Rod & Fly IM12 fly rod – 9' 5-weight
David Anderson expands his collection of 'value' rods.
It was hard not to get a little excited when Mike from Rod & Fly asked me to do a review of a new rod model, because his 6'6" #3 (FlyLife #51) changed the way I think about cheap rods. Thanks to Mike, it seems that my rod snobbery, like brown coal, is getting harder to justify every day, though of course I will keep trying.
The new model is the #5 9-ft IM12 and according to the Rod & Fly website the rod is ‘manufactured from the latest super-graphite integration of extra high modulus T-46 carbon IM12 grade.’
To be honest, I have no idea what that means, though the rod, when matched with a WF GPX #5 line, certainly casts well enough to rate a mention here, and has, in my opinion, lifted the bar again in terms of value for money in the sub- $500 class.
The website describes the action as ‘fast & progressive.’ but I would call it more medium-fast or maybe ‘fastish’ and found that casting at normal fishing distances of 30–70 feet the rod is just plain awesome.
Very long casts were another story though, and I found it a little hard to cast a full 90+ foot line. At those distances the rod feels a little light and lacks the last degree of grunt in the butt to hold up a really long line. The trade-off for the ultra thin blank and light weight perhaps? That said, unless I was going to a casterbation competition or fishing salt water in the wind, I would rather have more accuracy and feel in a 5-weight than just distance, and rods that do both with any talent tend to cost a LOT more money.
On the water in our local once-great trout stream now reduced to a carp infested quagmire, the rod performed brilliantly and it was instantly easy to make the subtle and accurate casts required to fool the not so foolish ferals. I also feel certain that come next summer, if the trout ever return, it will be a fine rod for throwing hoppers at them.
This rod comes finished in MASH matt green with green wraps and has a nice chunky grip that feels good in the hand. At $305 including rod tube and warranty the IM12 is a real bargain, that, like its 6'6" #3 sibling, can easily be compared to rods costing much more. Available from www.troutflies.com.au