Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Hamish Young

Flextec rods....
« on: 23/12/2015 at 09:34 »
Many of you do, I'm sure, watch a certain internet auction site for fishing bargains - I know I do.

Having been refunded on a couple of things I had some money burning a hole in my PayPal pocket soI was hunting for a particular Flextec rod for a casting project and ended up buying an entirely different Flextec Streamtec 9.5ft #6wt which I might give to my old man once I've played with it a bit.

Thing is, the rod and shipping cost me a penny under £30 and that is cheap, very cheap. I've spent more than that on a pair of fishing snips. Delivery was within 2 days recorded and I wasn't expecting much. The cork is very average but the rest of the rod looks good, very good for the money. Nice tube. Nice looking rod. I'll take it for a chuck between Christmas and New Year, but I'd be interested to see what others have found when they've bought them.... as I sure some you must have :? :!

H :cool:

Derek Roxborough

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #1 on: 23/12/2015 at 19:53 »
I was out with a mate fishing his Winston and I had my 9ft 5wt Flextec , he asked for a cast and I was surprised when he said he was disappointed, he said he didn't expect it to be so good he thought he was going to rib me about it,but he conceded that it was nice rod, I ended up giving it to him but I didn't get the Winston    :z8  easgach 1

Mike Barrio

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #2 on: 23/12/2015 at 21:53 »
but I didn't get the Winston    :z8 

Good try :z4  :z4  :z4

Colin Sunley

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #3 on: 24/12/2015 at 14:01 »
Been using a Flextec  Kinetic 9ft 7# for a few years now,  It's a great rod the build and finish was very good for the price, much the same as you paid, 
It's a stiffer rod than my Orvis Access, but does the job just as well, 
I can let borrow it if you want test stuff on it,  not an issue,  :z16

I have read on other forum that there Salmon Rods are not up to much, but then, I've never seen one or cast one to make a proper judgement on it,

But I would buy a flextec trout rod again for sure,

They also produce a very nice looking reel,  :z16

McMj219

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #4 on: 03/01/2016 at 17:41 »
I have two Flextec rods, a CRX88 and a Sumo, both 10' weight 7/8. I have found them to be excellent value. They are both 4 piece, have fighting butts and the cork and fittings were excellent on both. The 88 casts a lovely delicate line for presentation and the Sumo throws a line like an arrow. For what I paid for them online, I don't think you could get better value. Oh, and they come in a bag and protective cordura tube as well!!

Rob Brownfield

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #5 on: 07/01/2016 at 10:34 »
I just don't get the marketing of Flextec...they say RRP is £180+ but I have never seen one go for more than about £50 on ebay.

I believe the Irish team use them as well????

I was thinking getting the 10ft 3 weight Streamtec for a laugh...that's got a RRP of £189.99, but £64.99 on their site and £30 on ebay.

Flextec seems to be the DFS of the fishing world :), always a sale on...

Hamish Young

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #6 on: 09/01/2016 at 10:54 »
I plan on getting the rods out tomorrow for a New Year chuck, will advise how the Flextec gets on.....

Jeff Donovan

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #7 on: 10/01/2016 at 01:30 »
I plan on getting the rods out tomorrow for a New Year chuck, will advise how the Flextec gets on.....

Looking forward to your report.  :z16

Hamish Young

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #8 on: 10/01/2016 at 19:24 »
Looking forward to your report.  :z16

I failed to get a chuck in today, instead we went shopping.....  :z6
However, the Flextec and something else I bought are coming for a cast this week. Almost certainly. Almost definitely maybe.

H :cool:

Eddie Sinclair

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #9 on: 11/01/2016 at 03:53 »
Shopping??????????????????/

H,

come on get out there and have a chuck, you know you want to.

Eddie :X2

Hamish Young

Re: Flextec rods....
« Reply #10 on: 16/01/2016 at 16:44 »
OK, I finally managed to get the Flextec Streamtec 9.5ft #6wt out for a cast this afternoon.

First impressions are positive, the rod tube and bag are nice and the rod itself is a pleasing olive colour. Fittings and cork aren't high end and the general finish is 'industrial' but at the price I paid the package appears to be 1st class value. The necessary (but largely pointless) no-line waggle test revealed that I really needed to get a line on the rod :wink so I bunged on my 'go to' pre-production Barrio SLX #6 as this line - or its close relations - are likely to be the ones used on this rod (if I keep it).

In fairness I wasn't expecting all that much, but I allowed myself a significant 'weighting' in how I feel about the rod because of the price I paid for it.

The SLX was all the line this rod could readily cope with, a #5 SLX might have been better and I didn't have another #6wt line immediately to hand when I went for a cast. The rods action is forgiving and relaxed, as tested a 'quick' rod this is most definitely not. With that out of the way a nice delicate stroke, nothing harsh (don't whack it :! :z7 ) and this rod comes to life, it has an action reminiscent of some top quality rods of 10 years ago or so - but is significantly lighter :!
There's guts in this Streatec, but with the SLX it was over-lined a tad to my taste. That said I had to do the obligatory distance cast (for giggles) and it's simple enough to get the whole line and some back going out the tip ring. But you do have to stroke it....... carefully.

Sounding negative :? Well I am perhaps slightly nonplussed although undeniably the rod is extraordinarily good value for money - it just is.

Is it a 'true' 9.5ft #6wt :? Ahhh now that's a question.

What do you want such a rod to do :? Now that's arguably a much better question and I know what I'd want it for and it might will struggle, it's not got the balls I need in such a rod.
But.... if you wanted a nice casting (cheap :!) rod as a back up/spare for fishing dries and nymphs then genuinely I'd say it's worth a punt. Rest of the range ??? Well I have no idea, I have only cast this one single hander but I'd be reticent to believe the line rating on the blank based on this experience. If you were looking for a decent 9.5ft #5wt then buy one of these and take a sharpie to the #6  :z4

Now it so happens I had a chuck with a Flextec salmon rod this week, helping someone with line choice. He kept the line and has got rid of the rod.... the rod was an absolute noodle, utterly hopeless.

H :cool:

 




Barrio Fly Lines - designed in Scotland - Cast with confidence all over the world

Barrio Fly Lines

Designed in Scotland

Manufactured in the UK

Cast with confidence all over the world

www.flylineshop.com