2 Fly rods newbie question

[jkilroy]

Hello,
Being a newbie to flyfishing, I need some advice. I would like to set myself up with 2 rods to cover most conditions. Trout in pa to susquehanna smallmouth,Pike/Muskie in Quebec, and some light saltwater shore fishing in Maine. Blues, Stripers, and false albacore. Maybe even redfish in Florida.I have a 5wt 8'6" avid in mind on the one end and a 8wt Bob Closer rod in mind for the second rod. I'm planning on putting 9wt sink tip on the 8 wt. Will these combos work for me. I don't want to deal with full sink tips and I'm not a long distance caster. Thanks for any info.

[flyfisherjoe]

Sounds like you've done your homework. A 5 and an 8 should do you fine. The line choice sounds OK too.

One thing, you said "a full sink tip." I think you meant a full sink line. A sink tip means that a potion of the tip, usually between 10 and 30 feet, sinks and the remainder of the line floats or is an intermediate. A full sink line is just that, the whole line sinks.

Reading your post again, by "full sink tips" you may mean shooting heads. Shooting heads with running line would also do.

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Joe




[This message has been edited by flyfisherjoe (edited 23 November 2005).]

[BigCliff]

Those two rods should work very well for your purposes. If you're sure you want a sink-tip line for the 8wt, I would recommend an intermediate tip/ghost tip. This will allow you to both fish topwater poppers and hairbugs, but will allow clousers to get down deeper as well. The ability to fish surface flies for bass is too fun for me to give up.

Another option is to go with a full intermediate line which will work MUCH better in the surf. You'll need a stripping basket for river fishing, but a full intermediate line should allow your flies to get down just about as deep as a type IV sink-tip floater.

A multi tip line would be another good option for non-surf work. Cortland sells a system with floating, intermediate, fast sink, and extra-fast sink tips for $99. This sounds expensive for one line, but will save you the $40-$200 cost of an extra spool for multiple lines on the reel. [url=http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=214:6b5df]http://www.thefullcreel.com/files/index.php?id=214[/url:6b5df]

I would also recommend you give serious thought to whether you put an 8wt line or a 9wt line on that 8wt rod. In theory, you are paying for a fast action rod that would be slowed down by overlining. There are some great threads on this site discussing overlining that might be worth considering.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi jkilroy,

Welcome to the BB. Your first post shows that you have done a lot of reading or have gotten some pretty good advice from a fly fishing shop or friend. Your choice of a five and an eight certainly will give you two very servicable rods.

I suspect that these two rods will not be the last rods that you are going to buy. After a season or two I believe that you are going to want a lighter rod for trout and pan fish such as a shorter #4 weight or better yet a #3 weight. If Royal Wulff has his way, you will also have a #1 weight shortly after that.

I do have one suggestion. Your choice of an #8 weight rod is a good one for smallmouths but is really on the light side for battlers like pike, muskie, blues and striper of large size. I would move up to at least a nine foot, nine weight rod. I would rather be a little heavy for one species and not under-gunned for all the others. Just my 2% of a dollar.

Also, don't be afraid of a full sinking line sometimes they are the only way to get to the fish (lakes etc). They are also great for casting into an on-shore wind.

Good questions all, we'll look forward to your posts. 8T



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You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

[jkilroy]

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to stick with 2 rods. A 4wt is to light to cast heavy nymphs, and a 9wt is too heavy for the river. I'm from Central Pa so 80-90% of my fishing is going to to for trout and locals lakes and the Susquehanna. I know a 8wt is a little on the light side for Pike and light saltwater, but I don't know how much of that I will get to do. 1 trip a year for pike, I'll just put sink tip 9wt lin on the 8wt and that should work fine. I just won't be able to cast as far. No big deal. I camp in the summer, this coming summer we're planning on going to Arcadia National park, that,s why I want the 8wt. Too many rods and there is too many choices. I have a hard enouph time picking which fly to use. I have a 8' 5wt right now which I'm using for everything. Works fine until I tie on a bunny strip fly with dumbell eyes then it gets ugly. Works fine other than that. It flexes alot though.

[Eight Thumbs]

klilroy,

I see at least a couple of additional rods in your future. Probably not this year, but in the next couple of years. Most likely in the direction one lighter weight and an one heavier weight. Tight lines! 8T

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You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.