I am in the market for a 7 wt flyrod and when I look through the websites of Sage, Redington, St Croix, etc. all I’m seeing are 4 piece fly rods now. When did this become the standard instead of a 2 piece?
I always thought a 2 piece fly rod was the perfect size to break down to walk trails steelhead fishing and even in a boat. Too many pieces to disassemble with a 4 piece rod.
Maybe Rootski can comment…
believe its so they easily fit in the carrying cases.
I had to look. The last 3 rods I’ve bought are all 4-piece. Although, they are longer rods. If I recall it was a little tougher finding a 2-piece case for the 9’6″ rods.
It’s a lot tougher getting a two piece rod on and off an airplane. I really think that has a lot to do with it. Performance-wise, ferrule technology has gotten so good that 4 piece rods work as well as 2 piece.
I have several different rods, and only one of them is a two piece. that’s my little 4 weight I use for trout fishing. I have to admit it’s quicker and easier to set up and to keep all of the guides lined up with a two piece.
SR
“It’s a lot tougher getting a two piece rod on and off an airplane. I really think that has a lot to do with it. Performance-wise, ferrule technology has gotten so good that 4 piece rods work as well as 2 piece.”
I just bought 2 Sage rod for the trip to Christmas Island. Since an outfitter was setting me up with my rods, I didn’t know they were 4 pieces until they arrived. I’ve never owned anything other then a 2 piece. 8, 6 and 4 weight.
They fit into my suitcase very well and when it came time to use them, I really don’t know if I could tell the difference. Which surprised me.
I love 2 piece fly rods, so much so I need to find another one… Especially since I converted my 2 piece into a 3 piece while taking my battery out of the boat this fall. 
The technology has evolved to the point that four piece rods are nearly identical in performance as one piece rods. As stated the convenience of a four piece over a two piece with no down side or no disadvantage. Used to be a four piece did not perform as well as a two piece, a two piece did not perform as well as a one piece. Not true any more thus not much market for a two piece rod in fly rod lengths.
There was also a pretty significant weight addition when you went from 2 piece to 4 (or more) because of the ferrules. In addition to changing the action characteristics, going to 4 pieces altered the balance.
Personally, I was glad to be able to switch over to 4 piece rods with no penalty. Traveling with 2 piece rods either by car or airline is a PITA. It’s much nicer to be able to break down your rods into a tube that fits inside most duffle bags, etc.
I won’t be replacing my 2 piece #4 Legend Ultra, anytime soon however. But when going on trips that require airline travel, I’m glad to have a 4 piece.
Grouse
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