The Right Stick

On recent trip I took the perfect trio of rigs. Each has a purpose and suited it well.

Scott A2 9' 6-weight/Ross CLA 3/Rio Gold

My all-rounder. Casts beautifully, excellent balance. I'm continually surprised at how well it performs -- especially in windy conditions. Winds were pretty high on both Two Hearted and AuSable and I had no trouble covering the water I wanted to. I think a real strength of this combo is that it's well-matched; the reel complements the rod and the line (Rio Gold is AWESOME) is ideal for the rest of the package.

TFO Signature Series 7"6"/3-weight/Ross Flystart/generic Ross line

On small streams, I have tons of problems with 9' rods - lots of flies lost in trees. Two casts in on the upper Two Hearted with the Scott, I realized I'd selected the wrong rod. So back to the truck for this one - MUCH better. It was also perfect on the very-small Blind Sucker. Great for short casts in tight cover. I didn't put much money into this one, but it seems to outperform my expenditure. Another bonus -- TFO rods come with a lifetime warranty. Nice!

Orvis Clearwater II 9' 8-weight/Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor V/Orvis Wonderline Steelhead

Originally set-up for indicator steelhead fishing, I now realize I'll get a lot more use from this big monster. It's outstanding for chucking big bugs - streamers, bass poppers, and more. And I love it for steelhead. The Orvis BLA reel is a solid, reliable performer, even in the coldest winter conditions. A recent deal on a Scott S3 in 9'6" means this one's getting an upgrade, more on that later.

I feel like I've found the perfect quiver for most of the conditions I'll have the opportunity to fish in Michigan. For relatively little money, I'm assembled a set of tools that have served me well and should enable me to pursue most species in most settings.

-Sean-