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Selecting The Right Fly Rod for Fly Fishing Beginners
HFG
Selecting a Rod for Fly Fishing- The most important part in equipping yourself for a fly fishing trip is the rod itself. Shopping for a new rod for even the most experienced Fly Fisherman can be a time consuming not to mention frustrating task, even more so for someone new to the art of fly fishing. I’ve put together here some of the basics of rod selection to give you a good start when you start the task of shopping for a fly rod.
First determine what type of fish you will be fishing for with your new fly rod. Fly fishing can be done for the smallest of native trout right up to huge fish out of the ocean. Most of us will be using our fly rods for stream, or bank fishing where the fish are medium sized at best. You must determine what fish you will be pursuing with this rod before making your selection. A poorly matched rod will only serve to limit your angling experience.
Once you know what you want to catch with your new fly rod the next step is to determine what type of rod will be best for you. The four actions of fly rods are: Fast action- which are stiffer and bend more at the tip and are often used for longer casts in windy conditions.
Medium action- which as the name implies fall in the mid-range of actions. They are more limber and many suggest them for
Beginning Fly Anglers.
Slow Action- these rods are by far the most flexible and bend throughout. They are generally considered the most accurate of
Fly rods, but due take some getting used to. Excellent for delicate presentations.
Your next step is to select the type of material your fly rod will be made of. The three most popular are Fiberglass, Graphite and Composites.
Fiberglass is the most popular rod material out there today. It is usually less expensive and very durable. A fiberglass rod is an
Excellent choice for someone just learning the art as it lends itself well too many fishing situations.
For the sake of the article I will include Graphite and Composite rods together. These are the lightest of rods and suit most
Situations well. They are by far better at casting than fiberglass. Last, but not least like many of today’s regular fishing rods
They will give you better fighting power while landing your catch.
Next determine the Fly Line Weight for your rod. Fly line is measured in weight. Manufacturers mark their line weight by a scale of 1 to 14
With one being the lightest and of course 14 being the heaviest for fly fishing. Different weights are designed for different species, sizes and circumstances of your fishing trip. Remember that you must match your flys with the size of fly line you are using. In layman’s terms the line is the weight of your sinker in regular fishing. If you use a small fly on a large line your casting will be difficult, even more so when you use a large fly on a small line. Once again it all depends on what you plan to fish for.
Weights of 1-3 are best for small fish, small flies and in short casting situations.
4 are best for small fish, but with longer casting distance required.
5-7 is middle of the road. These weights fishes well in most all situations.
7-8 is designed for large freshwater fish as well as some saltwater species.
9 and above is for saltwater fishing and the largest of freshwater species.
To match your fly rod to the correct line is easy. Manufacturers of fly fishing rods mark the best line match for the rod on the handle. The match is determined by the power and stiffness of the rod. As an example an 8-weight fly rod is designed for an 8 weight line. The markings are usually marked as #8/9’ this represents an eight weight line on a 9 foot rod.
Determining the length- Like a broken record this once again depends on the where you will be fly fishing and what for. Much of this is common sense. For short casting in tight areas always choose a smaller rod at 7 foot. For open areas where casting distance is important choose a longer rod such as a 12 foot rod. For most beginners a 7 foot rod is more than adequate.
I hope this brief article on fly fishing rod selection helps. I highly suggest your rent, or buy one of the many fly fishing instructional videos on the market today. Their an excellent way to begin to master the sport and offer expert instruction.
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