Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Fly Rod for Every Fish Species

A beginner’s guide to choosing the right fly rod for the species of fish you want to pursue

Evening shadows fell along the banks of the stream, the sound of rushing water echoed through the narrow valley, while mist-covered mountains loomed overhead. The beautiful landscape and diverse ecosystem composed a picturesque setting.

We’d stopped at a small overlook in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to get a better view of the scenery, only then did we notice a fisherman perfecting his craft. Perched above the angler we watched as he waved the rod above his head, then cast a small fly into a riffle. He let the fly drift through the portion of water, took a step upstream and repeated the process. It was a peculiar sight for a boy who’d never seen a fly fisherman.

There was something contagious about that encounter and before long I was saving to buy a fly rod. Since there were no fly shops in our local area, I was forced to learn this new way of fishing through trial and error.

In the process of understanding the full particulars of fly gear I quickly realized the various actions and weights of fly rods— much like a driver, wedge or putter in the game of golf—served a specific purpose.

Target & Type

While it’s often assumed that fly fishing is limited to small streams and delicate trout, nothing could be further from the truth. Nearly all species of fish can be caught on fly tackle, including billfish. Whether the fish is a 6-inch brook trout or a 70-pound tarpon there’s a fly rod specifically designed to target the species of fish you want to pursue. Regardless of the preferred fishery—freestone river or shallow saltwater flat—once you know the type of fish you want to catch, you’re well on your way to determining what fly rod is right for the excursion.

Fly rods are available in a variety of lengths, weights and actions. A rod designed to cast small dry flies will be configured in a different weight and action than a rod designed to cast large streamers. Rod designs vary in order to enable the fisher to cast different size flies, get the fly to the fish in the environment they’re fishing in and be stout enough to land the fish.

If your goal is to ish dry lies on a small creek where overhanging vegetation is the norm, you may consider a rod in the 6-foot to 8-foot 6-inch range rather than a standard 9-foot rod. If you’re planning on targeting saltwater species in open water where wind is prevalent and both the lies and ish are larger, you’ll want a stiffer rod in a 9-foot coniguration.

When fishing for larger fish in a sizable body of water, you’ll need a heavier weight of fly rod to properly cast substantial flies and adequately land hefty fish. Carefully considering what fish you’ll predominately target and where you’ll generally fish are the first steps in making sure you get the right rod the first time around.

What Weight?

Rod manufacturers designate fly rods by what is termed as “weight.” Due to the design and density of artificial flies, fly rods require weighted line in order to cast the fly. Unlike conventional fishing tackle, a fly rod and fly line work in unison to cast the fly. The “weight” moniker identiies what corresponding weight of line is required for the rod to perform best; which in turn makes it adequate for a particular type of ishing, e.g., freshwater, saltwater, bass, trout and so forth.

Often marked on the butt section of the rod will be the length, weight, model and make of the rod. If a rod is marked as a 6-weight rod it’s designed to be cast with 6-weight line. The reverse is also true, if a fly line is designated as a 4-weight line, it was designed to be used on a 4-weight rod. This marriage of rod and line is engineered to provide optimum control of the direction and distance of the fly. A large fly will be more air resistant and small fly less air resistant, the proper weight of fly line and fly rod will make it possible to proficiently cast the type of fly needed to catch your target fish.

The following chart should help explain what weight rods are ideal for which fish species. Since no two brands of rods are exact in weight and action, these suggestions are within a range and not specific.

Action

Not only do fly rods have a designated weight, but they have a designated “action” as well. Action refers to the amount of flex or stiffness in specific areas of the rod. A manufacturer will offer various models of rods intended to offer more flex or less flex in the tip, mid-section or butt section. Some rods offer a more flexible or “soft” tip, while others have a much stiffer butt section. Other rods may have more flex in the mid-section of the rod, while a “fast” rod will be stiffer throughout its entirety. The amount of flex is what designates the rod as a fast, slow or medium action.

Fast action or “tip lex” rods primarily lex in the upper 1/3 of the rod and are engineered to deliver high line speed resulting in tighter loops and longer casts. Fast action rods are ideal when streamer ishing or ishing saltwater. The fast action enables the rod to punch line into the wind, cast larger lies and deliver ighting strength when wrestling larger ish. Fast action rods are a favorite among anglers who also ly ish for species such as northern pike, largemouth bass, and muskie.

