Thread: New fly rod advice - weight and brands/models?

I'm with Moa Hunter. Don't buy the TCX it's a great rod but not really an all round rod. I used a sage XP for many years and then upgraded to a Sage one that I scored 2nd hand. All the top stuff Sage, Loomis Hardy have eye watering prices and the improvements of the latest models over the earlier ones are only incremental so buying a sage that is a couple of models back like a one or a method gets you a high end rod for half the price you'd pay for the latest and greatest. If you are not out there every weekend I don't see the point. The extra $600 to get a new top end rod is not going to immediately up your casting to next level or catch you significantly more fish.

I fish the areas you are talking about and I use a 6wt just because if you are blind nymphing in bigger water with a couple of heavier flies or tossing a bead head woolly bugger about a six weight is a bit easier to use than a 5.