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How to Choose Fly Fishing Rods – A Few Things for you to Consider
With all aspects of fly fishing there are many options with this post I hope to show you how to choose fly fishing rods you will be happy with.
Fly fishing can be done in almost anybody of water and it is imperative that you get the correct rod to fish that body of water.
Before beginners purchase a new fly rod it’s important that they decide which style of fly fishing they’re going to do the most.
Over a generation of fly fishing fly anglers will gather up many fly rods because they know that the one rod will not do all situations and its part of the fun to have different lengths and weights to try out.
As you get into the sport you will want to try different venues, different styles of fly fishing and go after different species of fish, these all require different set-ups.
These can be anything from fishing for trout in a small stream to smallmouth bass in an open lake to saltwater fishing from the shore or an estuary or fishing for tarpon off a boat. All these situations could not be covered by one fly rod.
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As a beginner getting a rod that covers maybe a few of these options is better than going strictly for one type of fishing.
That is unless you are definitely set that you want to do one style of fishing over another if that’s the case then do your homework on that particular area and get a rod to suit.
One rod that seems to sit nicely in the middle of the range of fly rods is a 9ft 5 weight this rod is small enough to fish streams and small rivers and large enough with a good backbone to fish stillwaters. However, I would say the five weight is not strong enough to fish for larger species like Tarpon or Pike in that case you would need an 8 or 9 sometimes even a 10.
So for the purpose of this article we will concentrate on the 9ft 5 weight fly rod as it is in the middle of the range and a basic all rounder so it’s ideally set up for the beginner.
Quick Post Navigation
- What to look out for in your fly rod comes next
- Rod spec – How heavy, what’s the length?
- Rod action – Is it slow or fast?
- Materials – Carbon mixtures and techniques
- Sections – 1 to 7 sections, less is better or is it?
- Handle – What are you holding onto all day makes a difference.
- Reel seat – Anti corrosion properties depend on venue
- Guides – Lightweight, strength and recoiling
- Rod tube – Protection of the rod is all important
- Warranty – Do you get sections fixed or replaced for FREE?
- Conclusion – Things to consider;
What to look out for in your fly rod comes next
The main areas of a fly rod are;
- The rod specification – length, line rating and weight
- The rod action – slow, medium or fast
- The rod materials – carbon, graphite, fiberglass
- The rod guides – titanium, carbon silicate, steel
- The rod sections – 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
- The rod handle – full wells, half well, fighting butt
- The rod reel seat – anodized aluminum, steel, graphite
- The rod tube – Aluminum, cordura, cloth
- The rod warranty – lifetime, 25, 5, 1 year
Rod spec – How heavy, what’s the length?
First on the list is the rod spec, in this case it would be the 9ft 5 weight that we have talked about and also its physical weight.
If you’re going for one of the top of the end range you would expect your rod to not weigh much more than 3 ounces or thereabouts. This makes it very light in the hand and easy to fish with all day. Middle of the road rods would be from 3 to 4 ounces and the basic models 4 ounces plus.
Rod action – Is it slow or fast?
The rod action is important especially when starting out as the action is designated by three brackets;
soft or slow (which is a big bend or flex),
medium or moderate (which is a medium bend or flex)
fast or hard.(which is very little bend or flex)
So the more a rod bends the softer it is and the less it bends the faster it is. The importance in this is timing. A fast rod needs the forward and backward stroke of the cast to be very quick this means tighter loops and generally longer cast.
This is not always easy for a beginner to do from the start in fact some intermediate anglers can struggle with this. I would suggest that a newbie go for a medium to slow rod first before moving onto a fast actioned rod. This means there is more time to get the forward stroke moving after the backward stroke and is a lot easier for beginners to master before moving on.
Materials – Carbon mixtures and techniques
This comes in various mixtures of carbon, graphite, fiberglass and so forth. The rods at the top end of the range would be a high modulus class carbon and produced in such a way that the carbon is wrapped to give it strength, flex and power.
The way in which these rods are made and the way that carbon is treated makes the rods very light, very powerful and very responsive, however these rods come at a price as those are the top of the spec when it comes to materials and can be expensive.
Sections – 1 to 7 sections, less is better or is it?
The rod sections is the number of pieces that make up the rod on average most rods today are 4 piece. These sections breakdown to pack away into the rod tube for easy transportation.
Some rods come in 5 sections, 6 sections and 7 sections making them smaller again and easily packaged.
