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LL Bean Travel Series Fly Rods, Six-Piece 8 Wt. |
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Growing up in Montana, and spin fishing the majority of time I was there, I wasn't introduced to flyfishing until 8 or 9 years ago by a great group of guys I met when I moved to Michigan; several of whom I launched fishingporn.com with. Now my Dad used a fly rod but I was happy with my K-Mart bait caster stick. I began my addiction into flyfishing using my Dad's Scientific Angler System 8 rod/reel combination fishing for bass (yes I know the rod was a bit much but it's all I had at the time). The reel was a bit old and didn't have a drag on it. The rod was a good one and I'd still be using it if I hadn't broke off 2 eyelets.
 Full 6 piece setup (5-6-7 wt)
The stage was set: It was a quick planned Florida trip that sent me in search of a compact, yet reliable fly rod to take in case I had a chance to hit some saltwater fly fishing. I have been a lifelong fan of L.L Bean products and found a great saltwater safe fly rod on their website. The attraction to the rod was that it collapsed into 6 pieces and fit into a 22" tube. The price was also enticing...a whopping $165 plus shipping.
I placed the order as swiftly as a late June Brownie slurps up a Hex during the 'hatch'. In 3 days I had the rod in hand and quickly assembled the 6 glossy sections. It was a sight. The action was excellent. it felt like a 2 piece. The rod fit easily into my suitcase for the flight. The trip was great and I did managed to catch a few salties with the rod. Not bad for a first time salt excursion.
 Full 6 piece setup (5-6-7 wt) Close-up
Fast forward 8 months to Salmon season on the Pere Marquette. Between the trip to Florida and the fall, I had damaged my System 8 rod (as mentioned previously) and had only my 6 piece LL Bean Travel Series Fly Rod and my Scott 2 piece 5wt. I decided to hit the river with my LL Bean 8wt. I assumed I would have a great time on the river and would come off the water with a 6 piece rod converted to a 8 or 9 piece by the powers of a might King. We fished hard that weekend, late into the nights. We landed several fish between the 4 of us. I landed 8 that weekend with the L.L Bean 6 piece travel rod.
Fast forward 4 years... I have used this same rod for winter and spring steelhead fishing as well as salmon fishing without a hitch. The durability is amazing for what I thought a 6 piece would be. It is horribly compact. I often throw it in my backpack.
The downside, it is horribly compact. On my most recent trip for some winter steelhead fishing, I couldn't find my rod. After searching for about 30 minutes I found it under the passengers seat of my truck. It was left there from the last trip. The case is Cordura and has a nice fabric sleeve to hold all 6 sections. The fighting butt on the rod is also a nice addition when battling the bigger fish.
 Full 6 piece setup (8-9 wt)
I have paired the rod with a Solitude 4 reel from the now defunked Harris Reel Company. It's a great match and I am sure any reel of that size would make a great combo. For those of you not familiar with L.L Bean this is the guarantee:
"Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We do not want you to have anything from L.L Bean that is not completely satisfactory."
The rod is available in a 5, 6 or 7 weight that is great for freshwater fishing but it's metal components are not protected for saltwater. The 8 and 9 weight rods are safe for frshwater and saltwater.  Full 6 piece setup (8-9 wt) Close-up So, if you are in need of a fresh and saltwater safe rod and are on a budget, this is a great rod. Heck even if you aren't on a budget, this is still a great rod. I can't guarantee it'll land you fish, that's up to you.
Get wet...keep it bent... 
Update: the rods are all on sale as of 1/5/08. Click here!
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