[Grampa Dave]

My Dad had a couple of ponds where we fished that had blue gill up to a pound #. You didn't dare go at them with less than 4 or 6 pound tippet. I would not use my Sage 4LL on them if I was back there. In fact I would use my Stealth 6 weight.

We have Putah Creek which is a stream that flows out of Lake Berryessa and 6 lb + native rainbows are not that unusual. I had one break off my reel seat from that 4 weight Sage. No more light gear there. Nothing under a 6 or seven weight rod for me.

I hurt my shoulder last May and now use a Sage 13'6" 7 wt Traditional Spey rod on Putah Creek as I can't cast ver far for long with a single handed rod with the bad shoulder. I get a lot of funny looks and remarks when I walk up with that close to 14' rod. Then, when I hook and release a couple of those biggies that even great casters can't get to with a single handed rod. The hecklers start pleading about what kind of rod is that? If they really whine, I say "No Habla English!"

[tacticalogic]

I'm using a Browning Graphite 4-5 with a Martin reel. Tried an automatic reel once, but it's just too heavy for that size rod.