TFO Flyrods - explaining the range

**KevinE** · 31-07-09

Can somebody please assist me with understanding TFO's full range of rods. They have a huge range and it is not clear to me what the actions and intended applications are. I have cast a couple but can't remember exactly which, I do remember that I liked one of them a lot - may have been the Jim Teeny?

Anyway, here is the range (in order of slowest to fastest) from what I can gather:

Finesse
Professional
Signature
Jim Teeny
TiCr
TiCr-X
Axiom

There is also the deer Creek range of switch rods, but just looking at single handers for now. I'd appreciate any comments from the TFO fans on the different models,what the action is like, etc.

**Gerrit Viljoen** · 31-07-09

Don't know all of them but from my experience the Professional is faster than the Jim Teeny.

A good bet might be to speak to the chap that imports them ie Adrian Anderson from Optimax(local)

Rumour has it Gary moved over to TFO.Loomis that is!!

Also there's a Clouser range on it's way in the next 2 weeks or so.Don't have details about it but I know a certain Mr Barnard has.

http://www.btbff.com/index.php/btbff/1E1PS/766

http://www.anglingtrade.com/2009/06/...80%9D-fly-rod/

**shector** · 31-07-09

Originally Posted by KevinE

Can somebody please assist me with understanding TFO's full range of rods. They have a huge range and it is not clear to me what the actions and intended applications are. I have cast a couple but can't remember exactly which, I do remember that I liked one of them a lot - may have been the Jim Teeny?

Anyway, here is the range (in order of slowest to fastest) from what I can gather:

Finesse
Professional
Signature
Jim Teeny
TiCr
TiCr-X
Axiom

There is also the deer Creek range of switch rods, but just looking at single handers for now. I'd appreciate any comments from the TFO fans on the different models,what the action is like, etc.

Kevin
Send Phillip (Fish) a PM he carries most of range at his shop at Eikendal, I'm sure he'll explain it to you.

Cheers
Stan

**Thrilla_Vanilla** · 31-07-09

I have the TFO Professional and the Axiom.
I find the TFO Pro to be progressive and comparable to the Sage Launch rod but slightly stiffer. The Pro is considered entry level and is noted by the not so good finish of the rod. If you can get past this then it's a beautiful rod to fish. I like the matt finish. The cork quality seems better than the Sage Launch. The Pro comes with a rod tube and cloth as std, sadly the more expensive TFO Axiom does not come with a tube and it seems impossible to get a TFO rod tube on it's own in South Africa or abroad for that matter.

The TFO Axiom is very fast, I can't compare it to anything else, I've cast. I love this rod the most and it's my prized rod.

As far as I know the Signature rod is not to be had in South Africa. Perhaps it's because they are 2 piece rods.

I shopped around and found Urban Fly Fishers had TFO at the best price.

**Michael** · 31-07-09

Originally Posted by Gerrit Viljoen

Rumour has it Gary moved over to TFO.Loomis that is!!

Gary Loomis (from G. Loomis) will be designing a few spinning and casting rods (for bass) for TFO yes,...but not fly rods.

**Scythe** · 31-07-09

Originally Posted by KevinE

Finesse
Professional
Signature
Jim Teeny
TiCr
TiCr-X
Axiom

I'm no expert, but here's my take on it:

Finesse is for fine work, protecting light tippets, etc. Also a very nicely crafted and finished rod comparable in look to any of the "big" brand names. Very larney, slow action, should be ideal for accurate and delicate work.

Professional is not as larney as the Finesse, still good for delicate work and soft enough to protect fine tippets but with plenty of oomph in the butt when you have to wrestle a beast.

Signature don't know it all that well, no opinion.

Jim Teeny don't know it all that well, no opinion. (from what I gathered, definitely nice stillwater troot rods, bit slower than the professional)

TiCr / TiCr-X awesome fast actioned rods with hugely thick butt segments, you can wrestly a rhino on these things while having enough backbone to chuck whole lines tipped with huge and heavy flies to the far side of the horison (no matter how poor a caster you actually are, if you are to believe some idiots who speak without thinking) The main difference between the TiCr and the X is the finish of the blank, apparently the X has a double coating of the Ti which makes it a bit stronger and also harder wearing. These are great rods for hunting predatory fish, less so if you want to cast a #18 dry fly on 7X.

Axiom the action is very similar to the TiCr-X, I still believe it's a bit faster, having both of them. The rod itself is much more larney ito look and finish than the TiCr-X and some very nice materials is used in the manufacture, I also like the cork with insert rings where you typically apply most pressure, and the blank is really really gorgeous. It's even more thick in the butt segment than the TiCr-X and on say the 10WT, you basically have a straight piece of graphite from handle to first ferrule, in fact the ferrule is thicker than the shaft of the butt segment. Awesome awesome awesome strength and power, you can pull really hard on these without worrying.

These are my opinions, anyone who wants to take a stab at me to dissagree because of it, rather shut your yap, you're an idiot, this is MY opinion.

HTH, YMMV.

**Andre** · 31-07-09

My son has 5wt tiCr-x. It is a really nice rod to cast, and is by far the easiest casting rod I have ever tried. For anyone who is a poor or intermediate caster, this is the rod for you. It has a surprisingly forgiving action for a fast rod, and has very wide "loading window". For a good caster, this rod is a doddle, and can shoot a full line with one or two well timed back casts.
I think it is a very nice rod. Only pity is that it doesn't come in a 10 foot version, ast this would make it awesome.
As for the others in the range, i don't know, as I have never tried them, but they look good.

**Scythe** · 31-07-09

That 5WT is an interresting rod, my Largie bef@kte friends hate that rod because it is not the same as the rest of the rods in the range ... I never found out why it is so much slower though. Personally I like it (sort of, havn't had time to fish it for long hours)

Still not a bad rod if you're going stillwater trooting in water you know you will find some bigger fellows, I think.

**Andre** · 31-07-09

Originally Posted by Scythe

That 5WT is an interresting rod, my Largie bef@kte friends hate that rod because it is not the same as the rest of the rods in the range ... I never found out why it is so much slower though. Personally I like it (sort of, havn't had time to fish it for long hours)

Still not a bad rod if you're going stillwater trooting in water you know you will find some bigger fellows, I think.

Well, my son loves the rod, and when the kids are happy, their mom is happy, and when she's happy, I am allowed to fish more...Thank you TFO