Been flyfishing since I have been about 10 years old. Have used several models of autos over the years. Martins , Pfleugers and others. I do not like the extra weight the autos hang on the rod.
Wherever you flyfish you will do a lot more casting than catching so weight has always been the prime reason I do not care for autos My arms ( even when I was young and in shape ) never got worn out from catching but did get worn out from casting. I stumbled across a lightweight # 4 action 8-1/2 foot custom fly rod matched with a single action Reddy reel and thats all I use now.
Purism has nothing to do with it personally. Supposedly the ultimate purist is one that only uses a bamboo rod and dry flies only. I like to catch fish too much to marry only one style of pursuit. But my favorite way to catch any fish would be on my " flea"
rod as I have named her.
Long time ago I was working a pond filled with large bull gills. I was on one side of the pond and an older gentleman was on the other. Both of us respected the others privacy and did not intrude each others spot. After he finished he came over and started a conversation. He was astonished that I was so young and casting like a demon. I informed him that my maternal grandfather got me started at age 10. I learned on a fly rod that he had won in a trout tournament back in the 30's. We chatted for awhile and he informed me that I was the only kid he had ever seen fly fishing in Ohio.
As he got up to go he said " Fly fishing is the best and most fun thing you can do as long as you are standing up. " I was much older when I found out exactly what he meant. That still brings a smile to my face after 60 some years now and then.
Garminarmin gpsmap 1040 xs networked with Garmin gpsmap 1242 xsv , Panoptix PS 30 and PS 31. Livescope LVS 32
Ice rig Echomap Ultra 106SV with LVS 12 and GT10-IF