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Post 05 Dec 2022, 12:46 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 12/31/12
Posts: 326
Location: US-MA
Which 8'6" 6wt glass rod is your favorite? Also what are the reasons for that? Action, weight, etc.


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Post 05 Dec 2022, 14:20 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 02/05/15
Posts: 262
Location: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
I have only one 8'6", 6wt. rod and it's a Steffen 5-6wt. 2 piece, so I guess that would be it. Use it on lakes and larger streams for the most part, I'm sort of a small stream guy.


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Post 05 Dec 2022, 17:06 • #3 
Sport
Joined: 09/12/22
Posts: 30
I don’t have experience with others , but I do love my sfg 866-3 !!!


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Post 05 Dec 2022, 18:41 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/02/16
Posts: 515
Location: Georgia
I’m a big fan of the Epic 686. Mine is a 4-piece on a CTS blank. If I’m fishing a 6wt, I’m usually fishing 3-4” streamers or big foam dries. The Epic’s fast action is perfect for these applications. If I’m fishing normal size dries or smaller streamers, the Steffen 5/6 is hard to beat. Mine is 8’, but I’m sure the 8’6” is nice.


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Post 05 Dec 2022, 21:56 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 12/18/15
Posts: 95
Location: Annapolis, MD
Mine is a Fenwick FF856, that's my go-to striper rod here on the Chesapeake, but I fish it with a 7wt intermediate line. My best is a 36"/ 18 pounder on it, but regularly handles 10-pound fish, and schoolies are a delight on it. Medium action but very predictable which comes in handy because we fish a lot at night.


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Post 05 Dec 2022, 22:22 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/12
Posts: 1007
Location: Beantown
My Steffen 8'6" 5/6, which I prefer with a 6 weight line. Love that rod - does everything well for me.


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 06:38 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2087
Location: US-PA
Easy to answer as I only own one, an 8'6" 6wt Fenwick FF85-3 matched with a fully pimped 1494 Medalist from 1959.


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 12:25 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 10/02/12
Posts: 114
Location: Missouri Ozarks
I will second the EPIC Fastglass II 686, this rod is fun to fish!! It can throw streamers as well as a delicate dry fly.


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 13:48 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 03/20/07
Posts: 849
Location: US-TX
I only have tried the two that I own:
8.5’ Steffen 5/6 3 piece
8.5’ Livingst0n Rod Co 5/6 3 piece.

Both are great.
To me, the LRC is a touch slower & a little deeper/ full flexing than the Steffen.
Both are great, first rate rods.
I like the Steffen with a 6wt line and the LRC with a “5.5 wt” line.


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 18:16 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
The Troutsmith 6wt is a very smooth casting rod. True 6wt DT line. Only thing better would be if it was amber ;)


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 20:05 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
stuckeysflat wrote:
Mine is a Fenwick FF856, that's my go-to striper rod here on the Chesapeake, but I fish it with a 7wt intermediate line. My best is a 36"/ 18 pounder on it, but regularly handles 10-pound fish, and schoolies are a delight on it. Medium action but very predictable which comes in handy because we fish a lot at night.



Good to here that is the only Fenwick i held on to.Need a little distance for a couple spots,Which intermediate line you using?


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Post 06 Dec 2022, 22:17 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/22/11
Posts: 1720
Location: US-TX
Have owned a few rods. I have a couple of rods. I still fish the 8'6" Andy built Fisher.


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 09:01 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 04/17/12
Posts: 204
Location: Blacksburg, VA
I only have one - a Steffen 8'6" 5/6, so I guess that's my favorite. I sold my Fenwick FF856 several years before I obtained the Steffen, it was a fine rod too, but a stronger action than the Steffen, and would throw a 7 weight bass bug taper with authority when needed as well as the DT6. I think of the Steffen as more of a trout weight rod and haven't tried the 7 weight bass bug taper on it but suspect it would be overloaded. It works great with a 6.


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 10:27 • #14 
Guide
Joined: 10/30/18
Posts: 203
Location: SF Bay Area
********* Western Glass. Same impressions as Guadalupe. Light in hand, excellent finesse for dries, enough oomph for warm water applications. Great all around rod.


