I have been noticing a trend lately with folks who fish rivers and tailwaters for trout using 10’ rods in trout weights (mainly 4,5,6wt’s). Most folks fishing graphite fly rods still seem to stick to the “standard” 9’ 5wt for river trout fishing. Myself, having started with an 8’6" 5wt while fishing larger freestone streams and smaller rivers, I still find myself gravitating to this length rod. I have a 586-4 Sage Z-axis that I just can’t seem to put down lately. That coming from a guy who typically likes medium action graphite, and faster fiberglass rods.
I have owned and fished quite a few 9’ 5wt rods and never felt like I really gained much except the slight advantage of mending. Everytime I have handled and cast anthing longer than 9’, I can’t seem to get over the “tippyness” feeling. Just can’t imagine casting one all day: even with the advances in rod design which have allowed for lighter postal scale weights. I am curious to see what advantages folks who fish the longer trout rods feel they have. I am not seeking a longer rod to fish. Perhaps I am just curious to find out if I am in the minority perfering to fish an eight and a half footer?
I have owned a couple 9’6" rods in my day, and feel that, for me, the extra length’s advantage in mending and such does not make up for the extra mass I have to move around. I prefer rods in the 8-9 foot range.
The longer rods are advantageous for mending and getting the line higher if fishing from float tubes, etc. That being said, I fish from neither and prefer the 8.5’ and 9’ also.
I have several 9 foot fly rods, and a few 8 1/2 foot fly rods. I’ve built most of my rods, and 8 1/2 footers were either factory rods I ended up with or blanks that I got really good deals on.Frankly, I can’t tell any difference in the way either casts, given the same line weight and action… The extra six inches doesn’t present any difference in casting feel for me, so I tend to use the rod based on what line or technique it’s rigged for.When I buy blanks now I buy 9 footers. May as well get the benefit of the little bit of extra reach.Good Luck!Buddy
I have an 8’ 6" 4wt, a 9’ 6wt, and a 10’ 9wt. On the other hand I have 12’ and 13’ 6" Tenkara rods I use in the same streams I use the 8’ 6" or the 10’. I’ve been considering a small 2wt in the 6’ or 7’ range for really brushy streams. The rod I choose (length) depends on the size of the stream, species, and condition of the banks. I’m not sure I choose one over the other solely on length.
I think the longer rods in trout weight lines are primarily for European type nymphing techniques. Longer rod, less line, but more leader on the water.
I started using a 10’, 5wt., Scott G series back in 1985, when Scott would make up custom rods…I have a number of 4-6wt. rods in longer lengths and really find them advantageous for windy conditions, high water and larger rivers here in the West…
My son, Michael, is using a Loomis 10’, 5wt. Streamdance and the “OLD” guy (in the B.G), has the 10’, 5wt. Scott…on the East Walker River, Bridgeport, CA…
[i]“I have a number of 4-6wt. rods in longer lengths and really find them advantageous for windy conditions, high water and larger rivers here in the West…”
[/i]Planet,
Curious how a longer rod would be better in windy conditions. Seems to me that a longer rod would be hard to swing in a stiff wind than a shorter one. Is it easier to create more line speed with less effort kinda thing?
My ideal rod is a 10.5 footer. I do mostly fish saltwater but I have a couple 10.5 foot six weights that I will use for the freshwater trout. I would love to be able to get a hold of a 10.5 three or four weight though. Length over 10.5 feet does get a little bit cumbersome for one hand, I had an 11 foot six weight and although I liked it, I didn’t replace it when I broke it.
I like the way a longer rod feels and although it is a bit heavier than a shorter rod I find it more effortless to cast, you get a little bit more tip speed. A heavier reel takes away some of the tip heaviness feeling. I like the reach that a longer rod gives once the line is on the water. The longer reach means I can pick up more line and move it farther for a mend. The reach also keeps my casts up a little higher and to pick up a longer line off the water for the next cast. It also gives me a bit more flexibility for better roll and change of direction casts.
When fishing nymphs on our larger western rivers I use 11 foot 6 weight rods (Sage XP and Z-Axis). The main reason for this is that casting with a nymphing outfit is not pretty nor easy (two flies, split shot, strike indicator). So, the 11 foot rods allow for one easy cast to get my line back up river to where I want it and the reach cast and mend you can get is fantastic. The 11 foot rod also acts as a great shock absorber so when you get a large trout on the line it is easier and quicker to get them in because the rod is absorbing their fight so you don’t have to let out hardly any line fearing you will break off the fish when it tries to make a run.
