In the market for a new fly rod and suggestions

[Tazasorus]

So I have busted three fly rods in the last ten years, two fenwicks and a st. Croix fly fishing the falls in Idaho Falls. It's a challenging spot but can be very rewarding. I have had a sage rod, a lamiglass rod, and a loomis rod in my hands in the last two weeks. I usually fish with a six weight rod, nine foot, but am open to suggestions from you more experienced fly fishers. Have found out the hard way that trying to lift an occasional big fish from high above the water dooms many a rod. Wanting a middle of the road dependable rod. Thanks.
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[flygoddess]

What action? Need to know what rod you really like. And no, you cannot Bill Dance lift fish with a fly rod.
I have had one St. Croix "RIo Santo" and hated it. Harder than heck for me to try and load it. Loomis, don't trust them anymore as far as warranty. They just don't seem the same. Lami, is great. The Bug Slinger is a Kelly Galloupe streamer rod. Might be a great choice although they come in 8 and up.
What Sage? And what price you talking.

Check out Allen Fly Fishing site. The Icon is made here in Heber Utah. A Mid/Fast rod with a give at the tip. The AST is a mid flex, I have that but it might be a bit soft for your style. The Xa is a faster action. Very popular rod, and the Compass is a mid action but little faster than the AST. Great roll caster. Tell Justin or Evan Joni sent ya[].

It will help to know what rods you have fished and liked and what price limit.
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[Tazasorus]

Wasn't looking at names on the Sage, but it came in about $329, I assume that they are all four piece, 6 weight, light-medium action.

By the way fly goddess, after seeing that nice cutt I grabbed my beat up Fenwick and headed to the river again this evening. I caught the tri-fecta. A 17 inch brown. I came up on this stretch of foam about 20 yards long and there were at least 4 brown working the foam, I figured I would present to the closest hoping that if I hooked he wouldn't spook the others. NOT. I landed him and the others disappeared like smoke. Moved on though and landed two nice cutts in the 14-16 inch slot and finished it off with another super fat rainbow. Not bad for an hour and a half of fishing.
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[flygoddess]

That makes it either the Response or the Approach. Either an awesome choice. And yes, four piece is pretty much the normal anymore. All about travel and easy to pack.
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[cpierce]

Whatever you get DON'T pick up big fish with it. Use a long net or just grab the line and overhand it. Otherwise just go to Walmart and get a Spiderman pole. They're cool and will do the job! [laugh][laugh]

I kind of like the Spiderman poles....[blush]
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[Tazasorus]

The one day I got down on my belly to try to cradle this big brown trout and my wallet fell out of my pocket and into the river. There was so much plastic though in the wallet that if floated and headed down the river, the problem was that I couldn't land the brown. When deep sea fishing I have dropped the rod tip and launched sizable fish over my shoulder onto the boat. So I gave that brown a little slack started to pull him towards me, dropped the tip and launched him over my head. Worked great, except it shattered my rod in four pieces. I dropped the rod, ran down the river 50 yards and retrieved my wallet. That was a $240 rod. You guys are right, having a long armed net is the answer, I have one, but people give me weird looks when I am in the middle of Idaho falls carrying this massive net. I guess weird looks are better than broken rods.
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[flygoddess]

Like Cpierce said, try heavier line. Get enough slack to grab the line and bring it in by hand. Don't need to pack a big net, but maybe some nice gloves.
That is what I did when fishing off the diversion dam by Shelly.
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