# Bass fly rod recommendations



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Fellas - my two favorite bass rods met their demise recently due to a slip from a passenger on my boat. They were a 6 and 8 wt Ross FlyStik, which are 7'11" 4 piece rods. They no longer make them, so I am looking for something similar. The length is nice for chunking heavy flies and sinking line, which they were primarily used for. Also, they were sub $200, which was another reason I had them - I didn't want to take my Winstons out and risk breaks - I do a lot of fishing at night and accidents happen.

Any recommendations? Sage had made some bass rods I might be able to get used, but my concern is they don't make them, so won't repair them. I could go 8'6", but would rather get to the 8' length if I can.

Much appreciated!


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

The St Croix mojo bass fly rod is decent for the money. I really like the original Orvis recon in the 7’11” 8wt for bass.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Thanks @Flyboy - the St Croix looks good for an 8 wt. Still need a 6 wt - they only have 7 to 9 wt.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

TFO HawgLeg rod has some serious balls.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

x2 for St Croix rods. Way under rated and still made in the USA


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I'm with LowHydrogen. The TFO Hawgleg 7'11" 7/8wt was a really fun rod to throw. They canceled them due to their lack of fly rod acceptance in the bass tours. I've thrown a 5wt Loomis 8ft Shorestalker and it was also a hoot to throw and would be a good rod if you can find one used to fit within your price range.

I love St Croix spinning rods, but not fond of their fly rods.

TFO makes a Pro II in a 7.5 & 8.5ft 5wt and I've tried the 8.5ft 5wt version of the rod and it wasn't halve bad and much faster than their 9ft version. So the 7.5ft could be a little sleeper. See if your shop has one to try. They sell for $169.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Been down this road and there is a balance of being too stiff and tiring to cast, and being too light to fish cover.

I picked up a tfo hawgleg on eBay for cheap. It's a broom stick. Had to overline it pretty significantly with rio outbound to have any feel and to load for shorter cast. Has enough backbone to pull fish out of heavy cover, but not much fun to cast all day.

I have an 8 ft 6 wt hardy jet that is much nicer to cast but if fishing heavy cover you are going to lose some fish. Fishing open water it's a dream to cast all day.

The Redington predator 8 wt 7'10. Had one, plenty of backbone, will also wear you out blind casting. They used to make a 6 wt version in the 7'10 that was a perfect balance of backbone with enough finesse.

Sage bass or smallmouth. The smallmouth is still my favorite rod of all my rods, but it's my redfish stick. The bass is more stout and gets back into the range of being too stiff for my liking but heavy enough to fish Lilly pads and matted grass with confidence.

St Croix mojo bass. Haven't fished one so no comment.


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

I switched to the OPST line for bass fishing. It allows me to throw big bass flies with a 5wt. Casts a mile with one false cast. I have it on the orvis recon and the St Croix imperial. Also can swap the tip out for a sink tip.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

@Backwater and @el9surf - thanks guys, exactly what I needed. I love throwing a 6 wt, so that is the main one I am finding now. Will look for those.

@GG34 - thanks for the tip. I primarily use sinking head line for bass and make my own. I take old floating lines, cut the head off, then splice in 12' to 15' of sink tip for the head. I always keep a floating line with a popper on just in case the situation is right. And when it is really right, I put on a mouse fly.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Nothing beats the mouse fly! The bass on my lake go into great white mode on that pattern.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

GG34 said:


> I switched to the OPST line for bass fishing. It allows me to throw big bass flies with a 5wt. Casts a mile with one false cast. I have it on the orvis recon and the St Croix imperial. Also can swap the tip out for a sink tip.


What does OPST stand for?


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

Check it. 
https://pureskagit.com/


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

el9surf said:


> What does OPST stand for?


See the link above. It's made to go in a single hand rod as well I fish it with a standard 5wt. @LowHydrogen turned me on to it. I fish bass more than ever now and that's all I use. You can bomb a huge popper with a 5wt. It's almost cheating. The heads are interchangeable so it is easy to switch from floating to sinking.


