What Makes A Good Fly Rod And How Much Does It Cost?

[Wildfisher]

After I mentioned in a fishing report the other day that I had used a Grey's #2 weight rod instead of my trusty Sage ZXL and how crap the Grey's rod was in comparison it set me thinking about what makes a good fly rod.

I tend to use 2 rods for just about everything trout orientated.

Sage ZXL #4 9 foot 4 pc on home rivers and a Scott S4 #5 9 foot 4pc the rest of the time. These rods are very different. The Scott is stiffer, more tippy  and powerful while  the Sage ZXL is mid to tip and a touch softer.

Both rods have one thing in common though and that is they are very responsive. In other words whatever I do is instantly transmitted to the line, there is no lag, no sloppiness. Don't make the mistake of mixing this up with casting long lines to the horizon, this is fishing I'm talking about, often at quite close range and also the rod's ability to play fish without ripping the hooks out of the fish.

I think this is the characteristic that makes a rod good for me and not just the " action" (where it bends) or the absolute stiffness. I have tried stiff rods that don't  provide this feel or responsiveness.  It's getting a critical balance of these things and I have not seen this balance in any rod  that costs under £500 or more.

Is there  such a thing as an inexpensive rod that can provide this or is a  case of your just get what you pay for? 

[corsican dave]

that's interesting what you say about the fladen vantage, Alan. i never realised that. it's been my go-to rod (9' #7) for the past 6/7 years and works a treat. I tried the 10' version and it was ridiculously heavy. after getting a sage pike rod last year, which is truly awesome, I thought i'd upgrade my normal rod with a sage tcx. i'm still struggling to get used to it. varies between utterly brilliant and everything dumped in a heap. I put it down to the caster!  :roll:it is nearly an ounce lighter than the fladen though....

[Wildfisher]

I have 2 of these Fladens. An 8 foot  4pc #5 wt and a 7 foot 3pc #3 wt.  (yes I have far too many rods   :lol:)

They are quite responsive and belt out a good line, but they are very stiff especially at the tip which gives them an strange curve when under load. They certainly do not have many of the characteristics of my Sage or Scott rods, but for £20 I would not expect them to.   I'd say they are impressive casting rods but pretty bad, uncomfortable  fishing rods.