I haven't had a new rod pass through my hands in the last couple of years that has been as enjoyable as the Trout Smiths Pack Rod, a 7'6" 3/4-weight. I purchased the blank from Shane Gray this spring, and I built it out for the summer. It's a fun, lively rod that has been wonderful for small stream fly fishing in the Western US. It breaks down to four pieces, which makes it great for hiking, and I've taken it to several streams in the backcountry where it's caught fish large and small.



The rod's action is lively and crisp. It will cast off the soft tip very easily, and the firm butt section engages cleanly as power is applied. In terms of Larry Kenney's excellent post on rod action, the blank falls between an A Taper and a B Taper, though it certainly leans toward the former. It's worth quoting Larry here:

When first casting the rod, or after fishing a rod with a more progressive action, it took me a few minutes to adjust. Initially, I applied too much power to the forward stroke, which overpowered the soft tip and gave me tailing loops. But a more even, careful application of power quickly yielded tight loops and accurate casts. That is not to say that the rod is stiff, though. It still casts and fishes like glass. Adjusting my stroke helped me engage the butt section more and provided the casting feedback I love when fishing glass.

This was particularly helpful when fishing a stream in Southwest Colorado that held large, strong rainbows. The firmer butt section helped to land the 15-18" fish with authority while maintaining a satisfying fish-on feel. With smaller fish, common in many backcountry streams, the rod doesn't bend as deeply as my other go-to 4-weight, a 8'6" ********* Western Glass. But I never felt like I was fishing graphite (even one with a more classic action). The blank is well-balanced, and the transition from butt to tip is fluid, better than other glass rods I've fished with similar actions.




The rod is labeled as a 3/4-weight, but I have fished it most often as a 4, with a Scientific Anglers Amplitude Double-Taper. This line enhances the lively, quick nature of the blank, and the pair sing when together. I have tried other 4-weight lines as well, but I most often go back to this one. With a 3-weight line—for me, a 406 Weight-Forward—the rod becomes a precise, quick shooter. I found it particularly helpful when fishing a swift, pocket-water stream where I had to briskly move from one target to another. With the lighter line, I found that the casts didn't engage the taper much past the mid section on the smaller water. In most circumstances I prefer the rod with a 4-weight line, but I do appreciate the ability to occasionally use a 3-weight.



All in all, I'm really happy with the rod. I have sometimes wondered if I would prefer it with a slightly stiffer tip and softer butt, but that would make the rod more progressive in nature and more like others I already own. I appreciate the trade-offs that Shane Gray has made, and it's a very well-executed taper. I'll be enjoying it for a long time.

Is this a 3 piece rod?

Excellent review and photos! I would love to fish the stream(s) from your report. Glad to hear you are enjoying your Trout Smiths 3/4.

I spent about 30 minutes on the water with my Trout Smiths 4/5 a few weeks ago, but I need to do a little more recon before I post my review. It’s definitely an interesting fast for glass taper with lots of power in the butt.