The Best Trout Rod

[Rockstar Fisherman]

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

*!!!! J/K BTW I spent 8 years fishing with an Orvis rod and still would if I could find one cheap enough. Brand names don't mean much to me, but don't hate, they all catch fish. Orvis got me hooked, not Cortland!!

[rkfiske]

I don't have quite the * to sit and pick and choose, but I recently picked up a Loop AEG 5wt and it's fast becoming my favorite rod. It makes me sad since I've been eyeing getting a fairy rod (txl) for quite some time but for the 200 I paid for this Loop rod it sure is a * nice rod. Lovin casting it so far and it seems fairly versatile. I read quite a bit about it prior to purchase and it seemed to have been getting very very solid reviews for the near $400 msrp that it had before. Just thought I'd throw a little loop love in this discussion!

[rayfound]

I don't have quite the * to sit and pick and choose, but I recently picked up a Loop AEG 5wt and it's fast becoming my favorite rod. It makes me sad since I've been eyeing getting a fairy rod (txl) for quite some time but for the 200 I paid for this Loop rod it sure is a * nice rod. Lovin casting it so far and it seems fairly versatile. I read quite a bit about it prior to purchase and it seemed to have been getting very very solid reviews for the near $400 msrp that it had before. Just thought I'd throw a little loop love in this discussion!

I definitely dug the "particork" grip on it. No Fill holes!

[JGray]

I have been throwing a 9ft Elkhorn 3wt for just about everything for about 5 years. (those big browns with Mike (size26) and Jay were caught on it in 30 mile per hour winds. I think its faster than the Z axis 3wt (ColoradoXJ's father in law has one that I've used a few times) It preforms more like a 4wt in its ability to cut trough wind and throw junk from medium thingamabobbers with 2 nymphs and weight, to small streamers, and can lay a dry out as smoth as silk, and I can reach out with it as far as I can with my 5wt Diamonback. I think the perfect rod depends on the person. You use something enough and become familure with it, it will do what you want it to do. Except when you get down to 00 weights, but that is for another discussion. I have that rod in my hands at least once a week so it almost feels like part of me. Now after saying all of that I just purchased a Wright McGill 9ft Boron 7wt. (Yes the Elkhorn is my favorite but I'm a gear head too.) I own a 3,4,5,6, two 7's and 8 weight rods, and multipul reels.) I used the new 7wt for the first time today and was real impressed by it and can see it soon becoming a favorite. I threw everything under the sun with it today from big articulated streamers, nymph hardware, and size 22 BWOs, all with success. Used 7x tippet on the BWO's and the tip was soft enough on the hook set but is very fast action (can't make a rod to fast action for me). To make a long story short, I agree that there is no one perfect rod, but maybe there is one perfect rod for each individual.

[Flyjunkie]

I'm with Midger... There is NO One Rod that will do all methods really good... Impossible to design and Most Anglers would never buy such a Claim.... Besides the fact the rod would turn out to cover one form alot better then the others.... It's Just impossible to have a "Does everything Great" rod.....

So I'm not posting anything.....

[briansII]

I'm with Midger... There is NO One Rod that will do all methods really good... Impossible to design and Most Anglers would never buy such a Claim.... Besides the fact the rod would turn out to cover one form alot better then the others.... It's Just impossible to have a "Does everything Great" rod.....

So I'm not posting anything.....

Ok, some of you guys just don't want to play by the rules. Funny how it's the ones that own more fly rods than some fly shops.

So just for YOU guys, let me change it up a bit. Say you plan to fish a medium to larger freestoner. You know there are going to be tricos in the AM, with a mid afternoon bwo hatch. Between those it's chucking double nymphs, and dredging with streamers.....maybe some caddis in the evening. You'll do some hiking, plus boulder hopping and some minimal bushwhacking. You do not want to take two rods, because it'll just be a hassle. It's a dawn to dark trip away from your vehicle, and the multitude of rods you brought.....because you're gear whores!!

