I just got back from a weekend trip with my new TFO Blue Ribbon 5wt and have to say it is such a good rod. It casts beautifully, great sensitivity. So pleased. Really hoping this atmospheric river conditions cease and the coastal rivers start to come down sometime this month so I can get my new Pro II I picked up for steelhead out for a swing. Thanks for making a great product.
My group of Baja fly anglers is almost entirely converted to TFO rods for roosters, dorado and pargo - we love the Axiom 2x 12wts - they are very well made, cast big lines (floaters to sink tips) effortlessly and are tough enough to not only put the balls to big Southern Baja fish but they survive being bounced around in a panga all day long. They're just great rods from an excellent company.
@@chrisliles6401 Love the Blue Ribbon myself! I like the 10’ 4wt for fishing tailwaters, and I love the 2wt when taking trips in the backcountry for brookies. Enjoy your Pro II as well!
Orvis customer service and rod warranty are both excellent. I purchased a rod and chuckled when they offered the 25 year warranty. This was pre-internet and when the warranty registrations were done on a mail-in card. 24 years and 11 months later I broke my PM-10 4wt and I was going to toss it however it was technically under the warranty so I called Orvis and they told me to send it in. They couldn't repair it but sent me an equivalent replacement. They kept their promise. I was impressed.
I’ve seen a lot of your videos, and this is my favorite and a big reason was hearing you talk about the Helios. You talked about a great rod and how that specific great rod is not the best for you because of its action, where a lot of guys would say that it plain sucks. I know that’s it is a great rod too as I own a 3d in a 9wt as my main saltwater and flats rod, and can totally see how you would like to stick mostly with that St. Croix. This video shows your insight, awareness and lack of ignorance that a lot of people are in short supply. Great job at being on the ball and respectful as always and tight lines!
One of my faves is a Fenwick HMG 8' 5wt 2 piece I bought in 1981 and still fish with. Also, TFO customer service is great. I broke my BVK rod and they replaced the section even though they no longer make that model. You can't beat that. My Orvis Recon 9' 5wt is a dream, also. But really, flyrod selection is an extremely subjective thing, as you say. Good fishers will catch fish no matter what rod they use, so it's a very personal choice. "You say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to"
Tip: Ben, if you have a rod that lacks a hook keeper just put a rubber band (thick like that come with asparagus) on the rod just above the cork and hook your fly into it.
good plan, I eat a lot of asparagus just for that rubber band (you get two) and use one to keep my bill fold flat-ish, cuz the thing holds so damn much money in it, all the time!! LOL ;D
I totally agree with you about using a fly rod that works with the way you cast. I was ready to buy the top of the line Scott Radiant, but the Flex casted better for me. Thanks for the great video.
i used to hate on ovis products till your Alaska video and they hooked you up. I picked up the Helios 3d 8 weight... broke the tip within 10 min in the fan playing with it. Orvis got me a new tip within 3 days!!! That alone one me over. Many companies just suck at a warranty fix but Orvis just killed it!
Great video. No Winston Rods? I'm supersized, their flex pattern would really suit you. I have a Boron II I bought years ago that is still one of the most delirious rods to cast. You would enjoy.
I love your videos and your attitude is tops I’ve had a good bundle of rods over the years, started with the cheap ones as that’s all you could afford back then bringing up a family,mortgage and so on but the first good rod I bought a Sage XL 7-9 wt can’t remember when but way back .I used it in Alaska when 9/11 happened a bad time for all of us then and Canada when I got older and could afford it I had the time of my life fishing then caught plenty plenty and released them all then I started to get problems with my shoulders so I bought a 4wt Sage for £100 which was a great price and used it for a good few years then I seen this rod in a sale for £40 cheap as chips so I said that will do me as a back up and to tell you the truth it’s been absolutely amazing so your right it’s how you feel with it casting etc so keep up the good work and tight lines from us over in Scotland 🏴🇬🇧🤝🥃🎣❤️
I am getting a TFO NXT combo this spring in 5 weight. Really looking forward to that upgrade from my 6 weight Cabela's combo. Glad to know TFO really stand behind their products.
TFO is my go to for my budget and their warranty is good enough that when I was in alaska for salmon this summer, our guides almost exclusively used TFO because of their warranty.
I just read an article that St Croix is getting back into the rod market. I don't own a lot of commercialy made rods since I build my own, and I like the ability to customize the rod to my liking. quite a few of the rod makers sell their blanks i.e. Sage, TFO, J Loomis all sell blanks that are also used in their commercialy available rods. The advantage of buying the blank and building your own is I can own the same rod you have, but mine is a one of a kind in looks designed my me. It's not cheaper to build your own, but it is just like tying your own flies. Nothing feels better than catching a fish on a rod, and fly you build and tie yourself.
Still have my Sage DS 5 wt. it too was my first “serious” rod and I now have $100 rods and $1,000 rods in my set. Based on the rod design, some of my cheapest (orvis Clearwater) actually are the most used and fun to work with.
St. Croix needs to bring back the Avid and Legend series and also the Tidemaster spinning rods. Legend Ultra 5 wt is still my all-time favorite. My friends kid kicked my Tidemaster over the side of the boat in the Gulf of Mexico and claimed that "a shark stole it".
Hey Ben, I've been using, buying, and selling fly rods wholesale and retail for 46 years. Still have my first rod though, a 2 piece 8ft 5/6 Cherry Stick...... In any case, great vid, and thanks for the blunt truth that rods fit people differently, application matters, and the label doesn't make you good !!! You didn't say that, but I did. Keep smackin' em' in the back of the head with your advice about the fly game... um sport, hobby thing. Good stuff.
