sirocco Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 lethfisher, FYI the TFO Professional Series isn't distributed in Canada (the site you're using is TFO USA). If you did want a 10' 6wt. you would be looking at the Lefty Kreh Signature Series 10' rods. All of TFO Canada's rods can be accessed through the Springbrook website: http://www.springbrook.ca/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 lethfisher, FYI the TFO Professional Series isn't distributed in Canada (the site you're using is TFO USA). If you did want a 10' 6wt. you would be looking at the Lefty Kreh Signature Series 10' rods. All of TFO Canada's rods can be accessed through the Springbrook website: http://www.springbrook.ca/ I bought the one I had from Fishtails a couple of years ago. Did they stop selling the TFO professional in Canada? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Ya I want a rod for the bow, all I have now is a 8'6" 5wt and wouldn't mind getting something a bit heavier. I am kinda stuck because I can either get a 12' foot spey rod and use double handed techniques, an 11' switch rod that can spey cast and overhand or just get a larger single hand rod and learn to single hand spey cast properly. I am on a fairly tight budget (I am in school and should be buying books not fly rods haha) so I want to be sure before purchasing something. Demoing something from Fish Tales sounds like a really good idea. I wouldn't mind trying a properly lined 9' 6wt for some single hand speying. Oh well I guess I'll decide eventually lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirocco Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I bought the one I had from Fishtails a couple of years ago. Did they stop selling the TFO professional in Canada? Just curious. SilverDoctor, To be honest I'm really not sure. It's very possible that they used to distribute the Professional Series, but not anymore as far as I know. The current line-up, to the best of my knowledge, is: Lefty Kreh Signature Series Finesse TiCr TiCrX Axiom BlueWater Deer Creek Switch Deer Creek Spey Signature Spey two-hander (only one model... not in the catalogue). the SG (limited production rod with a fiberglass-like feel... also not in the catalogue) Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlashGordon Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 no go on the tfo pro here anymore hey lethfisher...what about doin a poll if you're interested in what people on here think,i know what you're goin through i hate making decisions like this but you will definately be schooled on some products by the end of this process,good knowledge to have... your poll could be listed by brand name and type or just type or the two rods you have in mind eg. Spey Switch OR TFO "model' Switch TFO "model" Spey Sage "model" Single Hand Loop "model" Spey Loop "model" Switch etc etc etc make it whatever you have in mind,if you have a price range that's your first step and allow to break yourself a bit more on price causee you prbly will but set a price and go from there,trust me this won't be your last purcase on fishing gear up until last summer all i fished was glass and swore i'd never need a 'fancy' rod now here i am a few months later with a graphite 9' and 12'6,which is still pretty basic equipment and browsing all the time for something else....maybe something used will turn up and that'll be a good shove in the right direction,speaking of which have you looked on the red shed website poppy is a wicked guy,i called and left a message about a rod i was interested in and the next morning it was off the site listings,he later told me he got the message and 'held' it for me.so a bump for him red shed good luck and let us know what you decide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Ya I want a rod for the bow, all I have now is a 8'6" 5wt and wouldn't mind getting something a bit heavier. I am kinda stuck because I can either get a 12' foot spey rod and use double handed techniques, an 11' switch rod that can spey cast and overhand or just get a larger single hand rod and learn to single hand spey cast properly. I am on a fairly tight budget (I am in school and should be buying books not fly rods haha) so I want to be sure before purchasing something. Demoing something from Fish Tales sounds like a really good idea. I wouldn't mind trying a properly lined 9' 6wt for some single hand speying. Oh well I guess I'll decide eventually lol note - this is not a jab to spey casters, this is a personal belief. As you noted in your spey casting post, you have noticed that the spey rod does not do well up close...If you're looking for a rod to do literally everything equally well, it's going to be a single handed rod, in a 6 weight, in a 9-10 foot setup. It may not be able to do somethings that the spey can do as easily, but it will be able to do them somewhat well (note that most of the 'spey gurus' carry a single hand rod with them, as they realise the inadequacies that having just one rod will do....).... Don't be obssessed with the distance that a spey rod can punch out, as you'll be missing a lot of the fish holding water that is 30 feet and less from the shore. If you're try to save money, i'd highly reccommend a Sage Flight, probably the nicest casting rod for 400 bucks out there... Last year was one of the single greatest dry fly years on the river, and having a 13' spey rod will certaintly make you frustrated when you have a 24" brown rising to trico's 15 feet in front of you, and you can't cast a size 20 trico comfortably (or not break your 5x tippet if you manage to get that fish to eat)..of course, you won't be able to swing streamers or launch nymphs far as easily...each have a downside, but i think the single hand rod will be the best bet for someone that wants to save money, and do as much as they can and don't think a 5 weight is under gunned....i know quite a few bow river guides and fly shop employees that fish 4's and 5's nearly exclusively through the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxwell Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 u got it markd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headscan Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 If I could only use one rod to fish the Bow I'd go with a 9'6" 5 or 6 weight. The only reason I'd go 6 over 5 would be for chucking streamers easier. In spring/summer/fall I mainly use my two-hander with a skagit for tossing streamers and use a 4 weight single hander for dries or a 7 weight for heavy nymph rigs. And lethfisher, keep in