Fast and Slow Rods
My experience is a bit different. The inherent slowness of a bamboo rod, and its necessity to flex from tip to butt provides the sustained lift necessary to cast a sinking line. My streamer rod is an Orvis GBF which certainly does this well, but with a lot of weight penalty.It really worked well on the Ausable, East and West Canada in the Adirondacks when I lived and worked there, but I have never used it here in NH.
The "big" NH streams I fish, primarily the Ammonoosuc and the Sugar River, might best be considered 3 or more small streams separated by boulders, flowing in a single channel. The old Orvis "Nymph" rod in bamboo or fibreglas really works well here with a sink tip WF FEG. Ten feet is a long float for a dry in this turbulent water, and I use the same sink tip wet or dry. Although the water is extremely clear, it is turbulent and full of bubbles; I find 6 feet of leader to be plenty, but the 8 or 8 1/2 feet of rod help mend the line through these currents.
I have an Orvis "99" HDH 7 1/2 foot dry fly rod made before WF lines. I don't find much use for it on streams here, but it is fun tossing big dries with it while drifting in the canoe on Profile Lake.
Best, Austin
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