Has anyone tried the TFO Finesse rod (graphite version)?

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Guadalupe Bass	Has anyone tried the TFO Finesse rod (graphite version)?	Lead	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 349 (06/23/09 16:53:34) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	At the risk of being ousted from the site.... I'm curious to know if anyone has tried one of the "graphite" TFO Finesse rods? There's a 7'9" 4-piece, 4wt and also a 5wt that looks like it may be a good rod to keep under the seat of the truck. I haven't purchased a graphite rod since I purchased my first fiberglass rod several years ago, but this one has me kind-of curious. It says it has a slower, more 'traditonal' action. Does anyone have one? Any comments or opinions on it? (Before you throw the rotten tomatoes....... I have this gift card to Bass Pro and I have to spend it on something.....) Ok, now throw the rotten tomatoes if you must....
mdwwhw		#1	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 583 (06/23/09 20:06:25) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have the 7' 9" 3 wt, four piece. Nice, much like glass, flexes deep into the blank and softly delivers the fly. Easily the slowest of my non-glass rods. Very much a 3 wt, but it hasn't been picky about lines, seems to handle all 3 wts fairly well, and I have four different lines. Balances well with a Heddon 300/Daiwa 700. Roll casts, etc. as well as I can (and probably better). I'm happy with it. Keebranch has given a good review of the same rod over on the Ultralight board and you can find some photos of mine over there. I've not tried them in line wts above 3 wt because I've managed to avoid 4 wt and have a Sceptre and FF 755. I have cast a 2 wt, it was very similar. Sportsmans Finest carries some TFO--I don't know about the Finesse--and has a casting pond. Since we're in the same city, if you'd like to try my 3 wt send me a pm and you can fish it for awhile. Hayden "Everything's better when wet...." Steve Miller Band
keebranch		#2	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 923 (06/24/09 10:49:21) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Guadalupe Bass, I reviewed the rod of which Hayden speaks on the UL site. In this review, I jokingly call my club trips "guided" outings - they're merely fund raisers for the local club's auctions. http://ultralightflyfishing.yuku.com/topic/1068 IMHO, It's a definite "buy". Ultralight fly fishing forum Creek guy and light liner
gn46		#3	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 2 (06/25/09 21:47:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have the 8' 9" 3 weight and really like it. It does have a moderate glass-like action but I can make 50 foot casts easily. I like it so much that I am having a builder make me a rod using the 8' 9" 4 weight blank.
jgestar		#4	[-]
Posts: 3783 (06/27/09 11:33:05) ezOP Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	gn46, Welcome to the Fiberglass Flyrodders! If you are looking for glass like action from a graphite rod, the TFO Finesse is a better rod than most. I've cast the 7'9", 3 weight, 4 piece that Les reviewed on the Ultralight forum, but only at a fly shop. I thought it handled rather well. I could cast it as far as you need with a 3 weight, and it handled well in to about 15-20 feet. Inside of 10-15 feet, the rod didn't load quite as well, but I've rarely cast a graphite rod that does. In a chat session on the Ultralight forum, TFO president Rick Pope mentioned that he often has one of these stashed in the truck for spontaneous fishing trips (the best kind!). BassPro sells reels too. Particularly look for the White River UltraLight fly reel (2 1/2" diameter, 2 1/4 oz, capacity is just shy of a DT3 or WF4). The reel is no longer listed on the BassPro website, so they may be discontinued. If you want a small, light weight, light line reel it is hard to beat for the price. Tom
gn46		#5	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 3 (06/27/09 16:57:13) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	jgestar, I agree that it doesn't load like a glass rod. For close-in casting I use my Diamondglass 7' 3 weight which couldn't be better. I like the longer (8' 9") Finesse for longer distances and bigger water.
bulldog1935		#6	[-]
Posts: 5051 (06/28/09 05:21:48) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Kelly, Jimbo has the 7'9" 5wt. and I thought it was too fast to be any fun, but if you want a moderate distance rocket, this is it. Alex has the 6'10" glass 5-wt and while it's notably softer than the graphite Finesse, it's still too fast for me. Alex likes it, though. the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
TXTrout		#7	[-]
Guide Posts: 233 (06/29/09 20:44:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	On the shorter TFO Finesse rods, 7'9" and down, over line them by two line weights. The longer ones by one. I use them sometimes when I don't fish my other rods. I also tend to set up new fishers with them. There is also a 7'9" 3wt that makes a very nice slow 5wt. Robert. "Some paths are best not taken alone" John W. Barfield
Guadalupe Bass		#8	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 354 (07/11/09 20:07:45) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Thanks for all of the recommendations and advice. The 7'9" 3wt really loaded well and was slow & smooth with a Teeny BS-100 on the casting pond. I have the feeling this will be a nice, packable, all-around rod. The 4wt and 5wt were too fast for my tastes, but the 3wt was just what I was looking for. Thanks again for the great recommendations, my friends.
CrustyBugger		#9	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 111 (07/13/09 21:34:32) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	My daughter has the 7'9" 4 wt. 4 pc. I think it is a VERY fine rod, especially for the price. But I have to say that there is one more to look at. The new St. Croix Imperials are one more step above performance-wise for the money. The reelseat on the TFO has an extra lock ring which I like very much but performance wise, I have to side with the Imperial. My son has one of the 8ft 4wt 4pc Imperials and I'm extremely impressed, no - BLOWN AWAY, by the performance for the money. It is a slightly faster rod, but it is extremely smooth and does everything I want it to. Please do yourself a favor and check one out before committing to the TFO. It may not be to your liking but I know that I would have been extremely happy with a rod like that 20 years ago for a lot less money than I was paying at the time. And one more thing, it's made in the USA. In our current economy, that's very important to my way of thinking, to support a domestically made product as long as the performance is there, and it is, BIG TIME. And if warranty is an issue, don't worry. It too, has a lifetime warranty. And it comes with a rod tube while the TFO does not, for about the same money. Those new Imperials are an absolutely FREAKING INCREDIBLE value. CrustyBugger Last Edited By: CrustyBugger 07/13/09 21:49:57. Edited 6 times.