Rate your Rods
- This topic has 10 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Feb 11, 2006 at 2:23 pm by
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Hey guys-
Here’s an idea: let’s give our subjective ratings of the rods we personally own and fish. I’ll start. Should get some good conversation going. Be brutally honest, and give some explanatory comments.
Zach’s Personal Rod Ratings
3 weight
1. St. Croix Legend Ultra (pre-IPC) 7’9″ 3wt. – **
Comments:
This rod is a little bit of everything. It tries to be fast action while retaining a dry fly touch, and it winds up being parabolic and weak for long casts, and too stiff for short work. The reel seat is mediocre and my reels sometimes fall off the slide band. Overall, I should have bought a Winston or a Scott G.4 weight
2. Hildebrand Payne 101 8′ 3/4wt. – ****
Comments:
Great taper and the blank is very well built. This was one of the maker’s demo rods and the cosmetics leave something to be desired, but since this was intended only to feel the blank’s action, that isn’t to be laid at the maker’s feet. Overall, a fine bamboo specimen and my benchmark for what bamboo should feel like.5 weight
3. St. Croix Pro Graphite 9′ 5/6wt. – ***
Comments:
A fantastic casting rod that far exceeds its $85 price tag. Unfortunately, it comes with some of the worst cosmetics found this side of Wal-Mart. The fat girl or mo-ped of fly rods.4. R.L. Winston LTX 9′ 5wt. – ****
Comments:
Exquisitely made and priced to match. The LTX was Winston’s second attempt at a fast action rod, and they got closer to the mark here. In reality, this is not a fast rod – merely a stiff one. Today it is my go-to streamer rod, and I must say it handles intermediate lines with authority. My second favorite rod.5. Scott G2 8’8″ 5 wt. – *****
Comments:
Probably my only five star rating in this list. I bought this rod to fish with, as a general practitioner, and it is great in that role. It isn’t a wonderful streamer rod but I have spent an entire day casting two baitchucking sinkers and a #2 sculpin on the Snake with it and it was equal to the task (though I heard that particular rod give a highly ominous creak about halfway through the day). Excellent dry fly rod if I could ever bring myself to line it properly, and a fantastic nymphing stick. Love the colors or hate them.6 weight
6. CND Expert 13′ 6/7wt. Spey – ***
Comments:
I have no other spey rod to compare this to so my rating is pretty subjective. A light action, very slow, moderately attractive in a space-needle-sort-of-way spey rod that will handle the Rio Windcutter 5/6 for overhead casting but not the Midspey 6/7 (*snap!*)7 weight
7. TFO TiCr 9′ 7wt. – ****
Comments
A true sleeper. The TiCr is my favorite TFO rod – very light on the pocketbook and far exceeds the capabilities of anything else in the class. I spent yesterday hucking 390 grains of lead with this rod and it didn’t whimper – try that with most seven weights!8 weight
8. St. Croix Legend Ultra (pre-IPC) 9′ 8 wt. – *
Comments:
My least favorite rod. Very poor at being an eight weight – extremely parabolic action makes you think you are operating a trebuchet – and a weak trebuchet at that. Off the market and good riddance.9. TFO TiCr 9′ 8 wt. – ****
Comments:
Another sleeper and my go-to eight weight. I wrapped this model myself with high end hardware and if only the cat hadn’t knocked it off the stands in mid-glueing, it woulda been a great looking rod. I cleaned it up and it is is an adequate stick now, but the poor quality of my glueing tends to mar the effect of an otherwise fine rod. I would take this rod against all comers in the 8 weight class save only the Sage Xi2.10 weight
10. TFO Saltwater 9′ 10wt. – ***
Comments:
What can I say? A workhorse. An ugly, oft-whipped, swaybacked workhorse. I have snapped this rod and had it back in hand inside a week, and I have whipped a lot of big carp on it. Not a fine rod but given the life it’s led, more than adequate, and a steal at the price. Today the same rod is the Professional Series.Well, there you have it. How about you?
ZachI am only listing my fly rods since, since I have fished with exclusively will flies for the last twenty years. You may find my list long so please bare in mind that both my wife and two daughters fly fish along with me, and that I also use a selection of rods as props when I teach fly fishing classes. It also needs to be metioned that I did not aquire my collection in a few years or with a large outlay of cash, having been taught the skills of rod making when I was 11 years of age most of my equipment has been aquire through hores trading and repair.
3: production 8FT cane rods. These are pre 60’s, so they have the letter code instead of numers for the line weight. I estimate them to 3/4 weights. Two of them work well with a double tappered line for delicate pressentations. My wife and I use these two for pan fish and small trout, as well as props in fly fishing classes. they other is so whippy it is of no use for anything but a wall mount. “Rating 5”
1: 9FT Steel rod. Traded a cane rod for this one. I have never used this one, just wanted it for my collection. This rod is one piece and I had to break it to get it into the car. Put a splint in blank and hung it on the wall, so it does what I wanted.
1: 8.5 FT three piece solid fiberglass switch rod. This one is one of the first production glass rod IE the solid glass blank. This one is heavy and why it was made as a switch, so it can be casted with one or both hands. Another one of my collectors that I use as a prop. No markings at all on this one so I estimate it to be a 12 or 13. I use this one for those rare times when I target large 30LB + springs (kings). Over all not a pleasure to work with. “Rating 2”
1: Early 60’s,
I’m not the most computer literate but I do have a decent Dit Cam, so I’ll give it try over the next day or so.
