[skip_scratch]

Many Piece Spey Rods?

Interested in a new 12'6" rod from a manufacturer I've admired - but its only a 5 piece - why 5 pieces?; sorry; not likely will I ever purchase such a beast. -

Been thinking about many piece rods lately, why is this happening?. I never had an issue with 2 piece single handers or 3 piece spey rods. It seems nowadays though; single handers in 4 and more pieces are becoming more common place and spey rods in 5 and even 6 pieces are appearing more often. gag/barf

I don't believe for a minute that the consumer is driving this move to many piece spey rods (more than 4 sections) - sorry - that's BS - pull the other leg because that's the one with the bell on it. Who wants to cast a rod full of ferrules?

But hey they are "easier to transport" - well maybe; but not really. How common is hockey?- do you see multi-piece hockey sticks that can be broken down to smaller pieces for easier transportation? - not ever likely - and people travel day in an day out to hockey games, practices and tournaments all over the place with their and their kids full length hockey sticks. Similarly with skiing, how common is skiing? - and not ever likely will there be multi piece skis. People travel all over the world with their full length skis.

I wonder - it is easier/cheaper for manufactures to produce shorter lengths of graphite? Are many piece rods cheaper to repair under warranty? There must be some reason manufactures are heading this way.

 

[Matthew LeBret]

I think of it as if there is not a demand then there will be no supply. Somewhere people have to be asking for them if companies are paying for the R&D. Modern technology has just about eliminate ferrule dead spots.

I would bet that if your hockey stick was 9'0+ then you would see them no longer making 1pc hockey sticks

I keep my 3 & 4pc rods taped together 7 months out of the year. I could care less about how many pieces the rod is. If I fished rivers that made me hike in and out then I would want the shorter rod tube for transport. If I had the money to hop on the plane and shoot over to any river I would also want a shorter rod tube. I’m just glad I live in an area that allows my lazy a _ _ to drive from spot to spot with my rod assembled :hihi:

 

[skip_scratch]

Mathew thanks for your reply, I'm not thinking that 9' sections are practical; but if people can constantly transport hockey sticks and skis all over the globe they can certainly transport a 3 or 4 piece 12 to 15' spey rod.

Maybe ferrule dead spots have been eliminated (if you are lucky) but the extra ferrule weight is still there. Then there is the hassle of assembling 5 or 6 pieces and making sure all the guides line up. Then either taping or waxing 5 or 6 ferrules and then as the day progresses checking for loose or misaligned ferrules/sections.

Don't believe for minute there is not a manufacturer benefit to shorter sections; cmon. Yes manufactures listen to consumer requests but manufactures first priority is to make money and they drive trends to their benefit.

 

[Hardyreels]

Hi Guys,

I've not paid much attention to this although I figure it has to do with people asking for shorter tubes. My self my 2 piece fly rods out number the 4 piece rods because most of my stuff predates 4 piece builds or are bamboo rods. In the 2 hand collection I do have a 5 piece Winston but it's a 15' rod and I sort of appreciated the shorter tube for traveling with it. I use 3 Pc. 14' rods a lot and so I'm used to transporting 60" tubes with them. I'm not much of a rod expert but the 5 pc. Winston seems to work as well as the 3 pc. Hardys so this thread will have me wondering when I spot a 6 pc. or 7 pc. Spey rod.

I was down in Oregon last fall and didn't have any problems with the airline transporting my stuff regardless of the length of the tubes. I guess some folks want them to fit in overhead on the planes........ Between the 4 pc rods and up locking reel seats I always wondered about what happened or what was wrong with the old 2 pc up locking rods, I love mine.

 

[sinktip]

Having owned 3, 4 and 5 piece rods, for the fishing I do, I prefer 3 piece. The reason is most of my fishing is a single run here or there and I love the ease in putting a three piece together.

For those times when I break my rod down to transport inside the car, the three is a pain in the backside. Most of the time I have my rod racks but for those times I don't or if I want to lock the rod in the car overnight, I much prefer a four piece. The same is true if you are breaking it down to hike in to a run.

As for the five piece rods, they are golden if you are backpacking in. I own two currently, a 15' for 10 and a 16' for 8. I don't backpack with either but I don't find I mind the extra section much.

I would agree that they may be a bit of a marketing ploy but also agree, if people weren't buying them, the manufacturers wouldn't be offering them.

