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Weather is crappy and I haven't had a line in the water for months. I guess withdrawals took over. "Just because I can" I ordered a Cabela's 5 foot "TQR" for a #2 line.

Most of my fly fishing has been on big open rivers from a boat where backcasting was not too challenging. At least on paper, this seems like a cool little rig for tight brushy creeks.

Anyone have any experience with this rod they can share? I still need to fuel my dreamin' for another 2 months 'til the creeks are legal to fish.

Tom


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I've never fished a rod that short. I like fishing bamboo and you often see some short bamboo rods, but 5' seems a little extreme to me. I've fished a 6'6" foot rod that fine, but the stream was only 15ft across and I was dry fly fishing. I really prefer a 7' rod for all-around small stream fishing. I had a beauty that I reget selling. It was pretty fast, even for cane, and could easily cast weighted nymphs and streamers if the dry fly wasn't working. My normal go to dry fly rod is 7.5', if I need more rod, I go to the 8.6' Sage.

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Must be the place for "Toms"....anyway, I havent used a five footer, but routinely use a 6ft.3 wt. and have used a 5.5 footer...I can still muster a 25-30 ft. cast and consider the little rods to be a real blast on small water...
A 12 incher is a hoot, and a sixteen inch plus trout is a Rodeo!! grin

[Linked Image]

And this one was on the 6 footer...
Hes about #3.5, but I was alone with the dog, and couldnt weigh him or get her to take his pic!! grin
The only thing I have for size comparison is the dog, she weighs #48
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Ingwe


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Thanks!

I got into a little creek last summer I couldn't fish with any of my current fly gear. I don't think this will get all of it but it'll get me into more of it. The only way I could fish it last year was with real small spinners hanging about 2 feet from my rod tip, then dragging them back and forth across the current. I tell you what, a 10 inch trout hitting on only 2 feet of line will flat light you up! I think its going to be fun floating dry flies in some of the pockets where there's casting room.

Tom


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It'll work well. I've fished some with 5 to 5-1/2 foot rods on some small Montana creeks and once you get used to the action of the little rod its easier to keep both the line out of the bushes.

One thing you may encounter is that the rod may need a line heavier than it's rated for. Fly rods are rated with 30 feet of line out, so you may need to step up a ways. One of the rods I used was rated for a 2 or 3, I can't remember which, but it cast a lot better with a 5-weight line with only 10 feet of line out. I don't think I ever used it anywhere 30 feet of line could be cast!


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Thanks! Yeah, we usually run 1 weight heavier than recommended. Little easier to "feel" the cast. I'll have to give that a try. I have a pack outfit for a 4 weight so I'll put that reel on this littler yet rod and see what happens.

This outfit is computed for small streams but I'm sure I'll hit the main Rogue as well. I can't hardly own a fly rod and not try it there in spite of having other more suitable tackle. I have had a lot of fun a few times going after the "half pounder" (13-15 inch juvenile run) steelhead on micro ultralight rods, 2 pound test, and mini panther martins not to give 'em a run on this light fly tackle as well. It's too obvious not to try! smile

Tom


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I fish very small creeks. A 6' 2 weight Hardy works well for streams this size....

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What MD says rings true, just a bit higher weight makes casting a breeze, my 3 wts are usually wearing 4 wt. line and I step it up a notch by using Weight Forward stuff because the vast majority of my creek fishing is with terrestrials, and a little bit of a "splat" on the presentation usually helps rather than hurts...

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Cousin with a six foot 3 wt...

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Ingwe



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I suspect you guys are on to something. I've been fishing some tiny, spring fed creeks in my neighborhood for a few years now with an old 7 1/2 ft. glass rod. Just too long in many cases. So, I ordered a 5 1/2 ft. Cabela's TQR, #4 weight. I played with a little five footer many years ago in a parking lot. Found that with a little effort, I could get 30 ft or so. More than enough much of the time.
I know what you mean about not having much line out to make a cast. I seldom have more than 6 ft. out trying to work streams that often are so narrow that I can straddle them.
What sort of leaders do you use ? I've found even the 6 footers to be a little too long for some of this fishing.
It may sound pretty extreme, but here in crowded Kalifornia, it's pretty tough finding any native fish that are very sporty. Kind of stumbled on these small spring fed creeks a few years back and was really surprised at the scrappy little Brookies found in them. Many aren't even on the USGS maps. They run for a mile or so and then disappear. Or they have almost nothing in them until you get way back in where the water stays cold and the hikers ignore them. E

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I have a 7 ft 2 wt Scott fibertouch rod. I used it a lot fishing for small creeks in WA, VA, Maine, OR, ID, MT. I typically will use a 4-7 ft leader I tie myself. I have good luck with inch worm and ant patterns. Small creeks are a blast to fish and you can get away from the crowds.

Biggest brookie has been 16 inches and cutthroat 18 inches. Have lost bigger fish

That is a nice brown Ingwe

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Short rods are an advantage in handling a fish. The short rod gives you more of a leverage advantage (actually, gives the fish LESS leverage.) Never tried a 5 ft. rod, but Lee Wulf used short rods to catch some big fish.

I made a 6.5 2 wt rod that's great for fishing small creeks. I can get 30 ft. of line out, but it's a job. Also, I suspect the way they line-weigh the rods is to kinda guess, close enough is good enough. Mine will throw a 2/3 Teeny line or a 3 WF line just fine.

A 5' rod, if you're standing, is about like a 7' rod if you're sitting as far as distance from the water. So if you can cast a 7' rod from a float tube, you can probably throw a 5' rod standing up.


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Originally Posted by Gene L
Short rods are an advantage in handling a fish. The short rod gives you more of a leverage advantage (actually, gives the fish LESS leverage.)


