On Jul 3, 6:56 pm, wrote:
On Jul 3, 4:35?pm, "MichaelM" wrote:



"Lazarus Cooke" wrote in message

news:030720072235576339%lazaruscooke@britishlibra ry.invalid...

In article .com,
wrote:

ROFFers:

Do you know if any rod company makes a nice 3-piece 4-weight graphite
rod, 8-1/2 or 9 feet long? I just broke the Orvis Zephyr I've been
using for 27 years. I don't really want to switch to a four-piece
rod.

Hi john

I'm curious as to why you don't want a four-piece. I don't have any
(well one - one of the very first, a 9 foot Hardy Pall Mall Exclusive),
but people suggest that a 4-piece made today is at least as good as a
2-piece made, say , fifteen or twenty years ago.

any thoughts?

The modern multi section rods are in my opinion quite marvellous. I have as
my primary rod for my favourite stream a 5 piece 8 and a quarter foot #4
(Missionary) rod by Greys and I love it. I don't use many 2 piece rods as I
think that multi sectioned rods are really handy and they cast as good as my
ability (i.e. I am the limiting factor) I guess that we have the CNC type
precision in the joints of the rods that have enabled multisection blanks to
behave as well as they do. In virtually all my rods they are overslide
joints and they seem to be good. I have a Hardy Smuggler rod (9.5 foot #7
from 1990s) that has the spigot type joints, and they do look fragile
compared to overslide joints. In fact I broke a bit of the blank on the
Smuggler when I negligently allowed a section to come loose, and casted with
it in this condition. I had it repaired and have to check that the joints
are tight periodically to try to avoid a recurrence (one of only downsides
of multi section IMO) ~ Rod is still casting ok, but I always seem to be
thinking about the spigots when I cast with that rod... Overslide joints
just seem to be less worrisome, and I cast without nagging thoughts with
this type of joint.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for your replies, guys. I guess I'm laboring under the old
assumption that the more the joints in the fly rod, the worse the
action. I thought the three-piece fly rod was the perfect compromise,
but I just cast a four-piece Winston Boron IIt rod that was great. A
little pricey, and I was surprised that it was about the same weight
(in ounces, not line weight) as the Orvis Zephyr that I bought 27?
years ago. I wonder if the Winston would have the same longevity.

I have to admit that it's really fun to be shopping for a new rod
after all this time with my steady gal.

Thanks,

John

John,

If you are under cost constraints, another good place to look is ebay.
Back in the days of my laziness and unemployment, I needed a smaller
stream rod. I bought a nice IM-6 rod handmade by a guy I met on ebay.
It was a 7'6" 4 piece, came with a case, and he even engraved my
initials on the bottom of the blank. It's a great little rod
(especially for the money) - and even now that I have several other
Winstons and Sages, I still break the little guy out when I hit the
small creeks in the rockies.

Don't overlook the homemades - you won't get the big name (or the
lifetime warranty) - but you can get a good rod at a great price.

jc