Hi all,
Does anyone else seem to have a real penchant for fly rods in a particular length and line weight?
For me, I am really drawn to sweet 4wt rods in 7’9" - 8’ lengths. I guess because I sincerely enjoy covering ground on smaller headwater rivers and bigger creeks, mostly tossing dries and soft hackles. In this length, the rods are very light in hand, but still have a bit of versatility as far as mending, fly size, etc. Plus, a 4wt allows me to keep a good fish from diving under a logjam or rock ledge most of the time. And fishing nymphs and even smaller streamers is not out of the question.
I know that 5wt and 6wt rods, and even longer 4wts, are ultimately much more versatile in the big scheme of things, but…I guess it boils down to this configuration of rod is the most fun for the type of fly fishing I truly enjoy the most…smaller fish are still plenty of fun, plus it gives a little more butt strength to turn a larger fish away from obstructions than a lighter line weight rod can.
Anyway, what is your huckleberry, as far as a particular length and line weight…and why?
I like shorter rods myself. A lot of the streams around here are only about two or three rod lengths wide & covered with trees. Long rods seem to want me to leave flies in those trees. Bringing a good fish to hand on lite weight equipment is satisfying to say the least. I take longer rods & heavier equipment when I go to the ‘big water’ but by and large the short stuff getts the nod.
Surprisingly I like a 9’ rod with a 5 weight reel/line. That’s been the setup I’ve had the most success with even on small streams. According to the books I guess I could be using a 2/3 or 4 weight set up but I’m not. At least for the time being.
I just bought a Three Forks 8’ from Cabela’s and am wondering how it will be to cast with a shorter rod this coming summer. It’s a 5 weight and will be paired with a reel of the same weight. in the scheme of things six to twelve inches may not be much but we’ll see if I can catch any fish.
Good question. It will be interesting to read the responses.
Nope, nobody here is obsessive in any way. Really.
I tend not to be that way, mainly because once I have a rod in a wt/length, then I get something different to fill a gap in the lineup. So my 3wts run from 6 to 9 1/2 feet, for instance.
I prefer shorter rods too, and most of my trout rods are 4wts too. My favorite small-stream rod is a 7ft 4wt, that has a soft, nice medium action. A SA Trout line on it is a perfect match. I fish bigger waters with a 8ft 4wt that is quite faster in action than the 7 footer, and it throws a dry fly on the Cortland “peach” 4wt line like a dream, plus soft hackles and some nymph rigs. I even smallmouth bass fish with a TFO TiCr-X 7.5 ft 6wt. I have an unusual sidearm casting style and the shorter rods seem to suit my tastes better and match my casting stroke better. I’ve got some 9 footer rods and have owned so many in the past I cant remember them all, but now find myself only looking at 8ft and under rods.
I think it depends on the water you fish the most. My go to rod on most waters I fish is an 8’6" 4 weight. It gives me the best match of utility and fun on medium to large waters with medium to somewhat large fish. But I like my 8’ 3 weight glass rod on small streams with small fish, enjoy my 10’ 4 weight on medium streams in the winter, and use my 9’ 6 weight mostly on still waters or when it is really windy.
I’d probably have more favorites for specific situations if I had more rods. As it stands, they are all my favorite “kids”.
I tend to like small rods also. I have a 5’9" paired with a J Austin Forbes magnesium and a 4wt DTF line. My next set up is a 6’6" with a Redington drift and 3wt line. I just bought the Fenwick Feather light rod and matched the up with a Phlueger 1494 and 5wt like. On the other end of the spectrum, I want to get into salt water surf fishing and working on paying off a 9’ 13 wt rod, reel and line. So there you have it.
I have more rods than necessary. They run from 7’ 6" to 10’ and vary from 2 to 6 weight. I really don’t like fishing with anything shorter than the 7’ 6". I use the longer lighter rods when fishing for fish and keep and the heavier rods when I am doing catch and release. My two favorite rods are 9 ft 3 weight and a 9’9" 5 weight.
I do travel around the western US some. Because of that I like some multi-piece rods which can easily be put into luggage or transported. Many times when I am at my destination, I make a change of plans. This change may mean a shorter or longer rod would be easier to fish with. Therefore I usually take shorter (7’-8’) and something in the 9’ range on a trip. Overall if I HAD to choose one rod, it would be a 9’ 4 wt multi piece. However, I do own different types, lengths, and weights of rods. Probably the best way to say it would be to use the right tool for the situation.
I use a number of different length rods. Most common rods for me are 8 1/2’ and 8’ 8" 4 and 3 wt’s because they fit the type of stream I spend most of my trout fishing on in the Midwest. I have an 8’ rod that I thought I’d use more for dry fly fishing, but I lean on the aforementioned more.
I use the longest rod I can get away with for mending purposes, and if I can use a 9’ rod for my trout fishing, I do, in 4 and 5 wt’s. I have a 6 wt. but I’ve yet to use it.
