After seeing Mostyns delightful thread on cane rods for small streams and I see we have a reels thread running to it occurs to me that there is an obvious gap on our new small stream fishing and that is for the Carbon rods we use on the smallest becks and brooks .

After toying with a 5ft import from the USA last year and having used a 7ft Hardy classic . I have decided that for me 6ft is the perfect length. So have just had a 6ft made by Chas at Burns built .





This a 2/3 wght on a Harrison blank... All I need now is for the season to get going...So what do you guys use ?

I am in a dilema about what to get next. I want a 6' 2 wt ( been influenced by Mr S Crofts and using the one he built on an old orvis blank). We have stretches of the brook that are very tree lined and tunneled where the 7'10 feels like a roach pole.
My problem is though rod action. In the past i have used a Mid flex kind of action, at this length, with the cane and green heart rods I have used. And I realise that the softer action protects the tippet and helps fight the fish in.
BUT side casting in a tunnel when you are desperately not trying to catch the flora and fauna, for me means snappy little casts trying to keep the loop really tight and in control. Is Mid flex really the answer to this?
I am also determined not to spend silly money on a rod. At present I am looking towards blanks such as Winston or St. Croix, as I have to go to work in the states in a month or two this isn't a problem. Also toying with the idea of the hardy Fly weight if only I could get blanks, bias based on this review I found on line.
2-Weight Fly Rod Shoot-Out Review, A Fly Fish Ohio Exclusive Look At 22 Fly Rods!

Am I putting too much focus on these tight loops? Your thoughts gentlemen please.

Hi Coasty,

Good idea having a Carbon Rod Thread for small streams! more people using them than Cane Rods! I like both; and I must say that's a nice looking rod you have! Any chance (as it's only 6ft,) of a full length photo? Like the posh reel seat!

Regards

Mostyn

Andy, that looks a sweet little rod, lovely reel seat.
Towards the end of last season I purchased a 6ft 1" 3 piece from a forum member.
He had them produced as samples in the far east, and quite honestly the price delivered was so cheap, I couldn't resist it.
It has matt black blanks, and a very nice up locking reel seat.
Rated as #3 I have only grass cast it so far. and I over lined it by one as I only owned a #4 DT at the time.
It seemed to handle this very well, and I feel it will be a good addition to the armory.
I will as soon as the season starts, try it on my local stream, and report back.
I also have a yearning to have a Timmy Harris cane rod built for my 60th this year, in a similar if not exact copy of Mostyns "Little Vixen"
I hope to meet up with Mostyn during the year, and if he will allow me a cast with his, I will take it from there. I'm sure he will.
My last experience with cane is my late fathers 9ft Hardy, a gorgeous rod, to look at, but like a noodle to cast and so heavy, so I am yet to be convinced of this being the right move for me.
However many people on here are convinced that the cane experience is the only way to go, time will tell.
S.

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I use an Orvis Superfine 7` (the older, burgundy-coloured blank model). It has a very through action and so not ideal for forming perfectly tight loops up a narrow tunnel of trees. However, on the brook I fish I would not want to be making the number of false casts that my rather sloppy casting would require before I was able to get my loops nice and tight! On "my" small, clear water stream repeated false casting would have to be over the fish I was hoping to catch and would likely spook them. A quick roll cast, a little flick or, at most a single forward false cast before delivering the fly are all that I require. I am far more likely to try and wade closer to the fish than cast at them from some distance.

So, for me, a reasonably through actioned rod is my tool of choice. It doesn't have to be as full as the Superfine but it needs to be able to deliver a fly with no more than one false cast.

JJO, who fishes the same stream as me, has just got himself a Burns-built Harrison rod in the same length and weight as my Superfine. Perhaps we'll get a chance to do a side-by-side test sometime this season?

WP

I understand exactly your dilema . The smallest of the waters I fish varies between tiny tunnels where you are enclosed totally and if you are tight to one bank with the rod butt in your ribs the rod tip is in the bushes at the far bank where little rolls, improvised catapults and spey casts are the order of the day. To runs where a decent cast is required and side casts and tight loops are the requirement .To avoid the bankside and overhanging trees.

For me I have decided that a mid to tip action is the best compromise combined with overlining the rod.

Mostyn I will supply a full length pic when I can . I am ashamed to admit that Mrs C has confiscated rod till my birthday in early April. I am afraid that she doesnt understand that I want to be able to swish it about in the hallway.

Andy

Like Tony I first got my hands on a 6' 6", 2wt, Orvis Superfine and like him discovered it was so soft that it had more in common with a piece of cooked spaghetti than a fishing rod. OK, it's 'fun' to use but with a hint of a breeze and the need to fire a line under a bush ... forget it.

I then bought a 6' 9", 3wt, Winston LT and it's everything I would want from a small brook rod.

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Hi Pom,

as you know I've recently had a new Cane Rod from Tim Harris! One of the reasons I chose Cane, was because I like the softer through action rods; and mid to tip action in some rods! On small streams when it's necessary to side cast, I find with a softer action rod, you need less line out of the tip ring to work the rod, hence making it easier to place the fly where you want it, also allowing you to shoot a little line if necessary. There is also the fact that you feel the connection between you and the fish; a small trout of 6ounce, can feel like 14ounce, trout when played on a softer actioned rod, it's also kinder to the fish, with that extra little give in the action! Anyhow, That's what I like!

Rod Blanks? I like the St Croix; I have a 9ft,#5,weight. Gareth, has a 7ft.6in,#3/4,weight, they are lovely rods! We are very pleased with them!

Regards

Mostyn

As I replied in the other thread re.cane rod for small streams , I used to use Hardy Marquise 7' #3 and Daiwa Altmor S 8' #4, they are very good carbon rods and I like them very much , but than sold them finding pleasure to use cane rod and silk line for wild browns in our local small streams. Many of the local small streams are not that bushy,so sometimes I still use a 9' 3pcs #3 Scierra SSt+ carbon rod when there is an open space. If the stream is getting narrower and the open space is limited I disassemble the butt section of the rod and go on fishing with the 2 top sections . I must admit that I favour 9' rods and longer -even 11' for fishing different styles and types of local waters. It was interesting to read that Mr. Halford was recomending in his book a long 11' rod for dry fly work on the chalkstreams at his days. Still, a 6'-7' rod regardless of the material is ideal for the small streams with not much place for handling a longer rod.

I have a French six foot JMC Truimph in 3/4 weight. LES PECHES A LA MOUCHE CANNES JMC CANNES Jmc TRIUMPH - ARDENT PECHE vente en ligne et en boutique de matériel de pêche

Nice little rod with mid to tip action that I use a 4 weight line on. I took it out to my favorite stillwater the christmas I received it so that I could test it immediately and the result was a 66 cm rainbow which it handled beautifully but for a brief moment I was able to imagine what catching a 15 pound steelhead would feel like. I got the fish to the net but I was having visions of a snapped rod the entire time as I was definitively fighting out of my weight. On smaller fish it is a dream and my ten year old daughter has now adopted it as her rod when we go fishing together.

Terry

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