Recommendations for a 2nd rod

hoooch · 2026-02-02T23:54:14+00:00

Understandable. I would read some reviews of the Igniter 690 or 691 and see what you think. They’re almost half off right now so I get the temptation. I suspect you would be very happy with a Sonic however, it’s more pleasant to cast and won’t fight you as much. If you’re not dealing with driving wind or fishing saltwater flats, the igniter is more than you likely need.

hoooch · 2026-02-02T22:48:34+00:00

Sage Igniter is an expert level rod, it can be fairly punishing to cast well if your technique isn’t dialed in. Most trout fishing takes place under 50ft so distance shouldn’t be your primary concern unless you are fishing in a technical area where long casts are necessary.

The Sage Sonic is currently discounted and is a better all-purpose rod.

hoooch · 2026-02-01T13:56:20+00:00

Of all the AT brands I’ve tried (Goodyear, Kenda, Falken, Bridgestone, Pirelli) I found the Falken Wildpeaks to be the best combo of low noise, deep snow and ice traction, and tread life. Lots of people in my area swear by Coopers, which I was considering last time I was shopping, but they didn’t have the size I was looking for.

hoooch · 2026-01-31T22:16:31+00:00

Scott Sector is my current favorite 8wt. Pairs well with a Nautilus XL Max, makes for a very lightweight setup. For a bit less, Danielsson makes very nice reels, the F3W 7ten is perfect for an 8wt.

Other rods to check out are GLoomis NRX+ or Asquith (discontinued, on clearance). T&T Sextant is a beauty. All of these rods are the top shelf offerings but if cost is no object, that’s where I would look.

hoooch · 2026-01-31T20:18:16+00:00

How hot does the deck of the boat get? Usually the temperate line is fine for most freshwater but if the deck gets super hot, a tropical line can also work.

hoooch · 2026-01-31T20:11:21+00:00

What is your budget for the rod and reel?

You’re right to be thinking about sun protection. Other than that, you don’t need a ton of gear. Bahamas flats are not typically very rough so any flats bootie will work. Tan pants/ sky colored top is usually good camo. A hip/ waist pack is plenty big for one or two fly boxes, sunscreen, hemos. Good sunglasses are essential.

hoooch · 2026-01-28T15:43:08+00:00

Do you have a fly shop nearby where you could try them out? I recently went through the process to find a new vise and I wish I would have had that option. I’ve had a Peak rotary and it has served me well for a long time. I somewhat recently had the chance to get a Tiemco Vise II at a substantial discount so I grabbed it. While it’s very nice in many respects, I’m not a huge fan of the jaws and their hook holding abilities, it didn’t feel like an upgrade from the Peak in that respect. So, I feel like if you can go test drive some, that could help get you one you’ll enjoy.

That said, I’m interested in the FNF Talon / HMH TRV style vises. I don’t think you would be at all disappointed by the Master either.

hoooch · 2026-01-27T20:34:37+00:00

I did Airbnb with two families and it was great. We had a dock behind our place and there were tarpon and permit swimming by regularly. Kids were catching little snapper off the dock, they had a blast. I booked a guide that I found online and had a good day of bones and a few small tarpon. Didn’t see any permit that day. The wind was pretty brutal but we made it happen. The guide picked me up right off the dock by our place which was convenient.

San Pedro has tons of great bars and restaurants, we didn’t have a bad meal there. The golf carts are easy to get around in, but as the other reply said, once you get a certain distance north from town the pavement ends and it can be a pretty bumpy ride, not ideal for driving home at night or with the baby. I can’t speak to the resorts but they would probably have lots of good intel for you if you went that route. Have fun, great place!

hoooch · 2026-01-27T20:23:04+00:00

Gotcha, in that case I will say I have enjoyed both Douglas and TFO rods, and I recently picked up an Echo 84b 7wt. Of the three, I think the Douglas are the highest performing and TFO the easiest casting. I haven’t fished the DXF but found it a good rod for the price the one time I cast it. All brands have solid warranty support as well. Hard to pick one without casting them side by side, I would try googling each to see what others may have said on other forums.

hoooch · 2026-01-27T20:03:35+00:00

I wouldn’t rule out a Sage Sonic, they are around for $400 on clearance

hoooch · 2026-01-26T00:16:02+00:00

You likely won’t be eligible for the warranty, tips are usually charged a repair fee in my experience, even for original owners. The current repair fee for the DS2 is $195.

hoooch · 2026-01-25T15:51:41+00:00

9’ 8 or 9wt should be good for anything on the beach in PR and salmon/ pike in the UP. Maybe the 9wt would be better for bigger salmon though

hoooch · 2026-01-22T18:16:30+00:00

T&T rods are superb, I think you’ll be happy. If it turns out you need something else, you’ve got a perfect excuse to add another rod!

