Nine Weight

Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

Sage Xi2
Winston Boron IIX
G Loomis Crosscurrent
Temple Fork Outfitters TiCrX
Albright Lou Tabory XX

I'm gonna try to cast as many of these as I can but I already
bailed on one "Expo" due to snow and I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

--
Ken Fortenberry

On Feb 26, 10:26 am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

Sage Xi2
Winston Boron IIX
G Loomis Crosscurrent
Temple Fork Outfitters TiCrX
Albright Lou Tabory XX

I'm gonna try to cast as many of these as I can but I already
bailed on one "Expo" due to snow and I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

I have no experience with the Albright and do not like the TiCrX but
have only fly show cast it.

The BIIx and the Xi2 are fabulous rods with the BIIx being a little
more foregiving and the Xi2 being crisper. If you are going to use
heavy shooting heads or fast sink tip lines I would go with the Xi2
over the BIIx but IMO, that's the only advantage it has.

Having said all that, three primary sal****er guys I know who were
partial to the Xi2 and BIIx's sold them once they tried the Cross
Current.

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

Sage Xi2
Winston Boron IIX
G Loomis Crosscurrent
Temple Fork Outfitters TiCrX
Albright Lou Tabory XX

I'm gonna try to cast as many of these as I can but I already
bailed on one "Expo" due to snow and I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken,
you didn't say what you're going to be using the rod for?
In anycase, I cast the TFO TiCrX in a 9ft. 9wt and found
it to be too stiff. I ended up purchasing the TFO Professional
Series in a 10wt. 9ft. They're a little softer action, but cast pretty
well. I used the TFO Pro in Alaska on the river for King Salmon
up to37 pounds.

I didn't want to fork out a lot of money for a heavy weight fly-rod
for what I was only going to use once a year. I also wanted a good
quality fly-rod with a good casting action and one with a
unconditional warranty. The TFO professional fit that bill pretty nice.
I'll be taking back to Alaska in July for the King Salmon Run.
fwiw,
-tom

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:26:51 GMT, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

Sage Xi2
Winston Boron IIX
G Loomis Crosscurrent
Temple Fork Outfitters TiCrX
Albright Lou Tabory XX

I'm gonna try to cast as many of these as I can but I already
bailed on one "Expo" due to snow and I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

I can't provide any comparative feedback as I've never cast four of five of
those rods. I do, however, have a BIIx and it is one of my favorite rods.

Otherwise....get one that comes in five pieces.
You won't regret being able to pack that rod...

Cheers

/daytripper

Tom Nakashima wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
... I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

Ken,
you didn't say what you're going to be using the rod for?

In the near term I'll use it to cast a 9wt fly line with an
intermediate sink tip, a short hunk of mono, a short tippet
of titanium wire and big honkin' muskie flies. But I'd like
to think I could use it in the salt too if I ever have the
chance and for salmon as well.

In anycase, I cast the TFO TiCrX in a 9ft. 9wt and found
it to be too stiff. I ended up purchasing the TFO Professional
Series in a 10wt. 9ft. They're a little softer action, but cast pretty
well. I used the TFO Pro in Alaska on the river for King Salmon
up to37 pounds.

I didn't want to fork out a lot of money for a heavy weight fly-rod
for what I was only going to use once a year. I also wanted a good
quality fly-rod with a good casting action and one with a
unconditional warranty. The TFO professional fit that bill pretty nice.
I'll be taking back to Alaska in July for the King Salmon Run.

Thanks Tom. My guide insists that only fast action rods will do
and he recommended against "sal****er" rods because while their
butts are strong their tips are too weak to withstand that little
figure-8 thing you do to catch muskies right next to the boat if
(and hopefully when ;-) the muskie slams the fly with only 10 foot
of line out past the tip top. But not to worry, he just happens to
sell precisely the right rod for the task, designed by his ownself
and built to his exacting specs by an American fly rod manufacturer
that, for contractual reasons, he cannot name. So, if I wanted a
$500 muskie-only fly rod I'd probably buy one from the guide but
it'd be nice to have a "better rounded" 9wt in the quiver.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Wayne Knight wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

I have no experience with the Albright and do not like the TiCrX but
have only fly show cast it.

The BIIx and the Xi2 are fabulous rods with the BIIx being a little
more foregiving and the Xi2 being crisper. If you are going to use
heavy shooting heads or fast sink tip lines I would go with the Xi2
over the BIIx but IMO, that's the only advantage it has.

Having said all that, three primary sal****er guys I know who were
partial to the Xi2 and BIIx's sold them once they tried the Cross
Current.

