What rod and reel are you using?

[jeff miller]

I was wondering what rod and reel everyone is using.

[spencer ballard]

It depends, right this minute, none.

[Mark Landerman]

When?

[Michael Exl]

All my rods are Sages, so here we go 🙂
4wt. VT2 with a 1.5 Ross CLA with Rio Grande
5wt. XP with a Sage 2550 and Rio Grand in camo
6wt. Z-axis with a Tibor Light Backcountry Wide with Rio Versi-tip, Sage Equator II for bonefish
7wt. Fli with Ross Rythem 3.5 with Rio coldwater clouser line
8wt. Xi2 with Tibor Everglades with Rio Versi-tip for fresh, and Sage Equator for salt
8wt. Z-axis switch rod, Nautilus CCF 12, with 400gr. Skagit and 10wt. Rio Outbound with type 6 head for Lake Michigan.
10wt. Xi2 with Bauer Super Lite 5, with the blue splash paint job 😎 and Rio Tropical Versi-tip
12wt. Xi2 with Billy Pate Tarpon reel and Rio Tropical Versi-tip

[spencer ballard]

Purdue,

Do you fish the great lakes themselves?

[Michael Exl]

I have fished Lake Michigan quite a bit. I have fished the area around river mouths using sinking lines and streamers for steelhead. Most of this has been the water of Indiana, and a little bit by the mouth of the St. Joe, but I plan on hitting Michigan’s lake shore really hard over this fall through spring. I really want to fish up on Lake Huron for there lake run browns. I know mid November is supposed to be prime time. I’m trying to find out as much as I can about lake run browns right now, there really isn’t a ton of info out there, but who can pass up the chance of catching a brown that can be as much as 15lb. 😮 I will be hitting all the harbors and warm water discharges this winter since the brown will be after the bait fish that come into the warmer water. I also think I will be heading up to Wisconsin in search of browns as well.

I also want to hit the slime line out on the lake, I have heard about guys taking 20-30lb kings on dries along with monster steelhead. The thought of that brings shivers down my spine.

[wayne patton]

Main Trout rods:

4wt Orvis TLS Mid Flex. Orvis Large Arbor Reel, Orvis Long Belly Trout line.
5wt Orvis Tip Silver Label (2001 vintage), Orvis Battenkill Barstock Reel, Rio Gold Line

Have several other rods also, for carp, bass etc etc.

-wayne

[spencer ballard]

I have seen some absolutely huge lake run browns in the manistee near tippy dam in November.

[Michael Exl]

My set up is going to be my 8110-4 Z-axis with a 10wt Rio Outbound with a type 6 tip and baitfish patterns, and a stripping basket. I plan on using mushmouths, the chubby gummy minnow, and some EP patterns. Anything to imitate an alewife. I plan on cruising up and down the west side of Michigan this winter, I know if I put my time in I will be able to land some.

[Jay Hake]

Here is my list, light trout to steelhead/bass:

7’9″ 3wt Winston LT5 with Orvis Battenkill
8’8″ 4wt Scott G Series with Galvan Open Back
9’0″ 4wt Scott SAS – Orvis Rocky Mountain
7’3″ 4/5wt Pentagonal Bamboo (self made) – Vogg 3/5
9’0″ 5wt Winston LTX Battenkill Bar Stock
7’6″ 5wt Dickerson 7613 Clone bamboo (self made) – Farlowe click pawl
8’0″ 5wt AJ Thramer Grouse Creek bamboo – Battenkill Mid Arbor
8’6″ 6wt T&T Horizon Series – Orvis Battenkill
9’0′ 7wt T&T Horizon Series – Redington Large Arbor
11’6″ 6/7 wt Batson Switch/Spey Rod – Okuma Large Arbor

Had a few other rods, including an SLT Sage and an 8wt Winston, but I am paring down to make more cane…

[patrick mccormick]

9.5 ft elkhorn 8/9 wt with elkhorn T4 reel and steelhead mastery line
9 ft 7 wt TFO TiCRx with cabelas sla reel and a mastery quad tip and spey conversion kit
8.5 ft 5 wt cabelas stowaway with cabelas CR reel and SA headstart line

Coming soon:
Generic 5/6 wt 9 ft. 7 pc. bought off ebay for 10 bucks
7.5 ft 4 wt cabelas stowaway
some sort of 11 foot 6 wt
a 15 foot 10 wt.
and maybe a 3 wt. if I really like this rod building stuff.

[jeff miller]

Obviously I am the beginner here, with one rod and reel.

[Mark Landerman]

Here is a great quote from a buddy of mine:

“My only fear is that when I die, my wife sells all my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.”

At one point, I had 5- 5wt. rods.

[anonymous]

Hi

17′ 11/12 wt Bruce and Walker

[ryan sabo]

My go-to rod is the Scott S3 9′ 5wt with a Ross Cimarron holding a Rio Grande line.

[peter elks]

8’6″ T&T 4 weight vector .Reel Orvis Odessey. Line G lafontaine Pro series plus

[Mike Cline]

Although I’ve disposed of many of the custom rods I’ve built in the last ten years lately, here’s what’s still in my stable:

Rods
Sage FLi, 9′ 5wgt, 4 Piece (2)
Sage XP, 9′ 7wgt, 4 piece – These are the travel rods
St Croix SCIV 9′, 7 wgt 3 piece (Custom Rod) – This is my saltwater Flats rod
Loomis IM6, 8.6″, 8 wgt, 2 piece (Custom Rod)–This is my primary Pike and Bass Bug Rod
Loomis GLX 9′, 5wgt, 2 piece (Custom Rod)–This is my goto freshwater Kayak rod
Fenwick 7′, 4wgt, Ferulite Glass, 2 piece (2-One custom, one stock)

Reels
STH-DDR Cassettes for 5wgt and 7/8wgts (3)
Flylogic FLO Optimum (7 wgt) – My purple saltwater reel
Orvis Mid Arbor for 5wgt (2)

Line
Cortland, RIO, SA in all configurations for all reels and rods–I’ve got too many extra spools and lines.

Mike

[Bob Riggins]

Well, that’s quite a question.  I’m not sure if I have a go to rod and reel any more.  But here goes:

First Rod and original Go To for salt:     Scott SAS 9′  8wt/SA System 2 reel
Becoming favorite for Salt:

[Jack Cummings]

Go to’s for salt:

[trout_boy_ii]

Sage XP’s – 5 wt and 3 wt, although I sometimes use my St. Croix Legend Ultra 3 wt. for a change and have others that are not used often, mostly as loaners.

5 wt. is fitted with Older version of Lamson Litespeed strung with SA GPX.  Since I only fish freshwater (what’s left of it) and streams Davidson size plus or minus 20 ft., this works great for me.

3 wt is fitted with Ross Colorado #0 (the only fully ported model, larger sizes have solid side), also strung with SA GPX.  Primarily used on smaller streams in Pisgah Forest.

For a while I thought the 3 wt. XP was too stiff for close in work, but I’ve learned how to use it properly and I love it.  The 5 wt. was picked after substantial flinging at as many shops as would let me fling.  It had me at “hello” so to speak – fits my current casting rhythm perfectly.

Lotta good rods out there – what feels best to you is the best rod for you.

TB

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