mind that spey casting is not so much about distance as it is about efficiency. And you can just as easily spey cast a single hand rod with most lines. I love my two-handed rods, but I'd never give up my single handers either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks for all the info guys, I really appreciate it I am starting to lean more towards a longer single hander like Mark was talking about or even just trying out my 5wt also. I really like how far the spey rods can cast and how much river they cover but when I actually think about it I would probably be better off fishing in close where the water might not be as fast and deep. But then again maybe there is a fast current right in front of you and a nice slow pocket on the other side of the river lol I am starting to realize that what I am wanting doesn't "really" exist, have lots of control in close with a nice dry or nymph but also can throw a heavy rig a longer distance. But isn't that kinda what a switch rod does? Does both fairly well but doesn't excel in either? Seems like most guys on here though prefer one or the other so you can get the best of both worlds, just carry both rods!! What if I got an extra spool for my 5wt and put some airflo 40+ or Loop Opti Stream on it so I can switch between lines as I need?? I could just single hand spey cast with the right line? Do they make such lines for 5wts? But if I am doing this its probably better with a longer stiffer action rod ie sage flight aaaah overwhelmed!! lol I need to go talk to Fish Tales guys haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The sharkskin is one of the best single hand spey lines out there, due to the extremely long head..... A good caster will excel, no matter what manufacture's line is on the rod...don't get so caught up in brand names. Practice your casting, then worry about your fly lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 well i have sharkskin for my 5wt right now, so it looks like I am good to go haha. I just looked it up and see that the loop opti stream comes in WF5 so thats good to know. Do you need to go a line up for single hand spey casting? I have 5wt do I need 5 or 6 or whatever? Ya I could save myself a big headache if I was a master class caster lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luukesh Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks for all the info guys, I really appreciate it I am starting to lean more towards a longer single hander like Mark was talking about or even just trying out my 5wt also. I really like how far the spey rods can cast and how much river they cover but when I actually think about it I would probably be better off fishing in close where the water might not be as fast and deep. But then again maybe there is a fast current right in front of you and a nice slow pocket on the other side of the river lol I am starting to realize that what I am wanting doesn't "really" exist, have lots of control in close with a nice dry or nymph but also can throw a heavy rig a longer distance. But isn't that kinda what a switch rod does? Does both fairly well but doesn't excel in either? Seems like most guys on here though prefer one or the other so you can get the best of both worlds, just carry both rods!! What if I got an extra spool for my 5wt and put some airflo 40+ or Loop Opti Stream on it so I can switch between lines as I need?? I could just single hand spey cast with the right line? Do they make such lines for 5wts? But if I am doing this its probably better with a longer stiffer action rod ie sage flight aaaah overwhelmed!! lol I need to go talk to Fish Tales guys haha I will throw in another vote for a 5-6 single hander. Good choice on the Opti Stream too, just ordered one myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 No you don't. I've single hand spey casted with 000 weights before, the line weight really doesnt matter..It's more about timing then power (up-lining will be good to start, but hide some casting faults over time as your timing doesn't have to be as exact)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I shoulda jumped on that 6 weight TFO Axoim you had earlier luukesh Well I think I'll give it a whirl with my 5wt next time out to see how that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headscan Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The sharkskin is one of the best single hand spey lines out there, due to the extremely long head..... A good caster will excel, no matter what manufacture's line is on the rod...don't get so caught up in brand names. Practice your casting, then worry about your fly lines. Odd, I thought the Sharkskin was the worst single hand line I've spey cast. Do you mainly use touch and go casts with it or waterborne anchor? I mainly use waterborne and found that the Sharkskin didn't have enough "stick" so I kept ripping my anchor off. Perfect example of how much peoples' preferences vary and why you should never listen to just one person's opinion and try everything for yourself before buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I cast it more like a scandi then a skagit, one smooth motion. It doesn't give you the line stick required, to be using it like a skagit....it's incredible for kiss and go castin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Have to agree with you Headscan. Tried the Sharkskin line and it didn't suit my style at all. Had the same anchor issues. My brother in law now has the line and he seems OK with it. On this issue of short casts I usually do a high stick method initially off the tip. then slowly add line till I can achieve a full Spey cast working the water out from shoreline to distant holes. When the the hatch is on and tiny dry's hit the water I flip over to my dry fly rods. The spey excels at nymph rigs fished deep. Indicator rigs, and swinging wets and streamers. It's also great for skidding bitches over long stretches. Big river big rods. BUT when the caddis and blue wings are on the water or I hit my smaller steams or lakes there is another rod in my caddy (often several). I love a lot of different fishing styles. They all have their charm, and their place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 If you guys have a fighting butt on say a 6 or 7wt rod have you ever used that fighting butt to use as a grip for your other hand?? I know you're probably not supposed to but just curious if anyone ever does that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolman Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Sure you can and that's