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Post 19 Apr 2020, 19:54 • #26 
Sport
Joined: 03/10/18
Posts: 86
I'm going to be swimming upstream here, I think. There's a lot of love out there for the System 7. I've had a System 7 and I have an FF857. (Do my tenses indicate where I'm going?) I am mostly a smallie fisher, with pretty heavy (1/24 oz) rabbit fur flies. I LOVED the look of the System 7. I just wanted to be out on the water with it. But the FF857 cast farther, and felt lighter in hand. A better rod for me. But that System 7 deep chocolate, and the SA graphics . . . . I sold it off.

I just wish it was a better fishing tool than the FF857. But it's not.

Fish on!
Peter


Last edited by 1streamcaster on 25 Apr 2020, 17:17, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 19 Apr 2020, 20:45 • #27 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/02/16
Posts: 515
Location: Georgia
The FF857 was a little too fast for my taste, but I think I sold it before I found the right line. It definitely throws more line than the System 7, but the System has a better feel to me, as long as I don’t need to make casts over 60-70’ all day. The SA is more progressive and has improved dampening compared to the Fenwick.

In modern rods, my favorite 7 weight is a Steffen 6/7. I’ve put some river miles on the 6/7 and still can’t believe how light it is for the amount of power. I’ll move up to the Steffen 7/8 if I’m throwing streamers heavier than sex dungeons or huge deer hair bass bugs, but the 6/7 sees more time on the water. I’m a fan of glass 7 weights in general, if you couldn’t tell.


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Post 19 Apr 2020, 22:52 • #28 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
Does anyone know of a nice short 7wt? As in around 7 ft.?


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Post 20 Apr 2020, 06:41 • #29 
Guide
Joined: 03/12/15
Posts: 269
Location: US-CT
i find it interesting that there are anglers on this site that like me love the 7 weight because almost no one fishes a 7 around my neck of the woods. The great writer Gene Hill called the 8 foot for a 7 the most versatile and best fresh water and light salt combination. He called the 8 for a 7 the 12 ga. of flyfishing. It will get the job done no matter the circumstance. I own 3 7 weights, one in glass and multiple copies of each. One may recall that Orvis called their 7 weight graphite in the 70's and 80's the "All Rounder". the marketing copy read, "if you want one rod that will do it all, that is the "All Rounder". I have one of those rods. It will throw drys and poppers with ease. My Fenwick glass is an 7, love that rod. Thanks for this great topic.


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Post 20 Apr 2020, 07:54 • #30 
Master Guide
Joined: 10/07/11
Posts: 692
Location: SE MA
I use a 7 weight for most of my bass fishing. My favorites are the Fenwick Fenglass FG, the Cortland FR-2000, and the Moonshine 10' (graphite). I also like to fish my Fenwick FF 807, 857, and 90-3. For 7 1/2 foot rods, the Orvis Powerflex, and CGR 7/8 are enjoyable, and with a fuller flex. I enjoy fishing with the Berkley Curt Gowdy, but the grip is not very comfortable for me. An under the radar 7 weight that I own and enjoy using is the 8' Daiwa Regal Silver. It has a comfortable feel to it and works for me as an all around rod that I put in the back of my car without worry.


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Post 20 Apr 2020, 15:21 • #31 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Newfydog wrote:
Does anyone know of a nice short 7wt? As in around 7 ft.?

Ten plus years back TFO made some 2 piece, 6'9" fly rod blanks marked for 5/6 lines (see this Manifesto post). I built one and liked it with a 7 weight line as a kayak rod. TFO sold a few factory built rods with this blank. Occasionally one hits the used market. I suspect a few blanks are still lurking on rod builder's shelves. Perhaps a Wanted post would pry something loose.

I was disappointed that TFO never built anything else with that technology. It could have made really great salt water fly rods.


Tom


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Post 20 Apr 2020, 20:49 • #32 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Newfydog, See the model 88 of Ron Barch of Alder Creek in bamboo at 7' 4" and a seven weight it is a great casting fly rod close to the length you are seeking. A bit fast and it shoots line nicely.

