Three Weight Renegade: Close Quarters Fishing

From time to time I will be asking Renegade team members to write as a guest for my blog. I am so busy fishing, creating new flies, hiking and doing presentations, I don’t have much time to sit down and write. This is the first guest blog post and I hope to be receiving more from my fellow anglers.

 Renegade team member Pierce Oja has spent his Montana winter fishing the smaller Renegade rods. Pierce spends much of his time on the Big Horn, but he does find time exploring trout waters in Idaho and Wyoming.

.  .  . 

 The Renegade, it’s a spey rod, it’s a single handed rod, it’s both? It is both. After a month of testing through a myriad of Montana winter conditions it’s clear that the three weight renegade is unequivocally the best tool for close quarters fishing. From intimate spring creeks in Paradise Valley to high banks and stiff winds on the Big Horn the Renegade conquered all.

 Nymphing was a thing of pure bliss. I fished a Rio Indicator II on a plus two bump to better facilitate single handed spey casts for those tight situations.  The rod preformed beautifully blending both soul and fishablity through every situation the rod was implemented.   

Swinging small streamers was one of the most enjoyable fishing experiences utilizing a 150 grain commando head and a floating poly leader. Every braid on the river became the perfect water to swing a fly in. The short nature of the rod allowed for precise casts with one hand or two. The fish felt great, every head shake and jolt of energy was entirely perceptible, totally rad.  

 If the stars align and the pressure is just right, you’ll find rising fish even in the dead of winter. While the fish are small for the most part it still brings me back to a warm place that seems so distant, summer. While I had great faith in the Renegade I was still skeptical, ‘technical’ dry fly fishing? Yep, the renegade can do that too, all while protecting the lightest tippets. I can’t wait to wade my favorite small steam tucked into the mountains and throw neat little roll casts with hoppers into the sticks.

 Let’s not forget the 9' 4wt and 9'6" 5wt, the same multi functional joy to cast and fish, but slightly bigger teammates of the 8'6" 3wt. All have removable bottom handles with a plug, however I found the bottom handles to be a welcomed functional addition to a all ready kick ass rod's.