The seven section rod would be what we call a frequent flyer and is ideal for going on flying fishing adventures.
You can also get two piece rods and some manufacturers still produce a one piece rod the difficulty with these rods is they are not so easy transported especially the one piece.
You may ask why the differences in sections, well years ago most rods were 2 piece as it was just the standard because the ferrell which joins the two rods together would affect the action of the cast.
Fly manufacturers and anglers alike didn’t like the way it affected the fly action so only one join was put in place.
Then as the manufacturing process got better more sections were added to make it more convenient to pack up your rod to take with you on fishing adventures as a 2 piece will not always go into the back of a car and would have to be strapped to the roof or put into a trailer.
Handle – What are you holding onto all day makes a difference.
Next on the list is the rod handle and nowadays are mostly made from cork as it’s light material, soft to the touch gives it a feel which is nice to hold especially if you’re fishing all day.
Some rods still have foam handles and these would be more at the bottom of the range. Most manufacturers now use cork of which there is 3 grades, A, AA and AAA the better the grade the finer the cork and the smoother it is to the touch.
The top of the range manufacturers and rods would always go for the AAA grade Cork.
Reel seat – Anti corrosion properties depend on venue
Next is the reel seat which would be normally anodized aluminum this makes it strong and anti corrosive especially if you’re going to be fishing saltwater and anti corrosion is a must.
You will find on the lighter weight rods in which case our 9ft 5 weight that there is a wooden insert along the reel seat but as you get into the heavier models 7, 8, 9, and 10 you will find that this is replaced with anodized aluminum as this helps with the anti corrosion properties especially when saltwater fly fishing.
Guides – Lightweight, strength and recoiling
Then we have the guides these are the loops on the rod that hold our fly line. There are normally 2 stripper guides placed towards the butt of the rod and 6 or 7 snake guides and a tip guide up the rod to hold our line.
Again there are different materials for manufacturing from silicone carbonates, titanium and stainless steel. The top end of the market would use the titanium in which case the smoothness adds to efficiency for the fly line going out of the rod and this all helps in the distance of your cast as well as them being very lightweight.
The snake guides come in different materials and the higher grade one’s having an anti recoil material which makes them bounce back into shape if put under pressure or stretched in any way especially when you’re finding large weight species.
Rod tube – Protection of the rod is all important
Also the rod tube is important because a good tube will protect your rod from day-to-day knocks and bumps especially when transporting your fly fishing rod from one place to another.
In years gone by rods would have come just in a cloth bag and anglers found that when they went to go to fish the rod was sitting in no more a four piece but eight, nine or ten as it has been smashed by something else in the boot of the car.
Rod tubes come in many styles with aluminum being the top offering and some of these have screw on caps with painted scenes on the outside excetera, they add to the pleasing show of bringing your rod out to play.
Then you have cordura tubes which serve a purpose but can become tattered and torn after a few years if misused or rolling about in the back of a vehicle.
Some come in nylon tubes which are OK for a while also but not really pleasing to the eye and lastly some just come in a rod cloth bag which will not really protect it in any way.
You can always purchase a rod tube of your own liking anyway so that is not always a problem.
Warranty – Do you get sections fixed or replaced for FREE?
Last on your list is warranty, whatever fly rod you purchase it is important to many anglers especially when they are investing in a high end rod. They want it to last many years and having a backup of a warranty to get pieces replaced is good to have especially if you’re spending a thousand bucks.
Some rods manufactured nowadays come with lifelong warranty for the original owner. When the rod is purchased from the shop at the beginning there will be a warranty card attached and it’s important that the buyer fills in the information and send it off to the manufacturer. In some cases now this can be done online, but this has to be done usually within 60 days of the purchase.
If the fly anger does this at purchase then their details are on record so when things go astray they just point to the details when and where the rod was purchased and can you please replace my tip section etc.
Where the difficult is when a fly angler decide to sell his rod to another angler second hand that warranty does not follow through so if the new owner breaks the rod there is no cover.
It would be a benefit for somebody buying a second-hand rod to keep the details of the seller so if the rod does get broken ask the seller to get a replacement that way the warranty would still be intact and you would get sorted out but this is not always the case especially if buying things online and from people you do not know.
Other manufacturers have warranties that extend to the new owners which is good to know especially when buying second hand. Some rods will have a limited lifetime warranty, some have a 25-year warranty, some have five-year and some only one and as you can imagine the high end of the market will have the lifetime warranties. All good to know when purchasing your rod for the first time.
