As people may or may not know, I fish a lot of small Cascade feeder creeks for our local wild trout. I do this mostly because I love the whole environment and feel of small streams. I grew up with only lakes around and as an adult have really come to love interacting with moving water. Plus, after years of snowboarding and skateboarding, I really value being away from the crowd, small streams give me that. In addition, with a 2 and a 4 year old, my fishing time is even more crunched than ever. So a half day up to a spot in the Nooksack system is a lot easier than a full day on the skagit or stilly or whatever. It's not perfect, there's a lot that I miss about learning "bigger" fishing. But on the other hand, I still have a rod in my hand and am catching fish. I typically fish with a 3 or 4 weight fiberglass rod. Nice slow action and makes a 8-9inch trout feel a bit more lively, great rods and fit very well with the way I fish small streams. But for some reason (GAS, "grass is greener", stupidity, being trapped in the house with jackass kids too long) I've been finding myself really interested in the idea of trying a short 1wt or 2wt rod. First off, does anyone have any suggestions for a budget ultralight rod/reel/line setup? I'm not looking to spend a ton because I really have no idea if I'll like the ultralight fishing game. One the one hand, it seems like a fun challenge and something different, and on the other it seems like a bunch of annoyance and frustration. I have read a bit on the ULF forum, but to be honest, I'm kind of a one forum dude. And I'd rather get my northwest fishing advice from people who fish the NW. It's possible that I could build a rod up from a blank, it's something I've wanted to learn for a while. But it also means that it would probably be summer 2013 before I got to fish it at the rate that I seem to be completing projects these days. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if I'm already fishing slow fiberglass 3-4 wt rods, will I really see much of a difference in terms of action and flex by moving to a 1wt or 2wt graphite rod? Or will I just be trading casting distance for overall rod/reel weight and a lighter wallet? I don't suppose anyone in the Bellingham area has a UL setup that they'd like to rent out for a day in exchange for a beer or two at Boundary/Kulshan?
I think they make the Redington CT in a 2wt., 7'6". I had a 4wt, but unfortunately sold it. I think they are about $129. I already have a nice old Sage LL 2wt. which is a great rod, but probably out of your price range unless you got lucky. They don't make them anymore. Go cast the CT!!!
If you are willing to build a rod, you may consider getting a Rainshadow blank from Batson for about $55. For around $100 total, you could put together a very nice creek rod. Ask for Karry and he'll hook you up wit the right components to match the blank. I have used the 6' 6" 2 piece 2 weight rod for about 8 years and really like it. Although people say lightweight rods "make the fish feel bigger", from a more practical standpoint, I prefer the short length for casting in very tight quarters that small, brushy creeks are known for. Regarding your last question, the rod I describe above I use a lot as well as short, lightweight fiberglass rod from Scott (Fibertouch series) and honestly, both the graphite and fiberglass perform great for me. I'm not even sure I have a preference. Again, the length is critical for me, not the action.
You can go to the popular bidding site and look for a late 70's or 80's 1 or 2 wt. Orvis full flex rod. I don't target small trout or I would already have one. should be able to get one around $150 maybe cheaper maybe a little higher but these old rods are gems! And they wont lose they're value over years of use.
Josh, I have the 2wt CT and it's great, but strangely it's a little faster than most of the CT series. It's more like a 2.5. Your 3wt lami might have a lighter feel than the 2wt CT. In any case it's only $150 and you should give it a try. I think they should make something like a 6'6" 1wt CT.
I have a 6'6" 2wt that was my first rod building project. I bought it as a kit, I can't recall the name of the place I got it any longer. I agree with BDD that it's really the short length that is most practical for brushy small creek fishing. Being on the east side, I built mine mainly for bluegill fishing and I have to say, I haven't had much more fun with a fly rod than landing 9" bluegill on that 2wt. The down side is that it doesn't take much wind at all to make them all but useless. If a breeze picks up a low sidearm cast helps some with that, but the line really does get blown around a lot. My rod has a pretty mellow action to it and it usually takes a bit to adjust and slow the hell down when casting. Once that's out of the way, though, it's hard to not smile while fishing it.
That's something to consider. It's a rare day when there isn't some sort of breeze on a lot of those mtn creeks. Though to be fair, my 3wt glass rod suffers from much of the same issue.
