reviews

Thomas and Thomas Spey Rods

By Scott Richmond

Thomas and Thomas Spey Rods. Available at many fly shops and online stores.

here are tools you love and tools you respect. This notion was reinforced for me when I remodeled my 40-year-old kitchen The first step was to rip out the old cabinets and framing. Much of the work could be done with a Superbar, a lightweight and versatile prying tool. It was perfect for removing trim, small cabinets, and nails. I loved it.

But some jobs needed more muscle. That's when I brought out the Gorilla Bar: a big chunk of heavy metal that could pry loose the most stubborn 2x4s. I respected it for what it could do, but I'd go back to the Superbar as soon as the job allowed.

I feel the same way about a couple of Thomas & Thomas spey rods, the 1307 and 1409. I took these rods on a recent three-day float trip down the Deschutes and gave them a good workout. My conclusion? I love the 1307. I respect the 1409.

1307

As you'd expect from the model number, the 1307 is a seven-weight, 13-foot rod. It breaks down into three pieces. The finish is midnight blue with dark green wraps. The reel seat is anodized aluminum and has double-locking rings. The finish work is excellent, as you would expect for a rod that retails for $760. This rod and the others reviewed here come with a lifetime warranty.

I ran the 1307 through the usual paces--double spey, single spey, inverse C, snake roll, perry poke, and a few other casts--on both sides of the river. I used it with a Rio Windcutter line.

The rod performed superbly and made me feel like a better caster than I am. It is capable of handling Type III and Type VI sink tips as well as floating lines. I hooked and landed an eight-pound steelhead on it, and felt the rod had amble backbone (with some in reserve) for fish of that size.

The 1307 is an ideal rod for summer steelheading on rivers like the Deschutes. Light weight and nimble, it's a rod I could cast all day and not get tired of it. In short, the 1307 was a pleasure to cast. I loved it.

I'm not the only one who likes this rod. Gary Sandstrom of The Morning Hatch Fly Shoppe in Tacoma says he sells more 1307s than any other two-handed rod. Even died-in-the-wool Sage users favor it. "Customers like the light feel and the shape of the grip," says Gary.

John Smeraglio of the Deschutes Canyon Fly Shop in Maupin, Oregon, is another T & T dealer who favors this model. "It's a high performance two-handed rod," he says, "but it doesn't beat you up. It's suited to everyone from the beginner to the expert."

1409

The 1409 is a 14-foot, nine-weight, three-piece rod with finish work similar to the 1307. It retails for $780. For me, the 1409 is the angling equivalent of my Gorilla Bar. The first time I used it I was soon casting over 95 feet of line with a Type III head. So I tried the Type VI head; no loss of distance, hardly any extra effort. Then I switched to a Type VIII head, with a weighted fly. It just kept slinging line out there. The wind came up, and it was like, "what wind?" This is a rod with authority. But when I had a choice, it was back to the 1307.

The 1409 is a rod I respect. It does the job very well, but you need to match it to the task at hand. Winter fishing, big rivers, big flies, big fish, big wind--get out the 1409 Gorilla Bar and chuck that line, no problem. Just realize that this rod casts like the big gun that it is. Others may feel differently, but for me it's not a rod I would use all day, every day, unless the situation demanded it. Let me be clear: Among nine and ten weight spey rods, this is a beauty; it's just that I'd rather cast the 1307 if the situation allows it.

If You Had to Choose One

I've also cast the T & T 1308 (eight-weight, 13 foot). This is a four-piece rod that retails at $820. It's significantly lighter and more nimble than the 1409, but with a bit more authority than the 1307. "It's a good general purpose rod," says John Smeraglio when asked to compare it to the 1307 and 1409.

This is where you have to make a choice. If you could only buy one, which would you choose? The answer depends on where you fish. If you only pursued summer steelhead on the Deschutes and similar rivers, or were just learning to use a two-handed rod, I'd recommend the 1307 without a reservation. But if you're headed to the Dean or the Clearwater--and those were your only destinations--forget the 1307 and buy the 1409.

Compromise and get the 1308? If you regularly fish summer steelhead waters where the fish average ten pounds, this is probably a better choice than the 1307. But most anglers would be better off trying to finagle a way to buy two rods. As The Morning Hatch's Gary Sandstrom states, "You can't buy one rod for everything."

No matter which choice you make, any of these three rods will please you, if you match them to the task at hand.

One additional note: in the past, some people have complained about long repair times for T & T fly rods. T & T acknowledges this, but says they have recently tripled their manufacturing space and the repair time is no longer a problem. (2007 update: I broke my 1307 on a steelhead in the fall; it took four weeks for a repair).

Bottom Line: Superb two-handed rods, but match the rod to the water if you want to be happy. Reviewer Rating: 5

Scott Richmond is Westfly's creator and Executive Director. He is the author of eight books on Oregon fly fishing, including Fishing Oregon's Deschutes River (second edition).

Uploaded 09/12/2004.

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