In December 2008, Carl Craig of Flyfishing Benefactors handed me a loaner Shenandoah rod to test.  The first time I used it, I loved it.  In my devious mind, I laid out an extended testing strategy that would allow me to keep it as long as possible....

• "Carl... it works great on a small mountain stream, but I need to check it on a small river...."
• "Carl...no problem on that small river, but let's see how it works on bigger water..."
• "Carl...great performance on big water, but maybe the trout in WV are tougher than VA or MD trout... need to check..."

In good faith, I cannot avoid the inevitable. After testing this 3/4 wt rod for the last two years in every kind of challenging condition imaginable, I have to wrap it up, give it back and hope that Carl will sell me the test rod at a discount. For the last two years, I have fished this rod in water ranging from tiny Shenandoah streams to larger stocked rivers such as Patapsco and the South Fork of the Holston as well as whipping fish on the North Branch of the Potomac. It has stood the test of time and I am even a greater fan today than I was when I took the first flip after assembling it.

The technical details associated with the Shenandoah rod match the heavier 5/6 wt San Juan rod that I reviewed a year ago. It's made of the identical IM8 graphite and features the same quality craftsmanship in terms of cork, handle, and guides. I'll repeat the discussion and explanation of why the type of graphite makes a difference below. I basically just have to change the name of the rod and leave the rest of the discussion the same.

But that would not do justice to this light toothpick of a fishing stick. I'm sure that there are many reviewers out there who get free equipment, use it and move on to the next freebie. I put my money where my mouth was with this one. When my brother returned from his tour of duty in Afghanistan, I bought him one of these as a welcome home present. In addition, I've taken a few spills with this rod and happily paid for the replacement tip rather than hitting up Flyfishing Benefactors to provide an additional freebie. If I was not a totally dedicated fan of this piece of equipment, the test would have ended with the break. But this is a rod I love to use. And the comparison against the TFO Professional Series is even more relevant because I own a TFO and used it extensively in the same varied environments before putting my claws around the Shenandoah.

This is my first string rod when I go after trout. I used to throw the TFO in the back of the truck in case I broke this one, But I even stopped doing that since I started using the Flyfishing Benefactors pack rod. After taking the pack rod out of the tube, it is the perfect size to fit in my day pack where it is instantly available as a backup in case I break a tip.

I strongly recommend you give the Shenandoah a try. You will not regret it!

The folks at Finewater Flyfishing did a full, very technical, review of the 3/4wt Shenandoah rod that you can read at this link.

The technical details.... same as for the 5/6wt San Juan Rod....

First, the easy TFO vs FFB stuff:

• Special cork, walnut and aluminum are all personal preference items that make the FFB rod look great.
• The rod tube is a great freebie! The TFO does not come with a tube.
• Both have a rod sock...ok... that's standard equipment and expected. 
• Price?  Clear winner with FFB - especially when you factor in the tube.

So, it comes down to the IM8 Modulus Graphite and the weight.  Those are the two characteristics that drive performance.  I am not an expert on graphite, so I did some reading and here are the bottom lines in the experts' own words (my bold and color):

FLW Outdoors Magazine Discussion: "What an angler needs to understand is how the word “modulus” pertains to graphite rods. Modulus is not a thread count, as many would have you believe. Modulus basically equates to stiffness. The higher the modulus, the stiffer the material is by weight, meaning less material is needed to achieve the same stiffness of lower-modulus materials. This results in a lighter product.  “You have to remember, weight is the deterrence to performance,” Loomis said.  Stiffness also equates to responsiveness – that is, the rod’s ability to store and release energy. The higher the modulus, the faster and more consistent a rod is able to store and release its energy, which enables an angler to cast farther and more accurately."

Fly Anglers Online (search for IM8): "Modulus is a term that describes the stiffness to weight ratio of the graphite that's used to create the rod blank. When you cast a line, the rod flexes with the weight of the line, storing energy as it flexes. When the motion of the rod stops, the rod reflexes and releases all of its stored energy to propel the line. When you increase the modulus of the graphite, you increase the ability of that graphite to store and release energy. You also increase the speed that the rod releases the stored energy. That in turn, increases the line speed that is generated in the cast. Increase the modulus, and you increase the reaction speed and power of the rod blank.

Unfortunately, increased modulus results in increased costs. The process involved in creating higher modulus graphite is a costly one. The highest modulus graphite material costs as much as ten times more than standard graphite. That cost is passed along to the consumer when he or she buys a rod blank. For my money, the higher cost is worth it. The better performance is more than enough to offset the increased costs."

• The IM8 modulus graphite contributes to the lower weight of the FFB rod vs the TFO's IM6
• The IM8 modulus graphite gives the FFB rod better performance characteristics vs the TFO's IM6
• FFB gives you all the benefits of a higher modulus at a LOWER cost - the opposite of what is supposed to happen

The Shenandoah rod stands up to the color test