Best manufactured fly rod????

[MtnGiant]

What do you think is the best fly rod made (past or present)???
Ya it can come down to personal preference...but in actuality...it comes down to manufacturing.

So....who is top notch in your books and why???

I'll throw one out for starters.......Sage Z-Axis

[ALBTUFF]

I had the pleasure of using a Colton fly rod and reel when I was down in Floridia this past June and for the price they blow away any of my sage rods

[Taco]

L Kenney 835

[flyguyd]

Scott

[BBT]

Sage VPS Light 590-3

I've had this rod forever and it has never let me down. Even fished well with a busted tip on one trip.

[Lornce]

there are a number of manufacturers that put out great products. Sage, Meiser, Loop, Thomas and Thomas, Winston, Scott and others. A fly rod is a personal item, an extension of your hand. It really depends on your casting style and needs. These are some of the brands I have used. and enjoyed casting. You really do need to try different brands and see what suites you.

[gilbertslake]

Originally Posted by flyguyd

Scott

x2

I have owned Sage, Loomis, RL Winston, Hardy, Bruce and Walker to mention a few and Scott's are till my favorites, especially my STS 904/4.



I also have a G2 906/4, an A3 908/4 and a SVS 908/3

[rycoma]

I'm am slowly converting all my rods to echo. really nice rods components are good best of all the price is right. They also have a great warranty

[Badflies]

I've fished (and owned) Superfly, St. Croix, Reddington and TFO. Of that list sage had the best looking rods (perfect wraps, perfect expoy etc). That being said, I have a TFO BVK that blows away everything I've tried for casting even though it lacks that certain charm.

[Don Andersen]

Originally Posted by MtnGiant

What do you think is the best fly rod made (past or present)???
Ya it can come down to personal preference...but in actuality...it comes down to manufacturing.

So....who is top notch in your books and why???

I'll throw one out for starters.......Sage Z-Axis

If it only is about manufacturing, clearly the best fly rods are bamboo. The components used on rods built in Europe or N. America feature the very best quality cork, reel seats and guides.

Most of the other stuff, with few exceptions, use products that are of poorer quality. And to make my point, have a look @ the filler in your cork handle. Sages' handles look like they were covered with pancake make-up. Don't know about you, but I wouldn't drag home a lady with that much goo on 'er no matter what her swing weight.

Don

[Lornce]

Don does bring up a good point about Bamboo, I have several bamboo rods that I fish that are third generation and my sons are starting to fish them now so it's a fourth. Wonder how many of our new hit-tec fly rods will be able to brag about that.

[MK2750]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

If it only is about manufacturing, clearly the best fly rods are bamboo. The components used on rods built in Europe or N. America feature the very best quality cork, reel seats and guides.

Most of the other stuff, with few exceptions, use products that are of poorer quality. And to make my point, have a look @ the filler in your cork handle. Sages' handles look like they were covered with pancake make-up. Don't know about you, but I wouldn't drag home a lady with that much goo on 'er no matter what her swing weight.

Don

Another interesting opinion. I think we could agree that a builder of bamboo rods might have a slight bias in their way of thinking.

People do not buy Sage rods for the cork. They buy them for the industry leading action and performance. Sage is and will continue to be the brand that all other rods are compared to and bamboo will have a small following much like the traditional long bow and arrow group. Comparing the two in any way is like comparing a long bow to a modern compound bow.


Manufacturing IMO is the design and construction of the blank not the assembly of components. Sage has no equal in this regard however there are some absolutely awesome rods being made by those following in Sage's foot steps. Some are equal to or even better rods than the original Sage version when things like component assembly is considered.

High end Winston, Scott, Hardy and others are stunning rods and would be a better comparison should you wish to talk about cork and guides rather than the rod itself. These of course are also brilliantly designed performance rods so the comparison would end at ascetics.

I do agree that Sage's cork is hit and miss and that some of the components are not what you should expect on a rod costing this much money. I also believe that a huge amount of time/money goes into research and design that has to be accounted for at some time when you are leading an industry.

As far as longevity goes, there are still plenty of the original plastic and fiberglass rods owned and loved by thousands and I can't see anyone tossing out a Z-Axis because it isn't the flavor of the month. With superior materials that are more durable than bamboo and the massive number of modern high performance rods in existence, I would venture a quess there will be the odd Z-Axis kicking around in a hundred years or so.

[fish gunner]

The rod that suits your needs style and price point. Fly rods are like rifles never met one I did not like, some I just like more . Imo price has very little to do with quality.warranty is the end all and be all of quality. Imo. if I had to chose tfo or dragon fly would be top of my list bang for buck.

[Flieguy]

Personal preference I guess.... without looking at technical specs it's whatever you cast best. If you want a general guide look at this:

http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/gea...os-2-greys-xf2

[Flieguy]

here's the straight facts from the test:

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by MtnGiant

I'll throw one out for starters.......Sage Z-Axis

Really? That's a TERRIBLE rod for a neophyte salmon fisherman.

You get my point. "best" is the nexus of purpose and cost+resources (VALUE) multiplied by skill.

[Don Andersen]

Jay had,


You are quite right - ridiculous it was.



But like it or not, the best components, cork & fittings and skillfully finished rods are only available from small shops.

Back to the question: which rods are the best manufactured today.

Clearly, there is only one answer.

While I'd like to continue this Sage advert. there are fish to be caught and I intend to giver till it snows.
Now back to regular programming driven by the largest ad in the FF rag.


Bye,


Don