 

[montanafos]

Multi Piece Rods

I have primarily 4 pc rods from 12' to 15' and like the size of the tubes for transport convenience. I do have a 3 pc 15' and its a big tube and can't imaging trying to carry it on an airplane. Kind of bulky in a vehicle as well. For a 5 pc...just picked up my first, an ACR Sage built 4119 5pc. Was unsure of what the action would feel like with all of the ferrules and am pleasantly surprised. I think today's technology and design has allowed manufacturers to build multi section rods without sacrificing action or desired characteristics. The compact tube makes it a dream to carry around. Kind of a nice surprise actually. Much more traveler friendly, especially if I were flying somewhere. However, to the OP's original point...I still have rods that I prefer a 2 pc over a 4 pc...especially early models when 4 pc rods were first coming in to play. These are single hand trout rods I'm referring to here.

 

[fish0n4evr]

Once assembled - 3 and 5 piece spey rods are a pain compared to 4 when hoofing it through the rain forrest from spot to spot. However, a 5 piece in a tube will go as a carry-on in flights.

 

[montanafos]

Once assembled - 3 and 5 piece spey rods are a pain compared to 4 when hoofing it through the rain forrest from spot to spot. However, a 5 piece in a tube will go as a carry-on in flights.

I can see where hoofing it with a pair of uneven sections would be a PITA.

 

[sevilla315]

Though the technology of graphite tapers, scrims, ferrules and hoop strength has come a long way in the past 20 years, in the early days manufacturers like Winston discovered that a 5 piece rod held up much better than 4 pieces when under tremendous strains tackling saltwater behemoths. With all sorts of strength enhancers over the years like boron filaments, nano resins et al, to make rods stronger yet slimmer than those clunky rods of the 80s and 90s there's not so much need to go to 5 pieces for strength, but a factor in this day and age is that most people fly around for their fishing.
Not so much in the US where you can (but for how much longer?) still take on board rods as carry on, but everywhere else in the world you have to check them in. It's pretty expensive stuff, having to pay extra for each extra piece of luggage for as much as £40 per item per flight. On a flight to BC from London a few years back I had to pay £80 each way ($250 at today's rates), £40x4 just to fly with my spey rods. Admittedly it's half that for a single flight destination but it still smarts.
A friend who does most of his fishing within the UK is specifically looking for a 6 piece spey so it can fit into his rolling duffel and save extra luggage charges.
If you don't fly it's much easier not having to worry about fitting rods in luggage to save money. The science is such that multi piece won't feel too much different to 3 piece, but they'll be more expensive (each piece is complete different taper, not just a 1 piece chopped up), slightly heavier - they're superlight these days so not really an issue, but more ferrules means more checking (and tape) so you don't explode them spey casting.

I just accept I have to pay more and hump them in a Sportube and get 3 pieces - they're mainly bamboo but the few graphites I have are 3 or 4 pieces.

S

 

[troutless]

I have a few 5-pc spey rods and even one six-piece. The 5s are ACR or Meiser and cast fine, though I have been told by authoritative sources that, where possible, if I were to cast the 4pc vs 5pc versions side-by-side, I would be able to tell the difference. The 6 is an older TNT and it is like casting ferrules.

For me, a major reason for having these 5-pc rods is airline transport. I can fit most of these into either a rolling duffel or carry them on without much grief.

 

[speyghillie]

Many Piece Spey rods

Hey skip_scratch,
Scott Mackenzie has just produced the new Atlas Travel range of rods that fits in a standard suitcase, it was voted best in test by Trout and Salmon magazine beating all other rods including all three and four section rods on the market.
I know to my cost that almost every airline flying out of the UK is hammering everyone on sporting goods, I just came back from fishing in BC and had to pay British Airways £140.00 for my sports tube.
I know plenty guys heading to fish Russia, putting all the rods in one sport tube only for it never to appear.
The Atlas range is sold out at the moment, but I will be taking some to BC in April for some fishing guides to try out.
Cheers Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.

 

[fish0n4evr]

I can see where hoofing it with a pair of uneven sections would be a PITA.

The one 5-piece rod I have is an old Winston BDF 15' 7/8. It is a heavy rod I'm guessing because of the ferrules and maybe more material to eliminate the dead or flat spots?

It is a smooth caster - more 8/9 though than a 6/8 HC or Brownie 8150.

