AO's fly rod shootout
 

OK fly guys

We all know about the fly rod shootouts.

I would like to read your own personal experiences w/ any make or model and your personal reviews plse.

I have a Scientific Angler 8'6'' 5/6WT Rod and reel that I bought 2 years ago for a big whole 17$...Im still using it and i have no complaints as far as a beginner rod goes !Ive landed many fish, from bass to big rainbows and its holding up better than i could imagine ! Would definately recommend to someone whos budget is low and just wants to try flyfishing.

Shootout? Old technology shootout maybe. My newest graphite rods are 15yrs old, the rods I've acquired lately were manufactured 40+ yrs ago.

No age limit....everything counts....even old bamboo rods.

Just want to gather as much info on as many different rods as possible.

Just seemed like an interesting topic to me.

Greys XF2 9'6" 7 weight

Sage Z Axis 9' 5 weight Yes, the Z is gone now, but it's still one of the top Google searches that sends people to my site. You can check out a few other gear reviews on The Drag Free Drift (reels, lines, waders, etc).

The Z izz not gone... just discontinued....it can be found on many websites and sometimes cheap.

I didnt mean this thread to be a sales pitch for your site.....why dont you post some rod reviews of your own doing and add to this thread.

Or someone could ask questions about a certain rod that someone else may have a review on.

Wolverine in red deer has 4 brand new z-axis rods... The downside is they want 700 dollars for them

Those are my rod reviews. And I am contributing. Not meant to be a pitch for my site, but if you want my reviews, there they are.

Ya...thats waaayyyyy toooo much.
I've been looking for the last 3mnths and have found them from $325 to $400 in good and some unused condition.
Just havnt pulled the trigger on one yet.
I know where you can get an unused custom one for $400 right now

Ooops...sorry
I thought it was just a cookie cutter review, not your own.

Was a good read....thanks

$700 is wayyy too much for sure.When the Z was discontinued in 2011 there was plenty of reputable flyshops clearing them at 33-40% off MSRP,so in the $4-500 range for brand new.
Then again,it's still a great rod and I guess you could say from a sales perspective that any product is worth whatever somebody is willing to pay for it?So if one absolutely "must have" a brand new Z-Axis,there's very few left on the clearance shelves,but I'd have to want one some awful bad to pay 7 browns?

Yes it is way to much. I know one site selling them for 482 8'6 5wt. But I am perfectly happy with my echo carbon for now

I am running an Amundson wind warrior still water series 5 wt and the Amundson midge rod.

The wind warrior is kind of heavy and isn't the nicest for casting all day but does perform well when you need to mend line a bunch and punch nymphing rigs through southern alberta winds.

I actually really like the midge set up and use it quite a bit on smaller water when you don't have to bomb really long casts.

I am a big fan of medium action rods over the fast and extra fast action rods. They just feel more comfortable to cast for me.

Too many goodies to choose from.

Winston all the way
 

First rod was a 6 wt sage flight 9.5
I still love this rod and use it a lot

Got a 4 wt 8.5 winston boron 3x. When I fist cast it was so nice. Almost shoots line like my 6 wt. looks damn good with my hardy ultra lite reel

Also a 7/8 wt 13'3" winston biix spey. I'm hooked on winston. What can I say. They are beautiful rods. The boron series I feel are too of the line. Nothing compares to it

Planning to buy me a 5 wt winston b3x in a 9.5 soon when the wife gives me the a ok

I have a loomis pro 4x in 5wt paired with lamson guru reel. I find the rod fine. Only thing I noticed is that I could cast better when I went up a line wt. I find the 6 wt line much better for both short and long distance. I also tried the tfo bvk rod which I thought was great also. Now we just need the ice to go so we can start throwing some flies again

my rods
 

MTTCHELL ,,3186,,,7 / 8,,,,,,,8FT 6 INS ,,DRYFLY ABU CARBOLITE 78 9FT 7/8 WT SWEEDISH FENWICK PROFILE SERIES 7 WT 8FT 6 INS


