|
[ Return to Contents
| Post a Reply
| Post a new message
]
Rod Selection
Posted by bakerb on Oct 11 2004
First off, almost any quality rod manufacturer offers an Unconditional Lifetime Warranty (Orvis being the exception with the 25 year Warranty).
I broke my 9FT 3WT Redington (this was a $180 rod)three different occasions. Each time I was able to walk into the store with a broken rod and walk out with a replacement - no receipt, no certificate - just a new rod.
I also broke my 7.5FT 5WT Orvis rod. This had to be sent back to the manufacturer, then a new one was shipped back to me.
Admittedly, I broke a 9FT 9WT St Croix that was not warranteed. I have not purchased any other St Croix rods. I believe that the competition will eventually force St Croix to include the warranty with their rods as well.
Secondly, any quality graphite rod is a precision tool compared to the cane, steel, and fiberglass rods of the past. The flyfishing icons of yesteryear seemed to catch plenty of fish with those old rods. Is there a difference between my Redington 3WT and a R L Winston 3WT? Probably, but I highly doubt that the fish would know this. But for the difference in price I can have the rod, a Lamson LP 1.5 to match, and a pair of Simms Guide-Weight Gortex waders with matching wading shoes.
Third, though you may be able to easily toss 80 feet of fly line with your Sage XI Double Sensitive Rocket Science High Modulus Titanium 6WT, I can force 75 feet of line with my $200 Scott 6WT and both of us will overcast the fish that is only 35 feet from where we are standing. I simply have not found distance casting to be a very useful technique on the stream. Too much line to manage in the current, too far away to get hook ups.
Finally, though I would like to think differently, it simply does not matter what brand of shoes I wear, I will never play basketball as well as Michael Jordan can in his bare feet. By the same token, Lefty Kreh can cast more line with a broom handle than I can with the most expensive fly rod ever made.
Having said this, if I have made a compelling enough argument to convince DriFliJunki to go buy a Cortland, I would love to take the R L Winston off his hands!
Benjamin K. Baker
PS - I fished the Delta-Clearwater this afternoon. It will probably be my last chance to get out this year. I was able to get six Silvers to come up for a Pink TechnoWog. Loads of fun!!!
Previous: ? BlueMoose Oct 28 2004
Next: St Croix rods sinyoncreek Oct 12 2004
 Message Thread:
|
