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FF856-5 Impressions
Post 30 Sep 2021, 08:35 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Hi Guys.
An FF856-5 showed up at my house yesterday (how does this keep happening??). I havent seen much said or written about these so I thought Id share my impressions based on lawn casting it side by side with my FF70-4 and FF756-4.

All three rods are honest 6 weights, with the FF756-4 being the least flexible about line weights and preferring a Cortland DT peach 6 wt. the FF70-4 will cast the dt6 (and a large variety of 5 and 6 weight lines) well but I think its by far the best with a 6wt rio gold wf.

The FF856-5 casts the peach dt6 well, but the rio gold 6wt felt better, especially beyond 25 ft or so. as I was lawn casting the rio gold 6 I was surprised to look down and see that I was casting well into the running line with minimal effort, something that probably wouldnt happen with the shorter rods. The FF856-5 also cast very well with a rio gold 5wt. it didnt feel under lined and I wouldnt hesitate to fish this rod with the rio gold 5 if it was a good choice for the flies and the situation. I also get the feeling this rod could handle a true to weight 7wt line, though Im not sure it would be more useful for trout fishing than a 6wt line. perhaps a sink tip 7 for streamer work? who knows. all of my fenwicks will cast up or down a line size from rated, this one is the first that seems HAPPY to cast up or down a line size. I dont get the feeling that this rod will be as good of a "big fly" rod as the FF756-4, its a little more limber. it is substantially faster than the FF70-4. perhaps its about right in the middle of the two as far as this is concerned.

all three rods work well with the 67ss martin reels, or with the mid size hardy clones (cabelas cahill 1 and heddon 320).

at one point I questioned the wisdom of the 5 piece Fenwicks, especially in a time when people were Leary of multi piece rods. I now suspect that the point all along was to give the angler a full length (8'6") rod that packed down just as small as their shortest common pack rods (7' 4 piece). My FF85-5, FF70-4, and FF856-5 all break down to the same length just a tad over 21".

Im going to do a backpack in trip on a well know WNC stream this weekend and the FF856-5 is coming. I may be using if for everything from dries down to 16-18 to lightly weighted streamers up to a 6-8. With any luck I can share some fishing impressions and photos early next week.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 30 Sep 2021, 17:39 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
I'd hoped to be done with buying rods by now, but the 856-5 is really attractive.. as you say, a good long rod that breaks down into pack rod size.. look forward to your report..


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 01 Oct 2021, 07:26 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
I have the FF856-5 and love it. It will cast a heavy 5 to 7 wt lines, but I prefer it as a 6. Great, "if I could only have one rod" rod. Delicate enough for small dries and stout enough for bass streamers/poppers. Add in the portability and it is a keeper! It is always in the backpack if any fishing is possible when camping. I am always surprised how light in hand it feels despite all the ferrules.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 01 Oct 2021, 07:48 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Doug - good luck with your addiction. Im reformed now. I bought two fenwicks last week, but now Im done forever.

Driftless - Great news! interesting that we came to about the same conclusion casting/line wise.

the FF70-4, FF856-5 and my SFG2 are the rods coming along this trip. The SFG is for a really tight stretch at the top of the mountain where I found my FF70-4 a bit long last time, the FF856-5 is for where the creek opens up considerably to 25ft wide with lots of overhead space half way from the peak to the parking lot. The FF70-4... I dont have specific plans for it but its so hard to leave it behind after all Ive done with it this year. for 4oz, Ill carry it with the others.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 01 Oct 2021, 11:35 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Sounds like you have all your bases covered BrookieBoy. I too am looking forward to a report.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 20 Oct 2021, 09:53 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Hi Guys!
Im glad I brought the FF70-4.. it did 100% of my fish catching on the trip.

as for the FF856-5, I did fish it for about an hour or two but the fish weren't having it. it casts well, though it seems to do much better once you get about a rod length of line out. its not as good for up close work as the FF70-4, then again it doesnt need to be. Ill be sure to update this thread when I do some catching with it!

Edit -
I still havent had a fish on the other end of the ff856-5 but do have some additional lawn casting notes to wrap this up. This rod casts my 6wt rio gold wf very well, but I think it needs a substantially heavier reel that the cabellas cahill 1 said line lives on. the cahill 1 balances 7-7.5' rods great but is just tool light for the ff856-5. with the cahill 1 the rod is very tip heavy, no fun to cast, and maybe actually doesnt cast as well (not just feel, but something about how the rod flexes and loads). I hung my 1495-1/2 off the rod and cast the rio 6wt and the rod felt completely different, all of a sudden it was very comfortable to cast and loads of fun. Its a keeper, seems like a great light bass rod or general purpose trout rod where the length is warranted.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 20 Oct 2021, 23:25 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
The FF856-5 isn't my favorite casting Fenwick 6wt, but it makes up for it in portability and versitility. The FF90-3 is one of the gems as a 6/7wt, but the FF856-5 wins if you want to pack it and it mends line better.

Now we need pictures of the rod with some fish.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 02 Dec 2021, 11:20 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
I finally convinced a fish to help me test the flex of this rod.

the fish was caught on black Friday about an hour north of Atlanta, ambient temps in the high fortys. The fish took a size 10 beadchain pheasant tail that I tied for bluegill.

I have settled on the 1495.5 for this rod as it balances well. I fished the rod with a 444 peach dt7. It handles this line well until you get out past 30 feet, then the tip goes a little soft and accuracy degrades. nonetheless the 44 dt7 would probably by my choice for warm water kayak fishing with this rod in the future. with the dt7 it casts "mr. hankey" mice very well (and yes, I had a take on one in November!), and it cast a 2/0 clouser reasonably within 30ft but not great. I think the tip is a little too delicate for the really big streamers or for a 7wt line past about 30ft.

I imagine this rod would be great with a "heavy 5wt" or any flavor of 6wt line for general purpose trout fishing. I havent done any smallmouth fishing but imagine this thing would be near perfect with a heavy wf6f for smallmouth, 6-10 streamers, 2-10 foam dries, poppers, etc.

I think the tip is a little soft to be a truly excellent choice for really big bass flies, really big/heavy streamers, or lines heavier than a true to weight 7. then again, that probably makes it a pretty good dry fly rod even if the fish are only 8".

all in all, a good versatile rod.

Thanks!


Last edited by BrookieBoy on 02 Dec 2021, 16:30, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 02 Dec 2021, 13:49 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
I broke down and got one ;-)
also no fish on it yet.. so far tried with Cortland Sylk 6DT on a Pfleuger 1495, throwing #24 emergers on 6x.. fish mostly ignored me, briefly hooked one that tore off before I realized it had taken and broke my 6x with ease. Well drat.


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Re: FF856-5 Impressions
Post 02 Dec 2021, 14:06 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
well that sounds like a blast. Down here we seldom if ever have the occasion to cast flies that small. Id love to fish a real hatch one day :rolleyes
This rod will probably continue to do kayak warm water duty for me, especially in the spring when its buegills on hopper droppers with occasional bass mixed in, and Ill use a 6wt line for that probably. It may continue to see kayak bass duty and light streamer work when the plan isnt to throw huge streamers around. this rod will do huge streamers, but if the plan is to throw big streamers Id take my 85-5 instead, and I am also on the lookout for a FF80 that I hope will be right at home in this niche as well. This rod is also a strong backpacking candidate for larger trout water as a general purpose full length rod, or as a travel rod for western trips. Im glad you like yours!


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