A Guide to Selecting a Fly Fishing Rod

Buying a fly fishing rod today can be quite confusing as fly fishing rods are made from many different types of material, come in different lengths and varying degrees of stiffness. Buying the correct fly fishing rod in extremely important, as the fly rod is one of the more important pieces of fly fishing equipment that you will buy. The oldest and most basic fly fishing rod is the classic bamboo fly rod. Although it may look like a work of art, a bamboo fly fishing rod costs more and weighs more that the modern fly fishing rods made today.

1. Rod Materials

Fly fishing rod are manufactured using the following materials:

• Fiberglass – Commonly used in the less expensive fly rods. These rods are generally used more by beginners, and fiberglass rods are normally more durable than graphite rods. You can use these fly rods for most types of fishing.
• Graphite – More expensive than fiberglass rods. Fly fishing rods made of graphite are lighter, which make them easier to cast more accurately. Graphite rods also have greater fighting power. Beginner and expert anglers can use these fly fishing rods.

2. Rod Action

Rod action is the amount of stiffness in the rod, and how much the rod will flex when you are casting or are fighting a fish. The action of a fly rod can categorized as:

• Slow-Action – These rods have the most bend or flexibility. These fly rods can be difficult for beginner anglers to learn to control, but these rods have more accuracy when it comes to short-range casting. Use these fly fishing rods to catch light fish.
• Medium-Action -These rods bend in the middle of the rod and at the rod tip. These fly fishing rods are ideal rods for beginner anglers, and can be used for both long-range and short-range casting.
• Fast-Action – Beginners find these rods difficult to handle. These stiff rods only flex at the rod tip, and are good rods for long-range casting, and reeling in large fish. The casting accuracy of these rods do not match those of the slow-action rods.

3. Rod Weight

The weight of the fly fishing rod you choose should match the weight of the fly line you intend using. The rod weight is not an indication on how much the rod itself weighs – this rod weight tells you what fly line weight the rod has been designed to use. Fly line weights are categorized 1 to 15, and you choose your fly line weight according to the fish you intend catching:

• 1 to 3 Weight – Small trout and other small fish using small flies.
• 4 weight – Small to medium sized trout and other similar sized fish with small to medium flies.
• 5 or 6 Weight – Medium sized trout, small bass and other similar sized fish using small to large flies.
• 7 or 8 Weight – Large trout and bass. Streamers and larger flies are suitable.
• 9 Weight and Above – Steelhead, salmon, and saltwater fish with saltwater flies.

4. Rod Length

The length of a fly rod determines the action of the rod. Shorter fly fishing rods have a slower action than longer fly rods, but they are better suited to fly fishing in tight confined spaces than longer fly fishing rods. Fly fishing rod length can be categorized as:

• Short (less than 8 feet) – Use in tight fishing situations where bush, trees or stream size restrict your movement.
• Medium (8 feet – 9 feet) – Recommended rod length for trout and bass fly fishing. Using these rods, you can cast longer distances and reel in more weight.
• Long (longer than 9 feet) – Ideal choice for longer casting and fishing for big-game fish.

Take a look at the fly fishing rod guide for novices for more information about fly rods, and how to choose a fly fishing rod.

For more information about the sport of fly fishing, take a look at the news feed for Fly Fishing Elite (Feedraider.com).

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