 

[RobP]

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to ship the rods to your destination in advance?Rob

Hey skip_scratch,
Scott Mackenzie has just produced the new Atlas Travel range of rods that fits in a standard suitcase, it was voted best in test by Trout and Salmon magazine beating all other rods including all three and four section rods on the market.
I know to my cost that almost every airline flying out of the UK is hammering everyone on sporting goods, I just came back from fishing in BC and had to pay British Airways £140.00 for my sports tube.
I know plenty guys heading to fish Russia, putting all the rods in one sport tube only for it never to appear.
The Atlas range is sold out at the moment, but I will be taking some to BC in April for some fishing guides to try out.
Cheers Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.

 

[sevilla315]

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to ship the rods to your destination in advance?Rob

I checked out that option, and even using cheap brokers like Interparcel it was over £800 there and back to the lodge in BC. Great if you have loadsa cash!
I also used one to send all my gear "ahead" once on a short family/fishing trip to Norway. Well the courier (DHL) had issue with the package documentation and as a result it all stayed in the depot in London with me tackle-less (in all senses of the word!) in Norway.
S

 

[bender]

We can't feel ferrules as a dead spots when rod bends elsewhere. Ferrules just increase weight which decrease setup efficiency slightly but modern "travel" rod can be lighter than old three piece rod.

Esa

 

[fish0n4evr]

dead spots some call them flat spots are clearly seen in inferior rods when bent.

 

[qcanfield]

I personally would like to have a 5 piece 12' 7/8 spey rod. All of mine are 4 piece (12, 13, 14'). I do a lot of saltwater wade fishing and I carry a rod tube on my back with a 3 piece 7' spinning rod for when the situation requires it. I also carry my 12' spey with me but due to the length I can't close the top and I am always at risk of rod pieces falling out. Ideally I want a 7' spinning rod, 9' 7wt fly rod and a 12' spey rod to all fit in the same case. The 5 piece spey meets that requirement.

I rarely break down the 4 piece rods into 4 pieces. Usually keep two sections together unless I am travelling.

Quinn

 

[skip_scratch]

Condolences to those that need to travel via airplane to fish. Many in North America here don't have that problem and have superb fishing either minutes or at the most 2-3 hours away by car.

Not sure what the answer is with the airlines making it difficult to transport long rod packages without extra fees. But be careful what you are asking for though; as a few have tried to communicate, myself included; typically the lesser number of ferrules on a rod the better/nicer the rod will cast.

I like what one major manufacturer has done and that is in their current 9 model line of excellent 4 piece spey rods they have taken 3 of the 4 piece models and also offered them at same length and line weight but as 6 piece blanks.

Not sure how many piece rods all manufacturers are going to drive to - 6,7,8? I certainly won't be buying any 5,6,7,8 piece rods (you might on a cold day in June be able to convince me to buy 5 piece 15/16 footer for backpacking but certainly no shorter and if new 4 piece spey rods become scarce I might be purchasing second hand 3 and 4 piece spey rods from those that seek the many piece models and purge their old stuff. - I'm looking forward to purchasing your used, old,second hand 3 and 4 piece rods here on speypages - cheers, respect ;-)

 

[Ochiba]

When I fish outside Europe and have to fly I like to have my rods in the suitecase. Last years I bought some 5pc single handed rods and 6 pc double handed rods up to 13.6ft.

I love to use Loop & Vision and I can tell you that the 4 and 6 pc rods of them both cast very well and I cannot say that the 4pc is better or worse then the 6pc.
The 5pc single handed rods are superb and I even start to use them at home.
I sold a lot of 4pc sage rods because I did not use them anymore. Pure personal tast and feeling with the action off the 5pc rods.

So it's all about personal taste of casting but I think if you buy the well known brands you are not going to feel much difference and the easy travelling is the reason to buy them for me. Saying that I still use a sage DS2 2pc rod at sea and also love this one when i can drive to the water in my car.

Greetz Ochi

 

[bender]

When I began Spey there were no "travel" rods but when they came most rods have been multi-piece rods and they cast better and are nicer to fish because they are lighter than my old rods. I doubt it is possible to feel dead spot on blank although it exists in photos and slow motions.

When rod length is left out rods have three features which define its behavior: Stiffness (weight class, intrinsic power IP), action [(action angle AA) where rod bends when loaded] and rod weight (mostly rod moment of inertia, MOI).

Ferrules increase MOI which often could be compensated building rod using higher modulus fiber when wanted. Ferrules also increase stiffness but rod can be made softer between ferrules.

Esa