Getting ready to order a blank for my next rod. My fishing generally involves a medium fast 7'6" for 3 wt for smaller flies, water, and wind, and a medium fast 9' for 5 wt for larger flies, water, and wind. For the size of the fish I catch, a 3 wt has plenty of backbone, so that is not really a factor. On the occasions that I want to use tandems of large weighted stonefly nymphs, I jump up to a fast action 9' for 7 wt.

My dilema is this. The blanks I am looking at come in medium or medium fast actions in lengths up to 8'6" for weights 3/4 and 4/5 and in medium action for lengths up to 8'6" in weight 5/6. I'm wondering whether a medium fast 7'6" for 3/4 or a medium action 8' for 4/5 would be more flexible ( no pun intended ) for using three line weights ( 3, 4, and 5 ) on a single rod ??

It seems to me that there would be very little difference in how either blank would respond to the different lines - i.e. medium fast on the 3 wt and just a tad slower on the 4 wt, and somewhat slower, more like bamboo medium for the 5 wt.

Just wondering what you all might think about trying to line these blanks across three line weights and which blank you would probably choose for that purpose ???

If the blank I choose works out as intended, I will probably get an 8'6" for 5/6 for my big nymph rigs since casting distance is not really a factor in that kind of fishing. The fast action 9' for 7 wt will cast those rigs a long way with the right timing and stroke, but I can cover the same water with shorter drifts and probably, overall, less effort and concentration.

Appreciate any insight and comments.

Thanks much in advance.

John