A good flyrod?

[John Sikkila]

I just recently joined Big Bluegills and am into fly rodding these big guys....I've been flyrodding for gills for years now and figured it was time to pick up a new fly rod......sooooo...I just ordered a Cabela's "Wind River" series 4 wt. fly rod with a 3 Rivers reel....(won't be here for a few days)...just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Cabelas fly rods......

[Dana]

I have a 5wt and a 8wt Cabelas Three Forks as back up rods. They seem to work just fine. They were the least expensive model at the time, so I am sure that you will be pleased with yours. I will do a little homework and are who makes the blanks for their rods.

[John Sikkila]

Thanks Dana....I have never owned a 4 wt. and decided to give one a try....been using nothing but 5 wts (3 of em) until this purchase..a 3.5 # large mouth sucked in my white bettes popper last week while flyrodding the the bluegills....what a fight!....Hope the 4 wt. is "enough" for the gills.....the 5 wts I previously own are quite big ,bulky, and stiff and figured I downsize a bit....

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

Dana I used to build rods and I have used alot of cabelas blanks. They used to be made by Rainshadow, if I'm not mistaken. Someone told me once that St.Croix rolled blanks for them also! Either way they have an excellent fly rod for the price!

[Patrick "Bullworm" Olson]

John, I'm new to fly rodding but from what I have read 3-4wt rods are great for gills! Thats why I built one of each years ago! I built 9 footers cause I will be fishing primarily on lakes. Again from what I have read a 9 footer will give a little more casting distance! Let me know how you like the new rod!

[John Sikkila]

Mornin Pat!......The rod I purchased is a 7'-6"...my others are that size also....my canoe is only 12'(one of my canoes)....I only flyfish lakes also and that size rod seems to cast very nice for me.....I find a 40' cast is the max I need to achieve....seldom much farther...

[Dana]

Hey Pat, I thougt it was st croix- that may be for some of the higher end rods. Defenitly a good rod for the money.
Now, time to load up the canoe and hit crooked lake for the day!

[Jay Fogle]

John

I personally think those are a good deal!
I tried someone else's yesterday at a trout stream. (Not sure what reel it was but I am pretty sure it was the combo).

He had put different line on it (333) so I am not sure how it casts with the original line. But I thought it was sweet. I have a few rods and my closest one to this is a 3wt. "name brand" that cost a few hundred dollars (it was a gift, my brain doesn't understand spending a few hundred dollars of BEER money on a rod - unless it was a very nice bamboo one). Anyhow, I love my 3wt. but I can tell you that you got a LOT better deal for the money if I'd have had to pay for mine.

My "favorite" is a sub-$100 Bass Pro rod that I have had for a very long time. Welcome to our disease!

Jay

[John Sikkila]

Thanks Jay for the comment....My new rod still hasn't arrived yet so I'm really wondering how it's going to work....always that bit of apprehension I guess....Paid a hundred bucks for it and just hope it's worth it...lol!....Should be here by about wednesday.....

[John Sikkila]

Got it!...my new Cabela'sflyrod that is!.....UPS delivered it this morning!....Looks and feels nice....appears to be a quality rod and reel........Guess we'll find out this upcoming weekend......

[John Sikkila]

My first sunny on my new "wind river" rod!....I love it!.....smoooth!...casts nice!....handles well all around!.....

[Dana]

go get 'em John!

[John Sikkila]

I to noticed that my rod is made in China ...not that there's anything wrong there I guess since 75% of everything in the U.S.is made there anyways...lol....Hopefully it'll last...that's really all I care about.....probably made em in some sweat shop in Beijing.....hope it wasn't made on a hot friday afternoon at almost quitting time!...lol!