A couple of photographs of seven weight rods shown below each at 8 1/2' long.

Morgan Unity rods a four section and a two by different makers at an earlier casting test.



Original Winston Unity over Morgan Unity at rest just before night fishing four years ago.



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Post 21 Apr 2020, 07:08 • #33 
Guide
Joined: 11/27/14
Posts: 330
Location: US-NC
Newfydog wrote:
Does anyone know of a nice short 7wt? As in around 7 ft.?



Chris Barclay’s 7-6 LS cast a 7 weight line with incredible smoothness. I tried it at one of the Carolina Conclaves with a 406 7wt weight forward line. That rod can really sling out the line.


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Post 21 Apr 2020, 10:35 • #34 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Newfydog wrote:
Does anyone know of a nice short 7wt? As in around 7 ft.?

I have a St. Croix 7090 XL that’s rated as “E” or “HCH”. I think that’s usually translated as E= 4 level line and HCH=DT7. Haven’t fished it in a while but I used a WF6, but that might just have been my use; I certainly strung it up with a DT7, and thought it was sweet with that as well. Worth a try if you can find one.
Of course, there may well be vintage rods labeled as 6 that in your hands become a 7. Do you frequently upline from the maker’s suggestion?


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Post 24 Apr 2020, 12:18 • #35 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/27/09
Posts: 573
Location: US-SD
There must be about a million of those Eagle Claw rods out there; 7 wt. seems to be what they all are. Mine is 7 1/2 feet long.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 03:03 • #36 
Sport
Joined: 11/13/20
Posts: 33
Location: Southern VT
There seems to be a lot of info about Winston unity 7wt, but what about the other 7wt glass offerings? 8’9”? 8”? Wondering if anyone has experience with the differences between them. Besides length, thanks.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 04:34 • #37 
Guide
Joined: 03/12/15
Posts: 269
Location: US-CT
Before glass, I fished for years with only 2 Cortland GRF 1000 graphite rods, both rated for 6/7. I lined them with a 7 floater and 7sinker. Those rods helped me catch everything from bluefish to bluegills. The rods threw everything from #22 midges to 1/0 clousers. True all rounders. I still fish them today. My Fenwick glass rods are 6 weights that I upline with a 7 line. They cast wonferfully.

7 weights are terrific rods if your looking for a rod that can nearly do it all for you.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 09:43 • #38 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Kellystand, in answer to your question on the vintage Winston fiberglass 7 weight rods I can only offer observations on two of the models. The original Unity of the Universe Rod is the slowest feeing between that and the 8' 9" three section rod shown. Both a bit heavy in comparison to more modern offerings yet quite comfortable to cast. The 8' 9" feels a hair faster as it is a three section version. Both make for fine streamer and bass rods. Would like to try the 8' version one day as I think that would be a great fly rod as well.

The vintage Winston rods seem to tolerate a wider range or fly lines compared to the experiences had with the TMR Unity rods. Each fine, but took longer to dial in the more modern Unity rod.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 13:39 • #39 
Sport
Joined: 11/13/20
Posts: 33
Location: Southern VT
Thanks for your insight. The 8 footer seems to be the most elusive of the lot. Are you referring to more recent iterations of the Unity? I’ve seen two versions of TM’s write up of Winston history and in one he dubs the 8’ 7wt the best Winston taper and in the other version it says the Unity. More curiosity than anything. Thanks for entertaining!


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 13:51 • #40 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Last post covered views on the original Unity by Winston and the Tom Morgan Rodsmith’s first generation TMR four section version.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 14:10 • #41 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Newfydog, about one year, you asked what is a good 7', 7 weight.

