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[Hohummm]

OK, so it's time to retire the 10-10 and 6500 to a place of honour on the wall and now I'm looking for advice on a replacement. I spend most of my river fishing time on the Stave, so it needs to be able to handle ugly dogs, but I'd like it to be light enough to allow for some fun on smaller fish and allow for reasonable casting of light gear. I don't mind spending $$ on something that'll last as long as my old stuff, but I still need to justify it to my wife, so cost is a concern.

Any recommendations?

[Fishin Freak]

If you go with a loomis GL2 or GL3 I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[smoqqy]

a sage 2106b would be nice, i use it for coho,dogs and spring(be careful with spring though)

[Gooey]

Bug Pumper has a very nice St Croix that will be at least $150 cheaper than the loomis (I think).  

If you are going to shell out that type of $$'s for a loomis, I would go to Sage.   My 3113 is fun on the cap for the little coho and is strong enough for 40lb whites on the vedder.  2106 is a VERY nice blank too.

 Cant beat sages lifetime gaurantee either...helps ensure that investment will be safe for a long time to come!

[dennisK]

hmmm

[Fish Assassin]

Like others Sage 2106. Talon will certainly handle the big chums and chinooks but in my opinion a gross overkill for the smaller fish.

[Gooey]

Exactly my thought...my buddy's talon comes out in high water and for springs....he wont take it to the cap.  Maybe talon has a light action blank, in which case I could see that being a very nice choice too.

[geo]

The Rainshadow is a very nice blank for a custom, but not less than $300 unless you build yourself. Jaymers in Poco sell customs for around $375...very nice rods. The builder is very anal about his work. I have the 3106, paired up with a seldex and it seems to be fine for coho, steel, and even chum, but springs kick it's a$$. They do have a very 5120 that will definately do the job on big springs, while still being sensitive enough for coho and steel.

[joedavis]

Obviously Sage and Loomis are great if you have $400 to shell out.  At $150  the Fenwick HMX 10'6" is a great rod. Shimano Convergence 10' 6" at $80 is even a better deal.

[Sandhead]

I find the Shimano Convergence is able to handle anything that the Stave River has to offer. Good Rod at a even better price

[Hohummm]

Cool....Lots of good info. A question about warranties. The only rod I've ever broken in my life was one that i closed the trunk of my car on.  D'oh! So, how important is a "lifetime" warranty. I've had some big fish hooked (possibly foul hooked) in heavy water and never had a problem. If it looks like it's going to break something, I sacrifice line and terminal gear over the rod every time.  Are people breaking rods often enough that that it's an issue or are they getting used/abused hard because there IS a good warranty?

Also, how about reel selections?

[Fish Assassin]

It's all about having the peace of mind that when your rod breaks you don't have to worry about buying another rod. Much like having fire insurance. Nice to have but hopefully never to use. BTW most warranties cover replacing the rod blank. It's up to you to have the guides put on

[Sandhead]

I've broken 5 rods in my life time.

One orvis 5wt where the reel seat fell apart while i was in my float tube, lifetime warranty covered replacement within 4 weeks.

One Shimano Convergence that I bought at fred's tackle, used the rod twice and it fell apart on me. I took it back to Fred's and they replaced it free of charge with a newer model.

One DragonFly 5wt where i broke the top guide off. I'm not sure how the guide broke. Angler's West is taking care of it as we speak. I'm not sure how much it will cost (probably around $20).

One Diawa Mooching Rod, THis rod broke right above the handle, not sure what the reason for it was but it was around 15 years old and fiberglass and had been used on many many springs. Broke it while playing a big spring (tyee) in the chuck. I handed the top section of the rod to my buddy and tried to maintain tension but alas that  fish got away. I havent tried to replace it yet, When I do I will likely just buy a new Shimano Mooching/Trolling Rod of some sort.

I also broke a cheapo spin casting outfit a couple of years ago by falling on it,while bushwacking along the shores of buntzen lake.

If I were to buy another rod today I would likely buy one with a lifetime warranty, since I have a track record of having rods break.  One thing I would consider is how long it takes for a warranty to replace a rod. Is Sage a over the counter replacement, where you take the rod to a shop and they hand you a new one? Or are they like Orvis where you have to mail it in?

[joedavis]

If you break your Sage or Loomis rod you will be charged a shipping fee plus you will have to pay to get your guides put back on.  If the bottom half breaks you will need not only the guides but also the cork. It's not cheap. If you break a Shimano or the Fenwick within the first year most tackle shops will replace them for you without charge.  If you look after them properly chances are most rods will last you a lifetime. Just don't dangle your rods out of the back of your pickup truck when you move to another location. For the price of one Sage or Loomis you can buy 3 Fenwicks, or 5 Shimanos. If money is not an issue then get a Sage 3113MB or a Loomis GL3 1263. They are beautiful rods and are nice to use, but they don't necessarily get you more fish. Kinda like buying Nike golf clubs won't make you Tiger Woods.

[Steelhead King]

As for myself, l like a 3-4 pieces rod. Like if you don't mind to spend the money, go for a custom sage 8100-4 XP, build in to any configuration you like or another option, would be a sage 996 RPLXi, its a 3 pieces, its perfect for baitcasting, lots of power, light.. better then other drift rods on the market.  If you don't like custom rods then either the Loomis GL3 series or the Lamiglas Dave Vedder series...  Hope you find a new rod soon, casue we still got a long season ahead of us.....