REDINGTON WAYFARER
Steven Dally looks at a practical travel rod

The Wayfarer series of travel rods is neither new, nor manufactured from the very latest in high tech materials. Like so many rod choices made around the globe, my acquisition of a Wayfarer came by way of practicality. I wanted a travel rod—I wanted a 5-weight—but at the time was unwilling to shell out a large lump of cash for the high-end rod I was dreaming about. Indeed the only way the purchase was approved through the financial committee was the rider that it was going to be my wife’s rod when I finally got her on the water.

Now after a year of living with the Wayfarer, and my wife with a couple of nice fish under her belt, it looks like she will be getting a new model, perhaps the 8-ft 6-inch 5-weight.

The Wayfarers may not be the rods you dream of, but they do the job intended of them so well, they have become the company’s best selling product. There was no way the Wayfarer would go from the line-up after the acquisition of Reding-ton by Sage.

There are five 5-piece rods in the range from an 8 ft, 2-weight to a 9 ft, 12-weight, enough to cover most fishing situations. Redington has also four 7-piece rods—two 5-weights, a 6-weight and an 8-weight.
My WFR 595 is a 9 ft 5-weight, which comes equipped with an attractive rosewood and aluminium reel seat, snake guides, in a neat red tube, with a functional bag. The rods come with an unconditional Lifetime warranty. The saltwater rods have a fighting butt and an all aluminium reel seat.

They are even pretty, though if I have a quibble it is with the single uplocking ring on my rod, which never seems to stay tight, although the reel seat itself doesn’t move and the reel remains secure.

The actions are moderate-fast and progressive, they aren’t cannons but equally they can throw beautifully tight loops and a long line if you want to.

Short casts at fishing ranges—think tailing trout and small rivers—are easily made and controlled. But if you need to stretch your range you can. Even the size 6 bushy dries I was tossing at the Hexagenia hatch last summer, produced noticeably less bother than for some of the faster action rods sharing boats with me. Equally the heavy bottom-bouncing rigs, laden with split shot and a bushy indicator are coped with at least as well as my more expensive 6-weight. The Wayfarer gets the job done with the minimum of fuss and effort. And priced at $350-$450 in Australia they are pretty damn good value.

Trade enquiries JM Gillies 03 9646 4745.