I have a couple 7' Para/Metrics that throw a great eight weight line, so guessing it would also be a pretty good 7 weight.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 16:42 • #42 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/08/06
Posts: 796
Location: RenoNV/FranklinWV
My favorite is a Scott G origina 9 footl, next is a Stickman T-7 9 foot, next is a Haldin 8 foot, next is a TFO BVK 91/2 foot, I have a Chuck Kraft 9 foot rod on order and can hardly wait, not really any favorites they are all very nice. I do a lot of river smallmouth fishing the last few years and they make casting bigger flies much more enjoyable, wind is generally not a problem, I can pop any of them up to an 8 weight line when necessary too. Its' in my opinion a way underrated line size weight, too much talk of the fairy wands leads on to believe you can't have all that much fun with heavier weight rods, not so. I use many of them with a titan line which is actually 2 sizes up, it reduces false casting, I also like them with OPST heads and tips at times for the big stuff. Try one you might like it, get out of that rut.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 18:03 • #43 
New Member
Joined: 01/29/21
Posts: 9
Hey all, I'm new here and new to glass. Due, in part, to the information and influence of this forum, I recently picked up a few vintage rods: an 8 1/2 foot, 2 piece Narmco Conolon F88, an 8 foot, 2 piece Actionrod 1580, and a 7 foot, 6 piece Cortland PRF-2000 (1-584-1). The Cortland seems to be in near new condition. I got the Conolon and Actionrod cheap ($20 bucks plus shipping, each) thinking I would tear them down and redo them. However, both are in better shape then expected so I may just touch em up and run with them for the time being. So far, I have only lawn cast them. They all perform well with a WF 7. The Conolon also throws a Rio Mainstream Trout DT 6 really well (I will likely fish it with this). I don't have an 8 wt line, but I suspect the Actionrod would be equally, if not more happy, with an 8.

For Newfydog, I am far from an expert, but I find the Cortland to be a pretty cool 7 foot rod. It is light in the hand, is a nice translucent brown, and breaks down really small. Definitely a more modern rod than the other two. It casts well in close due to the tip loading easily, but has a lot of oomph down low and can really sling some line. I've had a bit of a hard time figuring out where this rod is going to fit in the lineup, but I think it may find a home on my boat alongside my spinning and casting gear.

Skunkedalot, my first fly rod was a 8 1/2 foot Cortland GRF 1000 for a 5/6. Many fond memories with that rod; I still have it today. It has been interesting to cast it alongside the vintage glass. To my hand, not all that different (but definitely much lighter and easier to balance with available reels than the Conolon, and to a lesser extent the Actionrod).


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 18:32 • #44 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/14/06
Posts: 1227
Location: Panther City, Texas
McFarland's original Spruce Creek 7'9 7wt is the finest casting 7 wt I know of. He also made a 7' and an 8'3, all three piece. All three models are rare but I think they deserve to be included with the best seven weights made. L Kenney's 8'3 7 weight should also be considered.


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Post 27 Feb 2021, 22:39 • #45 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Frogmorton, I am still kicking myself for not buying a Spruce Creek 7'9" 7wt "Juniata" That is a rod that will light up your face.

There are some 7 wt's that some people love and others just don't care for. I'm not a fan of the SA System 7, or the TMR Unity of the Universe. I have an FF85 that is a nice 7/8wt. It isn't magic but is a workhorse. I also start to lean to graphite rods for these weights a Diamondback 8667 (6/7wt) graphite that seem to be good for most 7wt conditions. My Orvis Allrounder is labeled a 7, but is a 6wt rod in my hands. And on the flip side I have an Orvis 9' 6wt Western that is a fantastic 7wt.


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Post 28 Feb 2021, 05:18 • #46 
Sport
Joined: 04/24/18
Posts: 51
Location: Pennsylvania
The only I have, is an eight foot 7 weight, orvis fullflex a. Never had been fished and still has the warranty card. Seems like a nice rod, I am not sure if I want to take the newness out of it.


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Post 02 Mar 2021, 16:49 • #47 
Guide
Joined: 04/03/19
Posts: 221
Location: CO
All I can say is that swinging streamers on the SA System 7 brings home dinner!



To echo what others have noted, I think you need the right line for it...I favor the Orvis Bankshot.


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Post 03 Mar 2021, 09:41 • #48 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1144
Location: Belgium
Quote:
L Kenney's 8'3 7 weight should also be considered.


Not aware LK made an 8'3" 7 weight. I have both the 836 and 897. Have to say the 836 can be fished with a 5, 6 or 7 and handles a 7 very well. Is this the rod you are referring to?


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