I used to be a "anything but Orvis" guy but bought a clearwater from a friend, broke it and Orvis customer service was great. Had it stolen and bought another Orvis. Love Scott and have a bunch. I like that they are from Colorado, great customer service and the rods fit my casting. Been moving off of Sage lately. Had a friend try to return a rod for repair and they wouldn't even take it back.
My st Croix salt elite 8wt is great for me as well! All Orvis is solid, 3qty 20 yr old abused battenkill reels, still going strong. Sell everything, buy all fiberglass and click pawl.
Nice summary Ben! Stay Huge! I too do not pay retail for fly gear. I cruise the local estate sales and do pretty well finding rod sets for $20-$30 bucks.
good plan "dead man's boots", especially a family member, then his ghost can sit on your shoulder and tell you how much you suck at fly fishing, even with his prized fly rod!! LOL ;D
It's very refreshing to see a rod 'review' that isn't yammering on about the latest and greatest technology and trying to convince everybody that the brand new premium rods of today are *lightyears* ahead of older / cheaper rods. I'm not saying that the new top-shelf isn't great - it is....but most of the better rods from 20 or even 30 years ago will still do almost all the same tricks, and most of the mid-level rods exceed the performance demands of most anglers in most actual fishing situations. I've been around the industry long enough to understand the game....the companies and shops gotta sell rods. I get it, and I actually really want them to keep making and selling new rods. Still, it's nice to have a break from the glossy sales pitches - thanks!
I have the Orvis clearwater 3 wt 10 foot and the rod broke 3 times. However, orvis made me pay shipping 1 time on a replacement section and sent an extremely tip section. I was happy with their service.
who in your opinion makes the best rod? or has the best rod? I've got a Redington Crosswater el cheapo that i've broken twice, warranty replaced first one (my fault) and then broke the 2nd one when my line froze to the top guide. and I didnt realize it until I caught a fish and set the hook. I fixed it myself. So far its been nice, but I have 2 Echo rods, The streamer X and the Carbon XL. Love them both!.
Legend ultra 9' 8wt 2pc is my favorite rod throws some teeny 300 it's a killer setup. Boke a 10'6" model few years ago .They replaced it with the new version imperial. Gotta love st. Croix service. Hopefully they get the chittogether and start kicking ass making fly rods again like they used to offer.
I love sage rods and how they cast for me but I had one break on me out of the blue and they made me pay for the repair even though it should’ve been covered under warranty, love the two rods I have, but hate the warranty
Yup all these companies have been bought out, sage had a great warranty they are now owned by far banks and have a terrible warranty. Temple fork outfitters same deal, they have no warranty now. I wish this was better known.
To all: I couldn’t help but notice that all of Ben’s tubes are just ”tubes”…no reel section. Yes, I purchased the aftermarket tubes with the reel pouch. I usually buy the 5’ so I only have to break the rods down into 2 pieces. Works great in the back of my truck. Full disclosure-I usually don’t cut off my fly when I fold the rod. Will Ben forgive me for being so efficient? Pretty new to fly fishing but I’m having fun and enjoying his videos.
I do the exact same thing. I keep my 4 piece rods in 2 pieces. Have seven rod/reel cases with flies ready to go! Just have to rub the leader a little to get the kink out. 😂 Have a great one Aaron! 🎣👍
my friend wondered why i do this too, but after he spent the first season fishing with me and watching me catch one or two fish before he put his rod together he knew.
Had the Sage Discovery Series when they came out. Memorable day on the Roaring Fork after reading a chapter in a John Gierach book about leader building
Hey man. For those tubes that dont have straps check out 'Stretch Loc' straps from Sea To Summit. It is made from some sort of very tough rubber composite that grips very well. It is by far the easiest and most secure rod-tube-attatchment for the ol backpack that I've come across. The grip of the material on the straps makes any handles or additional straps redundant.
Love the video and the heavily stacked quiver. My current rod is a FTO NXT 9" 5wt and some lower level backups. Just picked up a beautiful fishable Montague Redwing bamboo rod to play with. It's noodlie, but casts really smooth. Maybe you could do a spot on bamboo rods or not.
A lot of people do. I had one of the original recons and just couldn't get along with it. The blank was thick and it gave hardly any feedback. Ended up selling it for a Hardy zephrus which suits me much better.
St. Croix Legend 9' 4/5 is over 25 years old and still my primary go to. Gotta do a followup on reels next, obviously, just to get that out of the way.
I have a discontinued Redington rod that I wanted a replacement tip section for, outside of warranty. They’re owned by FarBank, the same parent company for Sage. It took them nearly 6 months to respond to my email but eventually sent me a completely free tip section once they got back to me.
TFO have been so reliable and I think have the best customer service I’ve messed with. The local Orvis shop has been a bit off putting, lately, but their customer service, over the phone, has been awesome!
As for the 12 weight rod with the double grip, I have a Winston Boron II that has the same grip. I love the utility of it. Great after a day of casting for tarpon or 'cuda when your arm is worn out. Nice selection of rods. For info,my first "Real" fly rod was a Mitchell 300 Series IM-6 , 5/6 weight, 8 feet which is almost 40years old and I still fish with for shad, trout and panfish.
@@edwardmlotkiewicz2343 The weight on the label is not the only line wt that will work with that rod. As Ben said, how a rod feels and performs for you matters a lot. You should start with the listed weight but if you want the rod to feel stiffer or softer try line weights above or below before you decide if you like it or the best use for it.
My first Orvis helios I had the graphite disintegrate on me, never seen anything like it. They sent back a repaired rod, but it was a lemon, the top guide wasnt even secured in the webbing. But got it replaced at the store after that, no questions asked and its been my trusty sidekick ever since. I feel spoiled with it, and I need to expand out a bit and try more.
