8'6" vs. 9' 5 weights...

Big-Bass

Big-Bass

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I mainly fish the Lackawaxen, Lackawanna, Lehigh, and occasionally one of the branches of the Delaware and wondered if I was to spend the money on a new Winston...either a GVX Select or BIIIx...what length should I get? I mostly fish dries because I am not that good yet at nymphing...but also like to throw small streamers. It seems like years ago, shorter rods were the norm but now longer is better...what is everyone's opinion? Thank you!

Also, and brand/model or different weight recommendations would help too for the areas that I fish...Thanks!
 
I have a 9' GVX(a 6wt though, love it). I also have a 8'6" 5wt(not a GVX) and that extra six inches does make a difference imo. Nothing major, but it does help. I'd probably go with the 9' but that's just me, others may have different opinions. For nymphing I like longer rods, and for dries I use my shorter rods more but still use my 9' rod occasionally.
 
Cut and paste from a previous thread:

"I don't know what it is about the extra 6 inches, but a great feeling 9 footer is a rare pleasure, and being rare, you have to pay up for it. Yet a great feeling 8.5 footer is common. Doesn't mean there aren't any dogs--you still have to swing them--but if your mind automatically equates big water with a 9 ft, you might try the 8.5 and see if the easier swing doesn't more than compensate for the 6 inches of reach."

This idea may or may not be relevant to you since you seem to be interested in some fairly high dollar rods. There is no doubt that extra reach on big water helps from a tactical standpoint, so if you have the funds and like the feel of a 9 footer, then by all means, especially for those kinds of rivers, the longer rod will serve you better IMO
 
In that price range, I'd look at a Scott A4, St Croix legend elite or Sage VPX. All are good and more importantly, don't say Winston on the blank. :-D.

What current length and weight rods do you have. You'll want to fill a gap or improve on your situation.
 
I just got a 9'. I'm not a tall man and the extra 6" makes mending a better drifts MUCH easier to acheive.
 
I currently have a Scott s4 905-4 as well as an LL Bean 6'11" 4 weight...would an 8'6" softer action benefit me...
 
If you can wait until after next week i can give you opinion on 3x, 3sx and gvx in 9 foot as i will be fishing all 3 side by side. Given those larger waters i would never consider a 8.5 ft and think you may want to consider a 6 wt.
 
Dear God, why in the hell would you be consider another 5 weight if you already have the scott s4?!?! I reiterate, buy a 6wt if you wanna burn money. A 7 weight would not be out of the question.

I have a wide range of 3x and 3sx and gave a gvx to a friend as a gift. i will be fishing with him next week in Maine as will be side by siding them. I will let you know what my opinions are on the comparison.

 
I have the Winston BIIIx 9' 5 weight rod. Its a real pleasure to fish with. I also have a 8'6" Winston BIIx. When I go fishing with my 5 weight its most always the 9' 5 weight BIIIx. I heard the GVX is a very nice rod and has the feel of the BIIx without the Boron.

Ron
 
BB,

If you have a S4 in a 5 weight.....it's pretty much already a 6 weight rod. I'm thinking that you could use a rod from 7' - 10' on the Lacawanna depending on the section or the users casting ability.

I do 90% of my fishing on the Delaware or one of the branches. I use a 9' - 5 weight rod for dries, 10' - 6 weight for nymphing and a 10' - 7 weight for streamers. I think I own 10 rods and only 2 are less than 9' long (7'9" & 8'6" both are 3 weights).

Your S4 is a cannon and should be more than able to handle the D or windy conditions on bigger water. I'm still confused what you are looking for. You've got a great rod that can handle anything from dries to streamers and a shorter rod for smaller waters.

If I were going to point you in any direction, I'd say to use the S4 for nymphing / streamers. Get a different 5 weight that is slightly softer and make that your dry rod. I'll go back to my suggestions for a Legend Elite or a A4. If price isn't an issue, get a Helios mid-flex. You may find the slightly softer rod easier to cast as well.
 
The S4 is a great rod but up close, I think I have a hard time gently dropping a dry on the surface. The LL Bean rod is a little short for bigger water so I basically want a rod for 75% dries and 25% nymphs/streamers IF needed. Do I get another 5 or take the suggestion for a 6? Or drop down to a longer 4? I purchased a 9' 4 weight Redington Link that has already been returned because I found it sort of lifeless. Thanks for your suggestions and sorry for my own confusion...
 
