1 Answer

 Tip:  You can catch more flies with honey!

What length of rod is right for me? In order to answer that question you really need to be thinking about the type of water you plan to fish. Will you be fishing small Brook Trout streams in the Appalachians that you could practically hop across... or wide open western rivers? Will you be fishing something in between like a 50' wide wadable spring creek? Will you be fishing for Bonefish in the flats... or Large mouth Bass on a lake? Will you be fishing from a boat... or maybe a float tube or kayak? All of these things need to be taken into consideration.

Of course, the other major factor in selecting a fly rod is determining what line weight is appropriate for the fishing you plan to do. The size and species of fish you plan to pursue will largely determine the line weight for you. Many authorities will recommend a certain line weight for a certain species of fish that will create the most "sporting" situation for the angler. Often, these recommendations are a bit under-weighted, and result in overplaying fish during a fight.

The following is a list of ideal lengths (and weights) for particular fly fishing scenarios:

• Typical sized trout in a typical wadable trout stream- 8'6" to 9', 4 to 6 wt


• Small trout in small overgrown mountain streams- 6' to 7'6", 2 to 3 wt


• Large trout, Steelhead, and salmon in mid-sized to large rivers- 9' to 10', 7 to 9 wt


• Czech nymphing (or similar technique) for trout in a mid-sized to large river- 9'6" to 10'6", 4 to 6 wt


• Bonefish on the flats- 9', 8 wt


• Permit or large Striped Bass from a boat- 9', 10 to 11 wt


• Adult Tarpon from a boat- 9', 12 wt


• Smallmouth Bass in a 40' to 50' wide wadable creek with overhanging branches- 7'6" to 8'6", 6 to 8 wt


• Big Largemouth Bass in a lake, fishing from a bass boat- 9', 7 to 9 wt


• Bluegill (and other panfish) from a boat- 9', 4 to 6 wt


• Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass from a kayak- 7'9" to 8'3", 7 to 9 wt

This list is certainly not all inclusive, and may be a source of debate for some anglers, but should give you a rough idea of what you might need for your particular brand of fly fishing. If you're still a bit unsure, turn to the experts at your local fly shop. Just remember, under-weighting your rod so you will have to play fish to exhaustion in order to land them is never good for the fish. Responsible catch and release anglers use appropriately sized rods to land fish efficiently and release them quickly.

Above all, have fun selecting and fishing your first fly rod... there's a good chance it won't be your last.

http://www.examiner.com/article/fly-fishing-basics-the-long-and-short-of-fly-rod-length