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Choosing The Right Fly RodFor the novice or beginner choosing the right fly rod and other fly fishing gear can be confusing. Before you can select a fly fishing rod there are a number of things that we would like you to become familiar with. This will make it easier for you to choose the right rod for the type of fly fishing you we be doing. This section will provide you with a quick tutorial on what key things you need to know and look for when selecting a rod. Things like fly rod action (which is know as flex), line weights, and rod lengths just to name a few.
When you pick up a fly fishing rod and look at it you'll see a couple of numbers printed on it, which refer to the Length of the rod and the line weight. For example it may have a 9' 6 wt, which means the rod is 9 feet long and designed to cast a 6 weight fly line. Fly fishing rods come in various lengths anywhere from 7 to 9 feet in length. Fly rods are also rated by their action. Basically stated, fly rod action means how flexible it is when casting or when it's under stress. We'll talk more about rod action later and what it means when its time to make some choices.
Before you can start choosing a rod we need to first make some decisions. Depending on were you will be fishing, and the species you will be fishing for, you need to ask yourself a few questions before you can select the correct rod.
What are you fishing for? Are you fishing for trout or the bigger fish like Tarpon. Where will you be fishing? Will you be fishing small creeks, lakes, rivers, or the ocean? What can I afford to spend? Based on the decisions that you made above you can now begin selecting the following. There are three easy steps in choosing a high quality rod that fits your fishing style. 1. How to select the right rod length that will fit your needs. Fly fishing rods come in various lengths from 7.5 feet to 9 feet. How do you decide on what the right length for the type of fishing you'll be doing? As a basic guide the larger the body of water you are fishing on or the fish you are fishing for the bigger your rod will need to be. Remember larger fly rods will cast further then shorter ones. Shorter rods are best for smaller bodies of water and fishing off creek banks that have low tree canopies. 2. How to choose the proper line weight. All rods are manufactured to cast a specific line or what is called line weight. Fly line comes in various weights, from a 1 weight for light fishing to 13 weight for big game fishing. Most trout fisherman prefer a line weight between 4 to 7. As a rule of thumb a 7 - 10 weight is a good choice when fishing for Bass, Salmon and saltwater fly fishing. For big game fly fishing a good choice would be a 10 - 13 line weight. 3. How to choose the right fly rod action that will work best for the type of fly fishing you will be doing. What is rod action and what does it mean? Rod action or sometimes stated as flex is basically how flexible it is when performing a cast. There are three ratings for fly fishing rods, slow action, medium action and fast action.
The slow action fly rod is flexible almost through the entire length of the rod. The slow action rod responses well to a delicate casting stroke and will not cast as far as the fast action rods. This is a rod to consider if fishing very small streams or you are using lighter tippets. The medium action fly rod flexes at about mid point on the rod. This rod gives the best performance and is a good choice for the beginner because of its versatility over a wide range of conditions. Because of its versatility many experienced Fly fishermen also prefer this rod as the rod of choice. The fast action fly rod means that the rod flexibility is mostly at the tip of the rod. This is suitable for quick and more accurate casting. The fast action fly rods allow you to cast greater distances and also performs well under windy conditions.
Now that you understand the basics on what key things you need to know and look for when selecting a fly rod click here to go back to the Fly Rod section.
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