Fly Rods

[lobstahmeatwad]

Got out last week with the new setup on the Boulder river. It was a Friday night and I was feeling lazy but wanted to get out, so I called my friend up and we headed out to the river. The fish were rising, but they weren't biting for us. My buddy ran thru about 10 different flies but no luck. I stuck to a nymph and didn't catch anything.

Yeah, that shit still happens and I have been flogging the water for a little while now. I have always wanted to fish that Boulder. I have fished the other Boulder near BT with astounding success. The Gallatin has been fishing extreamly well the last few weeks, if yer ever around down south. I know it has been slowing down a bit up on the Missouri.

[Pow4Brains]

Got out last week with the new setup on the Boulder river. It was a Friday night and I was feeling lazy but wanted to get out, so I called my friend up and we headed out to the river. The fish were rising, but they weren't biting for us. My buddy ran thru about 10 different flies but no luck. I stuck to a nymph and didn't catch anything.

So how did the new set up work??

[mushmouth]

Trigger pulled!!

Orvis TLS Power Matrix 908 - 8weight - Tip Flex

Battenkill Mid Arbor IV

Will be trying it out this weekend. Practicing on lake with largemouth before heading for smaller stripers.

Pics will follow. thanks for the help.

[sfotex]

So how did the new set up work??

I liked it alot, this fly fishing stuff seems like fun. Kinda like stalking the fish vs. blindly casting with lures/bait.

[fez]

Trigger pulled!!

Orvis TLS Power Matrix 908 - 8weight - Tip Flex

Battenkill Mid Arbor IV

Will be trying it out this weekend. Practicing on lake with largemouth before heading for smaller stripers.

Pics will follow. thanks for the help.

an 8wt? dont be afraid of big stripers with that thing.
probably a bit overkill for largemouths, but i am never opposed to overkill.

[Free Range Lobster]

an 8wt? dont be afraid of big stripers with that thing.
probably a bit overkill for largemouths, but i am never opposed to overkill.

a big striper will take an 8wt to town if you're not careful though.

run power pro as backing if you want to chase decent sized stripers so you have plenty of working room.

we've been using 65lb power pro chasing tuna in the 40-50lb range with 10wt gear and 30lb fluro tippets on big honkin streamers. (teasing the fish in)

[Lexi-Bell]

Salmonfly

[sfotex]

Went out last night down to the Boulder river and got 4 lil' rainbows. 10-12" Fun stuff. Fun fish, they like to fight and jump. And being on the water in this blower heat is nice too.

[TNKen]

I just inherited a custom built Wright McGill bamboo 7' two piece flyrod. Had a great uncle that stalked bookies. I had gotten a similar rod from him many years ago, but was always afraid to take it out. The rods were probably built in the 50's as he died in 1965 in a plane crash coming back to Virginia from a duck hunting trip. I used to fish with an old South Bend 3 piece 9' rod about 30 years ago, but haven't played that game in a long time. Maybe time to give it a shot again.

Ken

[fez]

I just inherited a custom built Wright McGill bamboo 7' two piece flyrod. Had a great uncle that stalked bookies.

Ken

was he FBI?

[Andy_B]

My new set-up arrived.

Lamson Velcoity V2 reel
Redington CPS 9' 5wt.

Hope the rain hold's off tonight.

[TNKen]

was he FBI?

Good eye, let's try "brookies".

Ken

[mnflyfish]

My new set-up arrived.

Lamson Velcoity V2 reel
Redington CPS 9' 5wt.

Hope the rain hold's off tonight.

Andy,

I expect a full TR with fish porn pix!!!! It's been WAY TOO hot to fish here so I'm having withdrawls, I need to see pictures of TROUT!!!

Hope you really enjoy your new outfit. I checked out that rod and wow it is a good deal, essentially a Sage. Should be one of those things that ends up getting passed down someday to your kids or grandkids. Great purchase.

