I picked up a Sage Foundation in a 10' 7 wt a couple years back mostly for Pyamid lake and put a Rio single handed spey line on it. It will do everything you are looking to do and it is Sages least expensive rod. Absolute canon and if you learn to double haul, its a 90' caster. We have landed trout up over the 20 lb mark on that rod. My son landed a 22 lb cutthrout on a 10' 6 wt this past March but the 7s are much better in the wind.
The Redington vice comes in a 10' 7 wt also and for $220 you can get a rod that will impress and has a lifetime warranty also. I bought one as a backup rod a couple years ago and it will keep pace with several of my rods that are closer to $1000 as far as casting. It just doesn't have the high end components that go with the pricy rods. Fly lines are as important as anything when it comes to casting. Don't go cheap on the line. Look into that single handed spey line. You can bomb overhand casts as well as roll cast(spey ish) and cover some water.
Also 2 piece rods are hard to find. There is no reason with the rods we have now, not to go 4 piece. Much easier to travel with.
Last edited by fishnut; 06/29/23.