Your S4 can be slowed down / softened by putting a 6wt line on it. If you use a SA GPX 5 line, it's basically a 5.5 - 5.6 line which will make the rod easier to load with less line out.

Your Scott says 5wt but it's pretty much a 6wt. Put 6 line on and fish it. Get yourself a more user friendly 5wt that can handle in close and at distance. The 2 rods I use on the D are both 9' 5wt (sage z-axis and st Croix legend elite). Actually prefer the St Croix over the Z-Axis. Both can move line and work well at shorter distance. I don't believe a 10' 4wt will be the answer for you. Just my 0.02

Not sure where you live but you are more than welcome to cast my gear or meet up on the D sometime and cast them.

PS. Do you know anyone with a power boat that might give Becker a ride in it? He's trying to make new friends.
 
Another benefit of the longer rod is easier mending and roll casting. Not having to worry about backcast room and still being able to easily reach out 30-40 feet if I have to is great.
 
So is there a reason to get an 865 anymore? It seems like so many prefer longer rods...what would an 865 provide me over a 905?
 
Nothing. I'm pretty sure I could fish everything from tricos to muppet babies with that Scott. A different rod would make trico fishing more pleasant.

 
Ok, everybody has to scroll up and read KeithS and in our virtual world nominate him/her for innuendo post of the year.

That said, what I read is that longer is better for nymphing(did I just write that?) simply because we can keep more line off the water and reduce the number of cross currents between where we are and where we think a fish might be. If fishing drys, I don' think it matters. I have an eight ft. 5wt. Winston bought 20 years ago that lands a dry perfectly at 30 feet as long as I don't get in the way, which, unfortunately, is all to often.

Last word, I love my Winston but today wouldn't spend money for anything more than what St. Croix puts out. It's fishing.
Coughlin
 
I was afraid of that. I tried to word things to avoid it, but I failed.
 
I prefer the 8'6" over the 9' rods. They seem to swing better for me...but then I'm not like most.
 
Coughlin wrote:
If fishing drys, I don' think it matters. I have an eight ft. 5wt. Winston bought 20 years ago that lands a dry perfectly at 30 feet as long as I don't get in the way, which, unfortunately, is all to often.

Last word, I love my Winston but today wouldn't spend money for anything more than what St. Croix puts out. It's fishing.
Coughlin

I don't know about the 5 wt but the Tom Morgan Favorite 8' 4 wt is pretty much the definitive dry fly rod for small to mid sized streams.

If I was looking for a "dry fly rod" in most PA waters, then I would look to the 8.5 4 wt in the b3x. However OP is not fishing typical PA water and is fishing the larger fisheries with larger fish. Those same fisheries are also those that tend to product wind and other adverse conditions. Therefore I would not be a huge fan of a 4 wt.

Having said all that, owning the Scott 5 wt he has (which I think is pretty much perfect for damn near anything), I would be looking at a 4 wt or 7 wt.

In closing I would assume that based upon your initial post that you are a newer fly fisherman. Further I would suggest that you slow down and take the time to learn to use what you have versus trying to buy gear to figure out "potential problems". Please understand when I say that I am not dismissing your quest for another great rod, but frankly you have an awesome rod that should take care of 90% of anything you run across in PA or frankly the US. I would suggest that additional money may be better spent in solid casting instruction from a FFF instructor. If I am off base and you have over 9,000 years of experience please forgive me.
 
I am newer at fly fishing and I do love that Scott S4...I just am looking into options to have so that if I can cover all my bases...I have a shorter 4 weight (which I also really enjoy fishing) so maybe I am just becoming a gear junkie (that might be the tournament bass fisherman in me). I would like to try a slower action rod though...maybe that is what I am searching for...

For some reason, I have a hard time putting 6 weight line on a 5 to justify slowing it down. The S4 is amazing, but I think something a little slower would/could also benefit me. I don't want to just burn through money but rather keep it on a budget.

Even more confusing is reading 5 weight shootouts from 2011 vs. 2013 and the changes drastically in the results of some rods.
 
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