Short Fly Rods Offshore:
Does Size Matter?
Summary
Lessons Learned
- "Grain weight" versus "line weight"
Our experiences with the little TFO rod reminded us of the distinction between AFTMA line weight and the grain weight of line that a rod was designed to cast. They underscored how critical it is to have an understanding of the design targets for a rod when chosing a fly line for it. - Short is OK
For our purposes, a missing foot of length is not a problem. Casting distance was not overly affected, and there were benefits from the perspective of landing fish. - Rod action affects fish fighting ability more than length
As noted, the stiffness of the butt section seems to affect the fish-fighting capabilites more than length, but there is a balance that must be reached. Too long and too stiff is just as bad as too short and too soft. Your preferences may vary!
In a Nutshell:
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The TFO Mini Magnum turned out to be a real workhorse. It cast well, and had plenty of lifting power for fighting fish. This should come as no surprize, since the rod was designed by TFO's Nick Curcione with these characteristics in mind. The shorter length made it easier to land fish. Like all TFO products, the Mini Magnum offers great value in addition to high performance. Fit, finish and components were fine for our intended use. The rod's MSRP of $199.95 includes a rod sock, but not a hard case. |
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The Sage BASS Series Specialty rod has a lot of potential. It cast well, although the softer rod action felt like a limiting factor when fighting bigger fish dogging it below the boat. Still, it's a strong rod, and entirely capable of handling larger fish, as long as you understand the issues. Again, the shorter length was a benefit when it came time to put the fish in the boat. Fit, finish and componentry were up to the usual Sage level of excellence. The rod's MSRP of $395 includes a special short-taper floating line for bass-bugging, as well as a rod sock and a hard case designed to transport the rod with a reel attached. |
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The TFO TiCR X 7' 6" 8wt. is a great rod when used within its design parameters. Clearly, we were pushing it well outside of its original design envelope, but it still did well, once we figured out the correct line weight to use. For BTB fishing, it's a good rod for light use, such as bonito, bass and barracuda in open water. Like its big brother, this rod offers a lot of performance and great value. It has an MSRP of $249.95 |
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Sea Level Fly Fishing
Extreme Series
What's Next?
Somewhere down the road, we hope to obtain the short Scott and G. Loomis rods for testing. We also will be receiving (I hope shortly) one of the new Extreme series of rods from Sea Level Fly Fishing Adventures. These are 8' or shorter, heavy rods (they start at 10 weight), designed specifically for offshore use. They ought to be great fish fighting tools. More info as available!
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