This should be interesting to find out.

[flyred06]

Ok we now know peoples favorite 2 flies for the mountains, so now lets see what is your favorite smoky mountain rod. Please give length, line wt and brand. I will start. Right now mine is my 8'6" winston im6 5wt. Its a three piece rod in which I like. However I am in the process of searching for a new rod and I thought I might get some ideas from you guys on what you use and like. Lets see how it goes.

[tire guy]

Flyred my all around favorite rod is my Sage Z-Axis 9' 5wt. However if I set out to fish dry flies in the mountains then my TFO 9' 2 wt. is my choice. And I usually carry both just in case.

[fourx]

Flyred-
You can only go downhill from a Winston unless your buying another Winston.
For the Park I go with a 9' (Yes 9') 4wt. im6 Winston.
Loads well with a short line, keeps the line way off the water when high-sticking, protects light tippets, mends like sex, and is very handsome with it's Abel "0".
Don't get me started on my other Winston's.

4X

[flyred06]

Fourx I feel the same about my winstons but I be honest, I have a deep desire for one of the new sage's.

[BlueRaiderFan]

I have very limited experience, but I like my little TFO 8ft 4wt. It's not long enough to let me hide as far away as I would like, but it is a lot easier to carry in the mountains than my 6wt.

[nocona]

Originally Posted by fourx

Flyred-
You can only go downhill from a Winston unless your buying another Winston.
For the Park I go with a 9' (Yes 9') 4wt. im6 Winston.
Loads well with a short line, keeps the line way off the water when high-sticking, protects light tippets, mends like sex, and is very handsome with it's Abel "0".
Don't get me started on my other Winston's.

4X

of all the 6 Winstons i've owned none have made it past 3 months. I've ended up selling them and investing in some "cheaper" rods that are a million times better for fishing the smokies (imho). But I deal with sales reps for rod companies all the time, and the Winson rep. for east tn. is a little cocky, so I am a little biased b/c of that too. I too love longer rods-even on the smaller brook streams though! but the "cheaper" rod i use primarily is a little okuma 7'6 4 wt. And the only other rod I've liked better is a St. Croix Imperial-which is nice, b/c I no longer have to spend over $120 on a rod-my favorite rods are in the right price range!

[fly fisherman DK]

I like my TFO pro series 8'6" 3wt rod. It's perfect for the brookie streams that my dad and I love to go to.

[jeffnles1]

My 2 favorite rods for the mountainsa are
1) my Winston BIIt 9' 4wt.
2) my Scott G2 8'4" 3wt.

Both of these are fairly soft action rods and load well with just a little bit of line out. The longer rods give me a little more reach and allow me to keep more line out of the water. Sometimes, I more or less "dapp" the fly into likely looking runs and only have a few inches of fly line outside the tip.

Jeff

[Rog 1]

For the outtings on those little back country gems I love my little Orvis one ounce 2wt and the rest of the time I have to go with my new Orvis Helios in the 8"4" 3wt....

[Varmitcounty]

I have an 8' 3wt. Winston bamboo that I love in the park for dry fly fishing.