fly fishing: rod choice, line weight question

[coldfront]

maybe Big Jim can weigh in?  anyone else.
looking to start the process of getting a fly rod.  been without one now for 12-13 years.

key aspects:  chasing largemouth, smallmouth with some trout tossed in at times (can be big river, wide open spaces like the Platte up in Wyoming, gunnison in colorado)  so wind can be a factor at times.
thinking 7 or 8 weight.  Probably 7... but wanting to toss mouse flies for trout, possibly have something that 'could' move to redfish or an occasional pike trip.

I vascillate between 7 vs 8wt.

thoughts, directions?

my favorite rod  of all time that I've fished (used on a guided trip) was a Sage XP (probably 10 or more years ago).  I like fast/xfast actions for crisp casts and tight loops.  consequence of learning to heave these things in high velocity KS winds...

[bigjim5589]

Coldfront, I can't help you much with specific brands or models. What I use are mostly moderate action and now older technology as I've tended to keep what I have since it does what I need. I have not purchased a fly rod in several years. I very much have liked TFO, but there are many good brands, and even some excellent composite glass rods are being produced. Also, all that I have are single hand rods, and two hand rods have become quite popular, as they're now produced in various weights & lengths and can have advantages over single hand rods particularly in river/stream environments.

As far as the weight, I agree that a 7 or 8 wt is possibly the most appropriate for what you say you want from the setup. Either one will allow you to cast larger flies, compared to lighter weight rods and you probably won't need a heavier weight.

I know of many folks who say they use 4 to 7 wt setups for streamers when targeting big trout, and I'm sure that really depends on the waters, their skill level and the size of the flies they use. My idea of a big streamer (6" and longer) is certainly different than many of them, (2" to 4" usually)  since I target LM bass or Striped Bass. However, some of the trout streamers now are heavily weighted. ( See flies by Kelly Galloup as they are very popular.)

I use a 10 wt here at Santee Cooper for bass, sometimes casting 8" streamers, and used it in MD waters, but that was my choice, as I began to want to use very large flies and to enable getting any bass that I hooked out of heavy vegetation or snags. My thought here is no different than using a heavy casting outfit for jigs or punch jigs. I also can use a 6, 7, 8 or 9 wt, for these waters, all just having more limitations for the larger or heavier flies and how nasty the snags and vegetation might be. I'm sure that you already know, each has their inherent limitations.

I have used an 8 wt for Redfish, on shallow grass flats and it was plenty of rod for both handling them and casting the flies longer distances ( over 50'). I think I might want at least a 9 wt if targeting the big Bull reds often, but that's me and again, a matter of choice.

Lines now too have become very specialized and the right combination of line & rod can also allow casting larger and heavier flies, with some of the lighter weight rods.  I progressed from fishing with basic weight forward lines, to a heavy shooting head with running line, and I have other lines that are WF and intended for casting large or heavy flies. Rio, Scientific Anglers, Cortland and Orvis all have such lines and there's some lesser known that are getting mentioned in fly fishing forums, being used by folks chasing Steelhead, Salmon or just larger fish.  I have all these brands and frankly, see little difference as far as one over another, but if I had to choose only one, it would probably be SA or Cortland, as their lines seem to be the most consistent to me for performance & longevity.

I wish I could add more, but it's usually best to go to a shop & cast several rods to see what you think will best fit both your intended purposes and your budget, particularly if that can be done with various lines on the same rod.

[D.W. Verts]

My Tennessee brother- you're gonna get hooked. I mean, you're gonna LIKE it.

Don't be too cheap. You don't have to spend a ton either, but the rod is the thing. The reel just stores line. Literally.

I only have one "bass" rod and it's an 8 that I bought last year. A 7 weight would be better over all for most bass fishin', but I like to throw some pretty big bugs and streamers (I just tied some up that are almost seven inches long). A 7 weight will handle a ton of stuff, and will be easier for a beginner. I could easily step up to a 9 or 10 weight for big bass, but I like what I'm doing so far.

I also have two 5-weights and I've got a load of bass (I have videos) on them with smaller poppin' bugs and streamers. And they're great for bream and trout, too. I don't ever see a reason to own lighter than that, and I don't know what a 6 weight would do for me.

I'm using a Rio 8 weight forward floating line. Even with the streamers, 'cuz I'm also fishing them on top. A sinking tip would make more sense, but I'm not THAT ate up with it. Yet.

Spend $150 on a rod, and $40-$50 on a reel. Some of the Bass Pro combos are cool. I really like an 8' rod overall, but my 8 weight is only 7-1/2', because "they" said it was a better length for big baits. I don't know- I'm used to the 8 and 8-1/2 footers. It's okay, but I think it's a little short.

I really want to try this in saltwater someday. I've always wanted to try for a Tarpon, Lefty Kreh style. Good luck with it, chief.

Dale

[Bud Kennedy]

Dale, we have some guides here that specialize in fly fishing for Tarpon and Red Drum.  Tarpon and Drum are plentiful here and it does look like a hoot although I am not a fly fisherman and does not appeal to me but you fly rod guys would love it.

[coldfront]

dale,taught myself to flyfish at 16.  have been able to target bluegill, bass... and the most fun:  carp when they're sucking down cottonwood seeds.

carp on the dryfly.  yessir...  learned fast that I needed better hooks and stronger tippets.
have been fortunate to get to be on a couple great float trips in my life (and will do the Cody Wyoming/Platte trip again for sure).  those are fun.


first fly rod was a model I purchased at Kmart.  reel was a martin... very light, cheap 'stamped' thing.  later upgraded to one of the first composites (graphite/glass) that I spent a whole $35 on...

gonna spend a bit of money on this next, last rod.  and reel.  so spending a bit of time looking/thinking.

[BassmanRudy]

I just got into fly fishing. Went with a Redington 4pc 9' 6 weight to cover bream/trout/small bass after talking to a lot of people. The combo I got was $135 but they have some higher quality stuff as well if you wanted to look into them. Really don't much else about it just learning to cast lol!!

Have also heard really good things about G Loomis fly rods. St. Croix has several options as well.

[acesover]

 If you have a fly shop close to you, stop in and see if they will let you cast some rods, that way you can get a feel for what works for you.
And as was said before, TFO makes some great rods along with Redington.  I am with Big Jim on using the older stuff, I still use my old Scott A2 rods and even have an old Scott Heli Ply 9wt with a Billy Pate direct drive reel.
I started out with an 8wt as it was easier for me to cast in the beginning, you can use it for anything you like and as you get a feel for what you likem then maybe try a 5wt for bass/bluegill/trout etc.  How long a rod you use is up to you, but all my fly rods are either 9ft or 8.5 ft, the longer rods make it easier for me to pick the line up off the water. Just my .02.  Have fun with it!