What Makes A Good Trout Fly Rod?.

[Wildfisher]

Not so easy this one.  :lol:

I think I have the ideal Scottish river trout rod. Sage ZXL 9 foot #4.  It's a magical piece of kit.  Doesn't cover every occasion, for those others I use a Scott S4 9 foot #5.  These are pretty much the only rods I use these days. I can fish all day with either of them without fatigue.

What do you think?

[bibio1]

I use a winston wt 9ft 4# and is the sweetest river rod I've ever used. Not great in wind though. I also bought a 10ft 3# David Norwich rod and this deals with everything. Great casting tool medium action and can handle decent fish.

The winston is basically a 20 yr blank but casts superbly at short distance. I always buy them 2nd hand as I can't justify the  original retail price.

So what ever makes you happy is what makes a good trout rod.

[Billy]

I have a few rods of various makes and sizes and i like them all although they are all suited for different conditions.

My favourite is a 9'6" 7# Normark Kunnan carbon which I have had for 30 years. It cost me £80 when I bought it which was a heap of money considering my income at the time. I still cannot think how I managed to talk the boss into letting me get it. It can punch out a line in a gale force wind and just feels good.

Each eye has a ceramic insert and the best thing of all, I was given another last year by a mate who had one lying in his loft! Result.

I now have two favourite rods.

Billy

[haresear]

Definitely a case of one man's meat being another man's poison.

For me the Sage XP 9' in a #4 or a 5# covers most of my fishing, but I'll use other rods too.

I look for lightness, a middle to tip action for a compromise between all round casting ability and playing fish. I feel comfortable with the 9' length in most situations, but on wee overgrown streams or in a boat I might choose a shorter or longer rod respectively.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

The best inexpensive  rods I have are  the 9 foot  Nielsen Poweflex #5 an #6. They are almost as nice to use as the Sage and Scott and cost £35 from Tackle Bargains or similar on ebay years ago. Seconds apparently, but I can't see anything wrong with them the full retail price was about £200 or so. I'm not sure if you can still get them, but these really are top notch rods and I used them for years and still do on occasion. Sometimes a change is nice. 

One point about my Sage ZXL - it's a #4 and that means it IS a #4 it does not feel right to me with a #5 at short range as some rods do. It is just perfect at all distances with the correct line weight and really suits my own Wildfisher lines.

I have toyed with the idea of getting a rod made for me by David Norwich - not to badge engineer and sell on - that's just crazy ego stuff and not my scene -  but to use myself. I have heard great things about his rods.

[Hill loch gold]

I only really fish lochs and the hardy marksman drifter 10ft 6# is my weapon of choice. My other half bought me this for xmas not long after they 1st came out, and it's probably 1 of the best presents i've had. Light as a feather and casts a long line with ease. A braw looking rod too. I can't see past it for loch style wet flea fishing. A pleasure too use 

[Suki1312]

Orvis Clearwater 9 #5 Tip Flex had it for a good few years and its like one of the family noo  :roll:

[Part-time]

For lochs I like the Bloke 10' #5 I got hold of on ebay a few years back. I find it nice to fish with and it does all that I want/need it to. It would be nice to cast a bit further sometimes but I don't think a new rod is what I need to fix that

On burns and rivers I like the 9' #5 Orvis clearwater (the old 2 piece one) bought from a forum member some time ago and, same as the Bloke, does all that I want it to.

I'm not looking to replace or upgrade them and would happily use either of them for all my trout fishing if I had to - just seems wrong though

[Wildfisher]

For lochs I like the Bloke 10' #5 I got hold of on ebay a few years back.

I also have a Bloke rod - XL50 - 9 foot #6. A nice rod, but most folk I think would prefer to use  a #7 line with it. That's a bit beefy for me and I can't remember the last time I used it. Perhaps I should sell it. 

[Part-time]

I also have a Bloke rod - XL50 - 9 foot #6. A nice rod, but most folk I think would prefer to use  a #7 line with it. That's a bit beefy for me and I can't remember the last time I used it. Perhaps I should sell it. 

You're just testing me..... how much do you want for it :lol:

I've never used a 9' but have heard similar about them but also that they are quite different from the 10' Bloke rods