Targus Gary Borger Pro Series Fly Fishing Rod - 4-Piece, 9' 8wt

I bought the 9 wt first, and loved it so much I bought an 8 too. I have never cast another rod at any price point that allowed me to make such long, accurate casts so easily, and the extra tip could save the day if the rod snaps in some remote spot. Would be equally at home with salmon in Canada, bonefish in the Bahamas, stripers in the surf, or largemouths in you local pond. Aesthetics are debatable (non-traditional reel seat and paint job, second-quality cork), but the performance and price are unmatched -- especially if you use a discount coupon!

The first time I used my 9 weight rod I hooked a 9 pound steelhead and as we were landing the fish the section adjacent to the tippet exploded into 4 pieces (we landed the fish).

A little on the heavy side even for an 8 weight but has excellent rod tip control.

Reasonable price

[...] the rod tube that it came with is very nice for traveling. It will hold up nicely to those 15 lbs. Silvers in Alaska.