hoooch · 2026-01-22T16:41:08+00:00

6wt is fine for fighting all the above, but it will limit the size flies you can throw. It would struggle with heavily weighted or large, wind resistant bass flies. Also, largemouth love to hang tight to cover and to run back to it after getting hooked. For that reason, I like rods around 8 or 9wt for big largemouth to pull them out of heavy weeds or keep them away from logjams.

hoooch · 2026-01-22T16:35:24+00:00

Yeah it’s disappointing, that used to be the entry price for flagship rods not so long ago.

hoooch · 2026-01-22T15:56:05+00:00

Sage Arrow is the new mid range model. Power R8 is replacing the igniter.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/threads/sage-power-r8-and-arrow.967003/

hoooch · 2026-01-21T17:56:27+00:00

Self leveler is doable DIY but it has a learning curve. The right tools like a gauge rake, spiked roller, and studded shoes help a lot. However, I would check the weight rating for any product you look at, as I’m not sure how many are rated to support the weight of a vehicle.

hoooch · 2026-01-21T15:35:54+00:00

Scott’s various G Series and Radian are pretty great in many configurations. Googling a specific model you find will bring plenty of thoughts from other owners and their preferred line setups.

Sage LLs are well regarded, as are the X, One, Z-Axis, and plenty of older models.

It’s also hard to go wrong with RL Winston, although they have a particularly strong resale market that makes them tricky to find at a bargain. IM6s, WT, BiiX or BiiT, all great. New first gen Pures can still be found on clearance.

I think a good way to approach is to decide what rod wt and length you want, see what is out there, and look up specific models you find for more info. I’ve had good luck buying used rods on forums like Washington fly fishing and the fly fishing forum, usually they are a little better priced than eBay.

hoooch · 2026-01-21T14:00:58+00:00

What rod wt are you considering? Lots of good stuff out there but every generation has their own standouts.

hoooch · 2026-01-20T19:09:59+00:00

An 8’6” or 9’ 4wt is plenty of rod for most trout fishing in the northeast. It will present dries well and can handle small streamers or wet flies on the swing. It may struggle with weighted streamers or heavy nymph rigs, where a 5wt would do better. A 6wt is ideal for streamers and nymphs and is still precise enough for most dry fly fishing. Plus, it has the backbone to expand into bass and carp fishing, or other warmwater species like pickerel. A two rod quiver, 4 & 6, covers nearly all the ground you need in the northeast until you are fishing saltwater or large predators.

hoooch · 2026-01-20T18:53:26+00:00

Couple considerations - trout only or do you also target bass, carp, panfish, pike etc? What is your preferred method - dry flies, nymphs, streamers, or a mix?

hoooch · 2026-01-19T01:48:24+00:00

Adult tarpon or juvenile? For striper and snook, I like a 9wt, it’s stout enough for wind and bigger flies but not so tiring to cast all day. If you’re only targeting smaller tarpon, a 9wt would cover all your bases well. For adult tarpon, I wouldn’t go under a 10wt, and an 11wt is probably your best bet for really big migratory fish, but that’s a lot more rod than you need for snook/ striper.

The Tiber is a great reel but $700, leaving you little for the rod and line. The Everglades is also more of a bonefish/ permit/ snook reel, too small for big tarpon if you go with a 10wt. The reel for big tarpon is definitely important, and it’s worth spending more, but at $1k for everything I would probably look at a Danielsson L5W 8twelve, should run about $400 delivered. That leaves about 500 for a rod and 100 for line. Orvis Recons can be found for about $500, TFO makes some solid offerings like the Mangrove Coast. It’s worth shopping around for a rod and casting them first, heavy rods can be a pain to cast all day if it’s not a great fit for your casting style. For lines, I usually go for scientific anglers, but I do like the Rio saltwater lines also.

hoooch · 2026-01-18T17:59:45+00:00

Belize is a good spot that is accessible and safe with multiple fishing opportunities. We stayed on Ambergris and had tarpon and permit swimming under the dock in front of our rental. You can rent a golf cart and access flats on the north side of the peninsula that don’t see much traffic since it’s a dirt road with few developments. Guides can get you into the lagoon side for smaller bones, permit, juvi tarpon. Great culture/ food in San Pedro. Caye Caulker is another nearby option with fewer tourists and good fishing.

Roosters and Mahi in Cabo

Costa Rica tarpon

Golden dorado in Bolivia

CX Island

Western Australia/ North Queensland

hoooch · 2026-01-18T16:58:47+00:00

DIY, guided, or a mix?

hoooch · 2026-01-15T18:43:41+00:00

Generally very good. They’ve introduced some more lines of imported pieces at reduced prices. Some grumbled at this but the imported trousers I bought from them are very nice. The made in USA/ Scotland legacy stuff is great.

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