My friend is living in Florida and doing a lot of fishing in canals and estuaries. He was fishing an old Sage DS2 until he broke it on a gator (long story). He now he's looking for a rod with an even slower action that can still handle a good sized sea trout or lady fish. He really likes a full flex rod. His favorite is an old Diamondback Classic Trout, but they don't come in a 7wt.

Can anyone recommend a 7wt with a full flex action that isn't terribly heavy?

Thanks,

Brian

Brian,
Have you cosidered a fiberglass rod. They will give you the action you want and have pleny of backbone for about any fish you connect with in the canals, plus they ar a lot tougher on gators. I have been doing rebuilds on several of the old bass rods, picked up at yard sales or on @#$%&. Its not too hard or expensive to pick up a 7 wt.

I have a Forecast 7 weight that's definitely full flex.

I own a slow action full flex Pac Bay 10' 7 Wt that is probably what your describing.

Brian--It's not techincally "slow", but the Rainshadow RX7 would be a very sweet rod for your criteria. It's certainly full-feeling, but technically a moderate-fast. Some of the Forecasts are <60 degrees, but most are kind of on the line between "slow" and moderate fast. They don't have the responsiveness of the RX7, though (IMO). Both options are certainly outstanding values! Other blanks that come to mind would be the St Croix SCII and G Loomis GL2. Personally, I'd take the RX7 over any of those...I just like the way it fishes! :)

All the best!

Brian,
John gave some good advise, made a 10 ft 8 weight about 3 years ago and have sold many rods from just letting others fish it on our steelhead streams. Seems just about anyone can this rod to fish.