Choosing a Fly Rod

Choosing a Fly Rod 

 

When you finally decide that fly fishing is something you’d like to take a shot at, you will of course need a bit of gear to go with that decision.
The many fly rods out there make it nearly impossible for a newbie to the art to select one, without a little advance study .
There are three real variables to take into account when you decide to get a fly rod.

Learning to fly fish isn't difficult and is a fun and interesting sport

Those considerations should be the weight, the action and the length of the rod.
The weight is a standard system that the industry uses to number the rods.
They don’t use grams, but rather a number system that ranges in number from 1 to 14.
Deciding what weight of rod to get is fairly easy once you know what kind of fish you’re interested in catching with that rod.
the weights from 1 to 3 are used for smaller fish, such as small trout, perch, panfish, bluegill and etc.
weight four is for panfish and medium sized trout
weight 5 and 6 are more for medium trout, small bass and things
weights 7 and 8 will do larger trout, steelhead and the like.
weights 9 through 14 are more for larger salmon, and saltwater type fish

Scientific Anglers 6-Weight Freshwater Concept Outfit

Common sense generalities tell you that the lower weights are for smaller fish, while the higher weights are for higher weighted fish.
for most of the beginning fly fishermen, a 3 to 5 weight rod is going to be all you need, and will still be used once you get to the point where you are catching bigger fish, for things such as a great brook trout stream.
Likewise, a medium action rod will be the best choice for those who are beginning in fly fishing, since its going to be used mostly for the type of fish that you’re going to be catching.. Small to medium trout and panfish.
For the most part you will by and large be doing freshwater and lake fishing, and most of what your’e going to catch will be small or medium fish, particularly while learning the ins and outs of fly fishing.
A great beginnnig rod for the new fly fisherman.. Or woman.. is going to be about an 8 foot, 4 or 5 weight and a medium action rod, which will help you to catch fish, while getting the hang of the new techniques.