A fly fishing rod is used to cast and build up momentum in the fly fishing line, and is also used to control the direction and distance of your fly fishing line. Having a strong fly fishing rod is also essential to prevent fish trying to escape once they have bitten your ‘fly’. Therefore choose a rod that is of the correct size, strength (stiffness) for the type of fish you plan on catching. The following fly fishing rod guide will help you choose your ideal fly fishing rod.
Fly Fishing Rod Lengths And Sizes
The modern fly fishing rod is available in variety of lengths as well as in a variety of stiffnesses. Generally the stiffer the rod, the heavier the fly line is that you can use – and with heavier fly lines, you can use larger or more wind-resistant flies. If you want to purchase a five-weight fly fishing rod, your ideal fly fishing line will be a five-weight fly fishing line. A ten-weight fly fishing rod works best when a ten-weight fly fishing line is used. Different types of fishing require different rod/line requirements – for example trout fishing can be done with a 5-weight rod and line combination, whilst for salmon fishing, a 8-weight rod and line combination will be better.
In essence, varying fly line weights should match the fly fishing rod’s stiffness as well as load characteristics. As the size of the rod increases, it can accommodate the heavier line weights. It is therefore safe to assume that a heavy fly fishing line will require that the fly fishing rod be stiffer, and that in turn will ensure a better and more accurate cast. Note that even with identical weight categories, the rod can have various ‘actions’ or flex profiles, which is dealt with in the next section in this fly fishing rod guide…
Fly rod sizes are categorized by numbers, and the larger the number the larger the fly rod. For small trout, a light rod such as a number 3 rod will suffice. A heavier rod, such as an 11 or 12 weight rod should be used when you need to cast further, with big flies (e.g. fishing for Tarpon). A good all-rounded would be a 5 or 6 weight rod, which would allow you to Trout fish, and some Bass fishing as well. Salmon r Steelhead fishing will require a bigger rod, a 7-weight through to a 9-weight rod is ideal.
Choosing your rod length is also important. Smaller streams have tighter casting situations, and a shorter rod will be a better choice for these situations. Big rivers and salt water require a longer rod for increased casting distance and power.
Fly Fishing Rod Action
Another importance consideration in buying a fly fishing rod is the rod ‘action‘, which is the rod’s stiffness, as well the fly fishing rod’s recovery speed (how quickly the rod stops moving after the cast has been completed). One fly fishing rod may flex at different points to another fly fishing rod – it is quite common to find some fly fishing rods having very stiff properties near the butt while the tips of other rods will be more flexible. Fast action means your fly rod flexes near the tip, and a slow action means your rod flexes near the butt of the rod. Medium action comes somewhere in between. Beginners are better using a fast action rod, as it takes less effort to cast farther and more accurately.
The SAGE Launch range of fly fishing rods are Sage’s introductory range, aimed at the beginner angler, on a tight budget. These value-for-money fly rods have been designed using the same techniques used in Sage’s premier range of fly rods, the Xi2, so they deliver Sage quality and performance for a fraction of the cost of their top-end rods. These rods deliver high line speed and fly accuracy while transferring all the fish fighting feel to the angler. The two most popular rods in this range are the Launch 590, which the best all-around choice for a variety of Trout fishing conditions, and the Launch 890, which is a versatile rod for Steelhead, Salmon, Bonefish, Snoek, and Bass. Both rods come in a 2-piece or 4-piece version, the 4-piece being more compact and portable.
This will help me choose my first fly rod no doubt about it.
Thanks so much for the advice.
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