Funny you guys mention a breeze. I have never had an issue with wind when fishing the mountain creeks. Of course, 95% of my casting is 15 feet or less. It takes a heck of a breeze to affect casting at those ranges, even with a 1 or 2 weight rod. Plus I'm fishing very densely forested streams and it seems like the trees act as a buffer to the wind. I wish I could say the same for my stillwater fishing lakes.
I agree with that as well. Most of my casts are pretty short. Still though, there are a couple spots where I do get to stretch it out a bit and make some long casts. Is that enough to make a difference for me in rod choices, probably not. Still though, its something to keep in mind.
Josh, I have a 2 wt. blank. It's 10 years old. I guess that shows how much of a trout fisherman I am. I also have a 5wt. to build that is 10 yrs old. I may build it them both w/in the next 2 weeks. I think it would be an effective way to teach my oldest to cast. Would you be interested in an outing? I'm also a bit curious about our local urban stream. Anyhow, get in touch when you have a chance. cds
I am curious to hear more about the relative merits of graphite vs fiberglass as you move down to 2 wt and shorter distance casting. I have a 7'6" 4 wt in graphite built on a Batson 5 piece travel blank already, which I could use for small stream fishing. Jay
I will add my experience for your review. I bought a sweet little sage 2 wt blank from Patrick's Fly Shop about twenty years ago. It was such a sweet rod that I did not want to bugger it up with my unprofessional wrapping. I sent it to a fellow in Everett, I believe, that was recommended by Tom Darling that ran the Avid Angler at the time. I can not tell you how beautiful the rod was when it came back. It is something to behold. I actually cost me about the going price of a factory sage, it was special. I still have it and love to cast it. That said, there is a hidden problem. Find a small reel that will balance out. Being somewhat of a traditionalist, I purchased some Hardy reels and for some reason I happen to have one of the featherweight reels. It fit perfect. Given the pleasure of casting such a fine instrument, I council you to keep the reel situation in mind. I am sure that the cost of an outfit like mine would exceed your stated budget limits. But what ever you do, please consider the reel along with the rod.
Josh, I have a (now discontinued) Cabela's Clear Creek 7' 1wt and an Elkhorn Traveler 8' 2/3wt that I love fishing small streams with. I'd be willing to loan either out for a day if you wanted to get together and fish or just grab a beer at Kulshan/Boundary. Also, check out http://www.rdpflyrods.com/ They sell a 7'6" 1wt blank for $60 or fully built for $165. I've read some good things about the blanks, supposedly similar to the "Tiger Eye" imported blanks. Jon
I paired up my 2wt with an orvis clearwater II and it's a nice combo.The clearwater is a cheap(49.00)and balances well, in addition to carrying a reliable name.
I'd love to give those a try. The creeks are all up pretty high right now, So our choices are wait or we could always just go out for the heck of casting. +1 to the Boundary/Kulshan. Also, those rdp rods look really pretty. They've got some short 2wt blanks/rods for even cheaper.
As for reels, my "starting" plan had been either a Medalist 1492 (4.2oz and ~2.75in diameter) or just sucking it up and getting a Orvis Battenkill Bar Stock 1 (3.2oz 2.5in diameter) if hte Medalist was too big/heavy. The Battenkill is hardly "budget", but it's still a pretty good deal. The Medalist is the same weight, slightly smaller diameter, and 2/3 or 1/2 the price of a Clearwater II. However, if there are other sub-$100 options out there, I'd love to hear it.
A light and responsive rod, and a light reel are a thing of beauty in my book. Like dancing with the prettiest girl at the prom. It makes you proud.
I'd be hard press to suggest a smaller graphite rod compared to your 3 or 4 wt fiberglass rods. I've been temped my self to purchase a Batson 2wt rod in the RX6 blank. It's about 30 bucks. The RX6 graphite is about as slow action as they sell. I don't see much difference in the weight of the blank as their other offerings. But, at 6 foot 6 inches, I think it would make a nice small stream rod. I own a Sage 2wt rod, and I love fishing with it when I get a chance. But, I haven't fished a small stream in a long long time. I miss that experience. I also have a St Croix 3wt that is 6 feet long. I think I fished that only once. My thinking was for small streams too, and it works well for that. I guess I need another light weight rod like I need a hole in the head. But, I like building them: I guess I could always give them away after I fish them,... once. The journey in finding the right rod is as much fun as fishing it. Sam
