travel fly rods

[tomo]

Hi all,
Interested in your opinions regarding 'travel rods', typically ones that come in 5,6,or 7 piece. I have been thinking about getting one for a up coming overseas trip (more to come on that later) where fishing won't be the main priority, but, would be part of my minimum tackle kit in the corner of my suitcase!
I see Orvis make one and possibly a couple of other company's. I Would have the use for another rod back home (who wouldn't) as a spare for back country trips or to keep in the truck, so like the idea of one that packs away smaller than a 4 piece.

Let me know your thoughts and experiences!

cheers, Tom.

[Graeme H]

I've got three of the Cabella's Stowaway 6 rods. They are okay without being knockouts and certainly serve their purpose of being a reasonable rod to pack into a tight spot. They aren't the first rods I'd pick for a normal fishing run, but I'm not afraid to take them with me on a sneaky work trip. (I got my first two to take into work and fish at lunchtime. I could conceal them in my work bag and nobody was the wiser when I walked to the river each lunch time. )

If I expected to do a lot of critical fishing with a 6 piece rod, I'd probably spend more, but these are just fine. I'd make up a rod using a blank from CTS if I lived in NZ (their flat rate international shipping is ridiculous.)

Cheers,
Graeme

[Paul Arden]

Hi Tom,

I can't remember casting a good one, but that might be because there is less design time involved because the market is smaller, or maybe the increase in flat spots creates the problem. I might make one this summer as an experiment. I like the idea but I don't like it when sections come loose. Many years ago at a children's course I cast one of the children's six piece rod when the tip section flew off and disappeared into the lake. Needless to say there was no wool or hook on the line end and the tip disappeared! Shimano sold me a spare tip and sent direct to the boy

Cheers, Paul

[tomo]

I had a section come loose last month when fishing from a boat in a river mouth, luckily the nymph saved me!
There doesn't seam like a heap of info online regarding travel rods but I will look into cts rods - don't know anyone who uses one

cheers!

[Graeme H]

I will look into cts rods - don't know anyone who uses one

cheers!

CTS only make the blanks which people then turn into rods. You won't find any rods made by CTS. The blanks are very high quality units and fully customisable. You may speak with the guys and they will make any design to your specifications.

(CTS make the blanks for Carl McNeil's "Epic" series of rods/blanks)

Cheers,
Graeme

[Paul Arden]

The problem with having a blank designed is that it takes somewhere between 5 and 8 prototypes to get something that you really want (me anyway!). I have four on the go at the moment at various stages of development. A 7'6 #3, 9ft #5, 9' #10 and a 10' #6. Not to mention a couple of competition rods! When you change the number of sections you need to completely redesign the rod and start from scratch. Of course most people don't do this and they copy what's already out there. I've cast some CTS stuff incidentally and some of it is excellent.

Cheers Paul

[grunde]

Hi,

I have a 5pc CST Affinity MX #5 and it's excellent (but not really super packable). Also I've tried the 4pc version of the same rod and it's very similar, so maybe the 6pc version is equally good?

The Orvis Frequent flyer 7pc is also imho quite OK. Will probably get one of those for "non-fishing travel"...

Cheers,
Grunde

[alex vulev]

many moons ago i had a 8' #4/5 daiwa altmore 5pcs made in scotland rod that was brilliant for my light small streams trout fushing. i was doing light nymphing and dry fly work but with not much force so i dont remmember any problems with loose ferules. i think hardy recomended wax on the ferrules to avoid loose ferules, i tried it a couple of times and waxing indeed holds them better, but also it was harder to put them apart after waxing. As for the rod - the action was great, if it was a longer rod -say 9'or longer i may be would keep it, but since i got a bamboo rod for light trout small streams i sold the rod.

[davestocker]

errrr.....why don't you just buy a longer travel bag and enjoy the existing choice of 4 piece rods?

[Paul Arden]

For about a year I travelled with only a small shoulder bag and a four piece fly rod tube. This was back in the day when you could take rods on board planes as hand luggage. Pretty wild times too