I carried a Sage LL 4wt out to the Brazos. I knew it was the only rod I would need. The third or fourth drift I hooked a fish. There was a sickening crack and my rod folded in half. I don't think I got it seated well and it split at the connection. The nearest sportinggoods store that was likely to have a rod was in Mineral Wells. I drove there, they had nothing. I drove to Weatherford, they had nothing. I drove to west FtW. They had nothing so I drove home. 5 hours for 3 or 4 casts. You can bet I have more than one rod now, even for routine trips.

"Sage" advice.
My brother was forced into a very very spendy Sage that he didn't plan on buying for the same reason on a trip up north. At least that's what he told the wife......

I like your "suggestion" there. I would have bought a good rod if I could have found one. I'm not going to buy a crappy $25 fly rod from Walmart, though. Life is too short to fish bad fly rods.

Yep, I think he definitely would have been happy with a TFO unfortunately he was "forced" into the far upper reaches of diminishing returns territory.

I'll take two or three rods depending on where I'm headed, usually a 6 and 4wt 9' and a 4 or 5wt 8'. When my boys were little a good fly rod was out of reach so I started buying blanks and building rods. The first two I built were on Sage blanks 22 years ago. I have built 7 rods since and really like the St Croix blanks. The shorter rods have paid off on windy days and long rods for those perfect late afternoons / early evenings when it's still. It's been a long time since I fished home waters in Texas but carried an 8wt 9' and 5wt 8' when fishing at home.

I was thinking of this as just a broken bow trip at first. If I am fishin warm water around here I may have five or so with me depending on what decides to show up gills bass carp hybrids ect. I hope I don't get as bad as I am when I fish bass conventional lol. Fishing tournaments with pre fishing I don't get too crazy as I have a plan. Going to a new lake on the other hand..... Went to falcon while it was smoking hot about 7 times few years ago. My buddy ask where he could put his rods in my 20 ft ranger haha. I had two dozen rigged rods with various types of techniques specific rods different lines sizes different colors of the exact same bait. Different reel speeds I brought along eight spare reels and different speed retrieves to switch to certain technique rods as well as half a dozen spare rods in case I broke something I wanted. It gets that bad on the fly( starting to go that way) I'm in trouble. At least I have a three bedroom house an only use one and don't park in the garage. Have one room dedicated exclusively as man cave / hunting fishing. Gee I've got problems better than crack is what I always tell my girl lol.

8wt, 5wt, and Tenkara covers my fly fishing needs .