Kenney 7'4" 5/6wt. 2pc.

[Colt Johnson]

Here is a very special rod. Not only does the blank come from one of the masters of the glass community, Larry Kenney, but it was built by a close and very talented friend, Chris Barclay. The blank is unique in that it was a prototype built on a heavier weave glass; however the taper is built around the ever popular 7'2" 3wt. taper. When I talked to Larry about the blank I immediately thought of small stream smallmouth bass. The 7'4" length is a perfect compromise for handling tight quarters and still having just enough length to mend line and reach out in more open areas.

The rod handles a 5wt. line and a 6wt. line, but I prefer a 6wt. line. This is contrary to what I would have guessed as the rod flexes pretty deeply; but it is the reserve power in the butt section of the rod (which is more easily tapped into with a 6wt. line) that really makes this rod so special. The rod has power down deep to turn over a 6wt. line, and the 6wt. line is sufficient to carry medium sized poppers and smaller streamers to their destinations within a 50' radius. However, the top half of the rod is soft enough that a medium sized bluegill puts a smile on my face as if I were fishing a 3wt. rod. It's a very interesting taper, and quite frankly a taper that I have been searching for to address a dilemma that I have been grappling with for a long time: How do I find a rod that can cast larger bass flies yet still provide ample fun with an 8"-12" creek smallie? As a smallmouth bass fisherman, I have always been jealous that trout fisherman are able to chase 8"-12" trout with ultralight rods (0wt.-3wt.) as the flies are small enough to allow one to use, say, a 3wt. glass rod. Smallmouth like larger flies, even if they are themselves rather small, and it has never been too fun to chase a 12" smallmouth with a 7 or 8wt. rod. I think this rod is a perfect compromise.

Enough words. Here are some photos:

I am unsure whether I am going to ultimately pair this rod with a TR2 or a TR3, so here are pictures with both:

Joe Arguello provided a beautiful and perfect matching agate guide:

 

Colt

[Colt Johnson]

Here are a few photos when I took the rod to a local creek. I caught a couple smallies, a bullhead (not shown) and a small but beautiful channel cat.

The family came along and the kids played in the sand. They caught dozens of tadpoles and creek chub.

I also caught a colorful longear to round out the day:

Colt

[John Gillio]

Excellent!

[ronk]

That's a rod Lee Wulff would've approved of. He favored short rods with a good backbone. As a 6wt it should handle bigger smb as weii as smaller ones,

[John Loebach]

That's a great rod. I have a couple short glass rods a 7' 6' Phiilipson & a 6' 6' Silaflex that cast more line than you would think. Any chance you could come to the next Cast & Compare on 9/13 in Batavia?

[Mike G]

Nice rod. I like you thoughts on the action. Lightening fast has been the rage for a while. A deeper bending rod has a place in the fly fisherman's collection.