Vagabond

What's wrong with that salmon,it's turning yellow? Jaundice maybe?

Quite possibly therein lies the confusion,although I'm certain he said Sage.That said,if they have their Redington blanks made offshore,it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe that they farm out their older technology/lower end Sage models as well would it?

Ok,I stand corrected. I was told....just recently actually... that Sage has their blanks made in Korea. Perhaps I was misinformed...or perhaps they do in fact farm out some of their blank work and roll their own higher end/flagship model sticks in house?Who knows?

Could be for a cabin? Could be it would last all season if you don't shower? "Shower?? Watcha talkin' bout shower woman?I no need no stinkin shower!Hell,I just fell in the crick not even 3 weeks ago!Now get on over here and gimme a big kiss baby!"

Korea

Ok...granted,with very few exceptions.Thankfully for most of us,most blanks are rolled overseas,lest we would all be paying $1000+ for Walmart Superfly combos.

Eggzakly^^ Prime example...Korean made Hardy reels.While they may be snubbed by collectors looking for original UK made shelf queens,the QC is every bit as good(some say better?)as original UK mfrd reels....same for the rods. Again,name your favorite high-end rod company,and chances are the blank was made in Korea with only the final assembly completed in USA,UK,Canada, or wherever,if not the entire rod made in Korea? Who cares,they're ALL overpriced anyhow,esp. those assembled in USA with higher wages,lifetime warranties,and ENORMOUS marketing budgets.....and for that matter,the QC in Korea is likely as good or better than what you get from your typically disgruntled American manufacturing industry worker,not to mention Koreans are on the worlds leading edge with machining/CNC/manufacturing technology.

Correct me if I'm wrong,but isn't just about every "high end" blank mfrd overseas these days?Fwiw,not a TFO fanboy by any means nor defending them....jest sayn'?

I see TFO is stepping up their game into upper/mid-range market with new Impact series. Happened to be at a local Flyshop yesterday when they received them and was told I'm one of the first to even see/handle one,as they aren't even officially on the rack yet? Seems like a pretty damn nice rod,shoulda asked for a test cast I spose? Coming in at $400+, I'm guessing it will be another typical "lotsa bang for yer buck" TFO that's comparable to other high end rods costing twice that??

Can't say enough good about the guys at Beulah,they've treated me very well. Great customer service,small company,you actually talk to the owners when you call,and they care about happy customers.Fast turnaround time,great product....all good. In fact,I'm not even at liberty to say on a public forum how good they were to me,they're concerned they'd be bankrupt if the word got out how generous they can be,lol......true story.

Wow!! Impressive work!

I guess hotspotting is kind of a sore spot for me. In my personal experience,hotspotting is akin to firing a bullet from a gun,once it's out there,ya can't take it back.I could only wish that hotspots would recover in only a year....I watched a little known trout stream that I grew up on within walking distance of my childhood home go from relatively unknown outside of a few locals to a literal parking lot overnight when a local newspaper reporter published a picture and community interest/feel good type of story featuring a photo of a 3lb searun Brookie. For the first 30 years of my life,it was not unusual to spend a May evening there with only the beavers and deer for company,and occasionally run into another local from the hood. Since day one of the newspaper article,you'd be lucky to find a parking spot during sea trout primetime in the latter half of May,with bait chuckn' meat hogs in lawn chairs lining the banks......My buds and I spent hundreds of spring/summer days on that stream in our youth,and rarely ever bumped into anybody that we didn't know. I haven't fished there since the day after the newspaper photo was published when no less than 20 vehicles showed up...was literally run outta my own backyard.

Interesting...I wonder if the lower overhead cost of doing business in a small town vs. CGY is a significant factor?

Yikes!! For near 7 browns,I hope all that extra shiite includes 3x9 variable zoom and range compensating reticle,lol.

That is cool,love the compactness....dammit,I just bought another new net a few weeks ago or I'd be all over that.

Couple young lads I know back east(my buddy's kids actually) did just that a few years back. Turns out they come to find out that there's actually a worldwide "Moose Riding Club" on the internet....kind of an unofficial Mile High Club-ish kinda thing?

WOW!Very kind offer,thanks! Walker1....$680??!!! WTF?? That must be typo,yes??

QU/"So I'm almost one year into the fly fishing thing and am getting owned and constantly schooled by the trout residents of Bow River./QU" I've been flyfishing near 30yrs and the Bow kicks my ass more often then not......cue tiny violins.

Yea that's them,Franklins,thx!I guess it's my east coast roots,but when I hear the word "gulls" I think of goose-size herring gull dump ducks eating McDs French fries or hundreds of them chasing a lobster boat and shitn on my head......Franklins are nice and well behaved by comparison....I'm still gonna call them terns,just becuz.

What is the proper name of these tern-like(?) flocks of birds that pick off caddis all day long? Are they a species of gull or tern....I've heard them called both??

Thanks scel....I've actually done ALOT more reading of reviews since previous post,and they tend to concur with your experience.Amber may be best for "all around" use,smoke best for bright conditions,and these HT greens seem to be highly praised for low light/overcast conditions?Considering that my favorite and most successful outings are generally either overcast or the low light of dawn and dusk when I find amber lenses to be too dark,I think I've found the perfect excuse to justify getting a pair of MJ HTs? ......plus I think the green lenses just plain look cool,haha.

Interesting tidbit re:the Alexandra.....I'm not sure if it's still the case,but at one time at least on many waters in the UK,the Alexandra was considered such a lethal and effective pattern that it was actually BANNED!!

Anybody using these?How do you like them? I've always been partial to amber lenses vs. smoke for all around use,just thinking about giving the MJ green lens a try,but a bit leary to spend that kind of $$ on a lens that I might not like? I'm assuming (or giving the benefit of doubt?) that any lens by MJ is of proven high quality,and well suited to purpose(obviously fishing)......I guess I'm more interested if anybody here has a side by side comparison/review of amber vs. green in a variety of conditions?

I guess I don't really cast heavy rigs with my Zenith anyhow,again,swinging wets and skaters mostly.......but that said,based on your comment and outta curiosity,I looked up the specs for 10' vs. 9' 8wt Zenith. 8100......3.5 oz/102g 890........3.42oz/97g I'll take the extra foot thanks, .08oz/5g is hardly a deal breaker.

I'm a fan of longer sticks,esp for swinging wets and streamers for steel,Atlantics etc.Not much of a pike guy,but I can't think of any disadvantage,only positives inherent to a 10'er vs. a shorter rod? 10' rods generally cast farther with less effort and,as already mentioned,offer a slight mending advantage.They also pick up more line better/easier when reloading for your next cast,and if you find yourself wading belly deep,the extra length helps in aerializing more line for false casting......or from a pike fishn perspective....perhaps from a belly boat,'toon,canoe,small boat? 8100 Zenith is my goto SH salmon/steel rod for swinging wets,bombers,skaters etc.There's not many waters where I feel under gunned with that stick,and usually only break out the Spey if I feel like hucking half chicken dumbells half ways across the river or getting down'n dirty with tips.