I bought a few months ago one of those cabelas sli flyrods when they were discontinueing the line and got the 8' 5 weight in two piece just for pond bass.One thing that might help i use a line like rio grand or sa mastery gpx which is a half line size larger than the actual line so a 5 weight would really be 5 1/2,also i use rio nymph line which has a bullet type of front end made to turn over large indicators,wind resistant flies or poppers.You may want to also use bass leaders not trout leaders the bass having a larger butt section to help turn the flies over.I have read somewhere that most fives will throw to a 4 or 6 size fly,a four weight to a size 8.