This is not true... From someone who fishes both short light rods, and spey rods, a long rod gives you tons of control of both line and fish at great distances. Turning a salmon the other way 60 feet away from you can and will be done with a 13 footer, a 7 footer in the same weight? now that's something I would like to see.


But to continue with the actual subject, the shortest rod I have is 7'3" and it does just fine in the smallest of creeks. In my mind, a 5' rod is way too limiting, but I haven't used one so I don't know. Let us know how you like it!
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Yes, it is true. Think about it. The fisherman is on the short end of the lever, the fish is on the long end. The longer the lever the fish has, the harder he is to land.

As I said before, Lee Wulf used 6' rods to land some big steelhead and salmon.


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The shortest rod I use is a 7 1/2 ft. 4 wgt.; Cabela's 5 pc. Stowaway. Not an expensive rod($110 when I bought it). Came with reel, line and two cases. It's a hoot and a darn good rod for the bucks. Caught a 24" brown with it on the Raquette River by Buttermilk Falls in the Adirondacks. What a fight! Casts like a dream and I use it quite a bit.

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I've got a Stowaway 4wt, and it's an excellent rod. Got a 5wt too, and the lower weight rod is better. I think they're kinda uneven in quality. I bought mine back when they were less than $100, IIRC. I bought the combo just to get the case.

Last edited by Gene L; 05/09/10.

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Originally Posted by Gene L
Yes, it is true. Think about it. The fisherman is on the short end of the lever, the fish is on the long end. The longer the lever the fish has, the harder he is to land.

As I said before, Lee Wulf used 6' rods to land some big steelhead and salmon.


Gene L
Guessing you have not spent much time on the short side of the lever... I guarantee you a long rod will whip a fish in a fraction of the time possible with a short rod, all else equal. The difference is too dramatic to argue.

To start, small rods are hand held and the wrist is all that "works" the fish. As rods get a little bigger the butt is placed against something and leverage is applied. Fighting butts get longer and grips extend farther up the rod. If serious work needs doing a second grip is added way up forward.

Then there is the simple fact the long rod can be changed from hard left to hard right in a second... Even fish with a fair amount of line out recogniize that distinction quickly.

A couple years ago I was catching grayling up to about 18" and caught two lake trout in very unexpected fashion on a 2wt rod, 7'6" long. Both grayling and the lakers were significantly larger than a 2wt is really designed for. And further, I had no desire to kill them, either to eat or just because I did not care how rapidly I got them unhooked and revived.

By running downstream and burying a bunch of fly line in the relatively swift water I managed to turn both lakers loose in just a few minutes. The "buried" fly line was nothing but a substitute for a long rod. A long rod would have allowed their landing and release in even less time.

Long way of saying I know exactly what is involved in fighting fish on a short stick and long... Give me the long for almost every reason. Boat use is the sole exception to the short rod advantage. I generally prefer a long rod in tight quarters for dapping, but in tight places where dapping is not the right way to go I also prefer short rods, though a long rod and a snappy roll cast can be done in surprisingly little room...
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Leverage-The mechanical advantage of a lever.
Lever-A simple machine consisting of a rigid bar pivoted on a fixed point and used to transmit force.

An example of leverage is using a jack to lift your car up to change the tire. Is it easier to jack up your car holding the back end of the bar, or the middle of the bar? Same goes with fly rods. Come fish for big salmon in stout current in Alaska with a 7 foot rod, then try a 13 footer. You will realize the difference. You may prefer the short rod because it is a much more challenging fight, but the long rod will bring the fish in much faster, no questions asked.

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My rod is short too. but all the fishies love me and they all want to jump on the end of my pole. What color backing are you using? I get a little bit more distance and better balance with the orange 30lb dacron. This is of course ONLY with dry flies. I use the the plain old white with streamer express line, Green and black... What's your favorite 5 weight?

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Originally Posted by AKGrayling
Leverage-The mechanical advantage of a lever.
Lever-A simple machine consisting of a rigid bar pivoted on a fixed point and used to transmit force.

An example of leverage is using a jack to lift your car up to change the tire. Is it easier to jack up your car holding the back end of the bar, or the middle of the bar? Same goes with fly rods. Come fish for big salmon in stout current in Alaska with a 7 foot rod, then try a 13 footer. You will realize the difference. You may prefer the short rod because it is a much more challenging fight, but the long rod will bring the fish in much faster, no questions asked.

Riley


Your example exactly proves my point. The fulcrum for the lever on a jack is at the jack itself, making a very short, short end. Which is why you can jack up a car. The fulcrum on a rod is at the handle, which is why a fish can exert more pressure on a long lever of the rod.

Rod length is excellent for casting, but is not excellent for landing a fish. Why are big game saltwater rods not 15 feet long if it offered an advantage?


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Because saltwater rods are used from boats... Wading rods are long.

A 6' rod with a typical short handle has limited mechanical advantage on the reel end... virtually none and the strain is taken at the wrist. Increase the handle modestly and allow the butt to be pressed to gut and the game changes.

Make the rod longer and the handle will also be longer to aid all of the things done with longer rods... Like fighting fish... and the game changes again. Moving fish away from obstructions and toward the beach or net is far more important than how much actual force you might have to apply.

Your mechanical advantage point is real, but like lots of things in the real World it is not the whole picture. Your example of Lee Wulf doing it is noteworthy BECAUSE he went against the obvious mainstream opinion and direct knowledge.

Try to maintain 10# of pull on an anchored gauge with a fly rod... You will be lucky to get close to it and staying there will be problematic. It is not all about how hard you have to pull with a fly rod as very little force is truly applied.

Grayling's jack argument is obviously flawed...
art


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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