I tend to prefer a little shorter rod and most of my rods are in the 8’6" and 8’ range. I have one 9’ rod. Anyway, I have been wondering lately if I should go with a longer rod, say 9’6" or 10’ for nymphing. The majority (99%) of the trout fishing I do here in Texas is nymphing, so I am wondering if I would benefit from a longer rod. What length rods does everyone here prefer for their nymphing?
As a companion question, how many folks carry 2 separate rods, one for nymphing and one for dries? Or do you prefer one “all-around” rod?
For big waters like the Madison, I use a 10 ft 5 wt GLoomis GLX classic. I use it for both nymphin and dries. When I fish smaller water like spring creeks, I go to my 9 ft 4 wt Targus Borger rod.
I go along with Silver Creek. I use my 9’9" 5 wt Loomis on larger rivers and my 9 ft 3 or 4 wt on smaller ones. If the creek is real brushy I go down to a 7’6" rod.
Depends on the river and nymphing style needed to get to the fish. If your thinking of EU style nymphing (Czech / Polish) or high stick…then the longer the better. A 10 to 10.5 ft 5 wt is my choice for that.
Otherwise I just use a 9ft 5 wt. (upstream, wet fly swing and indicator nymphing) ( the wet fly works well with a longer rod too)
If all you’re doing is nymphing (which it sounds like you are), then a longer rod would probably be best, especially for tight-line nymphing (or whatever else you want to call it). Personally, my favorite nymphing rod is my 8’ 6wt Steffen Bros. glass rod. I’m sacrificing a little bit in length but it has tremendous feel. Besides, long rod or short rod, you need to learn line management anyway (especially for nymphing at a distance). Once you can roll cast well & throw a nice stack mend out there, rod length becomes less important (at least to me).
Silver Creek, how do you like that Targus rod? I’m a Sage & Loomis guy, but have been considering buying one of the newer brand mid-priced rods. Targus and Echo are two that I am interested in. The two tip idea on the Echo rod intrigues me. Anyone try one?
I use my 10-footer whenever I’m able and try to make it my option every trip. I’m forced to go to shorter models on smaller streams, but I never go below a 9-footer.
Bruce
Hi Shane, a longer rod will give you more control, mending is easier at distance and even close in it makes it easier to keep as much line as possible off the water to reduce the chance of drag. Plus you will find you can fish a dry fly just as easily off a long rod as a short one and you will be able to handle longer leaders for when you need to go far and fine.
All the best.
Mike.
You’ve gotten some feedback on what rod folks like for nymphing.
Little about why though…
A longer rods helps with line management, especially if you are using an indicator or any technique where the line may be slack. The longer ‘lever’ you get with 9 foot or longer rod makes it easier to take up that slack quickly on a hookset. I won’t attempt to do the math here, but the arc distance traveled by the tip of a rod even 1/2 foot longer is significant.
If you are using a tight line technique, you have more lift available to hold line off of those annoying current breaks and eddies that will try to add bends and curves to your line (this makes it harder to feel the strike as well as effecting the depth and speed of the flies).
Some will say you can cast better/farther/easier with a longer rod…but casting is pretty much the operator, not so much the rod.
However, almost all fishing issues like this are subjective. If you already have an 8 1/2 or 9 foot rod, I’d not go by a longer one just for nymphing. Unless, of course, you want to. I’d never discourage anyone, well maybe one guy I know, from buying another rod.
You can learn to use what you have, and there is no really significant handicap between an 8 1/2 foot rod and a 10 foot rod in the hands of an angler skilled in it’s use.
I am fortunate to personally know Gary and so I was able to cast both the Pro Rods and the Light Touch Rods in prototype form. I also test casted rods that Gary designed for Cabela’s when Loomis was the OEM, and also when Gary designed the Horizon Series of fly rods for Thomas and Thomas.
I liked my Sages more than those rods. However, when I test casted the Targus fly rods, I liked them so much that I had Gary order me the Pro Series in 5 to 9 wt and the Light Touch Series in 3 to 5 wt. I had the fly rods before the Fly Shop in Redding got the fly rods. I like them so much I bought and paid for 8 of these rods.
Except for the GLoomis GLX Classics that I fish in Montana, I now use the Pro Series for bigger water and the Light Touch for my smaller local streams. I really like these fly rods.
Both the Targus and the Echo fly rods come with two tips. The Targus Fly rod tips are identical. I understand that the Echo tips are a fast and slow tip and are not identical.
Although I like the Targus Rods, I am a big fan of having folks actually casting the rods before buying. Unfortunately, there are so many fly rods out there and Targus has such a small market presence that not many folks have actually casted these rods. Those that have seem to really like these rods.
Here are a couple threads that contain comments on Targus rods.
I prefer the extra reach and mending capabilities of a longer rod, but after several years of using a 9’6" 5wt, I realized that the benefits, FOR ME, are not enough to offset the extra weight of the rod and effort it takes to use it. I prefer a 9ft 5 over a longer one now.
Everything is a compromise, and the balance point of any compromise can best be determined by the one who has to live with it.
I think you are getting the idea here, Yes, use a longer rod.
I use either my Sage XP or my Sage Z-Axis, both are the 6 weight, 11 foot rod styles.
Back about 10 years ago I was introduced to nymph fishing on the Missouri River in Montana. The people I went with suggested I buy a longer rod for nymphing. They were talking about 10 footers. I went to the Sage website and noticed that they had an 11 foot XP 6 weight that was originally designed for some English lakes across the pond. I figured that if I was going to spend that much (I love Sage rods) then I may as well get the most length I could get.
I have never regretted that decision. Either rod allows such an easy reach cast and a huge mend with minimum arm and shoulder movement that I found it a whole lot easier to cast and fish with when nymphing than the shorter 9 foot rods.
You will gain a massive amount of line control with a longer rod.
To answer your second question I’d have to say that I only carry one rod at any given time when I’m wade fishing - a 9ft. Sage RPL. A great rod for universal applications, but a bit soft in the wind. However, whenever I find myself in a driftboat I usually take two rods, one for nymphing and one for dry flies - I can switch out quickly and I can leave them rigged with the only need being to change to the fly I feel is the best choice.
That being said, I would like to build a 10ft. 6wt rod with a fairly fast line speed for my nymphing, but I just haven’t been able to justify the cost, or, let me reword that, I can’t afford the cost of some of the faster, longer rods of which I’m speaking. Someday soon.
I guess it really comes down to personal preference, and the fact that I catch a lot of fish with my current setup…:rolleyes:
I have a stream that has no obstructions. NONE. I use an 11’ six weight. I can cover so much water from one spot. I wish it were an 11’ 4wt. I had a blank sitting around. Just happens to be a 3wt 10’. I put a 1 foot extension on it…but haven’t put the guides on yet. Just an experiment. I have another small stream covered with trees. So, I made an 8" temporary grip/reel seat that I can slip on the tip section of this modified 10’ footer and fish with the 5’ tip section of this 2 piece rod. So I can fish it at 11’, or as a 5’. I don’t need 6 wt power for my stream. But it is very tippet protecting and love it on my stream. Allows me to sneak up to a cutbank and dapple a fly in, and still be 10’ from the stream. On my knees…well…