[Jarmo_H]

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

I am in the market for a new 15' 9/10wt, and I could use some help. Here are my specifications:

• 'traditional action', maybe even 'as traditional as possible' (I really like old-school rods, like in one-handed rods Winston WTs and nowadays even cane)
• unconditional lifetime warranty (a poor guy like me can't afford buy a rod without this)
• should work fine with the newer Grandspey 9/10 (900 grains, IIRC).

Being a Winston-man in one-handed rods, I'd be more than pleased if the new BIIx would fit the bill. Other rods that have mentioned so far elsewhere: CND Solstice (16'1", and does not have the warranty, but should be really 'traditional'), Greys GRXi and Scott LS2.

 

[Jarmo_H]

Hmm, no replies. Is the question stupid or just too vague?

 

[kush]

Jarmo,

I don't think your question is stupid... and it is certainly not vague! I think you are right, the 16'1" Solstice is really quite traditional. The CND Salmo Salar at 15'6" is also a traditional action that would interest you.

As for the lifetime guarantee, it is my opinion that these have contributed significantly to the overall high cost of rods - broken rods must be paid for - one way or another - so often it is up front. I guess that big outfits like Sage can afford the associated costs of unconditional lifetime warantees, but CND and other smaller players need to be a little more realistic.

I think if you check our warantee policy on the www.cndspeyusa.com website you will find it fair and reasonable. Manufacturer's defects are covered if the break occurs in the first year (which is when virtually all defect breakage happens) and after that - or if the break is driver-error, then a fair price for the replacement part is reasonable.

 

[beanieboy]

Bruce & Walker Norway 15' #9/10 is about as traditional as you can get and is considered by many to be the best all round salmon rod available. Cost is about £250 and you can expect first class service from Bruce & Walker.

 

[S. Arendrup]

CND Finland

Jarmo,

You have a kind CND representative in your country - and the 15´2"/16´1" Solstices are absolutely nice "traditionals" - although on the lighter side grainvise. The Salar I have never cast.
B&W always made good salmon rods - often somewhat heavy - but that could suit a traditionalist?
On guarantee I must agree with Kush.

 

[Jarmo_H]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated!

Well, the CNDs are well represented in the opinions here as well. I will try to get my hands on one as soon as possible, as well as a B&W. Anyone care to comment on the differences between these rods and, say, Sage traditionals?

As for the warranty, I have only one rod that does not have the warranty and - surprise, surprise - it is the only one of my rods that is breaking. Fixing the rod would cost practically as much as a new one (it would have to be re-lacquered as well). For me the warranty says that the manufacturer believes in the durability of the product (edit: or at least he has put a fair price tag on it). I hate having to discard a broken rod, I love my rods way too much to do that.

 

[fredaevans]

All be a tad lighter (a 9wt)..

The 15' Sage 9wt falls into this group. And, as someone else once called this rod, it's the "30.06 of all-round spey rods."

 

[Jarmo_H]

The 15' Sage 9wt falls into this group. And, as someone else once called this rod, it's the "30.06 of all-round spey rods."

Good to know, been eyeing that one too. Thanks.

 

[HKH]

As traditional as possible

Hello Jarmo H and others - thanks sar, long time no see...

My choice for the traditional action is CND 15' Expert - today marked as #9/10/11.
But does it work with new #9/10 GS? - I have not tested yet.
Maybe not if you want to keep whole head out of tip ring. When playing with the holding point it probably does? But I think it is the same with most of the rods mentioned in this thread before? Except Salar - which needs whole head out. And maybe one # heavier line?

Does anyone have comments on new #9/10 GS with 15' Expert? ...Kush?


Jarmo, I have both 16'1" Solstice and 15' Expert on my try rack. I'll send you my contact information by pm.



Heikki Huttunen/Oulu/Finland


CND - The Spey Uderground

 

[fredaevans]

Jarmo! A simple, but important correction here!

The 15' Sage 9wt falls into this group. And, as someone else once called this rod, it's the "30.06 of all-round spey rods."

Poppy at the Red Shed said the 14' Sage; a miss-que on my typing early this AM.
Fred

 

[Jarmo_H]

Hi all!

It has been over a year since I started this thread, and I still have not been able to select a new rod. I am afraid that this might look pathetic to someone with 10+ Spey rods in a rack...