Slow action rods, on the other hand, offer a full flex action or “presentation taper,” meaning the rod will flex throughout its entirety. A slow action or more flexible rod is better suited for shorter casts, whereas a fast action or stiffer rod will deliver line at longer distances. A slow action rod will load slower, providing the isher with more time to feel the rod load. This is due to slower rods requiring less line out of the rod tip to load quickly and a fast or stiff rod utilizing more line (more line equals more weight) to load the rod.

Rods engineered to have a full flex or slow action are ideal for delicately presenting small dry flies and are considered optimal when chasing spooky trout. The soft tip of a slow action rod aids in protecting delicate tippet, which in turn allows the angler to cast small flies while landing respectable fish.

A “mid-flex” or medium action fly rod falls somewhere between a fast and slow action. These rods are designed to flex 50 to 60 percent of the way down the rod and are often considered more forgiving than a fast action rod. Medium action rods offer more sensitivity than a fast action, and can make for a good all-around fly rod due to their wide range of applications. These rods are adequate for nymphs, dry flies and even small streamers.

If you are limited to only one rod in your arsenal a medium action rod can be the best of all worlds. Though you should take into consideration that if fishing in windy conditions, you may feel the rod lacks the power to push the line into the wind.

Most rod manufacturers offer various actions for the same weight of rod. They may offer a 5-weight rod in both fast action and medium-fast action. As an example, Orvis now offers their new Helios 3 rod series in the Helios 3F or 3D. The 3F is said to provide “finesse” whereas the 3D is advertised as offering “distance.”

You may also find where manufacturers make reference to how their particular action performs. Terms such as “progressive taper” or “progressive action” help to further describe the characteristics of a certain series of rods. Winston Rod Company classifies their new Air Series of rods as medium-fast action, but further describes the action as offering, “…a quick flex and recovery through the casting stroke without feeling stiff to make sure you enjoy every cast.” Whereas the Hardy Wraith is classified as an ultra-fast action offering, “…unparalleled recovery and in hand feel for an ultra-fast action rod whilst generating incredible line speed and blank stability for improved accuracy.” While all these terms and explanations may seem overwhelming, different models of rods are designed to meet the criteria of both the caster and the specific fishing situation.

A quality fly rod will do what it’s designed to do, flex—otherwise known as “load”—properly under the weight of the line, cast easily and present a fly where you need it. Whether you’re casting 15 feet to trout or 60 feet to bonefish, the rod’s action makes it possible to deliver a specific fly to a certain fish. And while there are practical applications for fast, slow and medium action rods, there is also personal preference. Some fishers like the fast loading of a fast action rod, while others may want to feel the rod loading so they, in turn, prefer a medium or slow action. Most fly shops will provide customers with demo rods from various manufacturers, to find what rod, reel and line combo you like best, visit your local fly shop and spend a few hours on a test drive.

The action and weight of a fly rod is more than marketing verbiage or fly fishing jargon, by understanding the action and weight of rod best suited for your casting style and fish species, you’ll be provided with the ultimate fishing experience.

When buying a fly rod, buy the best rod you can afford. A quality rod will enhance your casting, be right for your preferred type of fishing and will enable you to efficiently cast flies in the environment you’ll be fishing in.

FLY ROD MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES

Fly fishing may be a great way to escape everyday life, but there’s no guarantee you’ll circumvent Murphy’s Law. Invariably at some point in time, “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” Fly rods have been known to fall prey to ceiling fans, boots, doors and God forbid, an irate wife. That’s why nearly all fly rods come with some form of lifetime warranty.

In most cases, the lifetime warranty is designed to cover manufacturer defects and does not include incidental damage that occurred after the product was purchased. However, a substantial number of warranties do offer discounted pricing on repair and replacement, but will not provide you with a new rod at no charge.

Whether you slam the rod in a tailgate or break it while attempting to land the fish of a lifetime, numerous fly rod manufacturer’s offer a warranty that provides some form of coverage. Most manufacturers simply require you to mail the rod back, pay a processing fee and they will repair or replace (depending on warranty) the broken rod. When buying a fly rod it’s important to consider what warranty best suits your needs. While there are a host of quality fly rods to choose from, warranties do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.