final decision time

[BigRedChevy11]

So this weekend I will be settling on a rod reel combo for my first fly rig. Fishing smallies and whatever else bites on the big D. I have it narrowed down to 3. All in 9' 6wt.

st. croix legend elite with a galvan rush reel

Greys xf2 streamflex with a galvan torque reel

G-Loomis pro4x with a hardy ultralite DD reel

I will be casting each combo later this week to see what fits but i'm just looking for any insight from someone who had experience with any of the above.

Thanks.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I can't comment on any of the rods. I've never casted any of them.

I can comment on the reels. I've had Galvans since around 2000. My original one is still working great, after countless fish, as are my other Galvan reels.

 

[krayfish]

The first two rods will out perform the third. I think you probably have the rods listed in the correct order. You have 3 pretty different rod actions in your line up. Galvan makes nice quality reels that will last. What in the hell happened to your budget? That went right out the window. LOL.

 

[BigRedChevy11]

Do you know if galvan sells auxiliary handles for their reels? When I was playing with them at the shop my only bugaboo was that I think I would like if the handle knob was longer.

 

[BigRedChevy11]

I was never very good at keeping my budget with anything lol. If I can spend around 750 and get what I want it is better than settling for something just because of a few extra bucks. A little OT and shes paid for : )

 

[BrookieChaser]

To my knowledge, Galvan does not offer accessory handles.

 

[krayfish]

If you call them they might make you a bigger handle. It's a fairly small operation.

 

[byf]

Check out the St Croix Bank Robber also. Cabelas has it on sale now for less than the Legend Elite and it's an awesome rod, especially for streamers

 

[Millsertime]

I don't have any of them but I'd lean towards the St Croix / Galvan before trial testing. I've heard great things about both. I have a buddy that has the St Croix with a Litespeed and it's a smooth operation.

 

[BigRedChevy11]

Good to know. The fly guy favored galvans over the hardys too.
What should I look for when I buy line? ill be fishing large bugs or streamers with a 6wt setup I think.

Does color matter? What pound test? Im reading guys overline sometimes is that something you should do with a rod like the st croix? Or do most folks just learn by mistakes?

 

[krayfish]

The elite is fast but not ridiculous. If you cast the St Croix next to the Greys, the elite should feel softer in the tip and be more user friendly at short distances. You don't have to over line an elite but you could. I use Rio gold on mine. Gpx or grand will also work. I'd say if you got Rio gold, you could use it "as is" for trout or bass. Grab 2 poly leaders in different sink rates. You'd end up with a floating line, a floating line, a line with a 4" per second sink tip and a floating line with a 7" per second sink tip. Trout, bass or even steelhead......watch out! I think Rio calls them 'versi-leaders'

 

[BigRedChevy11]

I'd say if you got Rio gold, you could use it "as is" for trout or bass. Grab 2 poly leaders in different sink rates. You'd end up with a floating line, a floating line, a line with a 4" per second sink tip and a floating line with a 7" per second sink tip. Trout, bass or even steelhead......watch out! I think Rio calls them 'versi-leaders'

Is it better to have 2 spools with the different leaders or can I just switch them out as needed? Whats the chances of me keeping a leader in my bag and not tangling it all up??

 

[krayfish]

Poly leaders are like thin fly line. You'd really have to work hard to knot one up. I saw your post abot the greys reel.....I've looked at the same with intentions of using it for 3 different sink tips. Never got around to getting one though. That reel is quite big and might unbalance a short rod if you were going to use it on the 5wt. You could get the GX500 (same internals) in a 3/4/5 & one in a 6/7/8 for the same price. Just a thought. Then you'd have 2 reels equaling 6 different combos.

 

[afishinado]

Big Red,

I know nothing of the rods you list above, but for the Big D in the middle section, where you plan to fish, I most often fish a 7wt, sometimes even an 8wt.

The Big D is big water often requiring long casts with some hefty flies. The smallies can be tough, and don't forget about the stripers and shad. Add in needing to cast a sinking/sink tip line at times and that all adds up to a 7 or 8 weight for me. HTH.

 

[BigRedChevy11]

Are fishing 9' rods??

I was kind of set on the 6wt mostly due to if I find a large stream I could use it for a big trout rod until I can buy a lightweight. The 7 may be too much for that. What if I went with the 9'6" ? Would the extra length help or is it not worth the 40 bucks extra?

 

[krayfish]

I have a 9'6" rod, 7wt for streamers on Delaware,Susquehanna and SR steelheading. Is it too big for most trout situations? Probably. Stimey hooked one on it 2 weeks ago on the WB and had his hands full trying to stop the fish. Here's another idea...... Get 9'-9.5' elite in 6wt. Buy a Rio gold 6wt with poly leader and also get 15', 6ips sink tip and tube flies for bass. You can present a rather large profile fly that weighs nothing. It's easier to cast and that sink tip will drag it deep quickly.

 

[BigRedChevy11]

How big of streamers can you push with a 6wt? If I want to throw big poppers In a lake and say 5" streamers across the D, is a 9'6" 6wt not going to be enough or will it be "just" enough? Also if I hook an above avg striper will it damage the rod?

 

[krayfish]

it probably wouldn't damage the rod but it sounds like you might be better off with a 7wt

 

[afishinado]

BigRedChevy11 wrote:
How big of streamers can you push with a 6wt? If I want to throw big poppers In a lake and say 5" streamers across the D, is a 9'6" 6wt not going to be enough or will it be "just" enough? Also if I hook an above avg striper will it damage the rod?

Like I posted, I fish the D and big rivers like the Susky for bass all the time, plus the D is loaded with stripers and shad in the spring. I would never think of using a 6wt in big water. You won't break your rod on big fish, but you will struggle trying to cast the bigger flies and handle sinking lines and leaders you will need to get down to the fish.

You also mention now about bass fishing in lakes with big poppers and streamers. A 7wt could handle all of the above. In addition, it's a great rod weight for fishing steelies and big trout with streamers.

 

[TimMurphy]

DearBigRed,

I'm with Afish. If you want to fish the Delaware for smallmouth and want to target big fish with big flies you shouldn't be considering anything smaller than a 7 weight.

When I started flyfishing a 7 weight was considered your standard "Western" trout rod. That was back when rods were made out of fiberglass or bamboo but the line size hasn't changed over the years. You need the weight of the flyline to propel the fly.

Another thing you must consider and it's something that few people seem to do on a consistent basis is that large flies require heavier leaders to be cast efficiently. For bass you almost never need to use less than 8# test tippet and can often get away with 10, 12 or even 15# test. Heavier tippet makes it much easier to get the leader to unfold with a heavy or bulky fly at the end of the cast.

Bass ain't leader shy and when you are fishing a popper or streamer for them on a 7 or 8 weight you should buy a furled mono leader that ends in 16# test and just tie a 2 to 3 foot section of lighter tippet from the terminal loop on the leader to your fly.

If you don't use a furled leader don't be afraid to use the old reliable Maxima Chameleon material for your entire leader. Yeah it's brown and it's stiff like piano wire but it will chuck big flies better than anything else you can buy and 1000's of landed bass tell me they ain't afraid of it.

Good luck,

Tim Murphy