Best dozen. Addicts best four.

[FIGHTONSC]

Brian,

I don't have a 4th rod to put on the list. I have many more that fit one of the two functions, but to date, no others do both in perfect harmony. Some are REALLY close, but if I scrutinize each one, they fall a tiny bit short in one of the two qualifiers. Am I being too picky/serious. Yeah, but rating fly gear is a serious matter.

briansII

While I concur with both of your judging criteria, I do feel (at least for me) that there is another criteria that played a part in my choices. That criteria being prior history and memories associated with using certain rods through out the years.

For instance:
Using the Leon Chandler brings back memories of my youth, fishing the East and West Forks of the San Gabriel River, along with the upper tributaries i.e. Fish Fork, Iron Fork, and Prairie Fork.

The Russ Peak brings back memories of my dad and I fishing Hot Creek and Arcularius Ranches and several trips through Montana and Idaho together.

The Sage 580 GFL went with me to Australia and New Zealand and even landed some rather sizeable Barramundi in the mangroves off of Dunk Island.

Anyway, my rod choices all include a visceral component not solely predicated upon performance or feel!

Best regards,

Jeff

[flybob]

Tough question, but a fun one!

First off, I have had the opportunity to actually cast this rod on the water while having an epic day trout fishing with Luc:

and my all time favorite which is reserved only for dinky trout in dinky water, Winston IM6 7'-2. I feel different when I'm using this little guy. I could sell all my gear but will never ever sell my Winston.

And yes, I suck at casting, but this rod made me look really good!

Here are my faves, a hard decision, but once I really thought about it, these always seem to rise (no pun intended) to the occasion:

For some really tight quarters/brushy creeks: Custom Built Forecast RX6, 6'6" 2wt

General small creek fishing: Orvis Superfine Troutbum, 7'6" 3wt

For my big time lake fishing: Winston Boron II MX, 9' 5wt

And my Numero Uno Favorite Go-To, All Around Trout Rod: Orvis Trident TLS, 8'6" 4wt (which I have named Buggravy, since that is who sold it to me so many years ago)

And FWIW, as these rods are already quite old, I am so glad that I have most of what I need in my quiver, after seeing the prices in my latest Orvis catalog.....and being on a fixed income.....HOLY COW!

[Jimbo Roberts]

4? Only 4? I usually take around 16 on my summer trips.
I don't think my list could be anything shorter than 10 or more......
I've always been a fast action kind of guy. Even the old rods like the Fenwick HMG 906 was considered fast back in it's day, today it's the rod I use to teach people to cast because it's more moderate and slower and thus more forgiving of timing mistakes beginners make. I was always a sucker for the newest fastest rods out there. I've had some real pool cues like the Sage SP+ 690, which you could not really begin to load at any distance short of 45', but if you wanted to impress people shooting all the Flyline and then some, it was the rod to use. Even Sage LL have a relatively fast tip. I really like my LLs for dryfly fishing. I currently own a 276, 389, 4711, 486, 576 and a 469 is in transit.

My favorite 10 Trout Rods..........
All round Trout: Sage XP 590
Indicator Nymph: Sage Z Axis 5100
Indicator Nymph Light: Sage One 4100
Streamer Rod: Sage One 690
DryFly tight quarters: Sage XP 476
DryFly Gun: Sage XP 490
DryFly Techincal: Sage LL 4711
DryFly Light & tight: Sage LL 279
DryFly Light All Round: Sage LL 389
Dryfly Light Gun: Sage XP 386
Bonus coming soon.....
DryFly Speciality: Sage LL 469 (extremely tight throwing Big Attractors for Cutthroats)

Non-Trout rods
Salt: Sage RPLXI 890
Favorite Bass: Sage Smallmouth

I guess you could say I am a Sage Geek..... guilty..... and yet I have some other notables.
My first real all round Trout rod: Fenwick HMG 906, I floggered that rod for 10 years and it never failed me. It's the rod I used while I learned to Trout fish. My beginner Oldie but a goodie: Fenwick FF 756, my first great DryFly Loomis GLX 1084, and I was dared into owning a Bamboo Rod built by Floyd Burkett a 7'10" 5wt. It's a nice rod but I don't really appreciate the subtly and finesse of fiberglass and bamboo rods. My collection also includes TFO and St. Croix rods and they are nice too. My 3 favorite retired all round Trout rods: Sage RPL 690, another 10 year rod, Sage XP 690, still a favorite, and my favorite all round dedicated DryFly rod Sage LL 486.

Jimbo

[BradW]

Custom made;

Sage TXL-f 2710-4, 2 wt. (new pack rod)
Sage Z-Axis 390-4, 3 wt.
Winston BIIx 490-4, 4 wt. (my favorite)
Sage TCX 6119-4, 6 wt. switch

[briansII]

Brian,

I don't have a 4th rod to put on the list. I have many more that fit one of the two functions, but to date, no others do both in perfect harmony. Some are REALLY close, but if I scrutinize each one, they fall a tiny bit short in one of the two qualifiers. Am I being too picky/serious. Yeah, but rating fly gear is a serious matter.

briansII

While I concur with both of your judging criteria, I do feel (at least for me) that there is another criteria that played a part in my choices. That criteria being prior history and memories associated with using certain rods through out the years.

I would agree that those things are, and should be part of the equation for a favorite rod. I probably took the questions, "best 4 list", too literally. I'm judging which one of the rods I have as THE best. That means the BIIx narrowly eeks ahead of the XP 905. The XP is a favorite, and my most used trout rod, but it fell a bit short in the pleasure to cast category. The Scott G barely pushed past a Press Powell 8' 3/4wt. because when push comes to shove, the G can reach those fish on the far seam. I absolutely love the way the PP feels. I have many favorites that see the water just as much, and even more the the rods in my "best list".

briansII