I am wondering if i should wait and buy the highest priced rod on the market or do i get a more mid priced rod. will better meterial and a better taper help my cast. I owen a 12'6" 8 wt tfo and am looking at a bunch of rod blanks and rods to go with these nice reels i have bought. now are these more costly rods just a status symbol. or do they make good rods for cheap! i looked at the cnd and meiser along with lamiglas and scott. but the ones that say to me that they should be fished not hung on a mantle is tfo or st croix. is there realy a rod out there that will preform wonders. this is why i must ask about echo spey rods will these rods do the trick that i am looking for are they stiff or are they to soft. reason i ask is a lot of you are very smart and know what you are talking about. i find my tfo a little slow in action and was wondering if the echo from rajeff sports was a step up
thanks again and tight lines b trout 1013 :smokin:
For my monies worth, the answer to your question is no. Rod action is a personal thing and you should find a rod that fits your style but the rod does not make you a good caster. Practice and instruction are what do that.
I couldn't agree more. I have a garage wall rack full of the things and with a Newbie there are 'sticks' I'd never consider handing them. As a simple example a 9 or 10 wt regardless of the builder. Or something longer than 14 foot.
Over the years my 'taste' in rod actions has really evolved. From soft to 'aggressive' and back to 'soft.' As has the designer/builder.
I think that some of the less expensive rods cast pretty nice if you match them up with a good line, but many of them are not as fun/good to fish with. Some of them weigh a lot more than the high end rods. Which is ok but after a long day it makes a difference and often playing a fish on a lighter rod is more fun. Just my .02
I agree with 'Tip, the rod doesn't make you a good a better caster, practice and instruction do. A good caster can take a cheap rod and cast it far better and farther than a poor caster can cast a high end, expensive, state-of-the-art rod. Since you just started spey casting, the best thing you can do is practice, practice, practice with the rod you got, and get some casting instruction from a good spey caster or spey casting instructor.
The TFO 2-handers I've cast were fine casting rods and a beginning spey caster would never feel nor know the difference between casting the high-end 2-handers and the CND Expert, TFO, St. Croix, Echo, or Cabela's 2-handers with the exception of cosmetics.
I think I would go to an 8/9/10. I take it you are talking about the TFO8126? You'll notice the rods loads much easier with a heavier line, I have a feeling this is the problem you are having.
The "best" rod on the market won't make you a better caster. Perfect practice with a properly blanced line and rod will make you better over time.
Look at it this way, if I borrowed Tiger Woods' golf clubs I'm not going to golf like Tiger, period. Guarantee you that no matter what clubs Tiger picked up, as long as they fit him (and maybe if they didn't!), he would still be a world class golfer. Same principle applies to spey fishing.
The TFO series of rods have a very traditional flex pattern. Also, they are excellent performers at an excellent price. TFO is a great company backed with great customer service and they offer an excellent product for an attractive price. Your particular rod with the WC 8/9/10 that Jamey recommended would be an excellent combination. As you evolve as a caster maybe the WC 7/8/9 or the MS 7/8 depending on what you want to do and how you like your rod to feel.
One of my favorite dry line rods, at any price, is the TFO 1510 paired with a Carron Jet Stream 10/11 standard belly line. Effortless delivery...for me.
All makers have "gems" of their rod series. Some truly are better than others. Search through the archives of this site looking at rods and lines and you'll be able to read volumes of opinions and get a place to start.
There is no magic rod and there is no magic line. What you need to find is a properly balanced combination that fits your casting style that "feels" right to YOU.
I fell that the problem with many rods are
1 they are too soft in the tip, upper part
2 they are too stiff in the butt...
The rod should load easily ALL the way down, without the tip collapsing...
I fell that the problem with many rods are
1 they are too soft in the tip, upper part
2 they are too stiff in the butt...
The rod should load easily ALL the way down, without the tip collapsing...
with my tfo i find me applying to much power. to cast a wulff triangle taper spey salmon line 65 feet. the wulff line is a 8 wt and the rod is a 12'6" 8 wt . this is were i think i should go light in the line but not sure? i am think about going to a 7 wt line in a orvis short head in stead of the 8 wt wulff line. just to try it out ant thoughts about this
maybe your right funny thing is the rod i am looking at is a g loomis. dredger series kispiox 12'6" 8/9 weight for the price it seems better than a lot of rods on the market.how do these compare to the tfo maybe i should not ask. i should know the answer. since your a loomis man thanks again and tight lines btrout1013.......
Yep ditto most posts.....Rather than spend the big dollars on a high priced stick save your pennies for lessons.....After your learn what the rod can and should do for you then you will be able to better understand which style suits your casting and needs.....
i had dec hogan come out to the local shop and give us some insite. is there any good viedos or dvd out there to buy? would this be good enough just watching a clip? i was thinking how much could some one need thanks for the advice and tight lines btrout1013.......
And that is the TRUTH, well for me anyhow! :saeek:
(EDIT) I should also add that confidence in one's ability to cast will help as well. I thought the same thing when i first started spey casting about a better rod making me a better caster. I went from St. Croix to Sage to Loop and was not satisfied. I then settled down with the Loop and practiced and practiced and practiced until I had my first A HAAAAA! experience. I still have them and figuring these things out is what comes from practice. Keep at it BT1013, you will find your "niche" be it a high priced super duper stick or your TFO.
The video Derek brown made is one of the best I think..some very nice singlehanded speying in there as well.....Buy a burkheimer!! og Clan 17 with XCLT7/8..Hehe. mauyube both.? Were lost anyway us anglers anonymous...
but it goes two ways=one is being able to aggressively load the rod all the way thru the forward stroke,the other is the ability to haul great amounts of weight far out,without the rod blank going out of round, this of course takes timing finesse, that would be called the `grain window' by those guru's that figure it out to a science,i own two rods with that magic i have recently cast your TFO rod=i thought it a rocket!,i'd be proud to include a pair in my arsenal in fact.contact RedshedFlyshop,he has the line you need,whatever `IT' was;delta something :hihi:
i will be looking for a good viedo to soon. i think the line was called a delta long spey in a 789? and yes a fine 12 year old bottle of scotch whiskey. will more then likely make my cast look better :hihi:
thanks again and tight lines btrout1013....... :lildevl:
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the rod you have. Some lessons from a compentent spey caster will help you the most, the fastest.
Jamey's line advice is right on the money for your rod.
If you get the Hazel's video you will find a great deal of info that will help you alot. I would concentrate on the "Circle C" cast and the "Doublespey cast. Practice, practice, practice, practice.
There is no magic rod. Nor is there a magic line. However, mating the right line to the rod helps a lot. Even then, there are different lines that any given rod will cast well. It only depends on the style you want to cast. Be it Skagit, long line,, or anytthing in between. Slower, more traditional action rods are more forgiving than faster, tip action rods. But in general, rods are like women. They are all good, just different. :Eyecrazy:
There is no magic rod. Nor is there a magic line. However, mating the right line to the rod helps a lot. Even then, there are different lines that any given rod will cast well. It only depends on the style you want to cast. Be it Skagit, long line,, or anytthing in between. Slower, more traditional action rods are more forgiving than faster, tip action rods. But in general, rods are like women. They are all good, just different. :Eyecrazy:
Improving your casting stroke will improve whatever rod use!!! The only pill to improving casting is swallowing the "developing better casting skills" pill; equipment choice will follow. Klem
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