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 13:08 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 06/28/18
Posts: 338
Location: Bozeman, MT
A 8 1/2’ 6 wt built by Larry Kenny on a Fisher (brown) fiberglass blank because it has power in the butt to drive line in adverse conditions and to fight large fish…no need to take time to tire fish, I can “reef” on them with this rod and get them in and released quickly.


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 13:18 • #16 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/21
Posts: 208
Location: Tucson, AZ
I have a Silaflex...pre-Browning.... 3 piece-er that is my favorite right now. I fish it out of a float tube on local bass/sunfish lakes. Caught my biggest redear on it, a memorable fight.

Really smooth action while casting with plenty of butt strength and a forgiving tip section. Rated for a 6 or 7 weight line

I have another one coming from a luthier/flyfishing friend who will come over from New Mexico in January..awaiting what that one will look like, as it it is a bit more cosmetically appealing, evidently. He found it at a local secondhand store and picked it up for me. Might fish it in the Rio Grande for carp some day, water levels permitting.


Last edited by Phil-a-Flex on 08 Dec 2022, 10:04, edited 2 times in total.

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Post 07 Dec 2022, 13:50 • #17 
Guide
Joined: 02/06/16
Posts: 328
Location: US
In order:
1st Generation Epic 686 (3 piece)
Western Glass 866
Fenwick ff84. (Dries only)


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 19:35 • #18 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/08/06
Posts: 796
Location: RenoNV/FranklinWV
My favorite is a McFarland 8'6", 4pce Parabolic, very pleasant and powerful rod, not tip heavy at all. I have had it and fished it for 4 years now, it might be a keeper.


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 21:03 • #19 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/22/07
Posts: 871
Location: Out West
Living.ston Western Glass 8'6" 6wt 3pc and Steffen 8'6" 5/6wt 4pc...hard to choose which one is my favorite. Both are great for trout, lighter bass and panfish, and very versatile and pleasant fishing tools.

These wouldn't be my first choice for larger streamers, which is where the stronger old Fenwick FF856 would get the nod (fishes fine in my hands with 6wt lines, but also handles 7wt lines very well).


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Post 07 Dec 2022, 21:41 • #20 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
For me Li-V-ingston Western Glass 865/6-3 and Fenwick 856-2 and 856-5. The Western Glass was a limited release 8’6 rod that was designed to throw a 5wt DT or 6 wt WF line. As mentioned not just a superb trout rod. Also a great warm water rod. The Fenwicks are my 50 year old spirit animal rods. Love a Triangle Taper and a Cortland 444 Peach DT. All of these rods are very versatile … dries, wets, soft hackles … even streamers … they do it all so well.


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Post 18 Dec 2022, 00:09 • #21 
Sport
Joined: 12/18/15
Posts: 95
Location: Annapolis, MD
Hersh, I'm Not exactly sure, but I believe it's one of Scientific Angler's lines, pulled it out of the bargain bin at our local tackle store.


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Post 18 Dec 2022, 07:51 • #22 
New Member
Joined: 11/02/20
Posts: 10
McFarland 8’6” GTX. Faster for glass, light in the hand, accurate, a great dry fly rod…


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Post 18 Dec 2022, 10:15 • #23 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
For me it's a Fenwick FF856-5 Serial #P1822 from 1966.


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Post 18 Dec 2022, 13:37 • #24 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Fisher 'glass:

Image

Fisher had several 8'6" blanks; this is the one designated 6-7, a favorite since I built it in the early 1980s.

Any of the cousins would probably be, too, if I hadn't happened to pick this one first, wanting some capability with a WF 7. The Sceptre 8'6 6-7 is similar, but a touch more robust, more of a 7-6. Models from Winston and Claudio would be special as well, or various other Fisher-blank 8 1/2s and labled for retailers like LL Bean.

Among great river rods, then or now, the crisp, progressive action Fishers are hard to beat. A personal connection or special builder is one more plus for the Fisher builds. I wondered if the one mentioned by pgwulf above was the 6/7 blank(5 1/2 tip) or the 6 (5 tip) or possibly another blank produced at an earlier time.

The Fisher catalog shows the standard 8 1/2 blanks of the '80s.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1043&start=25#p130436


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Post 18 Dec 2022, 14:06 • #25 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/05/10
Posts: 5229
Location: Mid Hudson Valley of New York
Yes! 8'6" Sceptre is my go-to. Built by The Glassmaster. -- Andy Manchester.


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