# Fly Rod Suggestions



## Ajax (May 16, 2008)

I'm looking for a four weight rod that can cast larger flies and handle small bass but I don't want to pay over $175. Any favorites among the group?


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a 5weight St. Croix that I use for Bass, Pan fish, and small Brookies in Canada. I like it a lot. Just don't know the cost. Might Be 200.


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

I own several expensive rods and four st. croix rods in various weights that get as much use as the big buck rods. Its hard to go wrong with a st. croix


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## pipes530 (Apr 17, 2009)

TFO / Lefty Kreh has several models in the price range your looking for. Top quality & great price to boot. I myself love my 4wt. TiCr series. Landed several bronze back beauties last year.


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

st. ctoix imperial.... or an reddington rs4 will handle your needs .. i own both... but the st. croix is my fav...


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## Ajax (May 16, 2008)

Thanks guys... Turns out that there is a nice sale on flyrods at Cabelas. The Redfly2 are 50% off.


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

IF it's primarily for bass, get a 6 weight  You'll really appreciate the heavier rod. For what it's worth I really love my TFO Bob Clouser 6 weight. It'll throw some pretty ridiculously big flies (assuming you use the right leader design) and it'll handle steelhead no problem and it kind of embarrasses most smallmouth


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## Ajax (May 16, 2008)

Clayton said:


> IF it's primarily for bass, get a 6 weight  You'll really appreciate the heavier rod. For what it's worth I really love my TFO Bob Clouser 6 weight. It'll throw some pretty ridiculously big flies (assuming you use the right leader design) and it'll handle steelhead no problem and it kind of embarrasses most smallmouth


I have a fiberglass 6wt that does the job on the little miami. But I also fish some awesome creek water that is full of green sunfish and small bass. I'm buying the 4wt for them.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I got a 3wt bitch creek combo and a 5wt tfo pro I use for summer bass fishing. tfo came with a orvis rocky mountain reel and rio line plus backing all for $150 free ship but I just looked for a 4 wt and they don't got that deal anymore. now they got tfo rods and orvis battenkill reels for $258. I highly recommend tfo rods and their lifetime warranty is good too! I got the rod from www.flyshopcloseouts.com I do see a echo 3 pc 4wt with lamson radius mid arbor reel and it comes with fly line and backing all for $208 free ship. its on page 4 of the fly rod and reel outfits page. echo rods have lifetime warranty and a lamson reel is very good also. can't beat that price. even comes with a rod sock and tube. also check out the cabelas three forks combo. comes with line backing and reel and I believe a free chest pack for your flies. at least it shows a free one on the link to the rod? heres the link. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fish...&WTz_l=SBC;BRcms196;cat104721480;cat105571980 the 3 wt is only 79 bux and the 4 wt is 99 bux but says limited stock next to that one. a 3wt is still a good choice tho! mine will cast size 8 buggers and clousers easily. I love my 3wt for bass and gills and use it more than my 5wt! I have even hooked a nice catfish with it on a size 6 black bugger and it still held its own!


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2011)

ajax, st. croix has a new line out called the rio santo. made in mexico, but with st. croix blanks. i have only held these rods at gander mt. so i don't know much about them. the rods are about a hundred bucks. orvis has their mid arbor reels on clearance now, for about a hundred also. even cheaper on ebay. i bought a new one a few months ago for 90 dollars for my seven weight.


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## Ajax (May 16, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. I too have noticed many new fly rods out there.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

What I would honestly do (and have done for all of my stuff lol) is buy an expensive rod on Ebay!

I saw a "lot" of about 8 fly rods sell on Ebay for around $300. Most of the rods were from the eighties, with a couple gems hidden in the mix, one of which was a Scott G series prototype, probably made in 1989. A ten foot, 2 piece rod that would have fetched around $800 new, had it ever been made. It was never made...which puts the value on that rod way higher for me personally. I watched the lot sell and kicked myself for not bidding. Since I search for rods daily on Ebay, I saw when the person who bought it put it up for sale...and promptly made about $500 profit. 

That's what I thought of when I saw you wanted a cheap 4 weight.  

