For those of you who follow my blog know that I am a huge
fan of Redington Fly rods; mainly because of their lightness and most important
their purchase price. In my opinion, there isn’t a better quality fly rod for a
reasonable price on the market than their classic series. I decided a few weeks
ago to purchase their 2 weight Classic Trout mainly to fish some of the small
streams in the Smokey Mountains.
I found out last week that it matches well with the
rainbow on the Sipsey Tailrace in Alabama.
I knew I would be landing trout in the 10 to 12-inch range and the 7 ½ ft.
moderate action graphic rod got quite a workout that afternoon. I found this 2
weight to be a bit more forgiving than my 3 or 4 weight fly rods I fish with. I was surprised with the degree of stiffness it had which helped it handled a couple 12” rainbow I landed that afternoon quite well. True I didn’t horse that size
trout in quickly using it but with a bit of patience I brought both to hand. I
did lose numerous trout that day mainly because of a hook set and slow reaction
time. Fishing a lighter fly rod could have contributed to the hook set issue. I
kept forgetting I wasn’t fishing with a moderate fast action fly rod. The rod
proved what I already knew when it came to placement and presentation of the
fly using a 6X tippet. As most of you know the lighter the fly touches the
surface film the better chance for a take; this fly rod meets that test. The
slight breeze that afternoon didn’t affect my casting but I could see problems
in moderate or heavy winds.
A lot of the bluegill I have caught on Laura
Hill Lake
in Lawrenceburg is smaller than what I am used to landing, so this 2 weight will
compliment those well. The total weight of the Redington 2/3 reel and the Redington
rod weights less than 4.6 ounces; my kind of combo for sure!!
I can see what I think is the issue with the hook set and losing fish Bill. This is just my humble opinion and may or may not be correct. I find that when I change rods no matter what weight, that it takes a certain reaquaintance before I feel confident in the rod. Even if I've used it hundreds of times before. It makes sense to me that it was just a matter of getting used to the rod's action and light weight. If you are used to a 5 or 6 weight, casting a different rod that's a lot lighter weight it just makes sense that you will be fine the next time you use it. Best of luck next next!
ReplyDeleteThe exact reasons I went to a 3 wt. 6' rod. Fishing small streams. Even with a small rod I still hang flies in the trees. But the fight on a lighter rod is outstanding.
ReplyDeleteBill, first off, congratulations on the foresight to pick up a beautiful little rod to meet your needs on that size Trout and Bluegill that you speak of. I, too, am a Redington fan and love their action, casting ability, and price!! On a non-windy day I am sure your new rod will be a wonderful pleasure. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBill your comments on Redington being a fine rod for the buck. They have a good track record of making fly rods of quality.
ReplyDeleteI like a softer action rod, and a little shorter.
Howard
ReplyDeleteHow true your statement is concerning fishing with different weight fly rods and the feel of each after you were casting a lighter or heavier weight fly rod---the 2 wt. is quite a change from my 5 weight---thanks for the comment
Alan
ReplyDeleteI thought about purchasing the shorter fly rod but I wanted a little longer rod to fish the small lakes here that have a ton of smaller bluegill---thanks for the comment
Mark
ReplyDeleteYou just can beat the action on one of these light fly rod---even a small bluegill seems like a pound bass---thank for the comment
Mel
ReplyDeleteI second your comments about the Redington---forgot to mention the lifetime warranty which they back 100%---in fact my first Redington rod broke 10 years ago at the tip---sent the end section back and within a week I had a new end section—thanks for the comment
Bill, this sounds like a nice outfit to use on the lake or open areas as long as the wind is calm, especially if the rod has enough backbone to bring in larger fish quickly. Thanks for it.
ReplyDeleteWalt
ReplyDeleteA lot of fun with small fish for sure; hope to land bigger fish soon to test the backbone of the rod. Thanks for the comment
Lester
ReplyDeleteI have both the 7 1/2 ft. and the 8 1/2 ft. in the 3 wt. and have landed nice rainbow on both. My 2 wt. will be used mainly for the small streams in the Smokies and some to land some smaller gills on the local lakes here. Thanks for the comment
I've heard that it can be a real scream to fight fish on a 2 or 3 wt. I have a 3, but haven't used it yet. But... soon! I've got my eyes on some brook trout streams and also a couple of small lakes that have a variety of bluegill, crappie, and sunfish. Something new for me! Have fun, Bill!
ReplyDeleteRD
ReplyDeleteFishing a 2 or 3 weight fly rod as opposed to fishing heavier fly rods takes some adjusting. Once you used a lighter fly rod, you get hooked, so to speak. By adjusting to lighter fly rods you are leveling the playing field between you and the fish. Sure your will lost more fish, but in the process you find just how good you are at landing bigger fish using the lighter tackle. I've landed spotted bass in the 3 lb. range and 16" rainbow using a 3 weight. I haven't tested my landing skills with the 2 weight yet but that is in my future. Thanks for the comment