Good Luck,
Jay

[fez]

a big striper will take an 8wt to town if you're not careful though.

run power pro as backing if you want to chase decent sized stripers so you have plenty of working room.

we've been using 65lb power pro chasing tuna in the 40-50lb range with 10wt gear and 30lb fluro tippets on big honkin streamers. (teasing the fish in)

yeah, but it can also handle them. for what he is doing i think it is a great rod weight. a little light for striper a little heavy for bass.

i first learned to fly fish when i was living on the maine coast so it was pretty much the same type of fishing. stripers when i could get on a boat, bass when i couldnt. my first real rod was a 10 wt which i bought after landing a 44" striper on a borrowed 8wt. I think it was beginners luck i got that thing back to the boat, he did take almost all the backing and about a half hour to land. didnt bother to weight it because the slot limits required 48 or bigger back then.

fifteen years later and that thing is still the best fish i have ever caught.

Tuna fishing on the fly must be a blast. if i ever get out your way (wherever that is) I'll have to give it a try.

[bio-smear]

Fly fishing jong here...

Went up to Idaho to an airplane fly-in over the weekend and wanted to fish so as a last minute desperate measure I stopped by Sportman's Warehouse in Meridian and picked up a WW Grigg 4-piece 4/5wt (fits in little airplane nicely) and an Okuma Magnitude 5/6. Got out for under $170, and only fished for about an hour total on Johnson Creek near the middle fork of the Salmon. My jongness prevailed as I punished bushes and rocks and myself with not even a strike, but I loved it. Plenty to learn now.

Any PDX mags on here wanna hook up this fall for some fishing?

[MOHSHSIHd]

Havent read this whole thread, but need some advice on a new rod myself. Currently I have some 5 piece Cabelas Stowaway that I got as a gift....with an LSR2 reel that I think is pretty decent, but the rod is pissing me off. I like to cast with alot of line speed to get the flies out far, and the 5-piece feels flimsy and has a weird flex. Im interested in a 2 piece mostly and fish in the front range (but I might use it in the keys for bones in the future)...

what do you guys suggest?

[cj001f]

buy a good quality 4 pc. 2 pc are dead in the water development wise. Fast Action will require a higher end brand prolly.

biosmear-
For travel rods, Sierratradingpost (yeah, I don't like them) had Redington Wayfarers for $80-$100

[Pow4Brains]

^^^^^What he said.

This is a screamin' deal if you want a 4 weight. You'll be a little underguned for hog huntin', but kickass day to day rod.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/1...-4-Piece-.html

[fez]

2 pc are dead in the water development wise.

what do you mean by that?
2 pc is my preference for heavier rods (6wt and up), 3-4 piece for lighter ones i may want to pack. 2 piece rods have a smoother flex and i have never casted the tip off a 2 piece.

[mnflyfish]

what do you mean by that?
2 pc is my preference for heavier rods (6wt and up), 3-4 piece for lighter ones i may want to pack. 2 piece rods have a smoother flex and i have never casted the tip off a 2 piece.

I agree, I have a 2 pc, 3wt that is my favoite rod-St. Croix Avid 7 ft, great for little spring creeks and brookies. It's just a sweet little thing and I can lay a dry so soft on the water it's a thing of beauty. That said, the two piece rods suck to pack in, can't take them on a plane, though after yeaterday I'm going to need a list of what I can and can't take anymore, and in the last 10 years the mfg's have really done a great job dealing with flex on 4/5 pce rods. I have a 4 pc Legend Ellite that I just love, and it fits in the over head on any plane. Though this spring I ran into a interesting issue, they wouldn't let me bring a spool in my carryon. Apparently there's the fear that I would tie up the crew and passengers? I would be more concerned that I would smack someone with the rod tube, but I didn't say that out loud. Just checked the spools.

