Which bamboo for big western trout?

[FiberGrass]

Hi there,
I just returned from a trip to the Bighorn. Fishing was great and the trout were large - many in the 18-20" and strong! I was fishing glass most of the trip but had a chance to cast a Reams bamboo that a fellow angler was using, which was very nice. While my friends and I fish bamboo exclusively on our Driftless, Midwestern streams, we are hesitant to use bamboo on Western rivers where large trout abound. The Bighorn is perhaps a best example of that. We worry that those big fish are too much for the rods we use back home, which are primarily Leonards, FE Thomases, Paynes, etc. When I go out West, I use glass, my friends use graphite. However, I would really like to be able to use a bamboo rods out West. So my question to you - what bamboo rods do you commonly use on Western rivers with large trout? Thanks much!

FG

[PYochim]

Despite it being a 90 minute drive I don't fish the Bighorn much due to crowds. For nymph fishing from a boat I use a Winston BIIX. For wade fishing with dries I too use a rod by Jim Reams. I have taken trout up to 24" with it and it handles dries nicely. Per Brandin has one on his site. He's practically giving the rod away. The price is a steal for one of Jim's rods.

[FiberGrass]

Yes, I should clarify that I am asking about rods for fishing dry flies to selective fish while wading. Thanks!

[Prairie Drifter]

Stout 6 and 7wts.

[PYochim]

The Reams is a good rod for dry flies, or anything else.

[rsagebrush]

I have a 8'4" and 7'4" Walton Powell Companion rod in 3 piece it handles 5/6/7 weight lines perfectly and it works just fine with large and medium sized trout. I have an 8'3" Thramer Gillum taper 5wt handles a 6 too, that would handle any fish you would encounter on that water too.
Bamboo is some pretty tough stuff and doesn't need to be babied all that much, sometimes they take a set, live with it.

[16pmd]

For the kind of fishing you're taliking about - dry flies to selective trout on big water - you definitely don't need a 6 or 7 wt. Maybe a 6 wt if conditions are very windy. Otherwise an 8 1/2' 5 wt. is just about ideal, though there are some very nice 8'3" rods that would do just fine. I'd go for a medium-fast action rod designed by a western maker for western conditions. A fairly long medium-fast rod for al ight line like a 4 or 5 definitely favors a hollow rod. There are fair number of makers of such rods these days and they come at various price points.

[NeoshoMike]

Out of curiosity, what glass rods do you use? I regularly fish a Chris Barclays 8’ 6wt glass rod and it is great on big water with big fish. I feel like it is very cane like and have thought of finding a cane rod with a similar action.

[udiablo]

I have an 8 foot 6wt Winston (Twin Bridges era) that I use, except in boats where I take the graphite 9 foot Winston 5wt, or 9-6 6wt or 7wt (good rods seem to die in boats)

[FiberGrass]

This time I used McFarland 7'9 4 weight Spruce Creek. I also like to use James Green 7'9 4 weight and 5 weight Heritage Series. I have no problem fishing out West with 4 weight lines, sometimes 5 weights. I like light line rods that can handle big fish on small dry flies. Glass can certainly do that but I am looking for something equivalent in bamboo.

[owenscaddis]

I favor an 8 1/2 5 weight hollow built rod for the conditions you describe (e.g. Reams, Vance, Raine, Karstetter to name a few).

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, 8642, 9050

Jay Edwards

[nativebrownie]

I don't get out West often, but 8642 was the only rod I took last trip. That 8642, Colorado Special, is perfect here for river smallies - they can be a handful...Envy you'all who can roam 8642 land at will...

[para_adams]

Big water, big fish, great casting and handling 6 weight bamboo rods - check out Chris Carlin's rods. My personal favorite is an 8-1/2' six weight in his "LL" taper.

[andre49]

8' Heddon, 2f ferrule will work just fine.

[imaterp02]

8.5 ft Phillipson 5 oz
8.5 ft Phillipson Dry Fly Special

[flyfishermann1955]

+1 for the Phillipson Dry Fly Special.

You should consider an 8' Orvis Battenkill.

Tight Lines- Ken

[teter]

8.5 ft Phillipson 5 oz
8.5 ft Phillipson Dry Fly Special

Or any Granger 8642.

I also fish a lot of Granger 9050s and the lighter (5 5/8 oz.) 9-foot Phillipsons.

[greyreefer5]

Live in West Yellowstone. Fish Wes Jordan 6wt or Curt Elder 5 wt on the Madison daily

[PT48]

I have fished the Madison a little bit. A lot of it involved partitioning the river into pockets and runs. This I did by wading out and getting myself into the best position to make a mostly short cast. This style of fishing could be done using most 5 or 6 weight bamboo rods. However, on the bigger pools, I made longer casts involving a reach mend to get a better drift. For this sort of fishing a rod around 9 feet gives a definite advantage (I used an Orvis Helios).