Did I see a small rod tube in your bucket that looks like the size of a tenkara rod from TenkaraUSA? Second, I bought a 9ft 5wt from Maxcatch last summer and thought it would be a great backup rod but I ended up using it all summer. It cost less than $100 and it's my main rod now. Who knew a "cheap" rod would fish so well for me. I guess it shows that finding a rod that fits your casting style is what matters no matter the cost of the rod. FYI, I only use quality fly lines.
Nice group of rods , the TFO rods are great love the BVK and Mangrove if you get a chance to get an Edge rod from Garry Loomis I would suggest trying one . Thanks for the video
I have owned several TFO rods I liked a lot. I had a 10ft Lefty Kreh 7wt that I miss, but it got broken fighting a 30” Bull Trout (Idaho sucks, stay in Utah) and warranty replaced with a slightly less awesome 9ft, I broke that too and went out and bought another TFO 9ft 8wt. TFO to replace it that I still fish. I also had a five weight or two from them I liked.
So on a musky/salmon/steelhead rod that’s an extended fighting butt… I have a 10 ft 7wt Douglas rod that I use the extended butt on… you can rest it on your forearm for leverage. Watch my videos for an example
I just came across your Chanel. Wow that’s a lot of rods. I’ve got a 9/5 as my standard trout rod and recently located to Oregon where Steelhead are the thing. I’ve been told my 9/5 is fine and others have told me I need a 9/7 or an eleven foot Spey rod and of course a larger reel. Any advice or opinion you have would be welcome. Thanks
Own about a dozen rods, everything from a thousand dollar custom built to a hundred dollar special. It's all about finding a rod that loads up and shoots that line out like a bullet. The least important thing in my opinion, is the reel. The line is very important, don't go cheap on the line. Also keep it clean and dress it, if your trying for long casts. Out of all my poles theres only one I fish with! A 9' Pflueger graphite Medalist 5wt. The thousand dollar custom and the five hundred St. Croix gather dust. 😊
I broke both my DSII 9 foot 7 wt and 9.5 8 weight last summer. Found out it will cost $175 plus Fedex both ways to fix them. On the one hand they are 25-30 years old, but I bought them because of the warranty. Still trying to decide if I should fix them.
first up.. Deep Bend Rodworks.... Marty makes a fine rod. I have an LL4711-2 as well in Graphite II. We come from the same era. My first "real" rod was also a Sage 586DS. where are the moonshines hidin good buddy?
I fish that recon. 6 weight more than anything I own in central texas for bass. Just enough power to throw poppers with their bank shot line, but not too stiff to take fun out of it. I’m pretty upset about st croix, their rod acton suited my casting style, keep up the great vids
My latest rod is an echo 6# streamer x and I love it. Here in Alaska I like to throw big Dali lahma on a small creeks to big cutthroat and that rod is great, a little stiff so perfect for big flies.
@@Detroit3Pistons Sure, if it seems necessary, but I generally intend to fish dries when I take it out. I refuse to carry multiple rods on the water, unless I'm in a boat, so whatever rod I leave the truck with has to do whatever is called for. All that said, I wouldn't go with this rod at 7'11" with the intention of nymphing.
Had two rods addressed by St. Croix and customer service was great. G Loomis was the same on my NRX. I'd avoid Redington repairs as their decision making is inconsistent... had some of their thin walled 10' 3wt Hydrogen rods out and had two break on the same outing in very cold weather. Shipped them in separately as purchaser was different... one was warrantied, one was not... though breaks were an eyelet a part on the same tip section
Super happy with my Loop rods (trout, pike and salmon double-handed rods), also A. Jensen #9 pike fly rod and a Sage #10 pike fly rod). I own several handmade rods as well but they aren’t a brand so it is difficult to compare to store-bought rods. The Danish brand A. Jensen uses the same rod tube you showed from St Croix with seperate dividers (which are my prime pike fishing baitcasting rods, you buy they for life)
I couldn’t agree more with your repetive st croix banter! They made a mistake. My Go to rods are Allen rods now. I switched over from LOoP I still use them all but really like the new Allen rods. I also rock half a dozen glass rods mostly Moonlit “not to be confused with Moonshine junk” only Orvis rod I own is a Battenkill Bamboo rod I had gifted to me from a friend. It’s impregnated so it’s super heavy but it’s fun to fish from time to time .
thank you for the video, i wish you harped on the Sage, reddington and whoever else is in the Far Bank umbrella a bit more. more people need to understand the experiences with those companies because you can be spending $600-1200 on a rod that is sold as a "premium product and premium company" when in reality its a quality fragile product with a terrible company. i have many rods from many companies and st. croix is unmatched with their customer service, but to have a customer pay a ridiculously high price for a sage rod and give them a 10-12 week response time is awful. thats 10-12 week response time, not repair time. 10-12 weeks before they even look at your rod to tell you what the expenses will be or if they will even repair it at all. in a perfect world, st. croix brings back a focus to their early 2000's fly rods.
I just built a 4 wt on a the original green batson RX7 blank. I like it a lot but it's both much faster and much stronger than I expected. I have 5wt DT on it and it casts like shit until I have a lot of line out. It's a machine at 30 ft away but roll casting is a lot of work and small spaces are out of the question, just won't load. Going to be great for sniping later in the summer though. Guess i need a second one now, but I'm going to get a heavy WF line for the meantime. Thinking of building a glass or slower graphite 5 wt for single spey.
I have a a lot of fly rod like you, and like you I have opinions. Sage rods are awesome but often break, more than most. I often think that the Ugly Stick fly rods are great because you can whip a bear into submission with it and continue to fish. it's all about priorities.
