That's a great way to have fun with 'glass rods, enabling you to judge them for what they are, not what someone else says they are in form or performance. Agreed. Before I purchased the BAG quickshot I asked a couple of people about it. One a graphite fly maker, who told me not to, that Tim was a great marketer, but that this would not be a good rod for the salt. The other, a salesman at a big fly shop, was of the same opinion, told me that the rod in lighter weights was fine but the heavier, saltwater versions were "a mistake." So I bought a 9 weight graphite, one I like more than most graphite rods, but a couple of months later a used Quickshot 8 wt showed up for half the price of a new one so I grabbed it. I was able to cast it only a few feet less than the 9 weight with much less effort, even in 20mph winds. No one can tell you what rod is right for you, there are too many variables. Perhaps the many years of fiberglass use in my early days still play a roll in my casting stroke. I do not much like the speed of graphite and have even less tolerance for it's fragility. Yesterday, I picked up a used 9' 10 wt BAG, we'll see if that is too much rod for me.
No reason to be "embarassed" for the cheap price. To be honest, I am tickled pink
The best clues for each letter may still get somebody there. Yes, that is what I was hoping. It is hard to decipher. The first two words begin with either an "R" or a "P", "R" more likely for the first word, "P", for the second.
Stiff tip section, maybe 6/64 tiptop? Where the rod enters the tip top, it is 8/64", but remember the tip is short, by 3 1/2".
It is definitely a 5wt for me. I don't carry a lot of line in the air, about 60 feet max, but a 6wt was too much for it at 60', and I like to overweight my rods.