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Rod Selection - 5/6 Weight Rods

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Anyone know of a good 8-1/2 foot taper that's stout?   Lots of reserve power could be three piece.  I actually like the 3 piece rods for packability.  Oh - and 5-6 wt line.

Saw somewhere on one of the makers sites of a rod that claimed to be able to cast the whole line with ease.  That'd be something I'd like to do.  I can cast about 70 ft with my "crappy" ole Japanese rod.  I have the taper for a Dickerson 8014, but like I say I'd like to go 8-1/2 foot.  And while on the subject of length would anyone dare go to or know of a 9 ft taper worth considering along the same lines?  (John Silveira)

Here's a taper for a 9 foot 8 wt rod which was designed by John Bokstrom. With it I have caught many British Columbia Steelhead up to 25 pounds.

0         0.080
5         0.098
10       0.120
15       0.140
20       0.155
25       0.168
30       0.182
35       0.194
40       0.206
45       0.218
50       0.231
55       0.243
60       0.255
65       0.265
70       0.278
75       0.289
80       0.301
85       0.314
90       0.326
95       0.339
100     0.352
105     0.366
110     0.381  (Ron Grantham)

Check out the Dickerson 8615 in the taper page of the rodmakers site.  (Brian Creek)

Have a look at Sharpes Fario Club. I am finishing one now. I cut off 6" from the bottom, and it feels like it has a lot of power for a parabolic rod. Feels a bit like a Young Para 15, but with a bit stiffer in the butt. But then again I cut off 6". Danny Twang says he held a lot of line in the air with it. Actually I will tell more about this rod later. It is an experimental rod and I wait to tell more about it until I can cast a line with it. I am varnishing now, so by next week it should be OK.  (Geert Poorteman)

I am looking at recommendations for a fast 8 foot, 5/6 wt, 2 piece dry fly rod. I have been thinking of the Dickerson 8014. What are your other suggestions?  (Frank Paul)

The guys who made the best 1930s Ray Bergman style fast action were Dickerson and Gillum.

Personally, I much prefer 3 piece rods to 2 piece rods.  Part of it must be that the flex of cane in the middle of the arc of the bent rod gives the action a more live feel than a ferrule in that location would.  The other part probably has to do with my fishing with a three piece rod for a long time as a kid.  (David Zincavage)

Have a really good, long look at the taper listed in Jack Howell's book, and I think also listed on the taper archive, for the Gillum 8'0" 6 weight.

I have built several of these, using a 14/12 step down ferrule, and I think they are brilliant.

When I started to build rods some years ago, I built a lot of Dickersons, but I don't build them any more.  Very powerful, very stiff, very bloody boring.....

I have never tried any other Gillum tapers, as I tend toward Jim Payne tapers for the middle weight rods,  but this one is a beauty!  (Peter McKean)

I am need of a suggestion for a taper... an 8'6" 5 or 6 weight three piece.   I would prefer a 6 weight but any thoughts or ideas would be helpful. (Doug Hall)

Easiest question of the day.  Dickerson 861711. (Mark Wendt)

I agree with Mark, (crap did I just admit that to the world?). Dickerson 861711 is the best one I know. (Bret Reiter)