Choosing A Fly Rod
By Cameron Larsen, Thu Dec 8th
For many reasons, it is with some trepidation that I approachthis subject. As I have stated in previous articles about flyfishing gear, you ask 15 people, and you get 15 differentopinions. Choosing a fly rod is no different. In fact it mightbe the epitome of that statement. Fly anglers are picky abouttheir fly rods, and they love their fly rods. To many it is likecomparing spouses, and if you love your spouse then you have thebest one. But having said that we can lay down some truths aboutthe fly rod industry, and then go into more specifics about thefine art of finding you a partner with which to share thepassion of fly fishing.
What is it to be used for:
The first thought when selecting a fly rod, is it’s most oftenintended use. Are you casting for Tarpon or small trout on acreek? Most likely somewhere in between, and maybe even severaluses. You first need to think about the size of the water youare mostly going to be fishing, and then the size of the fly youintend to cast. After that you need to consider the size of thefish you intend to catch. The rod size effects both the castingand the playing of the fish. The nice thing is if you are both asmallmouth and a rainbow trout fisher, you can probably getby with one rod. The same for Largemouth and Steelhead andSalmon. You might not get the ultimate choice for either, butdepending on your budget you can get a very nice choice for avariety of fishing conditions.
THE #’s:
Fly rod sizes are categorized by number’s. Unlike flies, wherethe smaller the number, the larger the fly. Rods go by thelarger the number the larger the fly rod. A number 3 rod is avery light rod, used for small trout in small streams. A 12 wt.rod is used for Tarpon, Stripers and other fish that need longdistance casting, big flies. The most popular all-around rodsare in the 5-6 category, here you can cover the whole gamut oftrout fishing and a good chunk of fishing as well. A number6 rod can also tackle small steelhead and other sea-run fish, ifthe angler is skilled. Most steelhead angler’s will choose abigger rod however, in the 7-9 range, and they can also fishsalmon with that range as well.
The other number to consider is length. 9’ is by far the mostpopular length right now. You can cast a 9’ long distanceswithout getting tired, and have good control of the drift. Iffishing smaller streams and or bushy areas, 9’ will frustrateyou, as there isn’t enough room to maneuver it. Rods commonly godown to 7’ and even shorter ones can be found. If doing a lot offishing out of a float tube, longer rods are common place, asone can get more distance with a longer rod, and the extralength helps to keep the fly off the water on the backcast.
Action:
Here it gets even more complicated, as different manufacturerscall the action of their rod different things. But basicallyaction can be broken down into slow, moderate and fast. Manymanufacturers have 4 classification, but they all are based onthe same concept. And that is how much of the rod will bend,when casting.
A fast (or super fast) rod will have only the tip bend, theyoffer the longest casting distances, they also are great if youare fishing in the wind. Allowing for tighter casting loops,they are great for shooting head lines, double-hauling castingtechniques and are a treat for the skilled caster. They arehowever, are harder to learn on and therefore not recommendedfor one’s first fly rod.
The next level down is medium and is the most popular actionbeing sold today. They flex further down the rod than the fastaction. Great for beginners, it is also the choice of mostexperienced angler’s who don’t own a bunch of rods. Forbeginners they are forgiving to learn on, providing moreaccuracy then the super fast. They don’t cast as far however,and you will battle the wind more in this type rod.
The last level is slow or full bend, often bending all the wayto the grip. These rods are dying out, which is a shame, becausefor fishing small creeks they are the best. They don’t cast veryfar, but you don’t need that on tiny creeks, but what they dobest is absorb the shock, so your tippet doesn’t get asstressed, there fore your chances of snapping off the fly arereduced.
Grips:
The choice of grip is often over looked when choosing a fly rod.This is a mistake, as the grip is important in the comfort ofyour fly rod in your hand. Most decent fly rods these days usestandard cork as the material. full wells grips are the choiceif you have large hands, and half wells grips are popular withlady anglers. They both many ways you can hold the rod, and yourhand seems to naturally find it’s preferred method of holdingthe rod. It can also be altered once fatigue sets in, so you canfish longer without cramps.
Manufacturer’s:
There are many of them, and guess what, the most common namesall make great fly rods. With the advent of graphite in the 70’sthe fly rod industry was revolutionized, and now one must notspend a fortune for a bamboo rod, to enjoy great fly fishing.
I, personally have fished almost every name brand on the markettoday. Like every other angler I have my preferences but I mustadmit the differences are nil, and I could probably learn tolike any of them, just as well as the ones I won. I currentlyown rods from Scott, LL Bean, Loomis and Cabela’s, and they allhave characteristics I love and some I would like to seeimproved, and I am a very happy owner of them all.
I do look for the lifetime warranty, and it offered by virtuallyall major rod maker’s today. It is figured into the price of therod, and you must register your rod upon purchase to qualify forit. But if you have your rod for any length of time you willundoubtedly be glad you have it. Whether you broke your rod tipoff fighting a fish, trying to free a snag, or in the car door,most rod makers will send you a replacement.
Recommendations:
Realize these are very basic recommendations and use them as astarting point. But for small streams and brook trout I like 3-4weight slow action rod. They are still out there, but you mayhave to look. For other trout and small mouth I like 5-6wt. rods and medium action. And for largemouth, salmon, andsteelhead, try a 7-9 weight fast action rod. Look for futurerecommendations on Saltwater Fly rods from The Big Y Fly FishingE-zine at http://www.bigyflyco.com/Bigyflyfishingezine.html .
About the author:Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier and fly fishingguide. He now operates The Big Y Fly Company.Http://www.bigyflyco.com. He can be reached atinfo@bigyflyco.com. This article will appear in the Big Y FlyFishing E-Zine atHttp://www.bigyflyco.com/Bigyflyfishingezine.html