The majority of my fly rods are built from DanCraft blanks.
In the SigV series I have an 8’4” 4wt, and a 9’ 5wt. In the Dancraft FT series (fast taper) I have a 9 foot 7 and 10 wt.
I would rate them all as high 9’s. Here are some comments from rodbuilding.org about Dancraft blanks.A real favorite on this board (and anyone who tries ’em) are the DanCraft blanks. Light, fast, reasonably priced. A “see-’em-to-believe-’em” product.
Dan’s Sig V are 3 piece blanks, the ones I’ve built were lighter than a same length factory Sage XP and cast/fish just as nice in every way, at least in my hands. Even some of the Sage owners say so.
You want the 9 ft Dan Craft FT. One of the sweetest rods I’ve cast, period.
The next Sig V trout rod you must build is the 8’4 4 wt. Unbelievable. I drool just looking at it when I take it out of the sock. You must—MUST—cast this rod. (BTW THIS POST IS RIGHT ON! AWESOME ROD)
I think it is fast…AND very responsive at fishing distances. It handles 15 feet of line with ease….and I can stretch it out to about 70 ft (which is good for me….whoever fishes a 4 wt at this distance). It is light…thinks for you….puts the line where you point it….looks great…..feels great…..Just wonderful.
Many of Dan Craft’s blanks,in particular the SIG V and FT,are IMHO definitely better than most of Sage’s rods,and as good as some of their very best,yet are a fraction of the cost.That’s not a knock on Sage at all,it’s just that if you want a fair comparison quality and performance wise between “Sage” and say the Dan Craft SIG V and FT blanks,you would have to go up to the XP,and TCR models for a similar quality blank.Now,when comparing all these blanks you would find them to be quite similar in performance and quality,but with a BIG,BIG price difference.
“The FT in the 9ft models seems to be quite similar to the Sage TCR,while the closest Sage I would compare the SIG V to would be the XP.The rod’s actions are different,with the XP being more of a tip action rod,but both rods are incredibly light weight and powerful,recover extremely fast,and generate extremely high line speeds.They feel a bit different due to their flex profiles,but are very similar in performance.I like both equally,and if I added the G Loomis GLX to the mix,I would probably have 3 rods that I couldn’t choose between,at least as far as performance and quality goes.If I had to choose,OF COURSE I’m going to take the one that is less than 1/3 the price,LOL!
Are the Dan Craft blanks “as good as” Sage?
Absolutely! So are several other small blank makers out there that so many quickly dismiss in favor of the name blank they know.The great thing is most of these are priced so the average Joe can actually afford them!
Will they be the best for you and will YOU like them more than a Sage?
Maybe,maybe not.You won’t know for sure how much you like them until you try them and compare them to certain other rods for yourself.No one can guarantee that you will like them more,but most would be confident saying you would be AWFULLY impressed with these $100 blanks that’s for sure!I can’t see anyone saying they aren’t a very good quality blank,even if the blank doesn’t quite suit them personally.Sage SLT 8’ 1 wt
A neat rod for small water and one of the prettiest blanks I have ever built on. I still have not fished it yet. Maybe Zach can help me find a place to use this one this year.G-Loomis GL3 9’ 6wt
I think that the GL3 is one of the best deals on a “name brand” fly rod period. I built mine and saved about $100. Great rod for nymphing large water for large fish.I’ll leave the ratings to the experts.
All I have to say is what I alluded to in the other thread – my 3wt G.Loomis Streamdance Metolius is my favorite flyrod in the whole wide world.
well you all will pardon my ‘cheap rods’
2wt Pacific bay kit 6½’
I have no idea as i have not put the finish on cast or fished it
4wt Loomis 7½’.
Nice rod the handle is a little small for my hand but the thing loads nice for its size.
5 wt Fenwick eagle gt 9′
‘ok’ but my wife should have spent the same money on a TFO but the guy in the little corner of the bait shop that passes as a ffing area pimps everything except TFO and she went with the fenwick cause I love my 8wt so
5/6 359 8½’ south bend bamboo
I love this thing but it is my 1st boo so I have no analog. I re did the wraps on it and will fish it hard so I can do it again and better 😉 A great smallmouth rod
6 wt Fenwick st 905 8′ (was 9′ 5wt but accidents happen)
Solid rod of an older vintage fenwick. I just re built it to make it an 8′ rod so I do not at this time how she casts. but it was great as a 5wt
7/8 reddinton redfly 11′ spey
Winter aquisistion
8wt Fenwick st 908
This is the rod that really suits me and I wish all my rods felt this nice again an older vintage fenwick
9/10 Reddinton red fly 14′ spey
My first spey so again no analog I can say this though…never needed taping.
2 weight, One Ounce Orvis: 3 Stars
A sweetheart, but only under the right conditions. Not a streamer chucker but great for small water and zero wind. Makes bluegill fishing a blast!3 weight, 6’ 10” Scott ‘G’: 4 Stars
Sweet small stream, dry fly rod. Has a little more spunk than the One Ounce. Flawless workmanship.4 weight, 8’ Winston TMF: 4 Stars
A grin maker. It is everything everyone says it is; a classic dry fly rod that brings it all home as to why we love this sport!4 weight, 8.5’ Winston BIIx: 4 Stars
My new ‘go-to’! It replaced the TMF as my go-to simply because of its incredible, usable range.4 weight Dewey Special:.
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