i fish soft hackles and nymphs for trout on a 11 foot 4 weight for trout. on really small, tight stream, i'll downsize to a 10 foot 3 weight. either rod works just fine on dry flies when called upon to do so.
i fish soft hackles and nymphs for trout on a 11 foot 4 weight for trout. on really small, tight stream, i'll downsize to a 10 foot 3 weight. either rod works just fine on dry flies when called upon to do so.
I bought a 10' 4wt last year and looked at / handled several different 10' rods during the process. I had previously fished a 8' 4wt most of the time.
The thing I noticed first with 10' rods was the extra weight. A 10' rod is probably going to be almost 50% heavier than a 8' rod of the same line weight. Furthermore, the longer lever can make the rod feel tip heavy (depending on the rod and the reel you use with it). Lastly, some of the 10' rods, and it seems like especially those targeted at Euro nymphing, are quite soft / slow which may or may not suit your style.
All that said, I really like the 10' 4wt that I eventually bought. The extra length really helps with line handling and mends. It's most useful on larger water where I'm making longer casts, but it use it a lot more than I expected on small streams.
Can't add much more that wasn't said before. I bought a 10 footer (Orvis Clearwater) for nymph fishing, but found that in nice open water it cast perfectly well for dry fly fishing. The 10 footer became my go to length for regular trout fishing as it is far superior for nymphy/streamer applications and marginally less efficient for dry fly fishing. An 8 foot dry fly rod, however, can't roll cast or nymph nearly as well as the 10 footer.
Thanks everyone . . sounds like I should go ahead and keep looking at the 10 ft rod.
I do believe what fits one's style fits. I cut my eye teeth on an eight footer and if push came to shove and had to settle for only one rod I'd choose the eight. But along the way tried some other lengths (and have more of them then the eights). Do a lot of my fishing setting in a canoe, more so then wading (includes the White River, too!). The niners work best for that canoe (sitting down is all I do - not standing!) - Have tried a 10 footer but did not like how it cast/handled like the 9, and I think I gave it a real try (an eBay customer now owns it).
Bottom line for me is the nine "fits" me for my style of fishing. AND the eight will work, too, if need be!
Just in case.......I assume you are aware of the "broken down" length?
I have a 9.5' BIIIX and the only drawback, for me personally, is that I can barely get into my largest suitcase diagonally. I prefer not to carry rods when traveling by plane on a fishing trip.
small brushy stream would be a pain with a 10' rod...
"Trust, but verify" - Russian Proverb, as used by Ronald Reagan
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