Conclusion – Things to consider;
- What is the rod spec – length and line rating and does it suit your fishing?
- What is the rod action – slow, medium or fast?
- What materials is it made from strength, flex and power?
- What are the guides made from – titanium, carbon silicate, steel?
- How many rod sections – 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7?
- What is the handle type – full wells, half well?
- What is the reel seat – anodized aluminum, steel, graphite?
- What rod tube does it come in – Aluminum, cordura, cloth?
- What warranty comes with it – lifetime, 25, 5, 1 year?
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Hey Mark,
Great article on what to consider when choosing a fly rod. I haven’t actually been fishing in 15 years; however, I always found fishing very relaxing and enjoyable.
I have only fly fished a couple of times, and that was at least 30 years ago. As I read through your article, as you laid out the best way to select a rod type…it certainly brought back a lot of memories.
At 58 years of age, I am rapidly getting closer and closer to retirement, and I certainly plan on making fishing a part of that retirement.
I appreciate how informative your article is, and how much detail you provide in it.
I am sure you will be posting more fishing articles, and I look forward to reading them…
Thank You Again,
Ted
Hey Ted, As a retirement pastime fly fishing is the way to go. It will keep you active and out in the fresh air rather than sitting indoors wondering what to do. Then in the off season you can take up tying flies and reading books on the sport getting ready for the new season. Be careful though it can take over your life if not careful 🙂
If new to the sport of fly fishing I would recommend that you go for a fly fishing combo rather than purchase a rod reel and line separately. As you are retiring you will probably be getting a package and maybe have a decent budget.
However rather than spend a lot of money on the gear and not get into the sport or not have the time to do it a combo will take the sting out of the price and also has the best benefit in that it is already set up to go fly fishing out of the box. It will be perfectly balanced and is ideal for newbies getting into the sport.
Thanks for sharing. I now know which fish rod to choose when going fishing so I can have a more comfortable and meaningful fishing time, and possibly get more fish in my bucket!
I have done fishing a few times myself with friends but, I lack experience in fishing. The rods that I used were made by my more experienced friends- I was able to catch a few fish and crayfish so I could enjoy a good fry!
It’s always good to good tips from someone with experience.
Where would I be able to purchase this rod that you recommended?
Hey Nickoy, great to hear you are going to take up fly fishing. My advice to you as a beginner is to go for a combo set. That way you have the full kit in one complete package already put together and balanced.
Thanks for this great report on how to choose fly fishing rods. You are right when you first start out in the sport one rod is ok for everything… then at some point you want to try different locations, and different rods and different gear. It’s only natural. I did not know about the speed and rod action link before. Thanks for sharing those great tips. I was just wondering my salt water rod gets salt corrosion on it. You mentioned that reel seat anti-corrosion properties are important. I was just wondering what are your top tips for saltwater cleaning? or do you use a protective spray?
I would rephrase that saying to one rod to do as many situations as possible as there is no such rod to do all. I went for the 9ft 5 weight in the post as it is a good middle of the road rod that can fish small rivers and also bigger waters but is best in a medium river for trout around the 2lb weight.
On your question on protecting gear in saltwater the best thing to keep your gear in tip top condition is to make sure you rinse it off with clean freshwater right after the session. Then make sure it is fully dry before placing in tubes or reel cases etc. If its put away wet there is a good chance it will be covered in rust the next time you take it out.
I would also recommend greasing and oiling the reel every half dozen of trips to keep it working freely. Flies are another accessory that needs protecting, hooks are susceptible to rust so rinsing off in clean water, drying then putting away in boxes ready for the next trip will keep as many as possible in good order. Saltwater flies are generally much more expensive than freshwater so letting a dozen or so rust after a visit to the sea can prove to become expensive.
Thank you so much for the detailed information on how to choose fly fishing rods. I have never done fly fishing before. I saw it in movies and it looked fun. It was like an art form on how to catch fish.
I have been to deep sea fishing before and I enjoyed it tremendously. It was very relaxing. At the same time, it was exciting every time I caught a fish. I wouldn’t mind giving fly fishing a try.
Glad you liked it Ha Roda, if its relaxation you are after then fly fishing is the way to go. Even if I’m not catching fish the pleasure I get from performing nice accurate tight fly casts into my favorite pools is enjoyment enough for me.
