Calling all suppliers! 5-6 wt outfit - tackle review

[dar]

We would like to do a comprehensive tackle review on 5-6 weight outfits. Are there any suppliers keen and willing to participate?

[Fisher]

I'll be glad to help where I can, but I am not a supplier, I am a dealer.

[dar]

Great - what outfits can you supply for reviews? You can PM me.

I will be doing a whole review on the site. Next will be salt water 9wt outfits. So I am going to need a few reviewers/testers.

Please let me know if you are interested.

I will invite experienced forumers to participate as well as newbies as they are the ones that know the least and are always full of insightful info that more experienced users overlook and forget about.

[C J]

I'll be glad to help where I can, but I am not a supplier, I am a dealer.

........good! I would like 4 E's and 1 block of hash please!!!:D:D:D

[Fisher]

........good! I would like 4 E's and 1 block of hash please!!!:D:D:D

Sorry man, I only got 2 F's and half a sack of ass left ;)


Great - what outfits can you supply for reviews? You can PM me.

I will be doing a whole review on the site. Next will be salt water 9wt outfits. So I am going to need a few reviewers/testers.

Please let me know if you are interested.

I will invite experienced forumers to participate as well as newbies as they are the ones that know the least and are always full of insightful info that more experienced users overlook and forget about.

I'll see what I can do, but so far 2 outfits are available for testing, Rods: TFO Axiom and TFO Jim Teeny #6's Reels: TFO 340, Nautilus 7, and maybe a Shilton ? Lines: Jim Teeny TT 175, and an Indicator Line.

[dar]

Fantastic. Thanks Fisher. Your institute will be well represented on the tests.

I need 3 categories for rods/reels:
1. Entry Level
2. R1000-R2500
3. R2500 and up

Lines
1. Entry level
2. Mid-range
3. High End

Else I can just review the rods/tackle as they come in and so build a database.

[smallstreams.co.za]

Suggestion - test each rod with the same reel and line for validity of the test. Swopping reels/line is a great idea, as long as the reviewer then reviews each rod with each combination of reel & line.

Leaders must also all be the same, and if flies are used, the exact same fly as well.

[dar]

No doubt we will have to have a few controls in place to make the tests valid. The main objective of this is to set up a database for us all to refer to in one place.

If I am looking for a rod then I can compare prices as well as performance etc etc. Winners can quickly be identified.

[Booger Rose]

I'm in full support of this idea. There is just such a lot of equipment out there and every supplier tries to move their own stock ASAP, not necesarily the best rod for the job that is sold to the poor customer. went through the whole story when I bought my first #3 few months ago. We need a basic easy to use reference guide on fly talk for basic tackle.

DAR, seeing you are in Somerset-West, maybe set up a meeting with Philip at Eikendal to discuss the practicalities of this venture.

[dar]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe have the tests done there.

[MyWorld]

Contact Mias and Sensation, ask them if they will lend some of their rods for review (I know Sensation would most probably not mind), I'm sure there are people here that can get you into Frontier as well to lend a rod for a Saturday?

Maybe also break the testing into sessions/days. On one day test all the entry level rods, on the next week-end test all the R1000-R1500 rods, etc. This way you can give an honest review without being biased by some of the more better products (particularly regarding the entry level rods)?

[dlampert]

The problem I have with all rod reviews is that they are based on the reviewers preference ito action, looks etc. What works beautifully for one person may not suit another persons casting style etc. Fun thing to do but the only way to choose a rod is to cast it yourself.

[Jasper]

The problem I have with all rod reviews is that they are based on the reviewers preference ito action, looks etc. What works beautifully for one person may not suit another persons casting style etc. Fun thing to do but the only way to choose a rod is to cast it yourself.

AGREE! .. 100% ... it it purely subjective (but this has been said over and over and over and ..... over before)

[Chris Shelton]

The problem I have with all rod reviews is that they are based on the reviewers preference ito action, looks etc. What works beautifully for one person may not suit another persons casting style etc. Fun thing to do but the only way to choose a rod is to cast it yourself.

Took the words out my mouth.....I for one would not trust anyone's opinion but my own when it comes to choosing a rod for myself

[Booger Rose]

I like the idea of a basic description and use for the rod. As soon as anybody ask something about a piece of equipment on flytalk, it is as if there is too many different angles coming your way from everybodies experience. A lot of technical answers to a sometimes simple question wanting a simple answer.(In no way am I ripping the technical info, I read everything on fly talk, just don't always understand it.)

I underline and support the idea of casting the rod yourself, but I want some very basic practical info before I go to the shop to make the cast. The only guys that can give me such practical info is someone like Chris Shelton that have a lot of experience in certain aspects of our sport. Give the basic pros and cons on specific rods for example on small rivers and I can balance my budget to see with wich cons I can live with, casting the rod myself at the shop and see if it's the same for me.

Maybe its like wine tasting - everybody smells the aroma, but don't know what they smell. then I tell them it smells like winegums and everybody goes AHHH! Everybody knew it, they just needed someone to tell them.:D

Want to end this long speach with - keep it basic and practical.

[smallstreams.co.za]

The problem I have with all rod reviews is that they are based on the reviewers preference ito action, looks etc. What works beautifully for one person may not suit another persons casting style etc. Fun thing to do but the only way to choose a rod is to cast it yourself.


