Short Driftless Rod?

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (glassorcane) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:30:03 GMT

Living in the state to the South of the Driftless area, if I had any sense I would have stopped at 7 1/2 footers (but I didn't). I don't think I could justify the short rods I have in the quiver just for the Driftless area, but they are fun and that's enough: Jenkins70L, Jennings 3/2 for 4, Pickard 704, and Zietak Driggs - any of them I would recommend.

Hey, since I am a resident of the Blago state, can I ask for a contribution to my cane-paign fund?

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (seattlesetters) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:26:20 GMT

A Driggs or a 6611 would be very nice on such water.

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (cdmoore) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:08:48 GMT

...a Green River Mettowee 663 1pc by Bob Gorman. Nice stick. I have one, too, for use on similar size streams here in VerHampshire. Definitely has backbone to handle a 4wt or wind, too. Chris

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (cwood) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:01:59 GMT

That looks beautiful. I've never made it to that part of the country before. I don't think a 6.5 ft. rod would be to small at all. Tight lines!!

CWood

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:45:22 GMT

cwood,

Sorry, those streams are bigger than the ones that I was looking for a short rod for. We got side tracked. But since there is two feet of snow outside and it is single digit cold outside, just looking at those pics makes me warmer.

Here is a picture of typically stream about to enter a canopied section:

Here is a little stream that holds nice...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (cwood) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:29:10 GMT

Those streams look a little bigger than the creeks I call small here in the Southern Apps, but I love the Dickerson 6611 taper and a Phillipson 7 ft. 4/5wt. The former is a great dry fly rod and has the punch to cast some line, the latter is a little stronger and throw a dry/dropper rig with ease. The Driggs taper is another good rod if you need a little more umph than the two mentioned.

CWood

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:04:55 GMT

I know the category 5 section. Too bad about the special regs, I crossed the state line to vote at the CC.

- David

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (Stomias) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:35:29 GMT

David Dornblaser wrote:
No problem, do you have a pic of your favorite section of the river?

I'll have to upload some from home. I just love the Prairie and have fished it for the last 20 years...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (bamb00zler) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:26:03 GMT

Stomias,
Beautiful pic of the Prairie, I believe I know exactly the stretch of river where your pic was taken and have fished it a few times, but that stretch is atypical of most of the Prairie. David's 2nd pic above is more typical of the Prairie and the type of water I was referring to when offering up an alternative suggestion to David.

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (tiptop) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:02:24 GMT

David -- I'm not going to recommend a particular maker or taper, but here's a short story. I ordered a 7' 2/2 4wt rod from a very good maker a couple years ago and as it turned out it was a 5wt instead of 4wt.. After the initial disappointment of finding the action not what it was supposed to be, I fished the rod a few times and discovered I really like the short 5 wt.. It allows the casting of larger flies, is better in the wind and can punch in a cast under overhanging...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:50:45 GMT

No problem, do you have a pic of your favorite section of the river?

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (Stomias) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:35:43 GMT

David Dornblaser wrote:
That's a beautiful picture of the Prairie. That's higher up than I normally fish.

- David

Thats my 2nd favorite stretch. Some great pocket water. Sorry for the hijack!!

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:14:03 GMT

That's a beautiful picture of the Prairie. That's higher up than I normally fish.

- David

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (Stomias) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:07:57 GMT

The Prairie

The DA

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (driftless) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:38:50 GMT

Since I live in the Driftless, and do 80% of my fishing here, I use three Paul Young model rods. Granted, they are clones & are of my own making, but they do the job. Depending on the weather, wind, time of year, the undergrowth, what's hatching, etc, I will fish either a Perfectionist, a Driggs or a Midge. None of these rods is on the slow side. Rather, the actions are crisp, yet capable of surprising delicacy. Some of the streams around here are downright claustrophobic, so...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (TXTrout) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:16:21 GMT

David,

I would suggest a slow action 7' 4/5wt Howells type taper. They will flex with a small fish, but can buck a wind when needed. Many people don't realize that one of Gary's favorite rods was a 7' 5wt. I often fish small streams in NM for smaller trout, but the 5wt is very nice with the wind. It also allows you to turn over a long light leader when needed. I would suggest a 7' 4wt that has enough tip strength to handle a 5wt for close work and long leaders.

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:10:59 GMT

bamb00zler wrote:

If you wanna double your pleasure and double your fun I would go even lighter than what has been suggested. Look, you've already got an arsenal to cope with the wind, now you're looking for something to handle the small feeder streams and in the woods.

90% or so, of my fishing is done on Wisconsin's Prairie, Eau Claire and Plover Rivers and I've gone to either a Kusse Baby...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (bamb00zler) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:47:02 GMT

If you wanna double your pleasure and double your fun I would go even lighter than what has been suggested. Look, you've already got an arsenal to cope with the wind, now you're looking for something to handle the small feeder streams and in the woods.

90% or so, of my fishing is done on Wisconsin's Prairie, Eau Claire and Plover Rivers and I've gone to either a Kusse Baby Catskill 6'0" one-weight, a Payne 95 6'0" 2-weight or a Leonard Fairy...

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (joaniebo) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:30:01 GMT

One of these days, just for the heck of it, I'm going to take with me, and fish, one of the two-piece, solid cane poles that I bought for my nephews (Gander Mtn. - $4.98 each) ...... strung with 15' - 20' of mono, tie on a weighted nymph and take it when I hit the Cheese Country waters. Will see if I can fling a BH with it and see how it feels to catch a Spotted Dace on a solid cane pole.

Hmmm, maybe I'll even use a length of an old level silk line that I have ......

Re: Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:00:18 GMT

Has anyone cast Tom Nigro's Edwards Model 25 quad?

- David

Short Driftless Rod?

feeds@yuku.com (David Dornblaser) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:52:35 GMT

I have been thinking about adding a short, 7'ish rod to my quiver. My shortest rod is currently a 7'5" 4 wt and I am well equipped with 7'6" - 7'9" 4 & 5 wts. I spend 3 days, roughly every 3 weeks in SW WI. Maybe it's February cabin fever, but a shorter rod would seem to round out my quiver for the feeder streams and the wood sections. I have been a little hesitant of 3 wts and short rods because when I leave the vehicle I feel more comfortable with a...