I have been looking at fishing and specifically wanting to learn to fly fish. It looks fascinating to me but intimidating all the way around. I am not at the point of buying equipment quiet yet as I need to learn, but I hope to be soon. This article I’m going to flag and come back to because think this will be a huge help in finding the right thing!
Hey Lo it is not that intimidating really, there are loads of ladies taking up the sport of fly fishing so much so that manufacturers are now supplying gear and clothing to suit them. Its not a male sport anymore and I for one am glad.
Good read! It is true that the material is what raises the price for it greatly. One of mine broke just for that reason alone, and since that day I wasn’t going with the cheap ones.
Rode tube is also needed if you want to protect it. When you are moving as much as fishermen, hitting it accidentally is bound to come, so you’d be thankful to have some protection at that moment.
Hey Alex a rod tube is a great investment, it will protect your rod from unwanted knocks and bumps. I would advise even if the rod doesn’t come with a rod tube to get one as an extra as it will increase the lifetime of the fly fishing rod immensely.
Good article and coming from one angler to another my forte is river fishing but more on the match fishing side, or night fishing for barbel or chub.
Fly fishing is something I have always meant to get involved with but just not got around to it.
I love the idea of walking miles along rivers with nobody in sight, seeking out that rainbow.
You mention that rods can come in 4 pieces up to 7, and whilst the reason for this is down to transportation, I would have thought that this would affect the performance?
In the UK fly rods tend to be 2 pieces although a salmon rod may come in 3.
Hi Mick, match fishing is a whole other ball game, having to bait a swim before starting, its something I have not tried. I do see the increase of fly fishing for coarse fish interesting though, catching a large Crucian Carp on the fly or Tench or Barbel looks fun.
The fact these are available all year long is another plus. Game fishing has a short season for me so we have to go to the stillwater stocked fisheries to continue catching fish.
In the UK 2 piece fly rods used to be the norm but now however there are more 3 and 4 piece fly rods than there are 2 piece. Salmon double handed are also more in the 4 piece range, there are some 3 pieces out there but more and more shorter sections are the norm. Just check this page on Fishtecs website most of the images are 4 piece.
Heya,
Thanks for such a detailed article. I am new to finishing but developing interest as my son would like to start fishing. This has given me an idea of how to chose fly fishing Rod.
I also like the fact that you were quiet thorough with the size, specifications, weight, and action. It saved me time from going through tons of research in google.
Cheers.
Ash
Hey Ash, we do try to help. I think its important to know about the action, weight and specification beforehand.
Once you decide what type of fly fishing you want to do you will know what those specifications should be and a quick look at our list of best fly fishing rods will show you which is in that category.
Its then down to personal taste and budget. Another thing you may want to consider is a fly fishing combo as a newbie getting a combo already setup ready to fly fish with is a great item saver and takes away all the problems of buying new gear when you are unsure.
hello mark great article thanks for the intro
I want to ask a question particularly about the number of sections in a fly fishing rod.
I ride an offroad motorbike to get to fishing holes and currently I use a telescopic rod which packs down pretty tight into my motorbike rack and gear.
How small can these things pack down to and how sturdy are they?
I tend to run into trees and rocks and all sorts of random obstacles from time to time so robustness is a concern.
cheers.
Hi Remy, good idea using the off road bike to get to hidden fishing holes.
You have a couple of options here if we take the 9ft rod as the example. A 4 piece will break down to 70cm in length and the 7 piece will break down top 40cm.
Both I’m pretty sure will strap to you or the bike easily. I would put them into a cordura tube to protect them for the terrain it should be robust enough if not you can get aluminum tubes which are almost bomb proof although a bit pricier.
Hey there! My friend wants to go fishing with me and I’m interested on doing it. I don’t have a fly fishing rod nor any idea what’s the best one for me. Luckily, I found your really informative and helpful guide on how to choose a fly fishing rod and things that I should consider. When I buy from a store should I ask sales associate to help me? Or are they gonna just make me buy the expensive one?
Hey John they are not going to make you buy anything you don’t need. Your the customer and the one they need to impress with their sales pitch.
As mentioned in the post you need to work out what type of fishing you intend to do, that way they will be able to advise in the best way.
If completely new to fly fishing a combo kit may be the better option for you as you will get a rod, reel, fly line and some accessories all in one complete package, built by manufacturers to help newbies get into the sport.