@@HugeFlyFisherman thanks heading to the keys in Mar. for my second attempt and taking my 14’ piranha. What would be an intro salt water 8? My fly experience now is bluegill and gar with a rope fly. I’m not huge and live in Tennessee. And “I stay in the center of the boat.”
@@HugeFlyFisherman I like TFO I have a skeet Reese rod I have used for 20!years now and people can say what they want that rod is irreplaceable. One more question while you are being huge. What reel would match a nice or saltwater for an 8
Concerning not paying full retail: what are the methods and “outlets” for obtaining a new rod at less than retail? Excluding someone’s personal circumstances or inside deals. I don’t buy rods often enough to really know.
I still use my 30+ year old Pflueger 6wt for streamers , yes the Kmart package rod . Well used . Scientific Anglers 8 wt for bass. . My dad has a Pflueger 5 wt 8'6" " presidential model that is actually a nice rod. Way above the package combo's. Reel seat , locking, guides , graphite very light all in line with the better rods of the day. Fishing it you would never guess it's a Pflueger . Brother got it somewhere, have never seen another one.
Love it! The worst customer service I have ever had has been with Sage. I will never own another Sage product ever again. I bought a Sage reel that the drag broke on my first trip... 7 months to get it replaced. They have had my Payload for 8 months,,, F them I have broken Echo rods and never had to wait more than 7 days for replacement. Love them.
I bought a Sage Graphite II thirty years ago and killed it. I was up in the Cascades with a buddy who said “it’s a great little starter rod.” Funny, his Winston didn’t catch fish but my “little starter” Sage Graphite II yarded them in.
Awesome set of rods Ben... but inquiring minds want to know.....where is your Moonshine euro- nymphing rod?... I heard Moonshine is coming out with a Tenkara fly rod also! Totally joking Ben I know where you stand on those issues and I respect your opinion and your outspokenness. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Loved my rod tubes with dividers until I started using multi rod cases and travelling. Then I had to buy a pile of rod socks. Dumb complaint, but since my rod tubes never go anywhere anymore, I would rather have socks.
lol - I also have a 5 gallon bucket of rods in my garage. More speys than trout rods at this point tho. Every rod company needs to do like Echo and pre-make spare tip sections.
I totally agree with the assessment of the 8wt Helios 3D. But I was fortunate to get to test out both Helios options: the 8wt 3D and the 8wt 3F. The "F" is awesome!! In contrast, in the 6wt I think the "D" is much superior. Also a lot of options to cover up the hideous white label.
Thanks for the kind words, Ben! We hope 2023 is the year of the musky for you with those 12wts! 💪
Ben sold me on a TFO today! Thanks for making a good product, but customer service makes the difference.
I just got back from a weekend trip with my new TFO Blue Ribbon 5wt and have to say it is such a good rod. It casts beautifully, great sensitivity. So pleased. Really hoping this atmospheric river conditions cease and the coastal rivers start to come down sometime this month so I can get my new Pro II I picked up for steelhead out for a swing. Thanks for making a great product.
My group of Baja fly anglers is almost entirely converted to TFO rods for roosters, dorado and pargo - we love the Axiom 2x 12wts - they are very well made, cast big lines (floaters to sink tips) effortlessly and are tough enough to not only put the balls to big Southern Baja fish but they survive being bounced around in a panga all day long. They're just great rods from an excellent company.
@@bcshadd 🤘👊
@@chrisliles6401 Love the Blue Ribbon myself! I like the 10’ 4wt for fishing tailwaters, and I love the 2wt when taking trips in the backcountry for brookies. Enjoy your Pro II as well!
Orvis customer service and rod warranty are both excellent. I purchased a rod and chuckled when they offered the 25 year warranty. This was pre-internet and when the warranty registrations were done on a mail-in card. 24 years and 11 months later I broke my PM-10 4wt and I was going to toss it however it was technically under the warranty so I called Orvis and they told me to send it in. They couldn't repair it but sent me an equivalent replacement. They kept their promise. I was impressed.
Echo makes some unbelievably good sticks in the value price point. Great video!
Have you fished the trout x from them?
@@Subaruuu12 not yet but I have the 490 trout and I love it.
have to agree, I was shocked at how much easier Echo is to cast and was even more surprised with the cost
I have 2 Echo Rods and I love em. The streamer X is just amazing to use!
Echo was awesome for me in replacing the tip section on an retired rod model #8 Echo Edge 8'4"). Had the tip in hand within a week.
I’ve seen a lot of your videos, and this is my favorite and a big reason was hearing you talk about the Helios. You talked about a great rod and how that specific great rod is not the best for you because of its action, where a lot of guys would say that it plain sucks. I know that’s it is a great rod too as I own a 3d in a 9wt as my main saltwater and flats rod, and can totally see how you would like to stick mostly with that St. Croix. This video shows your insight, awareness and lack of ignorance that a lot of people are in short supply. Great job at being on the ball and respectful as always and tight lines!
One of my faves is a Fenwick HMG 8' 5wt 2 piece I bought in 1981 and still fish with. Also, TFO customer service is great. I broke my BVK rod and they replaced the section even though they no longer make that model. You can't beat that. My Orvis Recon 9' 5wt is a dream, also. But really, flyrod selection is an extremely subjective thing, as you say. Good fishers will catch fish no matter what
rod they use, so it's a very personal choice. "You say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to"
Tip: Ben, if you have a rod that lacks a hook keeper just put a rubber band (thick like that come with asparagus) on the rod just above the cork and hook your fly into it.
good plan, I eat a lot of asparagus just for that rubber band (you get two) and use one to keep my bill fold flat-ish, cuz the thing holds so damn much money in it, all the time!! LOL ;D
Great video. Have you ever done a video on fly lines? With all the new lines available, I can get confused.