For dry fly fishing on those rivers I use 9 foot rods, both a 5 weight Sage VPS Light and a 6 weight Sage ZXL, both are a medium action rod and allow for great accuracy when casting a dry fly even in a strong wind.
When it comes to fishing pocket water in small streams I break, whoops, wrong word :), bring out my Steve Pennington 4 weight 7 foot bamboo rod, a fantastic rod for small streams and over hanging brush.
I love to use my longer rods, (I have an 11ft switch and a 10ft #7 and a 9’6 #7) I find in the wind the extra line speed they generate can be a huge advantage and as I do a fair bit of long range nymphing the easier mending is also good.
On the down side they do take a little more effort to cast.
All the best.
Mike
In a brisk wind, I am usually using the 6wt. - nymphing and using the hydraulics of the water to load the rod and casting more on a horizontal, rather than, vertical plane…it works for me…
The other part is the longer the rod the harder it is to stop…which means more work. Might explain why you feel more tired at the end of the day when fishing a longer rod.
I am mainly a nymph fisherman. I just purchased an Orvis Helios in the 10’, 4wt. and I like it alot. However, when I change streams, say the next day, and switch to the 6’, 3wt. it does take a few casts to get in the groove…
Long rods, one handed rods, means greater reach and does not equate to higher line speed except in the hands of a highly muscled tourny caster and even then he may do better with the old nine foot rod. Reach equates to pocket fishing, high sticking, and above all mending. I love my nine ft and may even go to a ten for rods under six weight but once I reach that magic seven weight, I stick to nine and shorter. My real cannon was an eight foot nine inch RPLX nine weight! If I could get them, I’d have eight foot rods in that nine through twelve arena!
Chuck S wrote:
“Long rods, one handed rods, means greater reach and does not equate to higher line speed except in the hands of a highly muscled tourny caster and even then he may do better with the old nine foot rod”
I think a longer rod will give you more tip speed. Think of the old crack the whip game. While the guy at the axis of the whip barely moves the guy at the end moves at very high speed and the longer the whip the faster he moves.
I have used long rods for a long time and while they are heavier and more wind resistant I like the advantages they give you like more line control and better leverage for strong hooksets. Of course you having better leverage for a hookset means the fish has better leverage on you too. One of the first things I noticed when I began using long rods was that little fish seemed to pull harder and big fish pull really hard. I also noticed if I hooked a big fish with a soft, tearable mouth, ie. a carp, on a small hook the hook tended to pull out when I got the fish in and wanted to land the fish. My solution to that was to stick with a long rod but go to a more flexible one.
Think back on when you first started fly fishing, yea I know, for some of us that is a long way to think back. But, when you first started fly casting your arm got real tired, real fast. But, your muscles adjusted to the action and after a while you could cast just about all day and not have excessive pain in the old arm or shoulder.
Casting a long 10 foot or 11 foot rod single handed is much the same thing. There is a short adjustment period until your arm muscles get used to the longer rod but then you find out just how much easier it is to make a reach cast and how super easy it is to toss in a large mend with just a flick of the wrist as compared to having to use your whole arm and shoulder to get a decent mend. Then you begin to realize just how nice a long rod is for certain kinds of fishing. In my case, nymph fishing large rivers.
Since I got used to the long rods I have only nymphed with 9 foot rods a few times and it really hurts my arm and shoulder to try to cast a decent mend as compared to the long rod.
Buy one, fish with it for a while and you will see just how effective the longer rods can be.
I picked up a Sage XP 4100 on an whim, and reading this has me looking forward to trying it. Too bad there are no trout streams in South Texas. I haven’t even lined it yet. I mainly like fishing dries with my 490 LL when I have the opportunity to fish for trout, but couldn’t let the opportunity to pick this one up pass me by. I hope I like it as much as you like your long XP.
I mainly fish lakes out of a tube. Years ago I had a Scott G 10’ 5 wt and did not like it. It was allot of work to fish, it was slow and tiring. So for years I used nothing longer than 9’. Last year I assembled a Sage 99 5 wt. and think this is the finest lake rod I have ever fished. I then bought a Echo 3 10’ 5 wt. and love this rod. These rods are great for bobber fishing out of the tube and lob multi fly rigs with little effort. As already stated little fish pull hard and big fish pull really hard on these longer rods. With todays’ space age materials and advanced tapers, these long rods and light, easy to cast and not nearly as tiring as long rods from years ago. The Echo also is great for dries and fishing little bugs in the film. This past season I have had a blast fishing my 9’9" and 10’ rods.
