it and
try a different one.

As for what to start with .... depends on what you want to cast ... #4 bass
bugs and # 22 trico spinners will bring out the best in entirely different
rods. Pick the prey, that determines the fly types which determines line
size ... buy a good quality appropriate line and decent reel ( way easy to
overspend here ... unless you are big game fishing ) ... now find a rod that
casts that line to your satisfaction

.... hell, as I think about it, I'd be tempted to order 4 or 5 different
sticks for the same line at once KNOWING that all bu one were going back to
whereever.com ... see you're as close as UPS to a shop that will let you try
rods ;-)

Question fly rod evolution
 

On Aug 15, 2:51 pm, mdk77
It's frustrating when you live in a place (like I live) where there
are no "local shops" for fly fishing. I can go to my "local shop" and
find out about hogging catfish in the Mackinaw River, or what stink
bait the catfish are biting on, or even talk with the guys with the
zillion-horsepower bass boats who fish rods with actions like pool
cues.

But fly fishing?
[snip]
But no "local shop's" around here :-(

Oh heck try living in SW Kansas and wanting a fly shop.

I know where you live hence my statement "visit some places."

Mr. Fortenberry has otherwise extremely good taste, but for some
reason he likes the sterile place known as feathercraft. The fly shop
in St. Louis is a mile or so west of there. T. Hargroves Fly Fishing
inc.

Question fly rod evolution
 

All this talk has got my blood running. I have gotten into all the IM
this and that, and hi-modulus, etc. When I had the wrist for it (and
my wrists have always been wimpy -- blame it on genetics), I could
heave a 9wt with a #2 Skycomish Sunrise to the steelhead or a "egg
fly" to the salmon. But my most fun fishing has been inside 30 ft or
so, for everything from brookies to pike (and barracuda, but that is
another story).
In that regard, the best rod I have owned was one of the cheapest. It
was a 6ft. two-piece H-I, which stands for (spelling will suck)
Horrocks-Ibettson. It was glass and was sooooooo soft. My best rods
have always been soft. Some years back, I drove off with it leaning
against my truck. So, if you find it near Illinois Creek in the
Snowy's west of Laramie, use it with my blessing.
I guess I will start looking for light glass blanks that flex into the
grip. It should give me something to do between Xmas and seed
catalogs.

cheers

oz

Question fly rod evolution
 

Wayne Knight wrote:

On Aug 15, 8:14 am, Scott Seidman wrote:


. Then I try the Winston Borons, and think those are a huge
improvement. Do I "need" it? That's another story.



Of course you need it. Not only because you like it but because some
single mother in Twin Bridges MT needs you to buy it so she can make
another and keep getting a paycheck.


....um...do you have a picture of her?

jeff