Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: canucksfan233 on October 18, 2026, 09:47:44 PM
-
Looking to purchase a top end single hand fly rod next year (8wt).
Any brand/model recommendations?
I basically only know of sage right now.
I'm a big proponent of spending a little bit more money for warranty - I've heard sage warranty isnt what it used to be.
Willing to go up to $1200/1300 I'd say.
-
Of the US based companies that make and sell rods in the USA the other 2 majors are G Loomis and Orvis. Orvis doesn't have the presence here in the west it does elsewhere. Two others to consider are Scott and Winston. Both offer lifetime warranties with no 'deductible'. They make excellent rods well worth the money.
The Sage warranty isn't any different than any other company. There is a $95 USD fee to repair a broken rod, if they will repair it under warranty. You have to ship the rod back to them. The warranty is only good for 10 years or something like that. Older rods it's $195 if they can actually still make the replacement section. If they can't they offer a current model at a discount.
Other brands are Hardy/Grey's (blanks made in S Korea or China), Douglas (US) don't know who makes their blanks and Loop based in Sweden, blanks made in Korea. There is also Echo though cost wise they are not up there. Very popular rods and worth looking at.
There is also a Canadian company Hall Rod Company, based in Ontario:https://hallrodcompany.com/collections/shop-all
I think you will have to spend a few hundred $ more to get a top of the line rod. The major difference is the quality of the components (guides cork and other cosmetics) plus the most advanced blank tech they have to offer.
I have been fly fishing for around 45 years and have only once bought a rod that was in the top of the line range. I have mostly bought used or mid range priced rods. I have tended to want a variety of rods than a few relatively expensive rods. Also let me acquire a nice collection!
You might also consider buying a blank and have a rod custom made by a local maker such as Dave Barnes, who does post on this website.
-
Thankyou for the recommendation Ralph. Custom made rods are a good option for those wanting something unique, but a used
Sage, Winston or Scott from marketplace or similar would also work.
-
Loop fly rod. dealer at Chilliwack.
Much stronger and quality matches all other brand top rods.
Warranty is excellent from my experience.
8wt usually doesnot require very premium rod due to the power at this range. but, that is your money to spend.
-
Of the US based companies that make and sell rods in the USA the other 2 majors are G Loomis and Orvis. Orvis doesn't have the presence here in the west it does elsewhere. Two others to consider are Scott and Winston. Both offer lifetime warranties with no 'deductible'. They make excellent rods well worth the money.
The Sage warranty isn't any different than any other company. There is a $95 USD fee to repair a broken rod, if they will repair it under warranty. You have to ship the rod back to them. The warranty is only good for 10 years or something like that. Older rods it's $195 if they can actually still make the replacement section. If they can't they offer a current model at a discount.
Other brands are Hardy/Grey's (blanks made in S Korea or China), Douglas (US) don't know who makes their blanks and Loop based in Sweden, blanks made in Korea. There is also Echo though cost wise they are not up there. Very popular rods and worth looking at.
There is also a Canadian company Hall Rod Company, based in Ontario:https://hallrodcompany.com/collections/shop-all
I think you will have to spend a few hundred $ more to get a top of the line rod. The major difference is the quality of the components (guides cork and other cosmetics) plus the most advanced blank tech they have to offer.
I have been fly fishing for around 45 years and have only once bought a rod that was in the top of the line range. I have mostly bought used or mid range priced rods. I have tended to want a variety of rods than a few relatively expensive rods. Also let me acquire a nice collection!
You might also consider buying a blank and have a rod custom made by a local maker such as Dave Barnes, who does post on this website.
So with this then, it seems my price range is more of a mid/high end tier. Would the above still apply?
I am not good at all - I can cast somewhat decently and have caught a couple fish but looking to get more into it.
With the mid/high end, any specific models you would point out to look at?
-
I think all the brands I listed above will have rods in the say $800 to $1200 range. I can't advise you as to a specific brand or 2 since I haven't bought a new single handed rod for 20 years. Most of my rods are either Sage or Orvis but they are all 20+ years old. Lots of reviews on line. Yellowstone Angler has done quite detailed technical reviews (they call them shoot outs https://www.yellowstoneangler.com) for a number of years. Try to find a dealer who can give you a chance to cast some rods.
If you don't have a lot of experience you might consider a lower tier rod until you develop better skills. Lots of experienced anglers find they are quite happy with a lower cost rod like Fenwick Aetos or Orvis Clearwater considering the price vs performance ratio. If you look at the shootout rankings you can see you have to spend 3x+ the cost to get about a 10% boost in the shootout score. In a few years you could always upgrade. I'd also caution that such scores won't always tell you what rod is best for you.
-
Something to think about is USA built rods currently have a retaliatory tariff built into the price. Once the trade war is over there could be a substantial reduction in a Sage or other similar USA built rods.