Favorite rod weight and length

[trout]

In April I am attending a rod builders class,
we are building 71/2' 5 wt. rods.Tapers will vary.What do you use and for what type of fishing.

[WEEZER]

I don't own any rods with a length smaller than 9 foot. I use a 9ft. 4wt for trout and panfish(Diamondback VSR) and a 9.6ft 8wt for my steelies,salmon,carp,bass and others.(Sage VPS).
I am planning on getting a 5 or 6wt for streamers and Hex fishing.
Where are you taking the building class? I have been thinking about trying to build my own.

[Steve]

A 5wt 8 foot rod for trout fishing is my favorite. I should probably go to a 3wt 7ft rod for a lot of the waters that I fish.

[Chris]

Trout,

I have an 8 foot, 3 weight Diamondback that I love. The action is a bit fast but it has been a great rod for the tight, overgrown streams I fished in Vermont. I'm not sure how useful it will be in Michigan.

[classicrod]

I fish bamboo rods most of the time and my favorite two rods are;
(1) 71/2ft. custom built on a Garrison 206 taper 2/2 4wt.
(2)8ft. custom built on a Dickerson 8013 taper 2/2 5wt.

Tight Lines
Ron

[trout]

Ron,
Great tapers,any thoughts on nodeless rods?

[classicrod]

Trout,
The idea is to remove the growth rings (nodes) which are the weakest part of the cane and splice the remaining power fiber parts together and then finish the rod in the standard way,very difficult and time consuming to do which makes for a very costly rod. I've never had a problem with the strength of a traditionally made cane rod so never had the urge to try a nodeless rod. Although when it comes to cane rods I've found it best to never say never. Who knows maybe someday.

[trout]

I bought a jig at the Grand event in Canada just for splicing strips.I can't recall the guys name but he showed us how to use it.
I may try a nodeless butt section in the class,I'll let you know how it goes.Just got my Golden Witch catalog today,it is really nice too.

[Cobra]

I use a 9 ft. 5 wt. Powell for smallies and panfish, broke my 8 wt. last year, not sure what to replace it with. How are these Diamondbacks?

[nucks]

Hello,

I have a 9' 6/7 wt St. Croix Imperial. There is nothing wrong with this rod but it is not suited to the fishing I do most of the time here. It is a slow to medium action rod that is obviously not very good at throwing large flies for bass and pike. Also, when sitting in a canoe on a typically windy lake it is very frustrating trying to make my casts.

As for trout fishing it is fine. With appropriately sized flies you can get a very delicate presentation and it is soft enough to protect light tippet.

I was thinking of getting a 9' 9wt FT series flyrod from Cabela's. Anyone have any experience with these rods?

see ya.