I'm in the market for a really fast 9wt blank, that has both some oomph for fighting larger fish, and a bit of durability as well. Must be 4 piece for travel

Visited the local fly fishing show and cast all the available rods.

Tried the Sage Xi2, which was a bit slower than I wanted.

Tried the Powell TiMax (seemed med fast only) and the Tiburon II which was just about there.

Tried the TFOs and liked the TiCrX best.

Have cast the St. Croix SCV 10 wt which I quite liked, but not the new SCIV. The SCV felt very light and I wondered about the durability. Any experience?

Any suggestions?

Wondering about the H&H XT51, the RX8+. Also a rod maker near me in MA, (Cote's) who sells a titanium series blank. Not sure if he makes it, or has it made elsewhere...anyone know of it?

Thanks,

mark

If you want stiff, put a 9 line on a say a 12 WT??

I'd like a rod that tip cast a 9wt line (or 11wt-ish shooting heads to 30 ft of LC-13).

From fiddling with the rods that I have...up to 12 wt, my impression by feel, is that the downlined 12 wt still flexes further down the blank with the 9wt line, but not as much as it does with the 12 wt line.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks,

mark

To my thinking, the 12WT blank should flex less with the 9WT line?? Lighter weight?
How about Dan Craft blanks? Sounds like you are going to have to play with different rods to find what your looking for?

I'de consider the St. Croix SCIV . The 4F909.4 is 4 pc. 9 wt. It is very light and sensitive and Fast.
The SCV is considered Fast 'Plus'. Either would be great choices for the higher end blanks that you would want. As for durability. The improvements made technically with these blanks is the 'ART' or advanced reinforcement technology by adding a very thin layer of special graphite fibers wrapped around the blank at right angles which is to increas the hoop strength by preventing the blank from deformiing by 'ovaling' under a severe load, such as a powerful hookset.
There is also the 10 wt. rated for saltwater/salmon/musky. The 12 wt. would be an excellent saltwater big fish blank.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

email: info@rodreel.com

807-486-0514

Bill:

Sorry, didn't say that well again...In using a 9wt line on my current 12 wt rod, I find that the rod flexes at the same point in the blank (mid third) as it does with the 12 wt line, but doesn't deflect as much as it does with the 12 wt line.

It does not appear to cast off the tip with a lighter line. My naive impression, is that this relates much more to the taper than to the rated line weight of the blank.

Am surely looking at the Dan Craft FT blanks, though at present he does not offer a 9ft 9wt. will have to call him about using either the 10 or the 8.

Rich:

I have cast the older version of the SCIV 9wt, and found that to be med-fast. I found the 10wt SCV to be a great casting tool. Are the current scIV and V blanks now more similar?

Thanks,

mark

Mark,

You mentioned looking at the Sage Xi2 - did you try the #9 TCR? TCR series is supposed to be very fast. Just a suggestion.

Brian

Mark,

The TCR is super fast like you're looking for. I cast the 9' 9 wt and only the tip 1/4 (maybe that much) would flex when casting a 10 wt shooting head setup. It puts a lot of power very high on the rod. Definitely what you're looking for. The Dan Craft FT is probably similar.

Thanks,
Rick