TFO Rods - your opinion?

[Michael]

Hi Guys

What are your opinions (from guys who actually have cast, fished or who owns them) on the following TFO rods:

- Finesse 3wt, 7'9", 4pce
- Finesse 3wt, 8'9", 4pce
- Professional 3wt, 8'6", 4pce

Would really appreciate your feedback...on the pro's and cons of these two rods.

[Byron]

Sorry Mike I've only fished the 2wt, and it felt like a 3wt to me. So the 3 might fee like a 4 but that's just a guess.

[Michael]

Sorry Mike I've only fished the 2wt, and it felt like a 3wt to me. So the 3 might fee like a 4 but that's just a guess.

Yeah...these are my feelings too...that they are a little "under-rated" in terms of weight classes. But I have never fished them, so want the other guy's opinions.

[Werner J]

Hi Mike

I have a 2 and 3 weight Finesse : Fantastic on small streams for dry flies and delicate and accurate presentations .In the professional I have a 5 and 6 weight ,great (easy) casting rods for all round fishing .Iff you like a very fast rod you might not like professional

Regards

[Michael]

Hi Mike

I have a 2 and 3 weight Finesse : Fantastic on small streams for dry flies and delicate and accurate presentations .In the professional I have a 5 and 6 weight ,great (easy) casting rods for all round fishing .Iff you like a very fast rod you might not like professional

Regards

Werner...have you lined the 2 and 3 wt rods with 2 and 3wt fly lines? WF or Dt lines? Do they feel good (load the rods easily) at short distances? Or do they only start "loading" the rod when a fair bit of line is out the tip?

Thanks for the feedback!

[Andre]

Hi Mike

I have a 2 and 3 weight Finesse : Fantastic on small streams for dry flies and delicate and accurate presentations .In the professional I have a 5 and 6 weight ,great (easy) casting rods for all round fishing .Iff you like a very fast rod you might not like professional

Regards

I have fished with a Finnesse, and thought it to be a little clumsy and ungainly. Took a little getting used to, but accuracy was still something that I had to think about and concentrate on, with the feeling that the rod didn't do it naturally. Nothing like the "point and squirt" action of my stream rods of choice.
Regarding the over lining, yes, I think this might be the same for other models as well. The TICRX, that my som fishes, is a 5wt, and works far better with a 6 wt line. With a 5 wt line, you cannot feel the rod load.
Sorry to bring the TICRX into the discussion, I know it wasn't the question asked.

[Michael]

I have fished with a Finnesse, and thought it to be a little clumsy and ungainly. Took a little getting used to, but accuracy was still something that I had to think about and concentrate on, with the feeling that the rod didn't do it naturally. Nothing like the "point and squirt" action of my stream rods of choice.
Regarding the over lining, yes, I think this might be the same for other models as well. The TICRX, that my som fishes, is a 5wt, and works far better with a 6 wt line. With a 5 wt line, you cannot feel the rod load.
Sorry to bring the TICRX into the discussion, I know it wasn't the question asked.

This is exactly my thinking...that all the TFO rod ranges are a bit "under-rated" ito weight class. As you say, on the TiCr, TiCr-X, Jim Teeny, etc...most of what I've seen is that say a 5wt rod, would work better with a 6wt line, in some instances even a 7wt line.
This is my fear with the TFO 3wt rods...that they may not be "true" 3wts...more 4wt than 3wt in reality.
This is what I am trying to establish...so thanks for the feedback, even if it is on the other model.

[Werner J]

I use a 3 weight DT on both 2 and 3 weight Finesse rods.The 2 weight is my favourite .With the #3 line it loads easily and fast and fishes well even on a windy day ( I do pefer this rod to another faster ,very well known premium rod , I also own ).
Regards
Werner

[Andre]

This is exactly my thinking...that all the TFO rod ranges are a bit "under-rated" ito weight class. As you say, on the TiCr, TiCr-X, Jim Teeny, etc...most of what I've seen is that say a 5wt rod, would work better with a 6wt line, in some instances even a 7wt line.
This is my fear with the TFO 3wt rods...that they may not be "true" 3wts...more 4wt than 3wt in reality.
This is what I am trying to establish...so thanks for the feedback, even if it is on the other model.

If this is the case, then the problem becomes even more pronounced with the lighter rods. For a light stream rod, ie 3wt and lighter, is is critical to be able to feel the loading point, in order to control the short cast for accuracy and presentation. If the rod needs to be overlined for this to be effective, then I'm sorry, it's a non starter.
Thinking about it now, I suspect that the 2wt Finesse that I fished with, might have been loaded with a 2wt line, where if what you say is true, a 3wt line would have been better. But then, it's a 3wt rod, and not a 2wt...different kettle of fish....

[nkula_nkula]

Hi Mike

Any news as to when you'll be fishing the cape streams?

Having fished with the Finesse 3wt, 7'9", 4pce on WC streams with a 3wt line... Cant remember if it was a WF or DT line, but think DT?

I personally did not enjoy fishing with it too much. I got frustrated as I was struggling to present the fly at short distances (2m of flyline out the rod - max) which is where I do most of my stream fishing....

However as soon as you get the "head" of the flyline out, the rod starts to perform much more effortlessly & accurately....

So, it would depend on the type of fishing it was to be used for. For nymphing & casting longer distances I would reccomend it, however for dry fly application on the WC streams I think there are better tools for the job (unless you willing to "overline" the rod)!

Regards
Liam