What Fly Rods And Reels Do You Use?

[shrapnel]

Abel feels just seem to fit the simple, yet functional beauty that finishes a nice fly rod. You don’t have to spend that kind of money for a feel that just holds the fly line, but they do look nice on a Winston 4 weight…

 

[Willy Dee]

2nd generation Orvis Recon rods for saltwater and bass. Orvis Superfine glass for trout and panfish. The lifetime warranties have come in handy more than once. I really like Colton reels.

 

[deer_shooter]

I have a couple TFO 4 pc rods in 3wt and 5wt with a couple different reels. Those are my traveling rods and I left the 3wt at my buddies place in Fairbanks.
Beyond that I have a couple Sage set ups in 4wt and 6wt.
I know I have an 8wt but not sure what it is without digging it out.

 

[LuketheDog]

My rods are misc Scott, TFO BVKs, and glass rods, my reels are all Lamson or Ross.

 

[bigsky2]

3 wt TFO
5 wt TFO
6 wt Fenwick
8 wts Echo & TFO
9 wt St. Croix

 

[Dougfirtree]

I haven't seen anyone mention Galvan reels. I have one (Rush) for my 8 weight and I think it's one of the best deals in fly fishing. I'm also quite fond of my old Ross Cimmaron, which lives on the 5 weight.

 

[MTLabrador]

Sage VT2 9’ 6wt got a workout today. It’s my rod of choice for delicate presentations of tiny dry flies while drinking fine wine. This brown sipped a #22 blue winged olive.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

It’s my rod of choice for delicate presentations of tiny dry flies while drinking fine wine.

When did Boones Farm become a fine wine you putz?

 

[MTLabrador]

When did Boones Farm become a fine wine you putz?

My beer today was labeled “la cerveza mas fina”. That’s Latin for fine wine.

 

[mountainlaurel3]

Six or seven 60s/70s Fenwicks, plus two modern fiberglass rods to cover the 3 and 4 weights.

Old click pawl reels to match, my favorites being Battenkills and an Orgis/STH Presentation.

I like cheap and retro aesthetics. Any gear that works great while being older than me gets my vote. See also: steel bikes, old motorcycles (mines only 32 years old, a bit younger than me), stiff straight skis for spring bumps, etc.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Sage VT2 9’ 6wt got a workout today. It’s my rod of choice for delicate presentations of tiny dry flies while drinking fine wine. This brown sipped a #22 blue winged olive.

View attachment 230717

Here in the Adirondacks, the famous fly tyer, Fran Betters, started tying many classic patterns with red thread, to mimic the coloration of bugs from his home river. Many swear by this strategy, but I think you may have taken things a bit too far on your BWO's...

 

[runningmt]

Mostly don’t anymore, since I bought a Tenkara rod

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Just checked off work for the week and I’m taking the 3 wt out for the afternoon. Sage Pulse 8’6” and Abel TR. Making small stream fishing great again.

View attachment 230545

So true! I have a 2 weight I use for grayling.

 

[Boarmaster]

Im in the salt. So I have all saltwater rigs except a 5wt Sage rod . Currently I use Orvis Zero Gravity or Helios and GLoomis Cross current GLX Rods.
I use Tibor reels these days but have a Ross I bought for a girl friend and I started with Orvis Battenkills. Tibors are 1 Gulfstream, 2 Riptides, 3 Everglades ( mostly use these) and a Tailwater CL light.

 

[Ben Lamb]

So true! I have a 2 weight I use for grayling.
View attachment 230725

I had a 6'6" 2wt IM6 rod once. I loved that little thing, but throwing more than 25 feet of line was damned near impossible. Sold it and the Galvan reel I had for it to pay for the wife's birthday presents one year. Still have the wife, so that seems like a solid investment.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Between living in AK when I was young, I was there before it was a state, and otherwise making an annual piligrimage every year, this is only the second year I won’t be up. I think I’ll miss the big grayling the most

 

[Ben Lamb]

Sage VT2 9’ 6wt got a workout today. It’s my rod of choice for delicate presentations of tiny dry flies while drinking fine wine. This brown sipped a #22 blue winged olive.

View attachment 230717

Fun fact: this is the only fly I know how to tie.

 

[BirdManMike]

Ive sold or given away a lot of rods over the years.

I currently have 5 I use semi-regularly.

7wt Hardy Spey w/ old Medalist
8wt Fenwick w/ Medalist
5wt 9’ Hardy w/ Hardy (a gift from one of the guys at Hardy a few years ago)
4wt 7.5’ glass Hardy w/ Hardy
6wt 11’ Orvis Graphite (vintage 80s float tube rod I use for a few things) w/ Medalist (spare spool for one of those pictured on other rod)





I also have a newer 9’ 8wt somewhere I bought for ‘the salt’ ten or so years ago. A Greys, I think.

 

[MTLabrador]

Fun fact: this is the only fly I know how to tie.

I tie mine with a little bit of flash and either 1 tungsten bead (smaller rivers) or 2 (bigger rivers). Works like a charm to get your smaller nymphs into the zone fast.

 

[44hunter45]

Redington Crosswater 9' 6wt w/Medalist 1595 1/2
Echo ION XL 9' 8wt w/Medalist 1594 1/2
Echo Lift 7'6" 3wt w/Medalist 1594 - I bought this for small streams. So far I've just beat myself up in big water because I can't cast more than 25'. I landed a panfish on it

All USA Medalists. I buy junkers on eBay and restore them. I have ziplock bags full of screws, pawls, and such. They are actually 149x reels that I've put RC spools in.

I started with some thrift shop specials. Then I got a Cedar Canyon 8wt. Broke on the second cast. I've posted that on other threads. I'm not trying to buzzkill anyone wanting to start out. I needed to buy the Echo for a trip to POW and I'm glad I did. Just a super forgiving rod and easy, fun fishing.

Wish list - A heavy two hand to swing for Kings next Alaska trip. I've had crap luck (translation = no skills) bait drifting for Chinook here in Idaho. Next year I want to try them on a fly rod. I know my 8wt is enough for Idaho, but I'm keeping that to myself here at home. Besides, if a Chinook blows up my 8wt, I can upgrade.

This Rainbow took a #14 bargain bin grey emerger pattern. Then it ran almost to the backing.