[Mike Barrio]

Hi folks

What is your favourite small stillwater and river fly rod of all the ones you have ever tried?

[Jim Doyle]

10ft loomis glx 5wt, its a 2 piece which is a bit of a shame, but a great rod

[Iain Goolager]

I'm sure I'm not alone in having either owned or still owning a number of rods, most of which have their time & place but the Creme de la creme for me was my G Loomis IMX 9' 6" #6 rod which was equally at home casting a moderate double on a small salmon river and presenting small dries on remote hill lochs.
It too was only a 2 piece rod - (it's a 3 piece now - pity!)

Since it's demise a few years ago I now use a Greys MKII 9' # 6 which has been a good servant to me

I recently purchased a 10' #5  Orvis Western2 (to go czech nymphing for Grayling with Jim Doyle) and although it is slightly heavier that I imagined with reel and line on, I do like it.

p.s. looking forward to getting the Barrio 3 wt on the river

[Hamish Young]

I don't know about favourite ( ) but the rods that I have tried and which have impressed me the most (other than a certain blue #3wt   ) would have to be the Winston Boron IIx and Scott E2 which were just lovely - one day maybe   I need to try a light Z-axis next though ....... to be sure you understand
However, the 9ft #4wt Orvis Trident that I have remains my favourite rod (for river use) in my posession

[Tam Greenock]

Still not had time to try my new Barrio yet but soon hopefully, my favourite rod ever was a Kunnan 10' 7 weight that l bought when l was twelve with Christmas money, think it was about £25, thirty two years ago  , havent used it for at least 25 years but still have it. My favourite rod now is my Winston B11X 10' 7 weight.

[Sandy Nelson]

I've tried just about everything on the market as regards 9ft 5wt's over the last 2 years
Having built quite a few of them both for me and others and having a certain friend who gets plenty toys to play with.

The best by a long way is the Winston B11x although its run pretty close by a certain bonny blue stick (but i am very biased ) they are very similar to fish with  
The other really good rod i tried was a Guideline LPXE SW 9ft 5wt (for saltwater use but brilliant allrounder)

A lot of the top end rods have changed, where they used to be very technical and precise tools that only people who learned how to use them fully would get the advantages (whilst still remaining fishable for most folk) the cost was never worth it for average joe.IMHO
The recent crop of top end rods definatley cater to the more average caster, so if you spend the dosh you do actually get some of the benefit And they will help you improve.

I still think most of the top end stuff is overpriced for what it is, only Winston can offer the quality and the product, and you dont get ripped off in the UK quite the way you do with Sage or loomis compared to the US price.

Sandy

[Jim Eddie]

The one I'm fishing with at the time 

The Barrio Otter , I bought for my daughter is a nice rod to fish with when she lends me it. I have a Fladden Vantage 8' 6" 4# , despite it price its a rod I enjoy casting.

I have a 9' 5# March Brown Hidden Water  7 piece, which is great to have in the boot of the car in case an oportunistic bit of fishing arises. The 10# 5 weight vision 3 zone is another I like.

Then there the 7 #'s , The Sharpes Gordon is a grand rod , I also have  Air-Flo M-Tec which I have had for years, trust me its a great rod. I got a bargain 10' 7# Sage XP recently and would have to say its a beast of a rod.

The list go's on .......... 

 

Jim     

[goosander]

With most of my fishing done on rivers with high banks, i would now not part with my eleven foot 6/7 wt. Aquariss rod. Unlike most modern rods this has what you call a butt action like the old greenheart rods which means you can spey cast down pools while others have to walk past them. The largest fish on it was a sealicer of 17 lbs. which it delt with easly. An ideal low water rod down to size ten drurys but can still put out a dry fly.

[Irvine Ross]

My choice of rod depends on the weather.

On days with a light breeze and when using small flies, then I choose my Scott G2 8'9" #3.
When a stiff westerly wind is blowing down the Don, I go for my Barrio 9' #5. There may be more exotic bits of carbon fibre on the market but both my rods are better at casting than I am, so they suit me fine.

Irvine

[Rod Mackay]

For me it's a toss up between my Barrio #3 and Winston BIIx 9'#6.  Have fished many times this year with both of them back to back, trying to decide which I prefer and still have no decision.  Pretty big compliment for the Barrio #3 as the Winston is over 3X the price.

Used to have a #6 Sharpes Aquarex which I loved and stupidly sold.

[Hamish Young]

Used to have a #6 Sharpes Aquarex which I loved and stupidly sold.

Muppet 

[Rod Mackay]

Muppet 

Tell me about it!

[Sandy Nelson]

Have had a sudden epiphany

The question was, what is you favourite flyrod

Made me realise I had my favourite fly rod up for sale , Not any more

She's stripped (oo! err! ) ready to be rebuilt, into a sexy little minx again ready for the coming season
Nice new rings a lovely smooth grip and some polish on the butt. Shiny whippings and a good rub down with some slippery wax should invigorate my slightly stale supermodel missus
New line on order for her too (its the one she loves best but in this seasons colour )

So pamper your best friend, don't cast her aside, hopefully she'll forgive me
and continue helping me make beautiful loops and catching lovely fish.

  Heres to 2008, The return of the Supermodel


I feel all warm inside now

Thank you

Sandy

[Hamish Young]

Thanks for sharing that loving and caring moment with us Sandy  I look forward to seeing the refurbished 'lady' sometime soon 

[Eugenio Antonielli]

I wont change my GATTI T4, 8'6", line 5 for anything.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY from BARBASSA

[Graham Allan]

I haven't tried many different rods ,for me its my diawa whisker fly 8ft wt3-4 .not expensive  a wee bit soft and slow especially when the wind is funnelling down streem,but we do have some grate times together we go away up the water where nobody goes its so overgrown we have to wade upsereem every year we go a we bit further and find some cracking new riffels and pools and sometimes a pounder 1 time a 2.5 lb seatroot from an ankle deep riffel on a up srteem b butcher .but best of all we never see another living sole.