Rods should be matched to the intended fishing situation and NOT to the casting preferences of the angler. This is the least understood concept in fly fishing, IMO, mainly due to the marketing efforts of the rod makers who are on an endless quest to convince you that buying a new rod will solve your casting problems by "better suiting your natural style".
Bull biscuits.
A competent fly angler doesn't need to search out a rod that fits his style, he adapts his style to fit the rod that is the best match to the fishing conditions at hand.
Regardless of your casting ability, for small stream work that requires short rods, the softer action is the way to go. It's a typical mistake that many less-experienced anglers make, to fixate only on the casting properties of a rod and their reaction to these properties without considering the fishing situation as a whole whereby they are only a small part of the equation.
A slower-actioned rod loads more easily with less line out the tip, which obviously is a situation you will most often be in on a small, confined stream. The softer rod responds more readily to protect fine tippet, and the deeper bend and give helps play the smaller fish you find on a small creek much more effectively.
Many who have drunk the rod industry's marketing Koolaid have misinterpreted a "through" action as being "sloppy". While at one time, this could certainly be the case, I haven't seen much of this issue since the demise of cheap fiberglass in the late 70s and early 80s.
A rod like the Trout Bum will certainly NOT be sloppy and difficult to cast. It will require an adjustment as would any rod that's different from what you already own, but that's the point. To become a better angler who can be effective on more waters, you have to get out there and fish them and in the process build your skills with the tools of the trade.
Grouse
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SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.
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