Thanks, steve.
I totally agree with you about using a fly rod that works with the way you cast. I was ready to buy the top of the line Scott Radiant, but the Flex casted better for me. Thanks for the great video.
i used to hate on ovis products till your Alaska video and they hooked you up. I picked up the Helios 3d 8 weight... broke the tip within 10 min in the fan playing with it. Orvis got me a new tip within 3 days!!! That alone one me over. Many companies just suck at a warranty fix but Orvis just killed it!
Bro, you forgot to show your Tenkara rod.
Great video. No Winston Rods? I'm supersized, their flex pattern would really suit you. I have a Boron II I bought years ago that is still one of the most delirious rods to cast. You would enjoy.
This is a great video because it shows how easy it is to build up a quiver. I haven't been fly fishing very long and I already three rods.
I love your videos and your attitude is tops I’ve had a good bundle of rods over the years, started with the cheap ones as that’s all you could afford back then bringing up a family,mortgage and so on but the first good rod I bought a Sage XL 7-9 wt can’t remember when but way back .I used it in Alaska when 9/11 happened a bad time for all of us then and Canada when I got older and could afford it I had the time of my life fishing then caught plenty plenty and released them all then I started to get problems with my shoulders so I bought a 4wt Sage for £100 which was a great price and used it for a good few years then I seen this rod in a sale for £40 cheap as chips so I said that will do me as a back up and to tell you the truth it’s been absolutely amazing so your right it’s how you feel with it casting etc so keep up the good work and tight lines from us over in Scotland 🏴🇬🇧🤝🥃🎣❤️
I am getting a TFO NXT combo this spring in 5 weight. Really looking forward to that upgrade from my 6 weight Cabela's combo. Glad to know TFO really stand behind their products.
I started out with an NXT. TFO has been great to work with each time I broke mine (one completely my fault, another time not so much).
TFO is my go to for my budget and their warranty is good enough that when I was in alaska for salmon this summer, our guides almost exclusively used TFO because of their warranty.
I just read an article that St Croix is getting back into the rod market. I don't own a lot of commercialy made rods since I build my own, and I like the ability to customize the rod to my liking. quite a few of the rod makers sell their blanks i.e. Sage, TFO, J Loomis all sell blanks that are also used in their commercialy available rods. The advantage of buying the blank and building your own is I can own the same rod you have, but mine is a one of a kind in looks designed my me. It's not cheaper to build your own, but it is just like tying your own flies. Nothing feels better than catching a fish on a rod, and fly you build and tie yourself.
Totally agree. Working on my 13th and 14th rod build right now. It feels so good to look down and see your own thread wraps
Hey Ben I still got that Orvis Clearwater spey rod from the give away! That rod casts so smooth and it's landed a few largemouth here in Virginia.
Excellent! Love hearing that.
Still have my Sage DS 5 wt. it too was my first “serious” rod and I now have $100 rods and $1,000 rods in my set. Based on the rod design, some of my cheapest (orvis Clearwater) actually are the most used and fun to work with.
St. Croix needs to bring back the Avid and Legend series and also the Tidemaster spinning rods. Legend Ultra 5 wt is still my all-time favorite. My friends kid kicked my Tidemaster over the side of the boat in the Gulf of Mexico and claimed that "a shark stole it".
Hey Ben, I've been using, buying, and selling fly rods wholesale and retail for 46 years. Still have my first rod though, a 2 piece 8ft 5/6 Cherry Stick...... In any case, great vid, and thanks for the blunt truth that rods fit people differently, application matters, and the label doesn't make you good !!! You didn't say that, but I did. Keep smackin' em' in the back of the head with your advice about the fly game... um sport, hobby thing. Good stuff.
Enjoyed the video, could you do one on your tenkara rods?
I think he will, right after pigs start flying!! ;D
I used to be a "anything but Orvis" guy but bought a clearwater from a friend, broke it and Orvis customer service was great. Had it stolen and bought another Orvis. Love Scott and have a bunch. I like that they are from Colorado, great customer service and the rods fit my casting. Been moving off of Sage lately. Had a friend try to return a rod for repair and they wouldn't even take it back.
This is picky, but they are actually from Vermont. They were founded there and still have their headquarters there. Love orvis products as well!
@@puzzy852 Thanks for the feedback. i was actually referring to Scott rods which are made in Colorado. Tight lines!
I also liked the St Croix Legends and was bummed they discontinued them. I picked up a 8'4 Scott G series rod and the action is pretty close.
My st Croix salt elite 8wt is great for me as well! All Orvis is solid, 3qty 20 yr old abused battenkill reels, still going strong. Sell everything, buy all fiberglass and click pawl.
Nice summary Ben! Stay Huge! I too do not pay retail for fly gear. I cruise the local estate sales and do pretty well finding rod sets for $20-$30 bucks.
good plan "dead man's boots", especially a family member, then his ghost can sit on your shoulder and tell you how much you suck at fly fishing, even with his prized fly rod!! LOL ;D
I sold off my Helios 3 and grabbed a Recon in its place, and I couldn’t be happier. Way nicer rod in my opinion.
It's very refreshing to see a rod 'review' that isn't yammering on about the latest and greatest technology and trying to convince everybody that the brand new premium rods of today are *lightyears* ahead of older / cheaper rods. I'm not saying that the new top-shelf isn't great - it is....but most of the better rods from 20 or even 30 years ago will still do almost all the same tricks, and most of the mid-level rods exceed the performance demands of most anglers in most actual fishing situations.