For Steelhead and Salmon on Great Lakes tributary fishing, I use 10’ 7 and 8 wt. rods. I like the extra foot for mending long belly steelhead taper lines on big water with my 8 wt. and I like the extra foot on the 7 wt. not only for mending, but for high stick nypmhing for Steelehad. I also like the length to help protect the lighter tippet I sometimes use in low/clear water for Steelhead.
I love the 7-8 length in trout rods. Here in WI there arent any big freestone rivers close by or anything to warrant a longer rod. The shorter sticks are great for those smaller brushy creeks and meadow streams. On the other hand, smallie fishing I would probably do better with a longer rod much of the time but I use one of those Sage bass rods for that too unless I am looking to cover a lot of water, for that I have a 7 weight switch rod which I am growing to love. As it is, I have a bunch of rods, all but 2 are shorter than 8 feet, the switch at 11’ and an 8’6" 5 weight for the trips west and the odd larger river around here.
90% of my trout fishing is done with a 8 1/2’ 4wt. Sometimes I will use a 7’ 4wt. 80% of my fishing for smallmouth, largmeouth, wipers and carp is done with a 9’ 8wt. Sometimes I will use a 9’ 6wt.
Most of my fly-fishing is done in public ponds for bluegills, crappies, and the by-catch of bass & catfish. I use 9’ 5wts for this. I like the 9’ rod, as there is typically a wide shallow shelf near shore covered with algae and the longer rod helps reach beyond the algae (not always…during summer the shoreline algae mats can reach out 20’ or more…but at any rate the longer rod HELPS). The 5wt allows me to cast a fair distance with size 12 to 6 flies, and gives me a chance of casting some heavier/larger/wind resistant flies if I decide to switch species while at the pond and specifically target bass or catfish. 9" bluegill will provide an excellent fight on 5wt…I’ve had them take extra line from my hand even when I was trying to hold the line tight! A decent bass or catfish will give you all the fight you ever wanted on a 5wt, and you WILL feel under-gunned.
I’ve used 8.5’ 5wts. They work fine, but I prefer the 9-footers.
I will pick up my heavier rods (6wt-8wt) if I’m going to be fishing the warmwater rivers, or targeting largemouth, smallmouth, white bass/wipers, carp or catfish specifically.
I tend to use the rod best suited to a task. For native brook trout in the mountains of VA, I like short full flexers (favorites are a 6’6" Orvis Madison bamboo rod for 4wt and a 7’ 4/5 glass rod). For spring creek terrestrial fishing it’s a Scott G 7’7" for 4wt. Tailwater trout - 9’ 4wt-6wt. James river shad, stripers, and Great Lakes/PNW lake/sea-runs: those get the 11’ - 13’ switches and speys. I have a few 9’-10’ 6wt-8wt single-handers for small to medium Great Lakes streams and a 9’ 9wt for albies…
But if you break it down to what I fish most - then the shorter rods get the nod.
If it’s nine - it’ll be fine. While I fish four piece, nine footers in 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8 & 9 weights mostly. I’m a sucker for a 9’ - 4 weight. They just keep showing up at the casa.
All of my rods that i fish from 4wts to 9 wt are 9 feet long. i do have a couple old fiberglass rods that i started on that were 7 something to 8 something and i caught fish on them but 9 feet is my preference
A penchant for rod length and weight? Well, sort of, more or less.
For the larger rivers of eastern Washington and mainly western Montana, I use 11 foot 6 weight fast action graphite rods for nymphing from a drift boat.
My dry fly rods are 9 foot 5 and 6 weight medium action graphite fly rods. The 6 weight has become my favorite because it can cast a large skwala or big foam hopper even on a very windy day, which we get a lot of out west.
My lake fishing rods are 9 foot 5 & 6 weight rods, medium-fast action graphite.
For fishing the pocket water on small streams I use my 7 foot 4 weight bamboo rod.
For bass, I use the 7’6" graphite rods Sage produced for that purpose.
For single handed rods I have 4, 5, 6 and 8 wt rods all except one are 9’. The one is an 8’ 4 wt that I like for small streams and pools that have trees and brush that get in the way. I have used friends 10’ rods for nymphing. I like the 10’ for just that purpose and will at some point probably add one may be two to my quiver.
I’m inclined to agree with oldfrat, depends on the water. Mostly I fish 3 different creeks/streams not far from home. One calls for a 7’, 2/1, 4 wt. bamboo laced up with a #4 DT Terenzio line. Well…I kinda lied, the rod is now a 6’10"…and I still like it!!! It USED to be a 7 footer. Something to do with a back cast and a sycamore tree.
The other two streams generally see either a 7’6" Orvis Masdison, 5 wt. or an 8’6", 3/2 South Bend 323 that likes a #6 Terenzio DT.
Why? Because they work exceedingly well for me in the conditions and fish I’m most likely to encounter. And, because bamboo and silk compels my soul to smile.