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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 18:52 • #26 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/14/11
Posts: 1018
Location: Chicago Western Suburbs
I personally like the Cabela’s CGR 876-3 and at $69.00 you can’t beat the price. Use it with a bass taper fly line. Also it casts poppers and Clouser minnows easily.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 19:10 • #27 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
I've had a lot of fun bass fishing with Fenwick FF80, FF85, and FF858 rods that I picked up cheap (one, a mint FF85, was given to me).

Bob


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 19:53 • #28 
Guide
Joined: 04/03/19
Posts: 221
Location: CO
I’ll support those pushing the System 7. It’s a great rod that is my go-to now for fishing heavy articulated/leaded streamers like over-easy sculpins, sex dungeons, and meat whistles. Go with one of those and you’ll be chucking half-chickens with élan.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 20:48 • #29 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/28/07
Posts: 1006
Location: US-TX
The Fenwick FF756 is the original Sage Bass as far as I’m concerned, except it is not a broomstick. It is perfect for casting larger flies under low hanging branches. Just the right combination of flex and accuracy.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 21:55 • #30 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
Since I can't currently target my favorites (tiger muskies), I've been getting after bass quite a bit more this spring & the more I fish for bass....even smallmouth, the more inclined I am to just grab my Bandit (yeah, it's a 10wt, but it's one of the easiest casting rods I own) simply because it'll throw every single size fly I could possibly want to throw for bass and it'll also have the backbone to yard them out of deep cover. All that said, I prefer throwing really big stuff because quite simply, I'll get more interest from the largest fish around and that's what I'm after (hell, even a 2 pound fish will take an 8" fly). If all I were after were numbers, I'd drop down in both rod size and fly size (probably one of my 7wts)....or fish for trout (which I did yesterday and it didn't disappoint....my Steffen was bent most of the day).

Cheers!


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 11 May 2020, 22:07 • #31 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/27/14
Posts: 1501
Location: ON, Canada
If I were trying to spend as little as possible I’d join the crowd here and get a vintage Fenwick FF80, 85, 807, or 857 for the job (my favorite being the 807). If I needed to throw really big flies on one of those 7wts I’d make sure to get a line with a really short heavy head. If I were boat fishing I’d lean toward the 8ft’ers. Wading I’d go for the 8’6”.

(Having said all that however, I wouldn’t want to be without my Epic 686 + Steffen 8’6” 7/8, which is what I really use for the above fishing).


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 12 May 2020, 11:23 • #32 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
brockton wrote:
If I were trying to spend as little as possible I’d join the crowd here and get a vintage Fenwick FF80, 85, 807, or 857 for the job (my favorite being the 807). .


Yeah, the 807 is in my hand the best of the Fenwicks. Prices can be all over the place on that model, but I landed one with a $55 bid, which may be the best deal I ever got in fly fishing.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 12 May 2020, 14:53 • #33 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
I have an FF807 that I don't love that much, and two FF85s that are tiresome to use, in Fenwick I'd pick the FF80 over any others.

My take on a "bass rod" (and bass are more than half my fishing) is that it needs to be between seven and eight feet in length and it needs to wear DT7 through WF9 lines, although I'd not rule out an 8'/10wt. 10wt might be just the ticket if using hardware heavy stuff, it takes mass in the line to move mass in the fly/lure/jig/bait.
In truth any rod suitable for trout over 2# or stripers is suitable for black bass.
Any fiberglass rod over eight feet will wreck my arm and shoulder after six or eight hours of casting even small flies.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 13 May 2020, 23:17 • #34 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/18/18
Posts: 356
Location: US-TX
I would start with a reel and buy a bass taper line. If you still have that problem buy an echo bad ass glass quickshot. I like this rod for bass flies and when wade fish the long power stroke really pulls the line off rough choppy water.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 14 May 2020, 13:37 • #35 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
Just personal preference but i always thought rod line weight had more to do with fly size and weight than fish size?I caught my 2 biggest bass last year on a 3wt and little foam bluegill poppers.Lot of stress on any fish when you play them that long in hot weather.Both were in good shape at release.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 14 May 2020, 19:07 • #36 
Guide
Joined: 04/17/12
Posts: 204
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Did you try an 8 or 9 line on that 6 wt Sage? Might be worth a try.

