I'm addicted to light weight rods...

[GungasUncle]

I had to add another one to the quiver recently. A week or so back, we headed down to Cabela's, because my wife was going stir crazy and wanted out of the house, and the doctor told her she needs to do some walking to help with her surgery. SHE suggested the Cabela's trip. I figured great, I can see if they're running a sale on their LSi rods - I was still jonesing for their 8'6" 3 weight that I tried out last summer. The LSi rods were running full price - so I didn't get one of them. In fact, all I walked out of the store with was a Pfleuger Medalist I found in the bargain cave because someone lost the box. How sad - $13 for a brand new 1494 :dance:

Getting home that night, the wife wanted me to look something up online for her, and I noticed they were running a sale on the Stowaway rods - I hadn't looked at those in the store, but I've heard nothing but good about them. They had an 8'6" 3 weight 6 piece going for $112 and 2 cent shipping on the entire order. So I bought it. And a Sage line to go with.

So now, out of the 8 fly rods I own, 6 of them are 5 weight or lighter, and of those, 5 of them range between 2 weight and 4 weight.

The only thing I think I'm missing - at this point - is a long light Czech nymph rod - I've been looking at the Cabela's CZN rods pretty closely - along with Echo's Shadow rods. Not really sure I'd be using them for actual Czech style nymphing (but who knows) - but a 10' 3 or 4 weight could have some use when it comes to panfish and lake fishing also.

 

[Modest_Man]

I picked up one of their Stowaway rods (3 wt) at a garage sale for $15. Pretty fun little rod. Packs down nice and small too for backpacking trips...

 

[Van]

That funny. Just the last couple days i have been thinking how i really needed a nice light rod. 3 or 4 wt or so. Every early fall i head up to Trout Lake, WA and fish for Brookies in the area and was thinking a 3wt would be perfect for that. I have a 4wt(Hobbs Creek) that i got from Bass Pro but frankly after using it a full day down on the Donner last summer, i am not too fond of how it casts. I was thinking a nice light Echo Carbon 3wt shouldt to do the trick....

Cabelas is always a difficult store to walk out of empty handed. You really should however round out your collection properly Gunga.

 

[Sinkline]

Congrats GGU! Sounds like a nice light line rod you got.

I love my 10' 4wt rods ( I have a pair)! I fish these rods probably 95% of the time I stillwater trout fish.

I still haven't been to that Springfield Cabelas yet. Just drove by it (again) about two hours ago and still didn't stop. :think:


Randy

 

[Yohan]

Nice pick up. Now you gotta get a Redington CT! Awesome light trout rods!

 

[GungasUncle]

Welps, I hit up Hagg on Sunday to get out of the house, make sure the lake was still there, and try out the Stowaway and the Sage fly line. I took my LSi 6 weight for more serious fishing, and I did also take one of my spin rods -figuring that it might be necessary for finding fish. Fish weren't found by me, or by Tyler on this outing - but I did get lots of casting practice in. It's the first time I've cast a fly rod in a couple months.

The Stowaway 3 weight's action is very, very similar to the LSi 3 weight that I cast last summer - which is to say - it was very nice, especially for a fast action rod. Typical of 3 weight rods - they do best with little wind, or when casting with the wind at your back. A #14 unweighted prince nymph on the leader - 35-40 foot (my normal fishing range) casts were easy. More distance than that - and I was having issues - but that's probably just *me*. Would've been nice to put a bend in it with a fish, but it wasn't to be this day.

I'm pleased with my purchase.

 

[Sinkline]

Welps, I hit up Hagg on Sunday to get out of the house, make sure the lake was still there, and try out the Stowaway and the Sage fly line. I took my LSi 6 weight for more serious fishing, and I did also take one of my spin rods -figuring that it might be necessary for finding fish. Fish weren't found by me, or by Tyler on this outing - but I did get lots of casting practice in. It's the first time I've cast a fly rod in a couple months.

The Stowaway 3 weight's action is very, very similar to the LSi 3 weight that I cast last summer - which is to say - it was very nice, especially for a fast action rod. Typical of 3 weight rods - they do best with little wind, or when casting with the wind at your back. A #14 unweighted prince nymph on the leader - 35-40 foot (my normal fishing range) casts were easy. More distance than that - and I was having issues - but that's probably just *me*. Would've been nice to put a bend in it with a fish, but it wasn't to be this day.

I'm pleased with my purchase.

Glad ya like your new rod and it cast as well as you hoped!


Randy

 

[GungasUncle]

Thanks Randy

 

[brandon4455]

Nice pick up. Now you gotta get a Redington CT! Awesome light trout rods!

YES! the 3wt redington ct is a badass small stream rod, or for somwhere the fish are not huge like the crooked river. seen for for $80 a few months back. casts small nymph rigs and dry flies like a dream

 

[Van]

I already, and accidentally, posted this on the advice thread but i will post again to carry on the conversation....