Good Luck,
Jay

[MOHSHSIHd]

what do you mean by that?
2 pc is my preference for heavier rods (6wt and up), 3-4 piece for lighter ones i may want to pack. 2 piece rods have a smoother flex and i have never casted the tip off a 2 piece.

My biggest issue is casting off the tip(s). No matter how fucking hard I push the pieces together (to a point where I feel like ill never get them back apart) the tips still seems to cast off. And anyone who that has happened to them knows how fucking annoying that is when you are chest deep standing still for 30 minutes stalking a fish...only to scare him away with a big splash. Might as well just try to throw rocks at fish by that point.

[fez]

My biggest issue is casting off the tip(s). No matter how fucking hard I push the pieces together (to a point where I feel like ill never get them back apart) the tips still seems to cast off. And anyone who that has happened to them knows how fucking annoying that is when you are chest deep standing still for 30 minutes stalking a fish...only to scare him away with a big splash. Might as well just try to throw rocks at fish by that point.

this sounds like a cheap rod issue to me. i have had problems with casting tips off (and actually lost the tip section to a rod carrying it assembled but unstrung) but it has always been my own fault. i would always carry my 4 pc rod in a 2 piece rod carrier so i never had to un-assemble and re-assemble the whole thing or take the reel off. this led to me not checking the joints often enough.

My opinion is that if you are going to travel or backpack with the rod frequently, get a 4 piece. otherwise get a 2 piece.

[cj001f]

what do you mean by that?

The variety of rods available as 2pcs is declining, the number of 3, 4 & 5 pcs is increasing. New rods like the Sage TCR only come as 4pcs.

2 pcs are nice, but I don't live near decent flyfishing so find myself travelling - the multipiece are really nice. I only had problems with them once - it was a combo of not checking the joints well, and trying to throw big, heavily weighted coneheads on a sinktip line with my shitty cast

[Pow4Brains]

My biggest issue is casting off the tip(s). No matter how fucking hard I push the pieces together (to a point where I feel like ill never get them back apart) the tips still seems to cast off. And anyone who that has happened to them knows how fucking annoying that is when you are chest deep standing still for 30 minutes stalking a fish...only to scare him away with a big splash. Might as well just try to throw rocks at fish by that point.

I have found using a twisting action while putting the pieces together works better than "pushing hard". And yes, you have a cheap rod.

2nd on the 4 vs 2 piece. 2 pieces flex and retain the loading characteristics of a “fast action” rod better, but unless you have unlimited funds to buy multiple rods, why not buy one you can travel and backpack with? As long as you know how to load a rod properly you can get a cheapie to throw 80 ft of line. If you are trout fishing, is there really any need to cast more than 50ft? If you said yes, you are fishing in the wrong location. Just my .02

[fez]

I have found using a twisting action while putting the pieces together works better than "pushing hard". And yes, you have a cheap rod.

2nd on the 4 vs 2 piece. 2 pieces flex and retain the loading characteristics of a “fast action” rod better, but unless you have unlimited funds to buy multiple rods, why not buy one you can travel and backpack with? As long as you know how to load a rod properly you can get a cheapie to throw 80 ft of line. If you are trout fishing, is there really any need to cast more than 50ft? If you said yes, you are fishing in the wrong location. Just my .02

I say yes, but it is only in situations of streamer fishing. the more water you can cover, the better you are going to do. if i am lake fishing or on a big river like the yellowstone or missouri i will be chucking 60 to 80 ft of line every cast. with big streamers a stout rod and a fast sink line all you have to do is get about 20 - 30 ft of line in the air and you can shoot it pretty far.

but if i am fishing drys or nymphs i doubt i even come close to casting 50 ft, probably more like 20 to 30. I sure cant present a small dry well at long range, never mind seeing it once it hits the water. with a nymph rig or dry and dropper all i am likely to do is tangle the damn thing trying.

another reason to fish in closer is because few people have caught fish with their fly in the air. false casting is a waste of time. when fishing dry or nymphs i really try to only back cast once.