Author |
Message |
jonathan creason
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:25 am • # 1 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 03/27/18 Posts: 8
|
Hello all. I recently stumbled across this forum while doing some digging on lighter weight fly rods. I'm interested in getting a 2/3 wt glass rod for local pond hopping and taking to some bluelines I hit a few times per year. Unfortunately, I have a pretty hard budget of around $100 right now, so my options are pretty limited. My first thought is the CGR, which I am not opposed to. They're full price right now, but I'm sure they'll be offered at a discount soon enough. Secondly, I've considered buying one of the cheaper blank options like Angler's Roost, Proof, etc. I just finished wrapping up a 5wt AR blank, so I have *some* experience there. Does anyone have any recommendations that I might have overlooked?
|
|
Top |
|
Canoeman1947
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:49 pm • # 2 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 01/26/09 Posts: 617 Location: Oklahoma
|
I noticed your search over on the glass board. Apparently a lot of people don't bother to read the whole post, as many members were trying to push some pretty expensive blanks. I can give you a few choices, all well below the $100 line. I recently purchased a 6' 6" 2/3 weight S-glass blank from TaniWha Rodworks in Salisbury, England. They have an orange blank on sale at this time for about $64, and the other colors are a little over $80. As I recall, shipping was about $12. These are pretty fast action blanks. If you will go to The Fiberglass Manifesto and look under rod builders you will find TaniWha Rodworks listed. Another choice would be the Sunset Red blank from Custom Fly Rod Crafters, a 6' 7" 3 weight for $60. Another choice: Proof Flyfishing 6' 2 weight or 6'5" 3 weight for $50. The last option is essentially same as the Sunset Red blanks, except you can also get different colors: go to E-Bay and look up fiberglass rod blanks: Riverruns S-Glass 6'6" 3 weight for $36. I haven't had a chance to use the one I bought as a friend is building it up for me at this time. I did have a rod built on the Sunset Red blank and it was a nice rod, but I gave it to a friend and he loves it. I have known some others who have built on the Proof blanks and really like them. I hope this helps.
I failed to mention that the Riverruns blanks are being ordered from China, so there may be a 2-3 week wait. As mentioned above the Sunset Red blank is the same, but is being sold in the US. Another place to look is Ye Olde English Fly Shop; they offer a few 2 and 3 weight rod blanks, from $49 to $59. Larry
|
|
Top |
|
preast
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 10:58 pm • # 3 |
|
|
Sr. Member |
Joined: 09/03/10 Posts: 266 Location: Austin, TX
|
I built on the older spigot version of the Proof Olive and like that rod as a 3wt. Now I've got one of the new blanks and just haven't built it out yet, but I think I'm going to like it better.
Larry I had been eyeing those Taniwha blanks myself and wondered if they were as advertised. I liked the sound of the action described but maybe they're a bit faster than that?
|
|
Top |
|
Canoeman1947
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 11:16 pm • # 4 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 01/26/09 Posts: 617 Location: Oklahoma
|
Randy, I checked with Mark Williams, the owner of TaniWha, and asked him where the action fell on slow to fast spectrum. I told him I had the Steffen 8' 3/4 rod and that I had cast an Epic 5 weight, and where did his rod fall on that spectrum. He said he had a Steffen 8' 4/5 weight and an Epic 5 weight. He, of course, said it would be difficult to generalize when I was asking about a rod that was 18" shorter and 2-3 line weights lighter, but he felt that his S-glass rod was closer to Steffen in action. When I received the blank and put the sections together, I noticed it was quite fast, significantly moreso than my Steffen. Mark has since updated his rod descriptions, and he states the TSG blanks are 1-2 notches below an Epic or his new S-glass helix blanks. A friend is building this rod up for me, and I hope to get to try it out soon. Mark has stated these blanks work well with either of the line weights listed. I guess I will find out if I have the same feeling about it.
Larry
|
|
Top |
|
jonathan creason
|
Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 9:45 am • # 5 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 03/27/18 Posts: 8
|
Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll be honest, I'm starting lean more and more towards just going the CGR route. My main reason is just time. I'm dealing with baseball season, a wife recovering from surgery, and a puppy at home, which doesn't leave a lot of extra time to work on anything. Plus, with springtime finally arriving, what little free time I have I'd like to spend fishing and not working on this.
I dunno, lot of second, third, and fouth-guessing. I'm going to sleep on it a little more before I make a decision.
|
|
Top |
|
Canoeman1947
|
Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:45 am • # 6 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 01/26/09 Posts: 617 Location: Oklahoma
|
I have a lot of rods, but the CGR 6'3" 2 weight fished with a Barrio Small Stream WF2 or WF3 line, is one of my favorites. The CGR's have some minor faults, but overall, are in my opinion the best bang for the buck out there.
Larry
|
|
Top |
|
labrax
|
Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 11:47 am • # 7 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 02/05/18 Posts: 8
|
Do not know if you pulled the trigger on a small stream budget rod yet, but you may want to check out the Maxcatch Ultra Light combo. I have not used it personally, but the reviews are favorable. I do have the reel - a 2/3 model from them and their line and it is not bad. I would not drop the reel like I did - as it affected one of the two spools I have, but it will be fine for small fish in small streams and brooks. This is their olive green - a yellowish-green, not their darker green outfit. Have seen the whole outfit, with rod case, flybox, reel, line, etc. for $105.
|
|
Top |
|
RVan
|
Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 12:21 pm • # 8 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 05/02/18 Posts: 17 Location: Michigan
|
Larry,
Could you please indicate the reel you are using on your 2wt CGR? I am not intending to take this thread in a tangent direction yet, would find this useful from a "systems" perspective. It may motivate a trip to my local store!
Rick
|
|
Top |
|
Canoeman1947
|
Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 12:14 am • # 9 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 01/26/09 Posts: 617 Location: Oklahoma
|
Rick, I have several light reels that I use frequently: the Princess Lightweight 2/3 reel from Angler's Roost; the Wychwood River & Stream from Harris Sports Mail in England; the Redington Zero 2/3; and the old Pflueger Supreme 1834.
Larry
P.S.- you might also take a look down in Classifieds. The Aurora 2/3 weight is a very nice click/pawl reel. If I didn't already have a lot of 2 to 4 weight reels, I would be contacting him about that reel.
|
|
Top |
|
Dominikk85
|
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:17 am • # 10 |
|
|
Full Member |
Joined: 07/01/18 Posts: 101
|
I have the maxcatch v-feather 1wt. It is a nice and super light (about 2 oz) rod but the reel that came with it isn't great (kinda heavy and not great quality).got the set for like 70 euros so you can't expect too much.
|
|
Top |
|