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## Ferrulewax (Mar 19, 2018)

I’m throwing IMX- Pro1s for bass and really enjoy them, but they probably aren’t everyone’s cup of tea


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

SA Titan Jungle clear sink tip will carry bass flies well. We used it on the Rio *****. No matter the rod, if you are blind casting all day, light weight combinations are a good thing.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Any thoughts on the sage payload for sink tips/intermediate line and chunky flies?


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## Greg Allison (Mar 13, 2018)

G Loomis still makes the shore stalker, its an 8'6" 6wt. I feel like those shorter tournament legal bass rods have gone out of fashion, and are getting harder to find.


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

BrownDog said:


> Any thoughts on the sage payload for sink tips/intermediate line and chunky flies?


I picked up a 6 wt payload a few weeks ago. Still experimenting with lines 7wt big nasty and OPST 225 still dialing it in. Haven’t thrown sinking line yet but it dose launch line well.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

jamie said:


> I picked up a 6 wt payload a few weeks ago. Still experimenting with lines 7wt big nasty and OPST 225 still dialing it in. Haven’t thrown sinking line yet but it dose launch line well.


good deal, let me know how it does as I have been eyeing the 6 as well for bass and sinking lines in salt.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Backwater said:


> TFO makes a Pro II in a 7.5 & 8.5ft 5wt and I've tried the 8.5ft 5wt version of the rod and it wasn't halve bad and much faster than their 9ft version. So the 7.5ft could be a little sleeper. See if your shop has one to try. They sell for $169.


I find it really surprising that they do not make a 6 wt in a shorter length - they only have 9' and 10' models. I realize the longer length is for kayak fishing, but there is also a counter argument that can be made about close, tight environment fishing where a shorter rod is very useful. Shoot, even snook fishing can get really tight and I like shorter rods. 

There just are not enough short 6 weights out there.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Actually, rethinking this, I'll just drop down to a 7 and a 5. I typically use an 8 wt for full sinking line to get those stripers down deep, 20' or more. The 7 and 5 are used in a different water column - 5' to 15'.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

coconutgroves said:


> I find it really surprising that they do not make a 6 wt in a shorter length - they only have 9' and 10' models. I realize the longer length is for kayak fishing, but there is also a counter argument that can be made about close, tight environment fishing where a shorter rod is very useful. Shoot, even snook fishing can get really tight and I like shorter rods.
> 
> There just are not enough short 6 weights out there.


And the problem is my fav bass rod is a 6wt.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

coconutgroves said:


> @Backwater and @el9surf - thanks guys, exactly what I needed. I love throwing a 6 wt, so that is the main one I am finding now. Will look for those.
> 
> @GG34 - thanks for the tip. I primarily use sinking head line for bass and make my own. I take old floating lines, cut the head off, then splice in 12' to 15' of sink tip for the head. I always keep a floating line with a popper on just in case the situation is right. And when it is really right, I put on a mouse fly.


I messed up and said I'm fond of the St Croix fly rods. I forgot the "not" as in "not fond".... I fixed it tho.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Not sure if the shorter rods are starting to disappear, but they are incredibly useful tools in certain applications. I think originally they came about due to bass tournaments having a limit on rod length. I started messing with them about 7 years ago for dirty water sight fishing but quickly found a home for them when accuracy around cover was needed. Haven't looked back, they are some of my favorites and will always have a place in my boat.


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## timogleason (Jul 27, 2013)

Love my 7'10" Redington Predators for dock light and canal fishing. Only down to an 8 weight though. Got one with a floating line for docelights and one with a clear full sink intermediate for canals. Would be pretty cool in a 6 though


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I catch a lot of bass while fishing for grass carp. I just take my regular 9', 7 and 8 wt.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

timogleason said:


> Love my 7'10" Redington Predators for dock light and canal fishing. Only down to an 8 weight though. Got one with a floating line for docelights and one with a clear full sink intermediate for canals. Would be pretty cool in a 6 though


Agreed - the 6 wt is the rod weight that is hard to find in 8' and beefy enough to throw heavy sinking lines. Stripers, hybrids and whites aren't always on top, sometimes I have to get 20' down.


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