WTB Fly fishing setup

[rjonly]

Hey guys, I've been contemplating this purchase for a while, extremely new to the sport. Looking for 5/6 wt 9'+ rod. I'm not too worried about the costs so long as i get quality equipment. Let me know what you have!! Thanks for looking.

[RiverWalker]

Hello RJONLY. If you aren't too worried about costs then I highly recommend that you visit a local fly shop and test cast a few different high end fly rods. Since you are planning to buy quality gear (expensive) then you should really find a rod that would compliment your casting style. What works for some doesn't work as well for others. Blindly buying an expensive rod that doesn't suite your casting style can get costly when you feel the need to buy another. What kind of fly fishing technique do you primarily plan on using this rod for? Dry flying? nymphing? midging? Tossin streamers? What kind of fish are you planning on targeting? What size fish are you expecting to catch? What is the size of the system you are planning to fish at? Small or large streams/creeks/rivers? Stillwater? What size flies, nymphs, or streamers do plan to use? All of these factors should be considered when buying a fly rod, fly reel, and fly line. Not sure where you are located but Bob Marriott's in Fullerton would be good place to start.


Hey guys, I've been contemplating this purchase for a while, extremely new to the sport. Looking for 5/6 wt 9'+ rod. I'm not too worried about the costs so long as i get quality equipment. Let me know what you have!! Thanks for looking.

[DarkShadow]

Hello RJONLY. If you aren't too worried about costs then I highly recommend that you visit a local fly shop and test cast a few different high end fly rods. Since you are planning to buy quality gear (expensive) then you should really find a rod that would compliment your casting style. What works for some doesn't work as well for others. Blindly buying an expensive rod that doesn't suite your casting style can get costly when you feel the need to buy another. What kind of fly fishing technique do you primarily plan on using this rod for? Dry flying? nymphing? midging? Tossin streamers? What kind of fish are you planning on targeting? What size fish are you expecting to catch? What is the size of the system you are planning to fish at? Small or large streams/creeks/rivers? Stillwater? What size flies, nymphs, or streamers do plan to use? All of these factors should be considered when buying a fly rod, fly reel, and fly line. Not sure where you are located but Bob Marriott's in Fullerton would be good place to start.

SAGE™ advice, no pun intended.

[DEVOREFLYER]

Riverwalker nails it and I might add you will end up with more than one rig over time, it's just the way it works.

[rjonly]

Thanks for the advice!! ill check our Bob Marriott's this weekend. I do have a question, when you reference "casting style" what exactly do you mean? i've only had an opportunity to throw a fly set up once. As far as the fish i have a pond near my house with 2-4 lb bass but i would like to hit the sierras for some stream fishing. i'm sure it would be best to ask the people at Bob Marriott's. Thanks for your help

[RiverWalker]

No problem Rjonly. Just trying to help you out and not make some of the same mistakes that I made when I started to buy fly gear. I'm impatient by nature so I ordered a few of my first rods blindly or based on reviews and just didn't like the feel when I started casting them. The Casting styles I am referring to is similar to a baseball pitcher when they pitch. They all can throw a fastball but each does it mechanically differently based on the way each of the shoulders/arm are built, arm angles they use, arm speed, tempo, etc. It's basically a 'feel' thing primarily when you are using the standard overhead cast or false cast. When you test a few different types of rods with different actions, you can just immediately 'feel' what feels right for you. "Different strokes for different folks." Also, where you are fishing and what you are tying to your money end really determines what I kind of rod I bring out as well. If I was planning on using a heavier fly like a size 6 or 8 beadhead leech pattern, then I would use a fast action 6wt or possibly a 5wt so I could punch them out easier. If you used a medium action 5wt or a 4wt, you would generally feel over powered by the heavy fly which can kill your loops, accuracy, and cause arm fatigue. For me...I can cast farther and more accurately using a fast action rod. At the same time though, I do like casting whippy medium action rods too but found that I am less accurate for some reason. For medium action rods, you need to slow down your casting tempo comparing to when you're fishing with fast action stiff rods. For me, fly rods with soft tips and medium action are better when fishing Dry flies in small to medium size creeks. They help give your fly a better landing presentation and help protect your 6x tippets that are typically used when fishing small dries. I also love fishing in the Sierras and wind is usually a problem over there for me so a faster action rod also helps me punch and control the line better in those conditions. Like Devoreflyer mentioned though, if you get into it, then you will most likely end up buying more rods to fit each situation. He's right, that's just how it works. I currently own about 8 fly rods from 3wt's to 6wt's to give you an idea. If you plan to midge in stillwaters, then I recommend that you use a 4 to 5 wt fast action rod so it picks up your line faster on the hook set. A non-stretch floating line like Airflo's sixth sense would help too. Every second counts since they only grab those midges for a split second. For the average stream in the Sierras, you would probably go with a medium or fast action w/soft tip 4 to 5wt from 8'6 to 9'0 rod. Good luck on your search! The people at Bob Marriotts are very knowledgeable and are willing to help!



Thanks for the advice!! ill check our Bob Marriott's this weekend. I do have a question, when you reference "casting style" what exactly do you mean? i've only had an opportunity to throw a fly set up once. As far as the fish i have a pond near my house with 2-4 lb bass but i would like to hit the sierras for some stream fishing. i'm sure it would be best to ask the people at Bob Marriott's. Thanks for your help

[RiverWalker]

I 2nd the SAGE advise as well! LOL. Although I also hold my Loomis NRX LP, LOOP Opti, and TFO's in high regards as well. =)


SAGE™ advice, no pun intended.