Fly Rods - Graphite, Glass, or Bamboo

I love fly fishing with rods of different blank materials. I like them all (graphite, glass, bamboo) and enjoy fishing each of them every year. And, I think it's nice to have a few rods with a variety of blank materials and actions to keep fly fishing interesting and fun. Now with that said, I must be honest and admit that graphite is my favorite of the three blank materials.

A difficult choice to make, but my favorite rod of each blank material is below. What I consider a favorite does change from time to time, I must admit. But that's okay...I can change my mind if I want to:)...

Winston Boron IIt Fly Rod - Even though I fish small streams 90% of the time, this fly rod, built for the larger streams is my favorite. The rod is paired with a Bauer MXP2 fly reel and an Orvis Wonderline WF5F fly line. For me, a perfect combo.

The Boron IIt fly rods were designed by the late Sam Druckman and he told Winston fans that the IIt rods were his best design at Winston. And, I do believe he was right...it's a great rod. Interestingly, most of the green stick fans raved about the 8'6" IIt fly rod and deemed it the "Staff Of Moses" fly rod of fly rods. I have the 8'6" 4wt, but the 9' 5wt is my favorite. So, when it comes to my graphite rods, this is the ONE!!! It's a shame I don't get to fish the larger streams as much as I would like...be nice to get this rod out on the water more often.

Winston Retro Glass 6'6" 3wt Fly Rod - This is just an awesome little creek rod. So good, I don't have any desire to add another fiberglass fly rod to the quiver. I have a couple of little mountain creeks with canopies of cover where this rod gets used a bunch. It has the optional down locking sliding band reel seat that makes this classic rod even more special. Those little wild trout feel like big fighters on a tight line with this rod...fun, fun, fun!

Orvis Seven/Four Bamboo Fly Rod - A 7' 4wt, three piece, bamboo rod with an extra tip. This is my best bamboo fly rod and is pretty much perfect when I want to fish bamboo in my home waters. It is one of the more desirable Orvis bamboo rods that anglers seek for their collections. The rod is in mint condition and only gets on the water one or two times per year. Just a fabulous fly rod...