The Best Trout Rod

[briansII]

Continuing "The Best" series..........

The best rod for fishing Western streams is, ___ ___ ____________. A rod that will cover medium sized, to big water like the Lower Sac and Deschutes. Something to throw small tricos, to weighted streamers. Basically, your all purpose trout fishing rod. Graphite, glass, or grass.

Everyone reading this has the right answer, but feel free to argue amongst yourselves.


briansII

[castaway]

Sage ZXL 5wt

[Pete]

Medium to large water? Steffen Bothers fiberglass, 8 or 9' 4/5 weight.
Small water (Ya ya, I know you didn't ask) 7', 3/4 weight Bamboo.
Plastic for saltwater.

[NorcalBob]

There is no answer to your question!!!!!!!
Because one rod can not meet all your fishing needs as described!!!!!!!
Just telling it like it is!!!!!

[briansII]

There is no answer to your question!!!!!!!
Because one rod can not meet all your fishing needs as described!!!!!!!
Just telling it like it is!!!!!

Spoken like a true gear *.

....but if you _had to_ choose one rod. What would it be.

.....and I'm curious what your Western stream lineup would be.

briansII

[Frank]

Sage Z Axis 5 wt

[gabe]

I like my 6wt. can't tell you what it is though, as its unmarked and was won at a raffle.
its a mid flex medium action 9' 2pc. absolutely love it. can chuck heavy streamers, nymph, and present dry flies as needed.

if I were going to buy a new rod to match this or to meet your criteria, I would probably choose either:
Scott G2 9' 6wt
Thomas & Thomas Paradigm 9' 6wt
Winston WT 9' 6wt

[NorcalBob]

Brian, you forgot to say ORVIS gear 'ho!!!!!!!
And truthfully, I can't answer your question because no one rod could do everything from throwing trico's, to bobbicators, to streamers!!!!
Now you did say western stream line-up (implying more than one rod!!!!) and that would be...........
All Orvis of course
For small & fine dry fly work; Orvis Superfine Trout Bum 1 WT 7'6"
For general dry fly and small nymph work; Orvis Helios 904-4 4 WT Mid Flex 9'
For nymphing & light steelhead work; Orvis Helios 966-4 6 WT Tip Flex 9'6"
For trophy trout & CA steelhead work; Orvis Helios 107-4 7 WT Tip Flex 10'
That's it, only four rods!!!!!

[midger]

Continuing "The Best" series..........

Something to throw small tricos, to weighted streamers.


briansII

Uh, for me, these are mutually exclusive fishing styles. I have no rod that I'd use to throw midge and size 22-24 tricos, and then turn around an throw those size 1-2 articulated streamers I use on Western rivers. That's why I usually travel with multiple rods.

If I pick the one I usually am using when fishing rivers around Boise, it would be my sage rpl 9 foot 5 weight. It's my all around heavy nymphing rod for those waters, but I rarely throw tiny flies with it.

[briansII]

Sage XP 905-4

See Bob. That wasn't so hard.

Not the ideal rod for all situations, but........

Midger

Last weekend I threw tungsten conehead streamers, and a long leader, double dry setup(#20 bwo & #22 trico spinner) with the same 9' 5wt. It wasn't perfect for the streamers, but very doable.

I'll deny ever saying this, but I don't need all the trout rods I own

briansII

[Pete]

Great post briansII . I like how only a couple of post so far actually answered your question with one rod selection. And yes I am guilty of offering up more opinions on the subject .

Pete

[midger]

Sage XP 905-4



Not the ideal rod for all situations, but........

Midger

Last weekend I threw tungsten conehead streamers, and a long leader, double dry setup(#20 bwo & #22 trico spinner) with the same 9' 5wt. It wasn't perfect for the streamers, but very doable.


I'll deny ever saying this, but I don't need all the trout rods I own

briansII

I didn't say you couldn't do it, I just said that I don't. Oh and I increased the font size so your wife could read it.

[dna]

It's a valid topic, I suppose, even though Bob is right in saying that there is no one do it all trout rod. The conditions just vary too much But, we all have found ourselves on the river with just one rod, and when that big dog shows himself, we can all admit to have trying to throw every single thing we have in the box at him with said rod!

I have yet to find that rod but am still looking. And I may have a revelation soon as a new special something is in the mail as we speak . At this point, my favorite rod is my Winston BIIt 8'6" 4. This rod is not a nymphing rod and it is definitely NOT a streamer rod, but it can throw dries and dry dropper rigs and small nymph rigs with a whisper soft presentation and I can make it work with the junk...my cast looks horrid when I throw that stuff but it can get the job done. The tippet protection is just amazing on this rod.

I'd rather have a rod that can really throw the dries and I can make it work with the heavy stuff because I have found that when I was in the situation where I had big trout sipping in front of me and I only had my 6 wt for nymphing and streamers, I was SOL as I tried to toss #20 BWO's with any kind of precision. The trout just laughed at me

[Autodave]

Sage VT2-9ft.-4wt.---I like this rod ALOT!

[Rockstar Fisherman]

9' 4 piece 5wt Elkhorn. It's all I've ever known and all I own, aside from my 2 piece 5wt Orvis. Everyone else takes fly fishing too serious and has forgotten about catching, cuz the 5wt has done it all for me for 12 years!! From Fly Bob to Stanbery/Zee type of trout