I've been around the industry long enough to understand the game....the companies and shops gotta sell rods. I get it, and I actually really want them to keep making and selling new rods. Still, it's nice to have a break from the glossy sales pitches - thanks!
I have the Orvis clearwater 3 wt 10 foot and the rod broke 3 times. However, orvis made me pay shipping 1 time on a replacement section and sent an extremely tip section. I was happy with their service.
who in your opinion makes the best rod? or has the best rod? I've got a Redington Crosswater el cheapo that i've broken twice, warranty replaced first one (my fault) and then broke the 2nd one when my line froze to the top guide. and I didnt realize it until I caught a fish and set the hook. I fixed it myself. So far its been nice, but I have 2 Echo rods, The streamer X and the Carbon XL. Love them both!.
The best rod is the stick you cast best in the length & weight you want that's in your budget 🎣💸
Do you know anything about the Redington Trout field kit. I was thinking about buying one.
Legend ultra 9' 8wt 2pc is my favorite rod throws some teeny 300 it's a killer setup. Boke a 10'6" model few years ago .They replaced it with the new version imperial. Gotta love st. Croix service. Hopefully they get the chittogether and start kicking ass making fly rods again like they used to offer.
I love sage rods and how they cast for me but I had one break on me out of the blue and they made me pay for the repair even though it should’ve been covered under warranty, love the two rods I have, but hate the warranty
Yup all these companies have been bought out, sage had a great warranty they are now owned by far banks and have a terrible warranty. Temple fork outfitters same deal, they have no warranty now. I wish this was better known.
Thx for the great info I love this kind of jazz...
To all: I couldn’t help but notice that all of Ben’s tubes are just ”tubes”…no reel section. Yes, I purchased the aftermarket tubes with the reel pouch. I usually buy the 5’ so I only have to break the rods down into 2 pieces. Works great in the back of my truck. Full disclosure-I usually don’t cut off my fly when I fold the rod. Will Ben forgive me for being so efficient? Pretty new to fly fishing but I’m having fun and enjoying his videos.
I do the exact same thing. I keep my 4 piece rods in 2 pieces. Have seven rod/reel cases with flies ready to go! Just have to rub the leader a little to get the kink out. 😂 Have a great one Aaron! 🎣👍
my friend wondered why i do this too, but after he spent the first season fishing with me and watching me catch one or two fish before he put his rod together he knew.
Had the Sage Discovery Series when they came out. Memorable day on the Roaring Fork after reading a chapter in a John Gierach book about leader building
Hey man. For those tubes that dont have straps check out 'Stretch Loc' straps from Sea To Summit. It is made from some sort of very tough rubber composite that grips very well. It is by far the easiest and most secure rod-tube-attatchment for the ol backpack that I've come across. The grip of the material on the straps makes any handles or additional straps redundant.
Love the video and the heavily stacked quiver. My current rod is a FTO NXT 9" 5wt and some lower level backups. Just picked up a beautiful fishable Montague Redwing bamboo rod to play with. It's noodlie, but casts really smooth. Maybe you could do a spot on bamboo rods or not.
Hey ben how do you feel about douglas rods, have you ever tried one
Ben, I think you'll like the Orvis Recon. I have a 4wt and love it.
A lot of people do. I had one of the original recons and just couldn't get along with it. The blank was thick and it gave hardly any feedback. Ended up selling it for a Hardy zephrus which suits me much better.
St. Croix bank robber. Been one of my favorite for years. Not sure if they still produce that rod?
Sounds like you didn’t watch the whole video, because I definitely talked about it.
St. Croix Legend 9' 4/5 is over 25 years old and still my primary go to. Gotta do a followup on reels next, obviously, just to get that out of the way.
Nice bunch of rods, 😊 even though I got a few more in my stash, I think I need to buy another for spring, thanks for pushing me more in debt 😂
gear is addictive, love that you have memories with every rod
I have a discontinued Redington rod that I wanted a replacement tip section for, outside of warranty. They’re owned by FarBank, the same parent company for Sage. It took them nearly 6 months to respond to my email but eventually sent me a completely free tip section once they got back to me.
TFO have been so reliable and I think have the best customer service I’ve messed with. The local Orvis shop has been a bit off putting, lately, but their customer service, over the phone, has been awesome!
i've never casted or fished one, had a buddy break his TFO 3 years in a row in upstate NY, made me a little shy
@@robbycox27 wel every TFO I’ve owned has lasted me 8-10 years.
Tfo was bought by an investment banker a couple years back and now have no warranty.
I’ll agree right off the bat that orvis’s customer service is great. My Clearwater rod broke just below where yours did at the ferrule
As for the 12 weight rod with the double grip, I have a Winston Boron II that has the same grip. I love the utility of it. Great after a day of casting for tarpon or 'cuda when your arm is worn out. Nice selection of rods. For info,my first "Real" fly rod was a Mitchell 300 Series IM-6 , 5/6 weight, 8 feet which is almost 40years old and I still fish with for shad, trout and panfish.
My favorite rod the Winston Boron ll , just an sweet casting rod in any weights .To bad they don’t make them anymore.
I sold my BII 10 wt. They should have labeled it an 8.
Why label it an 8 weight???
@@edwardmlotkiewicz2343 The weight on the label is not the only line wt that will work with that rod. As Ben said, how a rod feels and performs for you matters a lot. You should start with the listed weight but if you want the rod to feel stiffer or softer try line weights above or below before you decide if you like it or the best use for it.
This, for me is the first time I ever saw you without a Beer. Is this a new years resolution?
