New Fly Rod

[Laurie]

I am a relative newcomer to the world of fly-fishing and regularly fish a small stream for trout which is reasonably narrow and overgrown. I am contemplating purchasing a new fly-rod to fish it. My preferred option is a 3 wt rod combined with a 4wt DT flyline for dry fly and nymph fishing. I was thinking of an 8 to 8.5 ft rod, but my local tackle shop recommended a 7 to 7.5 foot rod. What do the experts think?

[Fitzy]

Hi Laurie,
I certainly aint no expert & I've never used a 3#, but I can't see why you couldn't use a shorter rod.
I've done it with 8# lines on spin rods up here on bass after forgetting to take a wand along. Also did it once after doing the mortal sin (using the rod tip to get a snagged fly off) & breaking a Loomis GLX. Ouch.
Will definately have different timing to a longer rod but if you've not used a long one, you wont know the difference.
Will help in avoiding trees etc but your distance will suffer I recon.

Wait till some more learned folks reply & make your mind up from there.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[Maxg]

Well I regard fly fishing as just another method of catching fish, and while it can be difficult, making it moreso is like giving yourself a handicap. Not that I fish for trout with anything. If the place is overgrown, are you going to be able to use a normal cast, or roll it. I imagine the shorter the lesser, as far as casting goes, which might mean that you could look seriously at a spin rod rather than a fly rod. This is because they come in a million different sizes, to suit a million different situations and are, after all, just fishing rods. I also have the funny idea that fly lines are long sinkers and any rod will chuck one, if you learn how. Get a 8' light spin stick, cut the butt off and fit a fly reel. Problem solvered. Then if you get cheezed off you can pull out the threaddy, and the worms. VBG. Max

[Scott_Mitchell]

laurie:A 7'6"ft 3 wht is a pretty limited outfit for anything other than very small waters.Short rods are actually harder to cast as well

I find rods between 8'ft and 9'ft to be more versatile and plenty adequite for small streams around our Monaro area.I also find a #4wht to be a better weight over 3 - which is only of any advantage under perfectly calm conditions.Any wind about and you'll be glad you had the #4wht.

There are also many good lines designed on WF configurations , which will perform better than a DT as well.

Let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Regards Scotto

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Laurie and Scott
From my adventures,a 6' 6 "foot, 7' 6" or 8 foot rod makes almost no difference, except where you have a tight casting zone or have to push through bush or scrub, then the shorter the better, and when its pulled apart, even better still.

As far as the wind is a problem, if it is a problem on the 9 foot 4w, then its a problem on my 7' 6" 2w.

Harder to cast, simply why, nobody I have instructed has every had a problem, in fact if people were to learn on a 2w and then move to a 6 or 10w, their skill's would show through. Because with the baby rods, technique is paramount.Now move the skills to a 10w, you can belt the wind or a larger fly or place the fly where you want and achive distance easly.

As far as the limited use, I use mine in the saltwater and sweetwater and love it, where most fish are under 3 kilo, this in turn balances the fight between man and fish, where a slight false move by man releases the fish.

In the past we have had a poor selection of 3 and 2w rods,in this country, but things have changed, we now can obtain 2w 6' 6" and 7 foot 4w's, which are proving a boom to bream and trout fly casters alike, because of the feather like landing of the line and the resultant shadow.

With the new rods we can achive higher line speed than before, and can punch the wind,and with butt power to pull up that runaway fish.

Kindest regards to both
Barry Ryan
Talon ###### Australia