Let's talk bout the ultimate nymphing rod...

If you had to design "the best nymphing rod on Earth," What would it have? Would it be over ten feet? Would it be lighter? Would it have a fighting butt? Would it cost less than 400 bucks?

I know that many of you guys have the Hardy/Greys rods. They ate the front runner. But what would you do to make it better? Pretend that you are the rod manufacturer. What would you want to change?

I would like nymphing rods to be more versatile . For example in the old days you could buy a rod with two tips of differing lengths. For example I would like a rod with one configuration that made it ten feet and another that made it 11 feet. I think you could accomplish this by having two interchangeable second sections to the rod. I think a fighting but is a must for a long rod. My wrist gets tired fighting large fish without the fighting but. I prefer a three piece rod over a four piece. The reel seat is big for me. I have no patience for reel seats that loosen up during a long day of fishing. My hands are not big but I think the diameter of most fly rod cork handles are either too small or poorly designed for nymph fishing. I do not know how to solve this but some smart rod builder could figure it out. I have a problem with my loop rod - that is when the rod is wet the leader sticks to the rod. I need a non stick finish. I think this is impossible but is there a way to design a rod so the long leaders we use do not wrap around the tip sections guides.

Aaron,

Let me know when all this gets sorted out...I have been looking for THAT nymphing rod for a long time. I thought my 10', 5wt. Scott G would be that answer back in the 80's...WRONG...Big water, small brushy streams, lakes, wind, long line nymphing, high stick, a brace of nymphs or wets and Czech nymphing to mention a few situations...Too many variables for a single rod to cover...BUT - if you find it!!!... ;)

PT/TB :P

PS: Hence my tag below...

I dont think versatility is attainable. We need to have the right tool for the right job. One would not want to use an adjustable wrench or pair of pliers on a helicopter transmission. The same princible can be applied here. I do agree with William that a fighting butt is important for any nymphing rod especially one that is over 10 feet. Balance is also important to me and more important consideration than being light weight. I would not try to experiment with different materials for the tip section as with one rod I have. I feel its important to maintain continuity of materials throughout the length of the rod and not get too fancy. It can affect the hook set and fish playing dynamic in a negative way.

I have the Grey's 10' 3wt and 4wt as well as the Cabelas 9 1/2' 3wt. I prefer a fast action rod while these rods are moderate/fast. If I had my preference these rods would be just a bit faster.
Aaron, tell us about the new Grey's 11 ft 3wts due out in Jan.

Hey Catchm!
Havent seen you twere ttyburning over rocks together in the upper Neversink. Hope alll is well. That was a good description of the Echo shadow. "a 6 wt with a 3 wt tip" I find that because of that, I have a hard time driving a hook set. The tip seems to absorb the lift. I remember George D saying that he moves the rod "one inch really fast." I dont think George's description of a hook set works very well with that rod. I find that without engaging the "6 wt part of that rod", you get mush. The Hardy / Greys on the other hand, have a fully integrated action thoughout the rod so one can deliver a quick compact and forceful hook set. I too am interested in the Greys 11 ft rod. In particular, the 4 wt.

Aaronl, I started with a TFO ll ft 5 wt that I bought from Davy Wotton personally. A good rod. I have the 3wt Greys in10ft that was discussed here, a great rod. Between the two rods I have heavy and light nymphing covered. The ultimate for wet or nymphing would be an 11 ft made by Hexagraph. They do not list such a rod but I bet they would build it. I have a 4/5 wt 7 1/2 ft rod that I love. It casts like the best bamboo but uses graphite hex strips which give it the advantage of a solid instead of hollow rod like you get with conventional wrapped cloth graphite rods and a continuous taper and flex like bamboo. I love that hexagraph so much that I have one coming as a Christmas present for my Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon fishing! It is 10 ft long and med/fast action with a butt extension in 7/8 wt. This will be a rod that will protect the lightest tippet and allow me to cast all day with less fatigue. For the money I could have an Orvis, Sage etc but for me, I love casting a bamboo or hexagraph rods because of the relaxed casting pace and above all, because I can feel the rod loading, I can cast at night or blindfolded without wind knots or tangles because of the tactile feedback.
Then, there is that exquisite feel of the take of the fish and I believe I hook more fish because I dont pull the hook out of the fish's mouth as I sometimes do with stiffer tipped conventional graphite rods. I have been a lifelong strength athlete and there have been times when I set the hook on a salmon when nymphing I set like Billy Bob the Bass Pro on TV. Not a good thing!
I also am mature(old) enough to realize that fly rods are very subjective and every fisherman has his unique likes and dislikes. And your favorite rod could well be the exact opposite of mine. You could hate my rod qualities and find that for you, the opposite characteristics make you a better fisherman. That is why there are so many different rods out there. I also see merit in the concepts behind the Orvis Helios and I am sure I would enjoy one too.