I played with the 15' 10wt Winston BIIx extensively in a demo session, and liked it a lot, so it is a strong candidate at this point. But there are other options. I just got the new Scott catalogue and noticed the new T2H. Where does this rod fall on the continuum "traditional action" - "fast"? What about Scott LS2? Or Sage Z-Axis 10150 or 10160? A 16' rod is not out of the question either. But I would still like to limit my selection to those manufacturers with an unconditional lifetime warranty.

The line that I am planning to use with these rods is the GrandSpey 9/10 (900 grains).

Any and all input is much appreciated. If this seems a little vague, I admit that this rod purchase is probably the most difficult I have ever faced.

 

[HKH]

Hello again Jarmo...

Now I have also CND The 15' Fifteen #10/11 in my try rack...
The 16' Sixteen #11/12 and The 16' Tak Shimosawa Special #10/11/12 will be there in May. True long liners all of them.

 

[speydoc]

Sage 9150-4 I have the "greenie" - this is the upper limit of what I fish for steelhead and has landed chinook to just short of 30lb
speydoc

 

[kush]

Good call Heikki, it would be hard to find a more "traditional action" than the CND Expert Series. If it is a full flexing action that wants smooth even casting strokes that one wants - the 15' Expert will definitely provide that! And I think the 9/10 GPS would be the right fit on the rod.

 

[Jarmo_H]

Hi Heikki!

I don't know if there is an equivalent proverb in English, but you've probably heard the one in Finnish: "A poor man can not afford to buy a cheap product." My personal corollary of this is that I am too poor to buy rods without an unconditional lifetime warranty. Still, I am most interested in trying the CNDs that you mentioned.

As for the Sage 9150-4, it does not seem to be available anymore. What Sage offers now as premium two-handed rods are the Z-Axis rods 10150 and 10160.

 

[HKH]

Hi,

In that point of wiew - there is no rod for me, every possible make you can find is too cheap...

Well, Kush has allready said everything about CND's warranty - but if needed I think that I can help you to find a rod that (maybe) has a price tag big enough?
Nobuo has new series of rods under development and he told me that these will be kind of limited edition - and quite expensive - but he works really hard to make his best rods ever...

 

[Nooksack Mac]

Doing the Time-Warp

"Traditional action" as the term is commonly used covers a wide range. The Sage 9150-4, though classified by Sage as a traditional, feels medium-fast to me (and as useful as others have said). It's a long way from the 15' 9/10 Bruce & Walker, which is much slower than I'd guess most spey casters have ever experienced. (And let's not confuse the issue by including my 15-foot Forest greenheart, whose stroke can be timed with a sundial.)

 

[Jarmo_H]

"Traditional action" as the term is commonly used covers a wide range. The Sage 9150-4, though classified by Sage as a traditional, feels medium-fast to me (and as useful as others have said). It's a long way from the 15' 9/10 Bruce & Walker, which is much slower than I'd guess most spey casters have ever experienced. (And let's not confuse the issue by including my 15-foot Forest greenheart, whose stroke can be timed with a sundial.)

To some degree it is certainly true that I do not know exactly what I am looking for. My old 10wt rod is a Greys Fallowden, which both Greys customer service and some fellow fishermen have described as having a more traditional action.

Perhaps I can describe my preferences better in terms of one-handed rods, where I have more experience. In one handed rods my favorites are Winston WTs - which I have in line weights 2, 3 and 5 - and Scott ARC, a 7wt streamer rod. It may well be that what I like about these rods is just that "something", which is difficult to describe. However, there are some things which I think that are important in these rods, and which are easy to describe:
1. in my hand, they feel true to their line weight (I use DT lines almost exclusively)
2. all of these rods bend well into the butt section, regardless of that bending is tested with just a quick wiggle test, or whether there is a fish at the end of the line.

As far as I can tell, I am looking for a rod with similar qualities, but a rod that would be a long 10wt 2-handed rod:
1. the rod should be a true 10wt rod, and be able to handle a GrandSpey 9/10
2. the rod should bend well into the butt section, especially if there is only a grilse at the end of the line (I tend to catch only small salmon ).

I hope this yammering has been of some help in describing what I am looking for.

 

[JDJones]

CND 1510 Expert & Sage 9150-4

If you should decide you want either, or both, of these rods, I have considered unloading mine as they have not seen water for a number of years. PM me if interested.

 

[Norseman]

How about an older Lamiglas LS series 15'6" 10/11 wt
You can read about it on Dana's rod reviews ...click on home top left and then go to reviews.

You won't need a lifetime warranty with this one.....I will let it go very reasonably.

Cheers