Glad you did this video, I'd like to see one for your reels if you need ideas
My first Orvis helios I had the graphite disintegrate on me, never seen anything like it. They sent back a repaired rod, but it was a lemon, the top guide wasnt even secured in the webbing. But got it replaced at the store after that, no questions asked and its been my trusty sidekick ever since. I feel spoiled with it, and I need to expand out a bit and try more.
Did I see a small rod tube in your bucket that looks like the size of a tenkara rod from TenkaraUSA? Second, I bought a 9ft 5wt from Maxcatch last summer and thought it would be a great backup rod but I ended up using it all summer. It cost less than $100 and it's my main rod now. Who knew a "cheap" rod would fish so well for me. I guess it shows that finding a rod that fits your casting style is what matters no matter the cost of the rod. FYI, I only use quality fly lines.
Do you have an opinion on Echo rods?
Nice group of rods , the TFO rods are great love the BVK and Mangrove if you get a chance to get an Edge rod from Garry Loomis I would suggest trying one . Thanks for the video
I fish the mangrove coast 8 for redfish in Texas, for the price you can’t touch it
I have owned several TFO rods I liked a lot. I had a 10ft Lefty Kreh 7wt that I miss, but it got broken fighting a 30” Bull Trout (Idaho sucks, stay in Utah) and warranty replaced with a slightly less awesome 9ft, I broke that too and went out and bought another TFO 9ft 8wt. TFO to replace it that I still fish. I also had a five weight or two from them I liked.
I love my Sage 6wt, it feels good in the cast and weight and is very versatile.
So on a musky/salmon/steelhead rod that’s an extended fighting butt… I have a 10 ft 7wt Douglas rod that I use the extended butt on… you can rest it on your forearm for leverage. Watch my videos for an example
What line do you use on your legend ultra 5wt?
The one that broke 2 years ago and never got replaced? I don’t use a line on that rod because it broke 2 years ago and never got replaced.
Apologies, the 4wt. I love the legend series.
I just came across your Chanel. Wow that’s a lot of rods. I’ve got a 9/5 as my standard trout rod and recently located to Oregon where Steelhead are the thing. I’ve been told my 9/5 is fine and others have told me I need a 9/7 or an eleven foot Spey rod and of course a larger reel. Any advice or opinion you have would be welcome. Thanks
Ha! I always love the gear walkthrough. Thanks for the content.
Thanks Ben, always enjoy hearing what you think and say, stay huge👍
Own about a dozen rods, everything from a thousand dollar custom built to a hundred dollar special. It's all about finding a rod that loads up and shoots that line out like a bullet. The least important thing in my opinion, is the reel. The line is very important, don't go cheap on the line. Also keep it clean and dress it, if your trying for long casts. Out of all my poles theres only one I fish with! A 9' Pflueger graphite Medalist 5wt.
The thousand dollar custom and the five hundred St. Croix gather dust. 😊
I broke both my DSII 9 foot 7 wt and 9.5 8 weight last summer. Found out it will cost $175 plus Fedex both ways to fix them. On the one hand they are 25-30 years old, but I bought them because of the warranty. Still trying to decide if I should fix them.
I had a TFO rod break - very positive experience getting a replacement piece from TFO. Not that I wish that on anyone, but Theny took good care of me.
first up.. Deep Bend Rodworks.... Marty makes a fine rod. I have an LL4711-2 as well in Graphite II. We come from the same era. My first "real" rod was also a Sage 586DS. where are the moonshines hidin good buddy?
I fish that recon. 6 weight more than anything I own in central texas for bass. Just enough power to throw poppers with their bank shot line, but not too stiff to take fun out of it. I’m pretty upset about st croix, their rod acton suited my casting style, keep up the great vids
My latest rod is an echo 6# streamer x and I love it. Here in Alaska I like to throw big Dali lahma on a small creeks to big cutthroat and that rod is great, a little stiff so perfect for big flies.
I've got that same Sage 4wt LL that I bought new. It is still my go to dry fly rod. Love it.
Do you ever Indicator Nymph with that Trout LL?
@@Detroit3Pistons Sure, if it seems necessary, but I generally intend to fish dries when I take it out. I refuse to carry multiple rods on the water, unless I'm in a boat, so whatever rod I leave the truck with has to do whatever is called for. All that said, I wouldn't go with this rod at 7'11" with the intention of nymphing.
Had two rods addressed by St. Croix and customer service was great. G Loomis was the same on my NRX. I'd avoid Redington repairs as their decision making is inconsistent... had some of their thin walled 10' 3wt Hydrogen rods out and had two break on the same outing in very cold weather. Shipped them in separately as purchaser was different... one was warrantied, one was not... though breaks were an eyelet a part on the same tip section
Will you be doing a separate video about your tenkara rods?
My personal experience with Sage has been the opposite. Great service, better than anticipated repair quality at a reasonable price.
Super happy with my Loop rods (trout, pike and salmon double-handed rods), also A. Jensen #9 pike fly rod and a Sage #10 pike fly rod). I own several handmade rods as well but they aren’t a brand so it is difficult to compare to store-bought rods. The Danish brand A. Jensen uses the same rod tube you showed from St Croix with seperate dividers (which are my prime pike fishing baitcasting rods, you buy they for life)
I love my loop rods, only thing I dislike is their warranty department has gone through a change recently that makes warranties harder to deal with
I couldn’t agree more with your repetive st croix banter! They made a mistake. My Go to rods are Allen rods now. I switched over from LOoP I still use them all but really like the new Allen rods. I also rock half a dozen glass rods mostly Moonlit “not to be confused with Moonshine junk” only Orvis rod I own is a Battenkill Bamboo rod I had gifted to me from a friend. It’s impregnated so it’s super heavy but it’s fun to fish from time to time .
