The Yellowstone Angler shootouts are very informative! Especially if you dig into the details on each rod.. There you will find the factors they measure and their weighting of each factor. One can pick and choose those factors most important to them. The shootout is heavily weighted toward casting opinions, maybe a little too much as they are opinions not facts. However the opinions are of very experienced fly fishermen.

I find the reel shootouts to be extremely informative as they measure all the important factors that should be measured, and you can derive your own conclusions, rather than use someone else's opinions.

I agree, Phil. I didn't mean to disparage them, just to express an opinion regarding how different level fly fishermen might interpret them differently. It is great that they do show all the data so that if one's priorities are different than theirs, it can be easily handled.

I'd still like one of you experts to comment on whether a rod that can handle 100 feet of line well would feel underlined at 35-50 or not.

I have not checked lots of fly rods , but every one I have tested for CCS has been at the top limit of the range for its designation. (line weight)

The first 30' of some new 8wt. fly lines weigh close to 300 grains. The first 40' of some new (nominal) 8wt. fly lines weigh well over 300 grains. Some new (nominal) 8 wt. rods cast these lines beautifully in the right hands. Successful fly casting depends on the rod AND the line AND the angler. I have found fly casting students are most successful using an "over lined," fast action rod. I still love the "feel" of casting a good bamboo rod, but they can't run with the big dogs.

As the other Phil mentions, the three variables together determine how a rod performs when casting. Example, an inexperienced angler may have real trouble loading a fast action 8wt with 30 feet of line if the line is at nominal weight, and be much more likely to handle 30ft if the line is above the nominal weight. In the hands of a good experienced caster some rods will handle the range of 30ft to 100.

And Micheal, you are right on regarding CCS specs on many modern fly rods, I find this especially true for rods designated 5wt and above.

There are a number of people who can cast a fly line 50' or more with just the line and their arm, no reel and no rod. There is no reason to get too picky about a rod used to fly cast 50' or less. Any 5' rod, even a casting or a spinning rod can cast a fly line 50' when matched with the right fly line and the right caster. The characteristics of a fly rod blank become more critical as casts become increasingly longer than 50 feet or so.

I must disagree with the other Phil regarding the subject of "getting picky" for rods used to cast 50 feet or less. The fact is most fish caught on fly rods are caught well WITHIN that range! There are good reasons to be picky in selecting blanks for building rods to be used for precise delicate fly presentations, as well as those who want certain characteristics in rods used for nymph fishing. Fly fishing is NOT all about distance casting, other aspects are at least equally important!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2017 08:25PM by Phil Erickson.

Kelly,

I am a custom rod builder (www.dcrodbuilding.com). In my opinion, the PacBay Quickline is the best blank available for the money and CTS is the best blank available in the world. I have both and use both. I have customers that swear by either.

Dave

Hi Kelly,
I am a custom rod builder located in Cody, Wyoming. In my opinion, the best fly rod blanks are: PacBay Quickline for price performance and CTS overall. I have and fish both on a regular basis.