I am looking to but a new 5 wt rod. I currently have Sage SLT 590-4 which is a medium-fast taper. I want to get another 4 pc, 5 wt rod, but with a fast taper. Since I mainly fish for trout on lakes and wide streams, I am looking at a rod length of 9, 9.5, or 10 feet. Having mostly fished with fly rods that are 9 feet, will I find a noticable difference by going to a 9.5 or 10 foot rod? If so, which of the two length would you recommend and why?
A faster and longer rod will make it easier for distance casting, but harder for short casts, especially if its a very fast rod. I think a 9 foot rod is long enough, I havent seen too many 10 foot 5 wts. If wind or distance is a problem you might as well get a heavier rod wt.
Ian
Ian,
A faster and longer rod will make it easier for distance casting
Hmmm… curious whether you are suggesting that a rod longer than 9’ (say 9’6" or 10’) may increase casting distance over the base length of 9’?
Cheers,
Hans W
=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
The only noticeable difference with a rod longer than 9 ft. that I can think of is that your arm will become tired more quickly. I have an old Sage RPL 10’ 5 wt. that I haven’t used in a long time. I couldn’t cast any further, but I did get tired more quickly.
Larry Compton
I’m thinking of a 6# with a fast action to really see any differance.
I fish with a 10ft rod sometimes on the Tongariro, it makes mending at distance much easier but it does not increase my casting distance. The only way to cast further is to increase your line speed and stopping power with any length rod.
All the best.
Mike.
Well, we may as well confuse the issue real good.
Noticeable difference…? Easier to mend line in your moving water? Isn’t that what they claim of spey rods?
We also have the rod Canoeman speaks of. We LOVE it! Seems to pick up more line over the poop we toss in. Though we don’t utilize mending very much, the rod seems to do real well when it’s tried. We DO NOT get tired tossing it. But then we are often tossing a 10wt all day with big bugs for LM’s and stripers.
??? lee s. ??? 
Some of the sales rep I have spoken to have suggested that I consider a 9.5 or 10 foot rod over a 9 since I mainly fish lakes. They have also stated that if I were to fish from a float tube or pontoon boat that fly rods of 9.5 or longer are better suited for sitted fishing.
Not getting a warm fuzzing feeling from their explainations, I thought best to ask here before making a decision.
[This message has been edited by TyroneFly (edited 02 April 2006).]
Tyrone,
My fishing buddy uses a Sage 9.5’ 5wt for float tube fishing our favorite lakes in NorCal. I use a Legend Ultra for tubing, it’s fast. If you’re a Sage fan try casting the XP at San Jose Fly Shop. I sometimes wish for a 6 wt when it’s windy although if it’s really windy I won’t be out in my Fishcat.
I think a question that hasn’t been brought up is how do you fish? Float tube? Drift Boat/ Wading river/stream, how deep and wide? Lake or pond? Canoe or Kayak? What are the conditions? Wind? Dry fly or wet? We can go on and on here. All this will help determin how long a rod you want and what will be best for you. IMOHO. For your conditons,my all around rod would be a 8-1/2 7 wt. There will be lots of you with other favorites and idea for sure. But then, thats why we post and ask these questions. Jonezee
[This message has been edited by Jonezee (edited 02 April 2006).]
Tyronefly,
You will often see adverstising hype, sometimes repeated by flyshop staff, that a longer rod will benefit a float tuber since it will help keep the backcast off the water.
Well, if your back cast is hitting the water, that is because you are throwing the backcast down. If you go to a long rod, you will just hit the water a bit farther back. If you throw your backcast up, you won’t it the water whether you are fishing a 7 ft rod or a 10ft rod.
I have a couple of 9ft 8wt rods and a 9.6 ft 8wt rod and find no practical difference between the two. I can cast each just as far.
I do find longer rods a benefit for mending line but they also wear me out a bit faster.
TyroneFly,
A 10’ rod will (should!) keep your line 2 1/2’ higher in the air than my 7 1/2’ rod while casting from a float tube. It will probably keep your fish 1 1/2’ further away from the net as you try to land it too! 
Application of GOOD casting skills is FAR more advantageous than longer rods in overcomming defeciencies in casting while sitting.
…lee s.
[This message has been edited by lee s (edited 02 April 2006).]
Jonezee,
When I fish lakes, they ones I have been to can be as deep as 50 or more feet. Generally I fish lakes whereby I wade in ankle to waist deep. It can be either dry or wet fishing depending on the structure of the lake.
Greg F,
Did you go to SJ Flyshop’s spring fair this past Saturday? This was my second year at their show and I enjoyed it a lot. The casting seminars were very informative.
To add my $0.02. I recently bought a 10 ft 5wt. (TFO- I know made in Korea, but it feels so right and the price…BONUS)
Anyway, I got out to the river today using WF5F Superfine with a 5’ furled leader with 4’ of tippet and I tell you, I love my boo, but this just turned into my go to rod.
It was breezy today, but I was able to cast a good distance but to top it off, I could mend all that line with ease.
My first choice was the St. Croix, but I liked the feel of the TFO better, but I did have a chance to try them out side by side.
Wasn’t sure that I would like the grip, but it worked fantastic with the length.
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Tyrone,
No, I missed it. I got snowed in in Truckee Friday night when they closed I80 westbound.
Our club has a casting instructor that showed me how to slow down and feel my casting stroke for my new moderate action 4 wt rod. I got so used to the faster rod. Seems what I lack in finesse, I try to make up for with power. Doesn’t work.
Greg
If you held a rod straight up (which you do not) while mending line the point where the line meets the water 30’ away will increase only slightly by using a 6" longer rod.
As the rod tip is lowered towards horizontal that difference in distance where the line meets the water will be even less.
I think technique plays a much bigger roll in line mending than rod length.
[This message has been edited by Buzz (edited 03 April 2006).]
Hi Tyrone. I think I’m with the others, in that why the long length? There are specialized situations where a longer rod will do a better job, but day in and day out there is a (real) old rule of thumb that says that a good length of rod is 1.5 times your height. I think that there is some truth to that in that I like the way that <9 ft rods handle for me. I’m 5’10", and I like the balance and feel of rods in the 8 1/2 ft range. You’re looking at some long rods there - do you need it? Just my 2c.
Bob
Fly Goddess…pls state what action your new 10’ 5wt is. You obviouslydidn’t have to overline it. Just curious with that long a rod what action you like on it? I am going to build a 3,4,&5 wt…but not sure what action to aim for. I fish mostly lakes from a float tube.
Tyrone…this is a good thread, lots of good info I never knew. But, you have a curiosity about a 10’ rod. You need to fish with one to satisfy that…“I Wonder” little thing in your brain. I am at the point where I am going to build a 10 footer now…just because I want to…and I don’t even know what to expect. But I will know after I have done it.
Gem
Plain Old Jim
The TFO Pro is (to me) a med. to med/fast action (a lttle softer than the St Croix Avid). I do want to try Czech/Polish nymphing and on the forums they mention slow action, but Ryan Barnes told me to try a faster action, so I tried the St Croix, then I went to the Expo, and tried the TFO and I feel it has much more to offer instead of a once in awhile.
And roll casts…WOW!
The river I was fishing yesterday houses fish from 6" to 24" and I could feel everything, setting the hook was a breeze.
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.