Today i came home with a new 4wt. Picked up a Echo Carbon at River City with matching Ion reel. I have a Bass Pro Shops Hobbs Creek 4wt combo i bought a year and a half ago. Not real fond of how it casts and i am often on small stream full of little cuts and brooks. So, obviously i needed to get something else... I will probably sell or trade the BPR combo.

 

[GungasUncle]

Van - those Echo Carbon rods are sweet. I love my Echo rods, and will probably be adding at least one more this year. I'm also quite pleased with my Echo Ion 810 reel (the big brother to your 4/5). I've had one fish on it so far (a carp) and the drag didn't hesistate when the fish started pulling. I also like how for their size, they're relatively light weight reels - not the lightest out there - but lighter than a number of other reels in that price range.

I've also been eying up the Echo Shadow 3 weight and 4 weight rods, along with the 10' 6 weight Ion rod.

 

[GungasUncle]

BTW - I was at Rood Bridge Park earlier - the pond is still open to fishing, the water was murky and cold though. I'd give it a few weeks for the weather and water to warm up, but it might be a good place to hit up some carp or panfish once the water warms up.

 

[Van]

Van - those Echo Carbon rods are sweet. I love my Echo rods, and will probably be adding at least one more this year. I'm also quite pleased with my Echo Ion 810 reel (the big brother to your 4/5). I've had one fish on it so far (a carp) and the drag didn't hesistate when the fish started pulling. I also like how for their size, they're relatively light weight reels - not the lightest out there - but lighter than a number of other reels in that price range.

I've also been eying up the Echo Shadow 3 weight and 4 weight rods, along with the 10' 6 weight Ion rod.

I got a tuna outfit for X-mas and it is an all Echo set up. Echo 3S 12wt rod and Ion 10/12 reel, the big brother to your big brother. lol. I take it out and talk to it at times. Tell it what a good reel it is. Polish it up some more....

 

[I <3 <><]

I got the same addiction. :'( Anyone know where to get a cheap light weight rod for under 40$ I know thats like asking for a miracle but I found a fly reel at the sportsmans **** like twice the size of a 50 cent coin for 2 bucks! I had to have it. Now I need a reel for it and I am broke with no income so I need something on the cheap side. Sorry I dont mean to hi-jack this thread.

 

[flyguy]

Ive got a pretty awesome source for some very high quality light rods from China for very cheap. I currently have three samples that I have been using for over a year and they are great. I hope to start selling them in the near future...but for now, I'm going to place another small order for a few friends pretty soon. Also have several sources for reels. The rod I use the most is a 5wt-9 foot four piece that breaks down pretty small for keeping in the jeep at all times. I love it...I've caught some pretty huge steelhead on it as well. I'll try to post some pics soon.

 

[GungasUncle]

I<3<>< -- that's a pretty small reel there. Probably meant for a 2 or 3 weight rod at most. Gonna be hard finding a rod that light for that kind of scratch - but you might try the Cabela's Three Forks 7'6" 3 weight, they go on sale regularly for $35 or so - retail for $50. You can also try the Cabela's Wind River 8'6" 4 weight (a stretch for such a small reel, but still a decent inexpensive rod.)

If you were to scratch together a bit more cash - Wright & McGill makes a sweet, sweet little 7' 2 weight in their S-Curve II line of rods. I bought mine from Don at River City for about $100.

 

[Sinkline]

Here are my two current (I reserve the right to change my mind in the future) favorite rods for the majority of stillwaters I fish. They are a brace of Greys FX2 Streamflex rods in 10' 4wt. I rig one with an indicator setup, and the other for stripping and they both go out on my tube together. I'm thinking abut getting the same rod in a 9' or 10' 2wt. for some tiny stillwaters I fish where a 14" fish is above average.

 

[GungasUncle]

I've read a lot of good things about those Streamflex rods - did you have to order online, or is there a local shop that stocks them? 10' 2 weight sounds like a neat rod.

 

[Sinkline]

I've read a lot of good things about those Streamflex rods - did you have to order online, or is there a local shop that stocks them? 10' 2 weight sounds like a neat rod.

You can get some of the FX2 & FX2 Streamflex rods at Wholesale Sports but don't buy them there. Buy them from Stillwater Flyshop in Sunriver and get a free high-end fly line of your choice per rod! Ask for Tim and and tell Tim what ya want and he will have them drop shipped from Hardy USA right to ya. I got my rods in like 3-4 days as I recall. Since these are not stocked rods make sure you work out the fly line choices while you are on the phone.

Randy

 

[GungasUncle]

Sweet - thanks for that info Randy, I'm always happy to get a bit extra for my cash.