Recently, G.Loomis, T&T, Winston, Sage, D'back, and Powell have dropped one or more medium action rod lines. East Branch is gone. Orvis and Scott have radically paired down their lines. Is the medium action rod a dinosaur? Are there some good, but lesser known medium action rods out there that you're aware of? Recommend?

Scud,
Which medium action rod did T&T drop? Their LPS series is a fine rod that would never be classified as fast. I hope they didn't drop that one. If they did I'll be hunting for a 4wt LPS to go along with my 5wt. before they go the way of the Sage LL and the DB classic. Scud, it looks like you're going to have to head down the rod to cane if you haven't already.*G*
Best,
Steve

Steve,
T&T discontinued the Paradigm and XL2. The LPS is FAST compared to them. I'd liken my Paradigm to the older(softer) Winston IM6. -SD

I think rod builders are dropping med to slow action rods because you actually have to know how to cast, you know wait a second on your back cast for your rod to load, and these days no one likes to really have to try to do much. just my opinion

[QUOTE]Are there some good, but lesser known medium action rods out there that you're aware of? Recommend?

Hey Scud-dog!
Sage still makes a nice medium action rod in their VPS-Light Series which is made with the same blank as the old Sage Light Line Series. I have 4 in this series of which I'd rate the 379LL-3pc the best, with the 279LL a very close second, 4711LL next and my 590LL last. I'm still looking for a good deal on the 389LL-3pc. Take-care!

QUOTE

I think rod builders are dropping med to slow action rods because you actually have to know how to cast

umm, its okay to prefer moderate or slow action rods but it does take much more skill to cast the faster action ones. It is true that the fast rods are a new fad though. Funny how the line manufactures have been making a killing selling 'special' lines that are actually a half step heavier than they are labeled to slow down the fast rods bought by those not skilled enough to handle them.

R.L.WINSTON

P.S. I think I hear the cane birds beginning to sing again.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jun 27 2004, 07:57 AM)

R.L.WINSTON

I hear that, Jake! A lot of people, Winston included, call the Boron IIx a fast rod. Having read or heard that I've had people try my BIIx and immediately try to punch and wail the rod a country mile with brute force and speed. That rod don't work that way I.M.H.O.
Maybe it's time to redefine rod actions. The new definition for the BIIx should be slow through fast! That is one rod that uses whatever portion of the rod is needed to accomplish the required range. I cannot see the BIIx being accurately catagorized by things like the 'Common Sense' or Orvis rating systems.

One thing that I like about the industry improvements in fast action fly rods ans faster blanks ans higher modulous graphite compounds is that You can go one or may be two weights down (from 8 to 6 wt., let's say) and still fish the same species and in the same fishing conditions.
Light presentations, specially dries in spring creeks with crystal clear water is different, somehow. But there are still many new rods tha are medium to med.fast action.

Peddler,
The only rod that Winston makes that I'd really consider fast is the XTR. The BIIx, I consider medium fast, and from there the rest of Winston's rod lineup just slows down.

Scud-dog,
I am not convinced that flyrods are moving in the faster and faster
direction.
Some years ago, Fly Fisherman had an article about this subject,
and the conclusion at that time, was that rods had not become so much stiffer with time, but that their recovery rate and resonant frequency had turned slightly higher. Some manufacturers are getting attention by presenting somewhat extreme rods to the market, the flyfishing magazines are the servants that spread the messages. I don´t think the 0-weight issue was much more than a marketing ploy, at least if you are serious about catch & release.

The use of higher and higher modulus graphite, has turned out to be
like a blind alley, rods easely become too brittle, and from what I´ve heard, there are now more common with medium modulus graphite
usage,which in itself are benificial in making medium action rods, I suppose.
For a period, the pendulum can have a stroke in the direction of the fast-rod fashion,but with necessity, (very) fast-action rods are so demanding to use, that one has to practise a lot to be able to handle them,and as well , your degree of concentration has to be top-notch, which most of us doesn´t accomplish during a whole day of fishing.

So, don´t worry! There will still be a lot of rods of the medium
action types out there, and more to come.
E.g. Winston and Sage makes rods that I consider medium action ones.Hardy Sirrus rods are said to be of the "right" brew.Loop
Yellow Line rods are definite medium actioned,if one can stand the color,that´s it.Green River Jade,also comes to my mind.Loomis has some presentation oriented rods.

In my opinion, the medium action rod will survive,even prosper.
Why? As Buddha said to his followers,while sitting at the river bed,under a tree, and as a raft with some musicians approached
on the river.
Listen to the sound of the string, if too loose it wouldn´t
sing at all , if too strained it would brake.
Long live the golden mean, and the medium actioned flyrod.

Lots of good points! Thanks for the Buddha quote Magnolia!
-Nymphfish says the slower rods are getting dropped because they require skill and patience. I suspect sagging sales is the ultimate culprit. One thought; are people becoming so consumed by casting distance that the ability to mend, puddle, and reach cast are becoming lost skills? Reactionary? I have faster rods for my #5-#8 and note the advantages, but I shudder when I see fast action three weights that can't feather a 7X tippet or wiggle cast a line. I saw a guy using a #3 that had to be rested in his hand while fighting a fish on light tippet because gripping it might cause a break off...
-Tom/TX makes a great point about the actual weight of lines. Lots of folk who think they fish say a #5 are really fishing a #5 1/2! Lots of us have spoke to folk who have overlined a fast rod.
-Adolphito hit a nerve when he discussed how the quality of the new rods have allowed folk to drop down a line class or two. Yes, we can now fish a true #2 for trout when 20 years ago most folk were working a #5 all summer long. I still, and guess always will object to underlining for some species. For example; lots of guys are buying 9' #5's...for STEELHEAD? Has this envelope been pushed too far?

Scud-dog, I believe the old real estate term "location, location, location" applies to much of the fishing we do today and therefore to much of the gear that is used for these various locations . When I am fishing our North Ga trophy trout streams I now bump my rod up to a 7weight with 0 to 2X tippet. I can release most fish with-in 2 to 4 mins without adding more stress on the fish which a lighter rod would require. Mind you these are 5 to 12 lb trout we are talking about so the last thing you want to have is a big fish rolling over on you because you played it too long. On the other side of the coin when I fish the western spring creeks or small southern mtn streams for natives I can't get small enough with soft rods, #28s & 32s & 7x tippets. As for faster rods I can only say when I am in the tropics & a stiff wind is in my face & the guide says "big bone mon 12 o clock 70' cumin at chu cast now" I then will be wanting the fastest stick I can have in my hand. Blowin a cast at salt water fish is something I am not a stranger to. Yes I can double haul with the best of them but windy conditions are usually the norm when fishing salt so I will take all the help I can get & faster, lower profile rods are just what I need. It is probably true that a faster action rod will make a novice caster look better so, no surprise, the companies are developing more rods in that direction. Hey, what is wrong with that picture. Just means that more folks will enjoy & hopefully support our sport. Anyway it should be just a matter of time before the manufacters find a new wrinkle and once again attention will swing back to slower rods. In the mean time as others have mentioned on this post there are still quite a few med action rods being produced today & what better time to be looking for one. With all the rage being fast action the med rods should be lined up on the clearance racks.