rod for bride

My lovely bride of 32 years retires in March and will be traveling with me
on my trout bum summers, at least part of the time.


Years ago she took some casting lessons and FFed a bit, but never much

I don't intend to try and make a fly fisher out of her but she has expressed
the desire to try it .. "some"

MY personal taste in rods has gotten faster and faster as my experience has
increased

but I'm thinking a newbie might prefer a slower rod of quality to latest and
greatest broomstick

When it somes to my bride, money is no object with. I'd like opinions on
what rods to put in her hands to try ... knowing that her skills are limited
and will take training to appreciate any tool .... the goal being having her
take to the sport to the degree her nature allows ( she's an outdoor lady
she used to camp and climb with me when we were younger, before motherhood
redirected her efforts )

I expect to start her with a 4,5 or 6 and a single rod until she is doing
well with it

Fast? Slow?

Larry L wrote:

Fast? Slow?



Medium. I'd try to find a 3wt Sage SP on eBay -- a great, versatile rod.
And if she doesn't take to it you have another gun in your arsenal.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote


Medium. I'd try to find a 3wt Sage SP on eBay -- a great, versatile rod.
And if she doesn't take to it you have another gun in your arsenal.



I have to admit that appeals ... I could use a nice 3wt G


But, I want her to have a single rod ( I think changing rods would slow
progress ) that can do 'everything'

Maybe surprisingly, I'll look for places to take her where she can
bobbercate with success and a 3 is pretty light for that. Also the west
and wind seem to go together and, again, a 3 is marginal.

I firmly believe that success and lack of frustration are needed to instill
desire to continue.

Larry L wrote:
"rw" wrote

Medium. I'd try to find a 3wt Sage SP on eBay -- a great, versatile rod.
And if she doesn't take to it you have another gun in your arsenal.




I have to admit that appeals ... I could use a nice 3wt G


But, I want her to have a single rod ( I think changing rods would slow
progress ) that can do 'everything'

Maybe surprisingly, I'll look for places to take her where she can
bobbercate with success and a 3 is pretty light for that. Also the west
and wind seem to go together and, again, a 3 is marginal.

Then get her a 5wt SP. That's what I've been using for trout fishing 90%
of the time for the past 10 years. It's the sweetest, most versatile rod
I know of.

Lately I've been partial to a 3wt that I built -- faster than an SP.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On 6-Nov-2008, rw wrote:

Then get her a 5wt SP. That's what I've been using for trout fishing 90%
of the time for the past 10 years. It's the sweetest, most versatile rod
I know of.

I agree w the 5 wt I have a Sage
I use mine a lot also
Temple Forks rods are inexpensive and decent

Fred

rw wrote:
Larry L wrote:
"rw" wrote

Medium. I'd try to find a 3wt Sage SP on eBay -- a great, versatile
rod. And if she doesn't take to it you have another gun in your arsenal.




I have to admit that appeals ... I could use a nice 3wt G


But, I want her to have a single rod ( I think changing rods would
slow progress ) that can do 'everything'

Maybe surprisingly, I'll look for places to take her where she can
bobbercate with success and a 3 is pretty light for that. Also the
west and wind seem to go together and, again, a 3 is marginal.

Then get her a 5wt SP. That's what I've been using for trout fishing 90%
of the time for the past 10 years. It's the sweetest, most versatile rod
I know of.

Lately I've been partial to a 3wt that I built -- faster than an SP.


I agree with a 5wt. Sage SP is nice, but let her try a few. Put a TFO
TiCr 5wt and/or a Winston LT 5wt in her hand and see how she likes it.
If its her decision, the decision is less likely to have faults or be as
open to criticism.

A 3wt can be frustrating with a little wind.

"Larry L" wrote in message
...

When it somes to my bride, money is no object with. I'd like opinions
on
what rods to put in her hands to try ... knowing that her skills are
limited
and will take training to appreciate any tool .... the goal being having
her
take to the sport to the degree her nature allows

Personal liking of the rod outweighs even expert recommendations
about brand or weight -- which means, in practice, that you must
take her to a dealer who lets her try various outfits (on water, not
grass) so she can discover which she likes best.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Don Phillipson wrote:
"Larry L" wrote in message
...


When it somes to my bride, money is no object with. I'd like opinions

on

what rods to put in her hands to try ... knowing that her skills are

limited

and will take training to appreciate any tool .... the goal being having

her

take to the sport to the degree her nature allows


Personal liking of the rod outweighs even expert recommendations
about brand or weight -- which means, in practice, that you must
take her to a dealer who lets her try various outfits (on water, not
grass) so she can discover which she likes best.

I respectfully disagree with this. It's good advice for someone who is
already fairly skilled, but not for a novice. A novice with little or no
casting skills has no basis for judging the suitability of a rod.

A good rod that isn't extreme in any way -- not too fast, too slow, too
long, too short, etc. -- will be adequate for any beginner.

I would have recommended a relatively cheap rod in this case, but since
Larry seemed to be coveting a potential rod for himself I went with the
SP. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:
Don Phillipson wrote:
"Larry L" wrote in message
...


When it somes to my bride, money is no object with. I'd like opinions

on

what rods to put in her hands to try ... knowing that her skills are

limited

and will take training to appreciate any tool .... the goal being having

her

take to the sport to the degree her nature allows


Personal liking of the rod outweighs even expert recommendations
about brand or weight -- which means, in practice, that you must
take her to a dealer who lets her try various outfits (on water, not
grass) so she can discover which she likes best.

I respectfully disagree with this. It's good advice for someone who is
already fairly skilled, but not for a novice. A novice with little or no
casting skills has no basis for judging the suitability of a rod.

A good rod that isn't extreme in any way -- not too fast, too slow, too
long, too short, etc. -- will be adequate for any beginner.

I would have recommended a relatively cheap rod in this case, but since
Larry seemed to be coveting a potential rod for himself I went with the
SP. :-)


You're looking at the situation through the WRONG set of eyes. If the
rod is NOT her decision, it opens up all kinds of opportunities for
complaints.

"rw" wrote


I would have recommended a relatively cheap rod in this case, but since
Larry seemed to be coveting a potential rod for himself I went with the
SP. :-)



Seems she does NOT want to get a new one and "price does matter" The
real, been together 35 years feel from her is that she intends to fish a bit
to humor me but not really "for herself." I hope that changes after a day
or two and some fish caught ( I'll start her on the Firehole, fishing in a
postcard, with a soft hackle ... she will catch lots of fish in a gorgeous
location )

So she wants a 'had me down' from my collection and I'll let her choose from
that collection. I have a very nice Scott 9 foot 5wt that I'll nudge her
towards, as best all around, but I have several that would be suitable from
4 to 6 wt.

If she happens to choose my favorite, a 4wt Sage XP .... no forget it, I
won't show her that one, she can try the 4wt St Croix G