Shakespeare Sigma

[Flipflopjoe]

These bats any good for someone looking into doing a bit of fly fishing ???

I’m considering joining a trout water that only has small fish of around 2lb, maybe the odd 3 or 4 if they’ve managed to over winter.

I’ve got a really old budget fly set up now but thinking of getting something marginally better and slightly more modern that won’t break the bank.

There’s a couple of these rods for sale used.
A 9’ #5 and a 9’6” #7.
I was thinking of the #5 would be spot on for the small trout and the #7 might be ok for bass in the estuary, or possibly even dipping my toe into fly for pike ?!?

So are these rods any good as a starting point and has a #7 got the minerals for pike ???

[fossil-fish]

I have seen a few of these on the bank and must admit I was quite impressed with them considering the price. Seem very good value for money. The 7wt would be perfect for stillwater trout from the bank and the 5wt perfect for fishing dry flies on the lake.

Never fly fished for pike but think the 7 weight may be the very lightest you would want to use. No reason for not giving it a try. If they are reasonably priced I would get both.

[lakefisher]

You may find the mentioned 7 weight very much "undergunned" for fly piking if their are some larger pike in the waters you fish.

Take a look at the pic below - This was only an 18 pound pike - but when it crash dived my 10 weight Reddington CPX had all on to hold it

54_Tony18lbpike2small.jpg

Hoping this helps your decision making ...... Tony

[Mike J]

Hi Joe
If you want to try a 7/8 there is a decent Shimano rod available that has already caught for another member and myself plus a shed load of bass.
The rod is free but is only offered to established members like yourself, PM me if your interested.

Fly rod weights.
Fly rods are made then handed to a staff member who casts them with various lines and decides what line weight they cast best. Thus a lesser skilled angler can struggle to cast a line that a staffer will cast quite easily, also why some rods have a range of lines ie; 4/5, 8/9, etc.

.

[Flipflopjoe]

I have seen a few of these on the bank and must admit I was quite impressed with them considering the price. Seem very good value for money. The 7wt would be perfect for stillwater trout from the bank and the 5wt perfect for fishing dry flies on the lake.

Never fly fished for pike but think the 7 weight may be the very lightest you would want to use. No reason for not giving it a try. If they are reasonably priced I would get both.

Cheers for the info Mate

[Flipflopjoe]

You may find the mentioned 7 weight very much "undergunned" for fly piking if their are some larger pike in the waters you fish.

Take a look at the pic below - This was only an 18 pound pike - but when it crash dived my 10 weight Reddington CPX had all on to hold it

54_Tony18lbpike2small.jpg

Hoping this helps your decision making ...... Tony

I thought as much to be honest, I'd read that the norm for a pike Fly rod was around a 10wt, be asking for trouble using a 7.
That's a great shot of you with your rod doubled over, lovely fish too

[Flipflopjoe]

Hi Joe
If you want to try a 7/8 there is a decent Shimano rod available that has already caught for another member and myself plus a shed load of bass.
The rod is free but is only offered to established members like yourself, PM me if your interested.

Fly rod weights.
Fly rods are made then handed to a staff member who casts them with various lines and decides what line weight they cast best. Thus a lesser skilled angler can struggle to cast a line that a staffer will cast quite easily, also why some rods have a range of lines ie; 4/5, 8/9, etc.

.

A free rod
I'm intrigued ?!?

Regarding the rod classification, I've heard that it can be a very individual thing what line works for what rod. I'll have to get my a**e out doing some casting practise and get a feel for it again.

[Mike J]

Hi Joe
If you want to try a 7/8 there is a decent Shimano rod available that has already caught for another member and myself plus a shed load of bass.
The rod is free but is only offered to established members like yourself, PM me if your interested.

Fly rod weights.
Fly rods are made then handed to a staff member who casts them with various lines and decides what line weight they cast best. Thus a lesser skilled angler can struggle to cast a line that a staffer will cast quite easily, also why some rods have a range of lines ie; 4/5, 8/9, etc.

.

A free rod
I'm intrigued ?!?

Regarding the rod classification, I've heard that it can be a very individual thing what line works for what rod. I'll have to get my a**e out doing some casting practise and get a feel for it again.

Yes it certainly can be the individual but in my experience its more often the water/casting distance, I fish for Sea Trout on a river that is less than 30ft across so I hardly get the line out and just to mix things up many are roll casts.
With my last rod a 13.5ft Spey the shop owner phoned Guideline and we followed their advice on which line to use, the result was an instant success in distance and line control even though Id never Spey cast (no lessons I just watched a video).

.

[bacon]

I have a #7 and #5 in the Shakey Agility 2 range and they are great little rods to my inexperienced hands. Had a couple of 3lb+ rainbows on the 5wt and it was great fun. The fly fishing forum rave about them for the money.

There is a youbtuber called "Rhys Fishing", he uses the cheaper Shakey Sigma Supras as backups to his Visions and appears to rate them very highly for what they cost.