That said, I usually bass fish with a Steffen 8 1/2 ft 7/8. I also have and use a Scott G907BT, a slow action graphite bass rod when used with the 7 wt tip. Either one would be an excellent choice if you can find one.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 15 May 2020, 17:33 • #37 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Still never said what length leader your using. A leader that's too long will just not work. Maybe with a 3 1/2 or 4 foot leader your graphite may be just fine.

May not be correct terminology, but I always used the term hinging for a leader that's too long with a heavy fly. The leader will just not straighten out soon enough to allow a smooth cast in opposite direction.

Barry


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 16 May 2020, 11:18 • #38 
Sport
Joined: 08/17/12
Posts: 32
Location: BC, Canada
So....I ended up getting a glass 9’ # 7 Hardy Fiberglass perfection rod.For cheap.
I went outside on grass and threw it with a Cortland 444 WF 7, stout 5’ leader, and the same jig-head type big bugger fly that tortured the 9’ #6 Method.
Loop was easy to open up, rod flexed nice and deep, and I had time to eat a sandwich on the back cast.It tossed the bugger 60’ without feeling like I had a seagull attached to my line on each cast. Much easier to mange the casting loop.If I do happen to hook a decent Bass or Carp, it’s gonna bend into the cork.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 16 May 2020, 13:20 • #39 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
"it’s gonna bend into the cork." as all rods should.

I always fish bass up close, I'm an inpatient fella and get real nervous waiting on those long back casts. And I'm too dang fat to be eating all them sandwiches any way. Be careful you don't end up round as a Belgian cast.

It sounds like you found a good tool for your purpose. Congratulations.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 16 May 2020, 13:33 • #40 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/16/10
Posts: 814
Location: South of Houston, TX
Perfect. Glad that you got a new toy that sounds like a perfect fit for the use.
We look forward to the report of it out on the water.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 20 May 2020, 20:11 • #41 
Sport
Joined: 05/22/18
Posts: 25
Location: US-VA
the hersh wrote:
Just personal preference but i always thought rod line weight had more to do with fly size and weight than fish size?I caught my 2 biggest bass last year on a 3wt and little foam bluegill poppers.Lot of stress on any fish when you play them that long in hot weather.Both were in good shape at release.


What's the length of your 3wt?


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 21 May 2020, 21:15 • #42 
Guide
Joined: 04/17/12
Posts: 204
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Congrats on the Hardy, sounds like a keeper.


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 15 Oct 2021, 11:02 • #43 
Guide
Joined: 02/18/18
Posts: 276
Location: US-TX
Loved the perspectives shared in this post. I have several areas I fish that are short on space but have some substantial LMB. I have two rods...knives I take to the gunfight...for these places. Both rods are very capable 7 foot rods...strong progressive tapers.
Barclay 70LS w/ Ross R2
Fisher Factory Glass 6/7 wt. w/ Pflueger 1494 click & pawl
These are just a hoot to fish...New School...Old School.
Carl


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Re: Bass rods...
Post 15 Oct 2021, 12:42 • #44 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
glassydrift wrote:
Loop was easy to open up, rod flexed nice and deep, and I had time to eat a sandwich on the back cast.It tossed the bugger 60’ without feeling like I had a seagull attached to my line on each cast. Much easier to manage the casting loop.


this is the key to lobbing big baits on a fly rod..
we'd like to see pictures, of what's happened with the rod since May ;-)

can't recommend it, but was chunking out monstrous weighted Clousers etc on a 6wt FF 856, open the loop enough and the whole mess sails out there quite well..
fished the pond for pike, got a trout on the monstrous Clouser



fished the river for trout, got a pike on the Platte River Special streamer..



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Re: Bass rods...
Post 15 Oct 2021, 17:32 • #45 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Nice fish Doug! I guess for you fishing is like a box of chocolates.... you never know which one you are going to get!


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