Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/401545
S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S 1 4 8 it is, the Reaper, which comes in an understated brownish olive blank with brown wraps, is one of the true bargains of the fly fishing world. Redington Classic Trout, 8½-foot, 4-weight ($150) I don't run across many true progressive- action trout rods anymore, which is a shame as they tend to be both easy to cast and enjoyable to fish. (Progressive-action rods bend progressively farther down the rod as the caster applies more force.) Fortunately, Redington's Classic Trout features a sweet progressive action that's a real pleasure to fish. It's a great rod for someone new to the sport, since a beginner can feel it load and unload so easily. Yet it also protects light tippets and throws beautiful, graceful dry fly loops in the hands of a more experienced angler. There's nothing fancy about the Classic Trout. It sports a brown blank with brown wraps and a basic reel seat. And I'm afraid it's not going to throw your favorite streamer into the wind or huck a couple of bead- head stonefly nymphs and a huge, orange strike indicator halfway across the river. What it will do – and this brings a smile to my face – is make exquisite dry fly presentations all day long. Two words to keep in mind: highly recommended. Cabela's American Dream, 9-foot, 4-weight ($300) Back in the '90s, when I was guiding on the Henrys Fork, I'd frequently have folks show up with rods that could have doubled as wading staffs. Given the chance, I would have traded a dozen of those high-end pool cues for one of these gorgeous new rods from Cabela's. The American Dream is a handsome dark blue with burgundy wraps, and the handsome doesn't stop at the surface. Perfectly formed loops just roll off this rod, making for truly superb dry fly presentations. As with most 4-weights, the American Dream shines with smaller drys and nymphs. If that's your favorite style of fishing, it's unlikely to disappoint. The American Dream is better suited to a relaxed casting stroke, so keep that in mind if you're an aggressive caster with a preference for hyper-fast actions. But if you like to fool your trout with an Adams or a Blue Quill, and if you want a rod that melds style and performance, this new model from Cabela's is worth a long, hard look. LL Bean Double L, 9-foot, 5-weight ($260) My dad, who worked in the trades all his life, used to say "Jack of all trades, master of none." Of course, he never fished one of LL Bean's stellar Double L rods. The Double L does almost everything well. It will handle nymphs, streamers, and dry flies with equal aplomb, and if you can't pick up this 5-weight and cast a beautiful, accurate short line, or bomb one out into the backing, I have some bad news. It's not the rod.