Like everything else in fishing, it all comes down to personal preference, and in fly fishing, matching your casting stroke to the correct rod action is crucial. As for me I swore by my Scott Heliply, it was a great rod, then it was stolen. Now I swear by a little known rod company from the northwest named Beulah. I own four separate weight rods in their Guide Series. I cast my 8 weight almost daily while testing flies, and feel it is exceptional. This rod has an extremely fast rod action. The problem here is that, unlike what most people think, a faster rod does not mean a further cast. So this may not be the rod for you if your casting stroke does not match up well with a very fast rod. However if you do like an extremely fast action rod, I haven't cast one that I like better. And at about $265 they are not as expensive as other high end rods in their class. They also come in a metal tube with an extra tip already enclosed. Their waranty and service have been exceptional the times I have had to use them, [once on a broken butt section, and once on a broken tip replacement, yeah I am hard on fly rods]. The extra tip is a nice feature, as when I broke mine, I was on a trip and didn't lose any fishing time. But, as I said, this is all about you and your casting stroke, and I believe if you can, you should not buy a rod until you have cast it. That being said, I did buy my Guide Series having never cast it, but they did tell me if I didn't like it they would give me money back plus shipping. If you wish to throw mine you are more than welcome, I have a 5,6,8, or 10 weight. As for reels I use a Teton and I line it with Wulf Triangle Taper. Some may disagree butI'd put the bulk of my money in the rod, then the line, and lastly the reel. PM me if you need more info.