So....what rod would you grab?

briansII

[NorcalBob]

Hey Brian, does your local fly shop have more than 75 fly rods???? Because I just may have more rods than your local fly shop!!!!!!!
And I still don't know of any CA waters where I can do all of what you describe in a single day without being able to go back to my car to get other rods!!!!
But I'll play your game by your rules!!!! But if I could only carry one rod in my quiver (and that scares me even more than being able to only drink one kind of beer! ) I would carry an Orvis Helios 966-4 6 WT 9'6" Tip Flex.
But remember, you're asking this question to a guy who carried 16 different rods on his recent trip to AK!!!!

[anacrime]

the best trout rod is one that gets fished

[Flyjunkie]

O.K. Brian....

I'm not a gear *... I'm simply realistic... One needs various Rod & reel combos for various Type of Fishing.. and in certain instances (read Big Bad butt Saltwater Species) I'll need back ups.....

But For Your Little scenario Here's what I'd Force myself to use...

Winston Boron II X 905-4

Fast enough to lob 2 rather heavy nymphs together, but I can adjust to laying out a Small Trico spinner quite gently, if need be...

of course, my Sage XP 905-4 would work almost as well....


for the Record I own 34 rods, from 2 wts. up to a 16wt....

Fishermen's Spot, where I work, has an inventory of 180 Fly rods, so My collection is not even Close in Number...

Norcal Bob's collection is double Mine...

Also, when i go to Loreto, BAJA I always have a minimum of 8 rods flying down there with me, it's called Insurance.. Cause show me a Angler going to Baja with just one rig and I'll show you someone who's gonna be going for Boat rides in very short order....

[NorcalBob]

<<<Cause show me a Angler going to Baja with just one rig and I'll show you someone who's gonna be going for Boat rides in very short order.... >>>
I'm with Dean on this one. You can substitute any travel destination that has big fish for Baja though!!!
From Bob, who saved sevral people's butt on his recent trip to the 'Pak in AK because he had spares available when they broke their rod
Why someone would spend that much money on traveling to an out of the way destination and not spring a few more clams for a spare is beyond me!!!

[hip]

I use to shape my own surfboards and this exact topic use to come up all the time in the board shaping forums.
If you had to travel the world with only one surfboard which one would you take.
The similarities between the two sports as far as selecting a quiver are pretty darn close.
Big waves = big fish and so on, a big wave gun is not gonna be too much fun when it's head high and perfect.

For me it would be my trusty Scott 5wt.

On the topic of traveling with one rod I did it and lived to fish another day.

My first trip to the East Cape was DIY solo. Flew into La Paz with only a 8 weight and one beat up Tioga reel and got the job done. Rented a car and headed South not really knowing where I was going and what I would run into to.
I never even thought about breaking my rod so I didn't. I caught my trophy fish from the beach and would not trade the experience for a whole quiver of rods.

Now that I'm a pansy I take more rods on a trip to the Owens then my first trip to Mex.

[fly addict]

Sage is for turkey. Winston for fish!

[midger]

Sage is for turkey. Winston for fish!

Funny! I always thought Winstons and Marlboros were for burning.

Brian,
Your scenario would be a nonstarter for me as I don't even go to my local stream with only one rod available. I always have at least two, and when Jon and I went to the Mammoth area, I was traveling with 7............so, the liklihood of being limited to a single rod probably won;t happen. And yes, it is necessary. I broke one tip in Idaho last year on the Owyhee, and another tip this summer on another Idaho river. If I'd only had a single rod, casting would have been difficult.

Reminds me, I have to redo the dan craft rod tip that came in a couple of weeks ago............

[Sasha]

Ohhhhh I know the answer......... The best trout rod is my rod

[meb]

To answer according to the rules: Sage SLT 9 ft 5 wt.

However, when I fish in California I chose from about seven rods between 3 and 6 wt and generally take more than a couple that would work.

Mark