"Sage" 99 5 weight! Built for nymphing period.

How about the Sage z axis 10ft 5 wt or 4 wt

i'd make sure to have the alignment dots on the connections. looking down the rod takes longer than lining up the dots.

You can get either of those two rods now. I like the 11 foot 4 weight the most, with all of the ten food rods coming in second. The 11 foot rod is light and responsive. You'll have no trouble burying hooks in fish with that rod. It was designed very well.

I disagree that versatility is unattainable to a point,

A 9' 5 wt. will get the job done with nymphs, dries, and streamers it does what its designed to do well,
However there are rods that will do the job better for example a 9' 6 wt. is a very good streamer rod, a 10' 4 wt. is a good nymphing rod, a 9' 4 wt. is a good dry rod, but if anyone finds a perfect middle ground rod tell me please (:

Maybe a light weight 10'5" 5 wt with a nice soft tip, that you can buy for under 350.00 with a lifetime replacement guarantee.

All around,........ 10ft 5wt all day :)

Aside from the rod in my hand at the given moment(which is always the best choice), I would probably like a 10 or 10.5 foot 4 wgt. I would like it to be a mid flex action with a low swing rate. I hate the fast rods with the noodly tips and the faster rods period. That being said I dont put a lot of stock into the action of the rod...I can adjust but like a consistent action throughout the rod.

I have a 10 ft 4 weight helios, i love it. tons of power without the weight and has a nice tip not a noodle by any means but wont snap light tippet. It would be cool to have a 11 ft one thats not a switch rod

I casted the 10' 4wt Helios last week and I thought it felt like a broomstick and I love fast action rods I was very disapointed I felt like it deffinitely needed to be over lined . I also casted a 10' 5wt access that day and felt that the rod had a lot more feel to it than the Helios

Come to Somerset next week and real deal as far as nymphing rods are concerned! This is some serious stuff!

It's funny people consider longer rods as the ideal nymphing rod....
Yeah, a longish rod makes high sticking a lot easier as well mending a longer line.

Here's the clue: you need to get closer to the fish!
Get closer to the fish (gentle approach!) and you'll see you don't need to mend 30+ feet.

I fish 99% using weighted nymphs and I fish generally with rods shorter than 9ft. I'll use a 9ft rod if I can't get close to the fish because the current is too strong and/or it's too deep where I want to stand. I'll get as close as 10 feet to the fish.
Most important is the right rig: right amount of weight (usually a LOT more than people think) and the right length of the tip (depending on current speed 1.5-2x the depth you want to fish).

Often on streams and smaller rivers, I'll fish a 7-7.5 ft rod (#3-4). Yes, I often use a bamboo fly rod.
Larger rivers I'll use a 8.5-9 ft (#4-5) rod.

I have a 9', 10' and 11' 4 wt. I don't know if there is one ideal setup. I use the 9' for smaller water and flies and the 10' and 11' for bigger water where I can't wade as easily. But both the 10 and 11' rods can be used to fish right in front of me as well as farther away. I could get away with the 9 or 10' but the 11' rod makes casting so easy.

I think there is always going to be new technology coming out, different materials these rods have today makes casting a team of flies easier. Lenths keep getting longer, techniques keep changing but in the end it's all about catching fish and having fun. For those who get their gear free or can spend big bucks on this newer technology, great! For those of us who cannot it all comes down to presenting your flies in the proper fashion to the fish. Dosen't matter if you are using a broom handle or the latest most expensive fly rod out there. Bottom line is if you can't present the flies and learn the proper techniques all the expensive gear isn't going to help.

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