Really ? That's interesting. G Loomis makes the Cross Current tapers
available in 3 piece GL3 and 4 piece GLX graphite with the GLX around
the same price as the other top ends. The GL3, on the other hand, is
about half that, around $360 from Uncle Wally if I remember right.
Hmmmmmmm.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

Sage Xi2
Winston Boron IIX
G Loomis Crosscurrent
Temple Fork Outfitters TiCrX
Albright Lou Tabory XX

I'm gonna try to cast as many of these as I can but I already
bailed on one "Expo" due to snow and I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

I own a Xi2 and TiCr-X 8wt. Hands down I prefer the Xi2. I own a BIIx,
but in a 3wt, so I can't help you there. I've only done a wiggle test on
the Loomis CC GLX(there's a cheaper Crosscurrent model in 3 piece), and
it feels pretty stiff. I also own a Redington CPS 9wt. I have no
hesitation is recommending this rod. It's not as stiff feeling as the
Crosscurrent or TiCr. Light and sweet casting big, heavy flies, on heavy
sinking lines. I've never fished a floating line on this rod, so I can
say what that's like.

This might help you decide. Certainly not a definitive test, but there's
some good info. By the way, they are testing 8wts, but I would guess it
could crossover to 9wts.

http://tinyurl.com/39ya2f

brians

daytripper wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?

I can't provide any comparative feedback as I've never cast four of five of
those rods. I do, however, have a BIIx and it is one of my favorite rods.

Otherwise....get one that comes in five pieces.
You won't regret being able to pack that rod...

I'm fond of Winstons myself in the slower actions but I've never
cast a fast action Winston. I know we have similar casting styles
and tastes. I wonder why Winston discontinued the Boron XTR series ?
Those were supposed to be real cannons with touch. Makes me think
I'm coming to this 9wt quest just a little too late.

--
Ken Fortenberry

In article ,
says...
Anybody got anything to say about the following 9' 9wts ?


Assuming you are gearing up for your muskie trip, I would venture
to say that brute strength will be the primary consideration, both
for fighting the fish and casting huge flies. Also, a slower action
helps in absorbing the shock when a big chunk of waterlogged, lead
weighted rabbit fur hits the end of your backcast. Therefore, since
you want the heavy blank with a slow action, you need to buy the
cheapest rod on your shopping list!

My current favorite pike rod is a 9 ft. 10 wt. built on Pacific Bay IM6
blank. (It was actually a 9 weight blank, but I like the way it casts
a 10 weight line better.) I don't think you can get PacBay anymore,
but Hook & Hackle's house brand is pretty similar, and don't cost too
much.

And when you're done muskie fishing, bring it to ND and I'll hook you
up with some pike...

Kevin
....but you'll have to drink my homebrew.

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
t...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
... I may have to just buy
one blind through mail order. Thanks in advance.

Ken,
you didn't say what you're going to be using the rod for?

In the near term I'll use it to cast a 9wt fly line with an
intermediate sink tip, a short hunk of mono, a short tippet
of titanium wire and big honkin' muskie flies. But I'd like
to think I could use it in the salt too if I ever have the
chance and for salmon as well.

In anycase, I cast the TFO TiCrX in a 9ft. 9wt and found
it to be too stiff. I ended up purchasing the TFO Professional
Series in a 10wt. 9ft. They're a little softer action, but cast pretty
well. I used the TFO Pro in Alaska on the river for King Salmon
up to37 pounds.

I didn't want to fork out a lot of money for a heavy weight fly-rod
for what I was only going to use once a year. I also wanted a good
quality fly-rod with a good casting action and one with a
unconditional warranty. The TFO professional fit that bill pretty nice.
I'll be taking back to Alaska in July for the King Salmon Run.

Thanks Tom. My guide insists that only fast action rods will do
and he recommended against "sal****er" rods because while their
butts are strong their tips are too weak to withstand that little
figure-8 thing you do to catch muskies right next to the boat if
(and hopefully when ;-) the muskie slams the fly with only 10 foot
of line out past the tip top. But not to worry, he just happens to
sell precisely the right rod for the task, designed by his ownself
and built to his exacting specs by an American fly rod manufacturer
that, for contractual reasons, he cannot name. So, if I wanted a
$500 muskie-only fly rod I'd probably buy one from the guide but
it'd be nice to have a "better rounded" 9wt in the quiver.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Yes, definitely agree for those muskies and can see the need for a good
stiff fly-rod with backbone for lifting power and sal****er resistance.
Your personal guide is probably your best resource, as he wants to
keep you as a customer, so you can count on him to steer you in the
right direction.
Good luck with those muskies and do post a report, I would love to
hear about them.
-tom