how I first started practising my spey casting. The rod might not perform real well but you can still get it out there and work on learning the different two hand casts with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogilvie Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 If you guys have a fighting butt on say a 6 or 7wt rod have you ever used that fighting butt to use as a grip for your other hand?? I know you're probably not supposed to but just curious if anyone ever does that? Toolman is right! If you want to see this in action try some distance casts,instead of the double haul with you lefthand simply engage your hand on the butt end of your rod and see the dynamics happen. Tighter loops ,greater distance and less physical demand...However,if you want to become proficient with Spey casts with a single hand rod then the fly needs to be appropriate. Normal floating fly lines can perform Spey casts but just OK...of course this depends completely on your needs. If you are fishing small creeks then the line you have will likely do,but if you are wanting better results I would suggest you think about a better line. There are some good ones on the Market. We began to work with the Loop Opti stream line (that is till produced) 7or 8 years ago that seemed to open up Single Hand Spey Casts. Fot the floating line fishers this is One great Line...in all line weights from 2-9, but if you want to fish varios depths then I think the best Line I have used to date is actually a Switch Rod line called the Elixir ,from Beulah. This line needs to be used on a minimum of a 7wt.,but opens the whole world of possibilities for most single hand rod users..combined with the various POLYTIPS you can fish different depths or on top(floating dry fly work). Of course some of the other line manufacturers havae in recent years seen the light and are making efforts to accomodate this same need and market. In this Picture I have landed a Pink Salmon off the beach while using an elixir line on a #7 Snowbee 9'6" rod...like the Bow this situation demanded tight loops and easy casting C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headscan Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 If you guys have a fighting butt on say a 6 or 7wt rod have you ever used that fighting butt to use as a grip for your other hand?? I know you're probably not supposed to but just curious if anyone ever does that? Last year at the Fly Fishing Expo Francois Blanchett helped me fix a casting fault but didn't have a double-handed rod rigged up. We used his 10' 7wt single-handed rod exactly the way you're thinking of. The biggest difference will be whether the line you have on it is properly suited to spey casts like we discussed earlier in this thread. You can really go through the motions with almost any rod/line setup just to get the form down, but you might not get the same performance out of it. Also, make sure you start out with wool at the end of your leader instead of a fly. Really easy to screw up an anchor placement or use the wrong cast for the wind direction and give yourself a new piercing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhurt Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 On the 5wt 10' 8" rod I am building right now has a small 3" handle at the bottom and I can fit 3 fingers around it perfectly so I can do all my two hand casting with it. Even though its my hopper dropper stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethfisher Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 That looks like a pretty sick rod there bhurt! I'll take one!!! I have Sharkskin on my 5 wt right now and it seemed to work okay for the anchoring on a single hander. I actually found it easier if I didn't even anchor the actual line in the water, rather just my nymph rig and split shots. I have a 5 foot poly leader then 4 more feet of 3X tippet, and I was fishing my indicator maybe 2 feet from the top of the leader so 7 feet was hanging below. Maybe this is a casting technique error but whenever I did a double spey and the indicator anchored the cast wouldn't go as well. You know you flop it in front of you then pick it up around and toss it, and if I tossed it quick enough so the indy wouldn't settle back down and just the nymph rig and split shots were the anchor I could cast really well. As soon as the indy settled back down then it would go kaput lol Luukesh had the Opti Stream line he let me try on my 5wt and it was pretty sweet, You could definitely tell the difference in lines and how the opti wanted to really zip out there with a tighter loop than the sharkskin would. I also liked how it changed from orange to white at the end of the shooting head so you know what your doing. He also had the SA Nymph taper to try out which seemed a little slower than the opti stream. It was a thicker line and you had to slow down the cast almost or wait for a second to form a good loop. The head on it is super long so I could pick up more with the double spey without having to strip any in like the opti. But honestly I found I was better off stripping in more and shooting more than just picking up the whole deal and no shooting. Overall I think I liked the Opti line better For my next setup I am thinking of going for a 6 wt with fighting butt and an Opti Stream line on it, should be perfect for the Bow Thanks for all the advice guys, I appreciate the answering of questions without making me feel dumb haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxwell Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 u are on teh right track lethfisher!!!!!! the opti stream line is the deadliest line out there imho!!!!! same with your touch and go description when only lettin your indi and nymph rig hit the water.. i dont use much line stick when spey casting...... others prefer more of a sustained anchor when castin more of a preference i figure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speyghillie Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Guys, Just got my hands on a couple of wee ladies rods........ and had great fun trying them out today, got a 10ft 6in for a 6wt a 12ft for a 7 wt and a 11ft for a 7wt, the 10ft 6in and the 11ft have a detachable 4in handle. Will be givin them some stick tomorrow with a couple of buddies at work, i thing the 12ft is more of an 8wt, got some shooting heads to try out too................I hate my job. Even got a Hardy reel for nothing today. Gordo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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