Dont use theese rods much prefer an old custom made rod sent to me from a realitive in England ,,it has no markings,just his initials ,graphite i believe ,love the ballance ,its not much to look at but its my favorite . THANK YOU

my rods
 

MTTCHELL ,,3186,,,7 / 8,,,,,,,8FT 6 INS ,,DRYFLY ] [ ABU CARBOLITE 78 9FT 7/8 WT SWEEDISH ] [ FENWICK PROFILE SERIES 7 WT 8FT 6 INS ]


Dont use theese rods much prefer an old custom made rod sent to me from a realitive in England ,,it has no markings,just his initials ,graphite i believe ,love the ballance ,its not much to look at but its my favorite . THANK YOU

I've only tried a few rods in my limited fly fishing time, but my favorite budget rod so far is the TFO BVK. If I'm shore fishing it takes very little effort ,as compared to others, to get a nice long cast out of it. And it shoots where ever I point it. Very happy with it and it didn't break the bank.

Has anyone used Hardy rods?

If so....How would you rate them?

As a whole, just under Sage rods, but above both Loomis or Orvis. Good warranty (lifetime), good product and quality control. I have several Greys and Hardy rods (X-Flites, XF2s, Swift MKII, Marksman2... etc). (It's officially known as the Hardy-Greys Company.) Greys rods are good if you get the best ones (the XF2 series).

Hardy is generally better overall. I have a Marksman2 9' #4 --great moderate action rod, but just too slow to be an all 'rounder. I love it dry fly or dry-dropper fishing the small brown trout creeks, and also used it extensively on the Bow last summer. Can't wait to try it on the Crow during late season and low water :) Great rod to about 55 or 60 feet, but it has some serious tippet protection, while still allowing me to land some large fish.

The Hardy Zenith has one the notorious Yellowstone Angler shoot out the last few times, in both the 4 and 5 weight class. I've cast one (they are sweet). At least as nice as my Z Axis, which I love.

I'd look seriously at a Hardy rod. Reels too --great products.

My two favourites are my 3wt G&L Flycraft 8'6" North Raven series, and my 10wt Loop Opti Power 9', both incredibly nice rods.

Pieroway Element rods

Does anyone have experience with this newer product?

I always take so called rod ratings with a grain of salt. We fly anglers tend to be pretty be passionate about our flyrods, so objectivity tends to take a backseat to our personal preferences. At the risk of being called sexist, it's much like our preferences in women,,,, some like Ginger,,, others prefer Marianne :sHa_shakeshout: (Google up Gilligan if you are too young to understand!!!)

Tfo bvk 6wt 9' with bvk reel, tfo bvk 3wt 8'6 with okuma slv, Grey's xflite 5wt 9' with gx 500 reel, Grey's xflite2 salt 8wt with nuatilus fwx, amundson rockymountain 6wt 9' with amundson reel( low end set up, my beater rod always in truck), soon to add bvk 8wt, another 6wt for saltwater, and a 10 and 12 wt by the end of the year. I love all these setups, nothing bad to say about any of them.

You've got it, I've always liked what Lefty Kreh had to say on line weights. Lefty

That link pretty much contradicts what every other so-called expert has to say.

One or two sizes up on a 4wt for small streams?

One or two sizes down when it is windy?

I will admit I never tried this but with every other company promoting fast rods and size + 1/2 lines, it makes no sense.

Have you tried this theory of his?

Echo Carbon 7'6" 3 weight. Redington Red fly2 4 weight 7'6" both outfitted with a redington rise reel. Tfo signature series 7 weight 9' outfitted with there large arbor reel. As for line all but the 4w are over lined by one size as most of my cast are under 20'. They have been really good rods so far and hope to pass them on down toy boys as some of there fist fly rods

Yup routinely, I have fast 3wts that I've fished with a light wf5 line and slow 6wts that I've fished with a heavy dt4. It all depends on what you want the rod to do and feel like in your hand. What is written on the rod by the manufacturer is not the only option.

Just for the hell of it some time, get a postal scale and a handful of different 5 wt lines. Weigh out, in grains, the first 30' of each line and compare. You'll be shocked at the weight difference between lines, which is also why one line will "feel" better casting over another line.