Replacing Fly Rods

[Mike Barrio]

Why, or when, do you replace your fly rods?

With the possible exception of my glass Freestone 79 built by Sandy (when did you build scf219 Sandy?) I think all my rods would be 10+ years old.

I simply haven't felt the need to replace any of them, they fish as well as they did on day one and I've not seen anything on the market that has tickled my fancy enough to go out and buy one.

[Sandy Nelson]

Nov.2020 for that one Mike

I won't comment on the actual question

[Mike Barrio]

Nov.2020 for that one Mike

I won't comment on the actual question

Thanks Sandy, thought it was around then.

Of course you can comment, that was the point of the question 

[Sandy Nelson]

All right then,    according to my notes I've tried 125 different Glass rods and 27 Carbon ones in the last 12 years   

[Mike Barrio]

I fish with you Sandy, I'm totally accustomed to you turning up with new toys, but even I am blown away by those numbers!

I fully understand how that would make sense for a well known rod builder. There can't be many out there with that much experience.

Looks like we are at opposite extremes    I'm looking forward to reading what the other forum members say.

[Hamish Young]

Why, or when, do you replace your fly rods?

Why Well....'cos new shiny thing  But seriously... I haven't replaced a single hander for getting on for a decade, mostly as I haven't felt the need to change what I have. I've certainly tested a few and be tempted by one or two, but I'm reasonably content with my armoury with one notable exception.
Double handers and 'Switch' - that's a different story and I have changed a few and acquired a few.

I probably change reels (and certainly lines) more often than rods.

When As little as necessary or, more accurately, where I pick up on something new. I dare say that if I fished rivers for trout more often I could be tempted by rods specialised for certain disciplines as that's exactly what has happened with my double handers. Sure, you can have an excellent all-rounder and that's fine, but I take the view that if you can afford to it's often a sound plan to buy a tool made for a job rather than simply 'making do'.

[James Laraway]

When i have changed rods it has tended to be driven by the rating of the rod.
As a kid i think we all fished #7 rods, which i did forever.
Then I bought a #5 Scott and loved it - so i had the #7 Sharpes and the #5 Scott
Taking 2 rods with me was a pain so i went for a #6 and got shot of the other rods to 'simplify'
I then got tempted by glass so bought a #4 taniwha and loved it ( having broken and repaired the tip of my #6 carbon)
I then fancied a streamer rod so bought a 'Sandy special' build Haldin #7 glass
The issue i now have it that the Haldin is soooooo nice ( can throw lures or small flies and bends even with smaller fish)  the Taniwha just sits in the garage.....

nightmare......