[Grampa Spey]

Genetics are amazing. I have a cousin who lives back in the Pa area, and at age 62, he has blown his right shoulder at the same age I trashed my right shoulder.

So he is no longer able to double haul his bigger one handed rods for the bigger rivers back East (Canada and USA) and an occasional steelhead trip to Washington or Oregon. He wants to buy a Spey Rod for that long distance fishing.

Being an Easterner, he prefers Orvis. He is considering buying the Orvis Trident 149 4 piece rod. He asked my opinion, and I really have no knowledge.

Is the rod an European action type rod or more of a traditional rod?

How does it compare with the Sage 9141? Simon's line ratings for both rods appear to be the same.

I would appreciate any feedback from those who are familiar with the Orvis Trident 149 4 piece rod. Thanks.

 

[dansteelieman]

Ahhhh yesss.....

I will tell you what I know. I had the older Trident 149 tip flex 10.0 fly rod. That rod was a cannon, comparable to the euro sages but with more power, and similiar to some of the T & T rods. I got rid of it though, since I wanted to try out the Loop rods. Stupid of me, I wish I could get that rod back.

The newer series is similar, just not as fast but just the same amount of power.

Either one would be great rods to have at anytime.

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Although I could be mistaken, I believe danstellieman's rod was the same as mine, a 14' 9 wt. 3 piece with a tip flex rated at 12. By all indications I believe this tip flex fits the fast (firm) rod typing.

With no data to support my conclusions, I believe this rod may not be what is currently offered up by Orvis (Seems the older rods were marketed as Trident and not the current Trident TLS. Further, the older Tridents had a vibration dampening designed into the handle which may or may not have been incorporated into the double handers of that time and completely omitted from the Trident TLS line.)

I don't know Orvis's current flex scale but a 7 to 8 flex rating used to indicate moderate fast characteristics and a Trident TLS 7 wt. single hander that I have (@7.5 tip flex) *feels* moderately fast to me. I believe a true fast action would be 9 or higher.

...or so I believe.

mmm

 

[speyrd]

Orvis

Cast one when they introduced the rod several years ago. It had the same feel as a a Sage 9140-4. Most of the 8/9 line's will work on it. Just like the Sage kind of a 8 and a half line rating.
Leroy.......................

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

The Sage 9140-4 (green blank) was my first spey rod and the Orvis my second; I still have both. And there is absolutely nothing similar between them that I can find except possibly the length.

mmm

 

[2HandTheSalt]

Just my two-cents worth, but I was just casting that rod last weekend and think it is a fine rod, but neither fast, nor, " Tip-action," regardless of what the marketing literature may say.

To make my point, here is the rod loaded with a standard WF10F floating line, ( Not a spey line.)

I would call it, " Moderate-fast," by today's standards, and as to tip-flex, well you can draw your own conclusions from the photo....


It is certainly a capable rod, though, especially if you can get it at a good price.

 

[juro]

Sweet pic Jay!

Rod looks a little long :devil:

BTW - couldn't leave a voice message on your phone the other day.

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

2Hand,

You may be right and we might be comparing peaches to nectarines - today's rod is NOT yesterday's rod.

Whether or not Orvis has seen fit to adjust their flex ratings, the newer spey rods all have lower flex ratings (which is why I included the bit on this flex rating system).

Both of my rods cast the 8/9/10 WC and 8/9 XLT, yet I find the Orvis more capable with the latter and the Sage with the former. But then I mostly stand around waving the rod and thrashing the water while cursing the powers that be for my failures/ineptitude.:chuckle:

mmm

 

[Grampa Spey]

Two Hand Salt

Thanks for the picture and your first hand report.

My cousin has 9 and 10 weight lines and reels. So he can get started with just buying the rod.

What line do you prefer with this rod, the WC, MS or other line?

One last question, what reel is on the rod.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Grampa Spey]

Mean Mr Mustard, Dan and others

Thanks for you input.

The Orvis rod my cousin is talking about is the current rod in their catalog.

I think that Two Hand Salt's picture will be the deciding factor.

This input is what makes this forum so valuable.

 

[2HandTheSalt]

Gramps, that is the older Trident in the picture, not the current one. Guess I mis-understood the original post.

Yes, Juro, it is a bit long, eh?

The reel is an Orvis Odyssey.

None of this gear is mine, by the way.

Which line you like best on it, will depend on too many un-known factors. For an all-arounder on this particular one, I would bet the WC 8/9 would be to my preference, but others might want the 9/10. If you go to a longer belly line, I would bet 8/9 is all this rod would really want before it started creaking and groaning.

Those are only wilda** guesses, though.