AGREE! .. 100% ... it it purely subjective (but this has been said over and over and over and ..... over before)


Took the words out my mouth.....I for one would not trust anyone's opinion but my own when it comes to choosing a rod for myself

Agreed, but it does give you some idea as to the basic characteristics of the rod. I would say a minimum of 5 testers/casters needs to be on the panel. Rods markings should be covered with tape (blind test) - the average results are usually fairly accurate - and sometimes shocking :D

[schmoose]

Hay if you're looking for a reference on how to do the tests have a look at how these guys do it, may not be perfect but I thought they were pretty good.

5 Weight Shootout (http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/FlyRodComparisonAlbrightG.LoomisOrvisSageScottTemp leForkThomasThomasTomMorganRodsmithsR.L.Winstonrod testing.asp)

8 Weight Shootout (http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/FlyRodComparisonon8weightrodsAlbrightG.LoomisG-loomisOrvisScottTempleforkTFOThomasandThomasSt.Cro ixOrivsZeroGravityOrvisT3RedingtonCPSAlbrightXXSag eXi2SageZaxisLoomiscrosscurrentLoomisNativeRun.asp )

I own rods in both shootouts and I think their reviews of the rods I own are spot on.

[garyatstealth]

hi there
i'm happy to let you have rods.
please contact my agent John Dodo at 0824910522 to arrange to get the samples he has.
phillip has a range of consignment scott rods for you to look at.i'm not sure how you will be able to evaluate them as they are new and for sale.

Let me know what you get from john and i will see if there any gaps.

[Andre]

I personally don't believe any rod test or shootout is worth the paper it is written on. All of the test i have seen are totally subjective.
A rod may come up great for casting, but in a real live situation, might be poor for presenting dry flies for example.
How are you going to test a rods presentation capabilities, or establish what application it is best suited for? ie. nymphing, still water etc. I have never ever looked seriously at a rod based on a shootout or comparitive test.
It is fine to test different rods for similar things, like if you are going to do a casting comparison for example, the terms of reference should be clear of the comparisons made. There are rods that would horribly fail a casting shootout, but for nymphing, nothing will come close.
Too many people base their purchasing decisions on the wrong things. For example, I have heared peolpe say....Rod X casts beutifully, therefore it must be a great rod. I would say that if someone can't cast a specific rod, the rod either doesn't suit their casting stly, or they are unable to adjust their stlye to suit the rod.
I would sooner buy a rod that doesn't suit my casting style, than go for something that cant throw three nymphs for example. I can always go for a casting lesson, or adjust my style, but you cant get a rod to change it's characteristics.
My 0,02 spondoolas worth

[garyatstealth]

just a comment.
one of the problems with tests like these is that the second you publish it.its outdated.You might be testing rods that are in the process of being discontinued. a suggestion, contact the suppliers to make sure the ranges will available for at least a year ahead.
i have ended 3 ranges recently and am in the process of bringing 3 new models through. all at different price points.

depending on when you do the tests. i might be able to let you have them to add to the test. but right now they are in the hands of others to give me feedback.

[dar]

I agree to all the above - especially the subjectivity of a review. If you don't like it, then don't read it............ simple as that.

I for one love looking at and comparing prices, availibility, suppliers, conclusions, problems, errors, defects and of course common traits and observations.

for eg. If I can get some of the ou-ballies to come and flick and give their opinions (our golden oldies like mr Chris Shelton and co.) I am sure that that would mean the world to the rest of the ous here that are in the market for a 6 wt to see what the manne have to say.

Lines and reels for eg will be really good to test. A price as well as performance and general observations are so good to read. eg. the xxx casts really well but memory issues are hectic and annoying..... I won't touch it.

[dar]

just a comment.
one of the problems with tests like these is that the second you publish it.its outdated.You might be testing rods that are in the process of being discontinued. a suggestion, contact the suppliers to make sure the ranges will available for at least a year ahead.
i have ended 3 ranges recently and am in the process of bringing 3 new models through. all at different price points.

depending on when you do the tests. i might be able to let you have them to add to the test. but right now they are in the hands of others to give me feedback.

Thanks for your input Gary. Fresh products hot off the shelf are definately a must. I will need a fair amount of info from the producer as well as srp's, warranties, replacements etc. etc. - plus, your product gets decent exposure.

[KevinE]

Good luck with your undertaking Darryn, it is not a small challenge. No matter how you do it there will be those who disagree with your methods.

I really liked the 6wt review done by Flylife, the Australian quarterly. Labels were blanked out and a large number of casters from throughout the country scored the rods according to set criteria.

Check it out. (http://www.flylife.com.au/library/tackrev/49/FL49-%20Rod%20Rage.pdf)

[etsteph]

here is your problem.

A certain manufacturer ( lets call this X ) get 10 highly respected fly fisherman to test the rod x with line ( lets call this Y ). Now at this point you got X 1 to X 10 being tested with Y1 to Y10. They get the perfect combination and market it.

2 months later some oke on a forum get some other okes together and use some lines with some rods. These okes now want to claim that they can with all their scientific knowledge and casting experience dictate what people without all this amazing knowledge buy!

So if you do this, please make sure to attach the CV of the know it all fisherman/caster who is prepared to sign his name behind such information.

PS. most of the rod manufactures can not even get it right:D:D

Etienne

[Chris Shelton]

........than go for something that cant throw three nymphs for example.

A thought suddenly struck me, you work 3 times harder for your fish than I do Andre! Take it easy boet!!!! :eek::p:D;)