Eagerly Awaited 5 Weight Shootut

[Jimbo Roberts]

The problem I see with this shootout is that the casting really seems aimed at dryfly casting.
What if they put a thingamabobber, two weighted flys and some split shot on the rod the winner would be different. I have dryfly rods and they are nice, but I prefer a stiffer rod for nymph fishing which I do 95% of the time here on the Guadalupe. I want a nymph/streamer rod to have more power in the mid and upper blank. And I agree if there was something of an all-a-round rod it would be closer to something like a Sage XP (still my favorite) or Z Axis. The new Sage ONE is very stiff, but it makes for a good streamer rod, or even one for sinking/sinktip lines. If I was just Dryfly fishing I would probably go with the older Sage LL, SLT or even old Loomis GLX.
I have cast the new Sage Circa and it is a close-in dryfly rod with no real power for distance or nymphing.
I have also cast many Bamboo rods, some of the fabled ones too. They are smooth casting, and accurate to targets at less than 50'. But to properly balance the rod in hand requires heavier reels, and when you compare the swing-weight/weight-in-hand they are heavier than most modern graphite rods when comparing lenght and line weights.
Then again that is my opinion, and many of my friends feel otherwise. That is good too. There is no rod that everyone will think is the best. Many different rods/actions for many different types of fishermen.

Jimbo

[RiverRat]

For years they just cut and pasted past verbiage for St Croix rods. Every year a lower end ST Croix, cheapest rod in the test, is an amazing surprise in how well it casts and the reviewers can't believe.

Bet the sell the heck out of entry level St Croix rods to newbies.

shane

[lucfish]

I didn't even check out the link, I just think it's impossible to do a test like this and I never agree with them, but the comments are highly entertaining.

[fly addict]

I just wonder who buys these very expensive rods, 90% of the people I see on the water can’t form a decent loop no matter what rod they have in their hand!

[charlie]

I was neither eager or waiting for another shootout. Or shootdown. Having read a number of these, now, I've found some rods that i fish the living he.. out of, and have put plenty enough fish on the bank or in the boat to well warrant their purchase, were panned by these pundits of parabola. To each their own, I'll take my 13 yr. old 590 XP over whatever they got because I love it and it fishes the way i want.And an Orvis plenty years south of that one, too. I must admit I'd be afraid to buy the 1300 buck Hardy because the gull wings on my Lambo are tough on rods. Not. I guess the people I've fished, hung out with and worked for in shops had a different philosophy. If you liked it and you could cast it well and it fit your style of casting and how you fished, you walked away with a handshake, a smile and a promise to meet on the river. Too personal. I'd rather have a NAME tell me what I should have. Then again, didn't I start wearing Old Spice because of Joe Namath?

[Sasha]

So why no 0wt shootout

[Papasequoia]

I just wonder who buys these very expensive rods, 90% of the people I see on the water can’t form a decent loop no matter what rod they have in their hand!

Wait, you mean that if I buy the $1,299 Hardy Artisan that's it's not going to help me with this? I'm shocked and stunned - dumbfounded even. I may even go so far as to say gobsmacked! Does this mean that I should actually pay attention to my casting motion and try to become better with a rod that I already own??!! Heresy! Cue the torch and pitchfork-wielding mob! (and stop watching me cast, dammit)

[RiverRat]

I just wonder who buys these very expensive rods, 90% of the people I see on the water can’t form a decent loop no matter what rod they have in their hand!

That's why they cover their bases and rave about a bottom of the line Imperial Series rod from St Croix. Why else inlude a rod in the $200 price range against $1300 rods?

shane