I'm going to line out the scenario, and I'm looking for recommendations around a fly outfit based around it. The whole shebang, blank, components, reel, line, etc.

This outfit would be mostly for white perch and bream, or whatever you would like to call them. Panfish.

My primary use places would be:
*I have a very nice 400 acre "pond" stocked with bluegill that opened near my house. This is mostly wide open for casting
*I also have a pond nearby that's stocked with rainbow trout in the winter. This would be secondary, but I would use the same outfit if applicable. This place is pretty tree'd up, so less space for casting.
*Third and final, I fish with my dad occasionally at his place in LA. Mostly wide open fishing around lily pads. If we fish trees they aren't that clustered and we're probably fishing at them, not with them behind us.

I have ultra light spinning tackle for when I can't use this rig, so I've got that covered. Just looking for recommendations to see if I want to go down this road. I know someone is going to say it's personal preference, but I'm looking for YOUR personal preferences so I can get an idea of what to look for/at. Thanks!

Since it's mostly open I would go for 9 foot, and since you'll travel to LA, I would opt for 4 piece (they are fine now, perform as well as 2 piece to me). If you're worried about the trees at the rainbow place, and rod length concerns you, go shorter. But be aware that casting distance most likely will suffer. Any decent reel matched to the rod weight should work fine since we are not talking about saltwater types of runs. As to weight, I think I would go with a 4. Will still be fun on the pond but would handle somewhat bigger fish pretty well. A 6 is, IMHO, definitely too powerful, a 5? I'd opt for a 4.

Seth,
I am building such a rod for a friend of mine.
It is an 8'6" CTS (of course) Affinity-X #5 in a raw carbon finish for lightness. Yes - paint does weight something.

I'm installing a short fighting butt on the rod because he will occasionally use it for "big" browns. The # 5 Affinity-X will handle a #6 line if needed for those windy occasions - or when you want to use a popper for the panfish - which is a lot of fun.

I'm shaping the grip in a "Ritz" shape.

The seat will be an REC RSLS in black.

I'm using a Fuji titanium #12 stripper with Torzite ring. Then I am going to use REC Recoil snakes and tip top.

The blank is very fast and perfect to tip cast in thick cover. Being a CTS blank - its recovery rate is very fast which will give him good distance with a short stroke in cover.

I'm going to outfit him with a Wullf Ambush Neutralizer #5 and #6 floater - for fast loading without a lot of line out - for the cover.

Reel - if $ no object - a Nautilus.
A great reel is the Danielsson - who now sells direct and usually has a 30% discount special.

As Michael recommends - definitely a 4 pc. Most blanks are made in 4 pc now. And while one can order a CTS in a 2pc - it is a special order.
Regards,
Herb Ladenheim
'U.S. Distributor CTS Rod Blanks



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2019 11:48AM by Herb Ladenheim.

Seth, here are my opinions:

For that 400 acre pond: An 8-6 to 9ft blank, 4pc in a 4 or 5wt, CTS would get my vote, the Affinity X or MX. If your going to use small floating poppers or sinking nymphs, a floating line will work just fine. I'm one that prefers Double Taper lines, but the Wulff Triangle Tapers are also very good lines.
That Rainbow Lake, same rod, either 4 or 5wt, but I would also have an extra spool with an Intermediate or a "slow sink tip" attached to a floating running line. Trout in lakes/ponds usually require some slight modifications in fishing style compared to river/stream fishing. When I am lake fishing for trout, its mostly out of a float tube or small boat, and I use the Rickards lines that Cortland sells. Most of the time I use an Intermediate with a pair of small nymphs tied in tandem along the weed lines. They do come up and feed on the surface, but that is not always a given. Winter time, I would imagine midges are the food, long light leaders.
As to components, grip style, I'd visit a fly shop and see what grip style feels best to you. Everyone is different, but most of the custom rods I sell, the customer wants a Western style grip. I'd skip the fighting butt, not needed on light weight fly rods. Reel Seat, Lemke Concepts or REC. I like the Lemke because of the Black Nickel color and his style of seats just looks classy. Guides, Snake Brand all the way, distant second, REC Recoils. Stripper guide, way to many decent light weight ones on the market to choose from, I do use a lot of Pacific Bay Minima's on my builds.
Like Herb recommended, I'd skip the color on a CTS blank, I have noticed a difference between a painted CTS and a Raw Carbon one, its slight but enough for me to notice.

Lastly, I'd lean more towards the 5wt for an all around rod, if you are going to only want one rod, plus if you ever wanted a "good" trout rod for big river fishing, you have it. Those panfish will still put a decent bend in it and it will cast small "bugger style" streamers much easier than a 4wt will.

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm using a Fuji titanium #12 stripper with
> Torzite ring. Then I am going to use REC Recoil
> snakes and tip top.

Herb, if you're still following, what size guides would you use from stripper to tip?
Fuji KW12, then REC RSN? Which tip top? The RTTUL-S? If so, what size. I'm lost lol