[JoshAnelli]

Hi i am planning on buying a new fly rod soon, but would like some peoples oppinions on whats best, i currently fish with scierra avelance 7-8, with a loop multi. i fish moastly bank fisheries like carlogie, kingennie etc but also enjoy rescobie etc, i am looking for something with a long casting potential and tip action for under £300, cheers josh   

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Josh

It is very difficult to give opinions on rods, as we all like different things

Let's wait and see what the forum members suggest, but I would make sure that you "try before you buy" and are confident that the rod action suits you.

There are hundreds of excellent rods out there and not many poor ones

Best wishes
Mike

[Hamish Young]

Plenty of rod choice out there and we each have our favourites. You may well find that it is the line and, no offence, your casting that is holding you back if distance is your goal.

I freely admit that I've learnt more about casting distance this year than in the previous 30 years that I've been fly fishing. So a days instruction with someone who knows what they're doing might be money well spent before a new rod or line, for example.

Hamish 

[Rob Brownfield]

Have to agree with the above, especially Hamish. I have "suddenly" learnt to cast good distances after 25 years and it was my casting, not the gear.

Having said that, if you want a truely lovely reservoir type rod, Orvis have there 10 foot Power Matrix 7 weight on offer. Its a tippy rod and is coming in at £229 just now. 25 Year warrenty which is truely outstanding....none of this "pay an administration fee of £25" like you get with Greys etc. No quibbles at all!!

There western range is also on offer, for example the 9 foot 6 7 weight is £129.

Anyway, its all well and good listing this and that, but its important that you get out there and try a rod

[Iain Goolager]

Rob, Hamish,

Perhaps you can both teach me how to cast good distances so that I can buy a new rod!

Iain

[Jim Eddie]

Josh

If I were you i would pop into Neil Andersons shop in Forfar , I'm sure he would be able to let you tray a few rods before you buy.

 

Jim

[Paul Rankine]

Josh,

If I were you i would pop into Neil Andersons shop

Yep, and he's also a SGAIC Game Angling Instructors Assosc. Coach.

Paul 

[Hamish Young]

Yep, and he's also a SGAIC Game Angling Instructors Assosc. Coach.

A worthwhile investment if he can do you a days(or a half days) instruction 

[Hamish Young]

Rob, Hamish,

Perhaps you can both teach me how to cast good distances so that I can buy a new rod!

Iain

I'm not a qualified instructor, but nevertheless happy to help if I can 

[Rob Brownfield]

Iain,
There are far far better casters out there than me...but the rod WILL help you cast furter ..Need to talk to you about the reel seat...the one from Holland is still causing problems..might have found a UK seat that looks really nice!!

[JoshAnelli]

thanks for the info lads, i was in at neils shop in forfar 2 day before lintrathen so got 2 demo rods to try only tried one Guideline leCie 7-8 witch was exelent so i think il probz go ahead ang get that one

[Iain Goolager]

Josh,

I haven't tried the LeCie but I'm a Guideline convert, for my sins.
I use the 'younger brother' -The LPXe  in a 4 & 5wt and I think it's a fantastic model.

Happy fishin'

Iain

[Mike Barrio]

Ah yes, I tried the LPXe not long ago and thought it very good

I find Rob's comment funny ( although I'm not sure which rod he is speaking about ) ...... "but the rod WILL help you cast furter"? In my experience, different folk can cast further/less far with different rods

We lined up on grass with 4 different prototypes recently and each person cast their furthest with a different rod Which did nothing to help me to choose the best prototype!

Cheers
Mike

[Rob Brownfield]

Mike,
Its a long standing joke....its the 9/10 weight i build for the PFFA...so far everyone that has tried it has said its outcast there existing rods, which is nice...

I totally agree with you by the way..if the rod does not suit the caster or the casting style then its not going to cast any further and possibly cast less. The advantage i have is that the blank I have chosen is much more forgiving than a majority or "salt/Pike" rods out there and so big distances are much more readily available to the average caster. We are not all like Magnus

Self promotion comming up ....review of the rod by Tim Marks, Vice President of the Specialist Anglers Alliance...

I received my version of ther PFFA 10 weight a couple or three weeks ago from Rob Brownfield. It was very well built and beautifully packaged for transit. I went for a simple build - a standard grey carbon blank, full wells handle with standard Fuji screw fitting and a small Fighting butt below. Then lined stripper rings and single leg snakes (rob's recommendation). This cost me £160 including carriage. Remember that Rob offers a full custom service - so you can spec the rod up as far as your wallet allows!

I tried it first with a full 11 weight floater - expecting it to be a little overlined as it is sold as a 10 weight that can cope with 11 wt shooting heads. The rod coped admirably with the 11 and within a couple of minutes I was happily chucking 25 yards with little effort. Very impressive.

I then went to the other extreme and tried a 9 weight floater - expecting the rod to feel stiffer and uncommunicative. Wrong again. Even with a fairly short line out the rod feels alive and would cast accurately. With a longer line, the rod really loads and big distances are possible.

I then got a friend to try the rod. He is 'work in progress' as far as fly casting goes - so an interesting test. He tried the 9 line and immediately described the blank as "springy" - meaning that he could cast further than he ever had before. He found the rod easy to load and very forgiving. With a 10 line he would have found it even easier.

I am so impressed with the blank that I already ordered another one. For the money it is brilliant value. It is versatile, easy to cast and reasonably light in the hand.

It will be my first choice pike rod from now on and I shall be taking one on my saltwater trips as a backup that can cover both 9 and 10 weights.