Top 10 Picks for Best Factory Flyrods of All Time

[beachbum]

I second Sage's light line series. It is the rod of choice for all my dry fly specialty friends. To nominate any others, I must contemplate. (btw...the best I ever used was a leonard 7'6" - 5 wt, but it doesn't count)

[Sasha]

I thought I'd start this thread just for grins - plus, it detracts attention from Sasha's thread about ultralights.

No way my thread about 3wt and lighter rods is rad


I will agree though the LL is a nice stick. I wouldn't mind picking one up one of these days. Although I think most on this forum know what my favorite rod is by now

[Benny]

I haven't fished to many fly rods other than what I have. I would say that the best flyrod as far as feel goes is my Sage 2wt SPL 282-3. It just feels perfect in my hands and is quite balanced with the Galvan reel. I have what I believe is Orvis Wonderline Double taper on the reel. The thing cast better than any other rod I have. The reel seat is all cork and is simple and clean looking.

PS, Just don't tell anyone I fish drys, it will be our little secret

[midger]

I agree with Doc. The Sage 389 Light Lines are great and I've owned 3 of them over the years. My favorite all around rod, however, is my Sage 590-4 piece RPL, as I'm a nymph/streamer chucker and this rod has landed many a trout, steelhead, and even a few salmon (not targeted, but landed nonetheless). I still have 3 of them (backups, you know as I've repaired the tip on the custom built one twice already, and the other two are factory rods.)

A close second to the 389 LL is the 389-5 slt, but I don't consider these all around rods.

[Papasequoia]

I don't buy and sell a lot of rods, and I don't even cast a lot of rods borrowed from others. So, I'm not the best person to chime in here. However, when I got a Winston BIIt in an 8' 3 weight a couple of years ago, I fell in love. I love the medium action, it casts like a dream and goes where I want it to more than any other rod I've tried.

[rayfound]

Im so completely unqualified to answer it's sad.

[planettrout]

I had a Sage RPL 9', 6wt. once upon a time, when they came out in the 80's. Then I got a Scott G-Series 10', 5wt. Sold the Sage to a friend.

Also favor:

Winston WT, 9', 6WT. for Montana waters
Powell ( Chico/ 80's ) Light Touch 8'6", 5 WT.
T&T Paradigm 9', 5WT.
Winston 7'6", 4WT. (San Francisco era) Fiberglass

Here is someone else's take on the best 12 rods of all time...Boo and Fiberglass included...

http://troutunderground.com/2009/02/10/ ... me-period/

PT/TB

[209er]

Dudes,
How about Sage's original GFL590 that started the mess in 80? My two and the LL burned in my house fire of 05. Now I'm bummed again. As an afterthought, I just realized why I couldn't find the LL when I looked for it a couple months ago. Somebody's getting old. 09er

[beachbum]

I see Doc's LL choice made the Trout Underground list. We seem to have one solid nomination. Tom Chandler liked the Leonard too, even if it doesn't count.

In the 70's, when my kids were little, I fished cheap rods out of financial necessity. I was finally able to purchase a Scott 9 ft, 4 wt. It was by far the best dry fly rod I had ever used up to that point.

While floating the Madison one day, I stuck a downstream oar (big pigs were slurping along the bank, and I was distracted), the boat lurched sideways, and as my friend flew out, he grabbed my rod tip. Needless to say, it didn't stop him from doing a unexpected dive into the water. Oooops!

That was the first of many trips it made to the Scott factory. It's in the garage now, in the fix it rod stack. While it might not qualify as a candidate for the top ten, it's been on my list for years.

[rkfiske]

Im so completely unqualified to answer it's sad.

I'm runner up in the 'unqualified category' too

[castaway]

Going to learn on this one... Havent near the experience to claim to know whats the best rods.

Best reel I have ever touched... a U.S. made Fenwick gold medal from the 80's... the black and gold ones... I am bound and determined to get the complete set.. I think there are 5 sizes.

[theophilus]

I fished for decades with a venerable Fenwick FF755, it was my first good quality fly rod and a better rod than I was a fisherman. I still have it, and take it out sometimes for bluegill, when nostalgia seems *.
My current favorite fiberglass rods are the Diamondglass, and the 703 two piece is a fun small stream rod. Heck, they are all good!
I found a Sage GFL390 (9' 3 wt.), built out from the blank by Bob Summers, that is a good enough graphite to make me look at all my bamboo and wince. Liked it well enough to search for and find both 4 and a 6 weight blanks, and built them out myself. But if you can find one of the GFL 390's, don't hesitate- it's the best non-cane rod I can ever hope to find...

Doug

[RichardCullip]

I don't buy and sell a lot of rods, and I don't even cast a lot of rods borrowed from others. So, I'm not the best person to chime in here. However, when I got a Winston BIIt in an 8' 3 weight a couple of years ago, I fell in love. I love the medium action, it casts like a dream and goes where I want it to more than any other rod I've tried.

I have to agree with the good Papa. The Winston 8ft 3wt Boron IIt is an awesome rod. He let me toss dry flies at willing trout with his rod during a lunch stop on s drift boat trip we shared a year ago last December. I likes it so much, I bought one as soon as I got back to Bakersfield. It's been my favorite rod ever since. I like the slower action while casting and the bends to the cork action while fighting big fish.

[fly addict]

You have to include the Winston IM6 8'6" 5wt on any all time list. Tom Morgan is one of the best rod designers of all time. Here is a all time list that already has it on it. http://troutunderground.com/2009/02/10/ ... me-period/.
It also list a Leonard and Payne rods also, tuff company indeed!

Mark

[fish-on-bro]

My first rod outta the tube is my Sage LL389. This is my absolute favorite rod, but gett'n kinda scared to use it. No lifetime warranty. My second favorite is my Redington RS4 9044. This is my streamer rod.

Fish-on-bro, out....