Here's a fast Scott 9' 5 weight... that's sitting @ $62, ending tomorrow. $75 might win it. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Scott-SVS-905-9...ultDomain_0&hash=item1c188af581#ht_500wt_1156

Here's my Scott 3 weight sitting @ $200+... see what it sells for. It's a very nice rod. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Scott-G-883-3-f...ultDomain_0&hash=item1e60e692b8#ht_500wt_1156

Rods like this boron Winston 4 weight DO sell for under $200 sometimes...just have to be watching. This seller is also top notch, if you want to browse through what they have available. They are an actual business in San Fran I believe. (Leland Outfitters)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Winston-BIIx-49...ltDomain_0&hash=item53e5abe74a#ht_4347wt_1141


Here's another killer 5 weight! (I would not deal with this dealer though, that's how I rule out the possibility of being disappointed. If they don't have thousands of transactions...or at least nearing a thousand with 100% satisfaction, don't buy. This seller does not have enough experience, but he does have a nice fly rod.  ) 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Thomas-Thomas-H...ultDomain_0&hash=item20b67e4507#ht_500wt_1156


Those should get you droolin'. I really wish I had snagged that 10' 4 weight! I have the 3 weight in the G series, to have the prototype 4 weight in that long of length would be awesome. The G series are like big noodles, unbelievable line control...and at 10', would be the absolute best rod I could imagine for czech nymphing scuds for trout!


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

Dont do Ebay as you may get burned!


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Don't drive a car, you might wreck!


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Feel free to ignore my suggestion because FFD got burned on Ebay. I have hundreds of transactions & have yet to have a single issue. You absolutely MUST be smart about buying on Ebay...don't rule out asking for a phone number so you can talk to the seller if you see something you're interested in. 

Somewhere like Leland Outfitters (there are a TON of brick & mortar consignment shops) that use Ebay...will guarantee your satisfaction and go to great lengths to make sure what you are buying is not junk...and a lot of them are located near the ocean or states with killer trout water like Oregon or Washington. Seriously, I got an Abel Super 8 for $250. It was brand new. Who got burned? 



http://stores.ebay.com/Leland-Fly-Fishing-Outfitters


Any time I'm considering a purchase, I start there.


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## Tailchaser (Feb 5, 2009)

Unless you actually know about the fly rod. I would never buy a rod on line or not be able to feel the rod. Holding your rod is all the fun. Like a good women ya got o get the feel of the women before you bring her home.........


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

The Scott rod in my above post sold for $62!!!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm an extremely happy St Croix rod owner. I have two Avid's, a 3wt and a 5wt, and I love them both. If you watch the major sellers like Cabela's and BPS, right about now they tend to have some good sales. I got my 3wt Avid on sale about this time of year from BPS, a (I think this is accurate) $220 rod for $120.


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## Tailchaser (Feb 5, 2009)

I have a Croix Ulta legend that they no longer make. It's a 8 wt. ,9'6". This by far is the best rod I ever owned. I used it for steel.


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## Tekneek (Jul 23, 2009)

Tailchaser said:


> I have a Croix Ulta legend that they no longer make. It's a 8 wt. ,9'6". This by far is the best rod I ever owned. I used it for steel.


I've got the 9' 9 WGT version of that rod! Thing has been a reliable workhorse over the years pitching wet socks to northerns! Great rods!


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## Tekneek (Jul 23, 2009)

Back to the OP though....I'd also look into the TFO line of rods for the price. Quite a few places locally stock them so you can go try them out as well!


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

I would personally go for a TFO Pro series at that price point. My Pro Series 5 weight has handled everything I've thrown at it, and it's pretty portable as a 4 piece rod. If you are looking at the red.fly2, then you probably don't care if it's a 2 or 4 piece. In that case, I'd go with the TFO Lefty Kreh Signature Series, because they're about $110 and I'm sure they'll do what you want just fine.

How I ACTUALLY went personally was with a St Croix Legend Ultra 9' 4 wt 4 piece. Then again, fortune smiled upon me and a guy with a shattered rod didn't want to deal with the warranty process, so I got it on the CHEAP. If you can find busted rods on Ebay you should scoop those up, because those guys are suckers if they don't know about the warranty programs offered by Sage, TFO, St Croix, Winston, etc. Usually all you need is to have more than half of the rod left and a check for 25-50 bucks!


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