I have an old st Croix rod and it's been my workhorse for years
thank you for the video, i wish you harped on the Sage, reddington and whoever else is in the Far Bank umbrella a bit more. more people need to understand the experiences with those companies because you can be spending $600-1200 on a rod that is sold as a "premium product and premium company" when in reality its a quality fragile product with a terrible company.
i have many rods from many companies and st. croix is unmatched with their customer service, but to have a customer pay a ridiculously high price for a sage rod and give them a 10-12 week response time is awful. thats 10-12 week response time, not repair time. 10-12 weeks before they even look at your rod to tell you what the expenses will be or if they will even repair it at all.
in a perfect world, st. croix brings back a focus to their early 2000's fly rods.
Yup great points, temple fork outfitters fits that bill exactly. No warranty anymore, they still advertised it until the government made them stop.
Still have my Sage DS. They were an awesome value twenty years ago or so.
On the Orvis mission, the first guide is not in a good position for the ferule. Can cause breaks especially if hand wrapped guides are wrapped tightly
Notice how it sounds like a .22 when it pops, that’s a pressure break
I just built a 4 wt on a the original green batson RX7 blank. I like it a lot but it's both much faster and much stronger than I expected. I have 5wt DT on it and it casts like shit until I have a lot of line out. It's a machine at 30 ft away but roll casting is a lot of work and small spaces are out of the question, just won't load. Going to be great for sniping later in the summer though. Guess i need a second one now, but I'm going to get a heavy WF line for the meantime. Thinking of building a glass or slower graphite 5 wt for single spey.
I have a a lot of fly rod like you, and like you I have opinions. Sage rods are awesome but often break, more than most. I often think that the Ugly Stick fly rods are great because you can whip a bear into submission with it and continue to fish. it's all about priorities.
Great video Ben. How about an episode of your fav fly lines? I know I’ll disagree with you but I’ll laugh the whole time. Stay Huge!
What about the toadfish fly rod for an introductory salt rod?
I would never buy a rod that claims “increased hookup ratio” in their advertising. That is a lie.
@@HugeFlyFisherman thanks heading to the keys in Mar. for my second attempt and taking my 14’ piranha. What would be an intro salt water 8? My fly experience now is bluegill and gar with a rope fly. I’m not huge and live in Tennessee. And “I stay in the center of the boat.”
Check out what Orvis or TFO has in your price range.
@@HugeFlyFisherman I like TFO I have a skeet Reese rod I have used for 20!years now and people can say what they want that rod is irreplaceable. One more question while you are being huge. What reel would match a nice or saltwater for an 8
@@markwinkelman3868 thanks
Great videos. Boat bags packs and other gear are some great vids in the down time.
Concerning not paying full retail: what are the methods and “outlets” for obtaining a new rod at less than retail? Excluding someone’s personal circumstances or inside deals.
I don’t buy rods often enough to really know.
I always look for an old model once a new one drops.. eg g loomis imx line can be had for real cheap right now with the v 2 out.
I bought an Orvis Recon 7 wt for sea trout, here in Denmark… haven’t caught anything!
I still use my 30+ year old Pflueger 6wt for streamers , yes the Kmart package rod . Well used . Scientific Anglers 8 wt for bass. . My dad has a Pflueger 5 wt 8'6" " presidential model that is actually a nice rod. Way above the package combo's. Reel seat , locking, guides , graphite very light all in line with the better rods of the day. Fishing it you would never guess it's a Pflueger . Brother got it somewhere, have never seen another one.
Where are the tenkara rods at?
Love it! The worst customer service I have ever had has been with Sage. I will never own another Sage product ever again. I bought a Sage reel that the drag broke on my first trip... 7 months to get it replaced. They have had my Payload for 8 months,,, F them I have broken Echo rods and never had to wait more than 7 days for replacement. Love them.
No tenkara rods 😢?
Hey man, is there any chance that you can make a video speaking about what makes a rod a dry fly rod, what makes a rod a nymph rod etc
I bought a Sage Graphite II thirty years ago and killed it. I was up in the Cascades with a buddy who said “it’s a great little starter rod.” Funny, his Winston didn’t catch fish but my “little starter” Sage Graphite II yarded them in.
I still have my Sage DS2 in 4wt 7'6" 2 piece. Still a fun rod👍
Awesome set of rods Ben... but inquiring minds want to know.....where is your Moonshine euro- nymphing rod?... I heard Moonshine is coming out with a Tenkara fly rod also! Totally joking Ben I know where you stand on those issues and I respect your opinion and your outspokenness. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Loved my rod tubes with dividers until I started using multi rod cases and travelling. Then I had to buy a pile of rod socks. Dumb complaint, but since my rod tubes never go anywhere anymore, I would rather have socks.
lol - I also have a 5 gallon bucket of rods in my garage. More speys than trout rods at this point tho. Every rod company needs to do like Echo and pre-make spare tip sections.
Curious- why no Winston- too much dough? Not your type?
I totally agree with the assessment of the 8wt Helios 3D. But I was fortunate to get to test out both Helios options: the 8wt 3D and the 8wt 3F. The "F" is awesome!! In contrast, in the 6wt I think the "D" is much superior. Also a lot of options to cover up the hideous white label.
HUGE-LY Informative! Any opinions on a 9 - 11' Switch Rod? (For streamers & saltwater)
Sage LL, that's a fantastic rod. Haven't seen one in a while.
That’s probably a blue halo fiberglass blank. Love their gear.
You hid the tenkara rod behind the curtain. I saw it. Can’t hide it from old Mr Sharp Eye… 😂
Sage DS !! my first name brand fly rod. 1/2 price store closing $125 8' 5wt with a Ross Gunnison. Shows I'm old .
TFO has been great. Redington has been pretty good.