Trout And Salmon Magazine's Top 12 Rods In Test For 2008

[speyghillie]

Trout and Salmon (the UK's oldest and most poular) Magazine has just published there top Double-Handed rods for 2008, there are some rods that are not taken into account, Clan rods, Bruce and Walker ect ...as they don't suppy mass produced rods to the stores and do hand built rods to order.

Here's the list, there is some debate.. as always, the rods where tested with different lines by three Independent Qualified Casting Instructors .

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Placing Rod >>>>>>>>>>>>Price £ > Points

 

1. G- Loomis RR GLS Stinger £799.oo>>> 39

2. Sage Z-Axis £710.00>>>>>>>>>>>> 37

3. Vision GTfour Catapult £349 >>>>>>>>35

4. Guideline LPXe £375 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>34,5

5. Sharpes The Gordon II £284>>>>>>>>> 32

6. Hardy Demon £449 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>31,5

7. Scierra HM3 £339 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>30

8. Daiwa Singature £425 >>>>>>>>>>>.>>>30

9. CND Salmon specialist £650 >>>>>>>>>>>29

10. Loop Opti £595 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>28

11. Lennox Salmon 750 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>28

12. Airflo Airlite 289 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>27

 

[cheeler]

Is the article online? What works for those casters may not apply in different fishing situations.

 

And damn you euros for your ,'s as decimal points!

[Flytyer]

Is the article online? What works for those casters may not apply in different fishing situations.

 

And damn you euros for your ,'s as decimal points!

 

I've seen this magazine at Chapters and I'm pretty sure the prices quoted are Pounds Sterling and not Euros

 

[FlashGordon]

cool report,a lot of different names as far as what we see around here

interesting how 3rd place is a 350 dollar rod and 8 out of 12 are under 600...what's the conversion to make it relative?

 

are they typically being tested with traditional long belly lines or do they get into scandi and skagit heads too?

[speyghillie]

All Prices are in Pounds, i am not in Euromoneyland, i haven't read the report yet so not sure about the lines used.What works for those casters may not apply in different fishing situations, Cheerler that is so true, and what they like to cast.. you or I may not, its just there finding with the rods they tested.

RusteHookz, not sure of the lines tested, but a Traditional rod will cast all three lines.. if it can lift and cast a long belly... it can cast Skagit and Scandi easy.

Göran Andersson describes his Signature Series of rods as having a deep flex action bending all the way to the butt...... thats as Traditional an action as it gets.

I think Cheerler hit the nail on the head, and i would think all the rods rested would be on a 9/10 wt and for Salmon. nae TROOT fishin.

Gordo.

 

 

 

 

 

[headscan]

Interesting list, but like cheeler says the criteria makes a difference. Were they all tested with comparable lines and did they all have comparable grain windows? Some rods do better with longer bellies, others sing with a Skagit or Scandi. Maybe I'm a bit cynical but I never trust magazine reviews either because they frequently bow to their advertisers - don't want to piss off the biggest advertiser and have them pull out. Also, like you say Gord, they didn't look at the smaller rod makers and potentially missed some real gems like Meiser, Burkheimer, Amundson, etc.

 

RusteHookz, the current exchange rate is 1 British Pound (GBP) = 1.78633 Canadian Dollar (CAD). Better than it used to be since the pound has taken more of a beating than our dollar recently.

[speyghillie]

Hi Headscan,

Like you i dont read to much into it, like you say they missed out on some real quality rods, as far as the advertising.. if that was the case, Hardy's would have come out on top as they spend way more in the mag than anyone.

When i looked at the list, i was also thinking about number of sales through the stores, the other thing i noticed is the HM3 from Scierra, a rod that casts a nice floating line, and in at number 7..... and now no longer made.

I do know the guys that do the tests on the rods, all try the rods at different places and mark down there findings with out speaking to each other, and they are highly respected casting Instructors with something like 60yrs Speycasting experience between them,

I would'nt dismiss there findings as they look at loads of different points on the rod, but like everybody else... they might not be my favorite.. Look at the difference in Price..

Gordo.

 

[SilverDoctor]

Good time to buy products from the UK with the euro down right now. I imagine it will bump up soon. Contemplating a Hardy reel.

[headscan]

Gord, forgot to ask if you know the URL for that magazine? I tried a search but came away empty handed other than sites advertising subscriptions to it.

[maxwell]

i useto suscribe too trout and salmon its a dope magazine.. has a ton of gear for sale in it but some awsome articles.. u should be able too pick it up at a magazine shop no problem.... useto hit up one downtown by td square all the time when i shoulda bin in school..... they gots tons of flyfishing magazines!

[speyghillie]

Hi Guys,

As Max has said it is a great Magazine, and i will find the URL's for it, there are some great reads in it but for me the advertising is becoming the biggest thing, it has more ads than ever and its expensive as hell to place an ad in it.

 

Silverdoctor , if you are looking for a Hardy reel, let me knnow , Pounds Sterling here, we don't do the eruo's .....yet ....like i said i have a company that wants me to help promote there stuff in Canada and i might be able to help you out with a Hardy's (was casting a rod or two for my Instructors course today with one of the Hardy bosses).

Here is one deal for you guys that are looking for a Salmon reel, i can get Scierra XDP reels in the UK in all sizes reduced to $220.00 from $350.00. brand new, thats a saving on a nice reel of $130.00

Gordon.

 

[DutchDryfly]

As the Pound is about par with the Euro, I am certain to buy some stuff in the UK.

[maxwell]

those xdp's are nice but hte bad thing is they pulled operations from north america so too ge tone fixed would mean sneding it back too teh UK wich would take a hella long time!

[speyghillie]

Hey Max,

Not so.. these reels and loads of other stuff will be available in Canada in March, lots of quality Spey Stuff too, will post the details later in March.. but real quality stuff.

Gordo.

[headscan]

So Scierra plans to re-enter the North American market?

[speyghillie]

Hi Headscan,

There will be some products from Scierra and a few other companies available in Canada and the US in the next couple of months, i dont have all the detail right now, but will post when i know where and when.

Gordo.