What Brand of Rod/Reel Combo Do you prefer?

When choosing a rod/reel combo is there a specific brand that you either specifically look for or specifically avoid?  Why?  Any places you recommend to buy from?

Submitted by Jonathan TrzilFri, 2011-09-02 15:02

Comments

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

i build my own bamboo rods and now im addicted. the rod weight is a 5/6 based on an old taper called the Martha Marie and my reel is a lamson konic 2.0. with old cortland floating six weight line. i need new line for sure!

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

That sounds pretty awesome, i like using my orvis clearwater 2 with my battenkill reel in mid flex.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO BUILD A ROD?

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

uh usually only two or three weeks

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

Sounds cool, i bet it is really rewarding to catch fish on robs you have made youself

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

it is for sure. kinda like catching em on your first flies you tie. and nothing flexes like bamboo. you can catch a 6 inch fish and feel like you have a monster on the end. so the lunkers actually do give ya a good bend.

check out the galler i have up of a few rods

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

is there, like directions for making a bamboo rod

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

yes but its very compicated and requires a pretty heafty investment.

lets put it this way... i paid enough for all my equipment, tools, and raw bamboo(which is still very basic compared to quality makers) i could have already bought a two or three thousand dollar bamboo flyrod. haha

google it up though and there is lots of step by steps out there.

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

I have a very large bamboo patch below my pond. so im good that way

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

ah its a very specific type of bamboo though. other wise it will break under pressure.

tokin bamboo from china and it 2-3 inches in diameter. cuts from atleast five feet up from the ground. other wise it will either not work at all or come out funny with bumps and different wall thickness that affects action

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

I'm not sure what kind it is but there are some thats around 2 inches

fish4budz 13 years 2 months ago

tokin bamboo only grows in china and it has to be cured you would need to chop those down now and have them in the sun for close to year before they would be dry enough to use. constantly rotating them so not to get bows and bends

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

I all ready have some dried because i make my own bamboo paddles, also i make stuff like cups and cylinder containers

Jonathan Trzil 13 years 2 months ago

i just looked at you fly rods, you should try selling them. They are really nice

ThreeShotGringo 13 years 1 month ago

I have never fished bamboo but my favorite combo right now is a Scott G2 and Lamson reels...