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.