Fly Fishing Rods

Choosing the right fly fishing rod.

Fly fishing rods are different from normal bait and spinning rods. The come in lengths of 7 foot to 15 foot.

Usually rods over 12ft 6in are "double handed" and used for salmon or salt water fly fishing.

Choosing the right rod for you should be your main priority when your learning to fish. You should always ask your self these questions.

First, how much am I willing to spend? Always keep this in mind as rods can range from a few dollars to thousands. If its your first rod then don't spend too much encase you find its not the hobby for you and your left sitting there with a brand new expensive rod used only once.

What am I going to be fishing for? Your rod should suit your target species. That means if its salt water or salmon fishing or even pike fishing you'll need a strong rod with heavy line. If its trout you want to fish for then a lighter rod and line will suffice.

What kind of water will I be fishing? If your going to be fishing small lakes and streams then a rod between 7-9ft with a #4-7 line would be best. If your going to be fishing large rivers or lakes then a rod between 9-11ft 6in is a good choice.

For salt water fishing then specialised corrosion proof gear is needed. Salt water rods are more expensive then normal fly fishing rods. They don't rust which is important for obvious reasons. Fly reels for salt water fly fishing are also different to normal reels as they are mostly all metal they need to be treated different to stop rusting.

Rod sections. Rods break down into smaller pieces for transportation. Some believe the less pieces the better the action of the rod while others think it has no relevance to the strength or casting ability of the rod. It has not been proven so don't worry about how many pieces there is to the rod you buy and don't let it put you off buying a rod.

After finding the right rod for you then you need to match it with a line which is easy enough. Just look above the handle and use the line weight recommended on the rod.

Now its time to start fishing. I have other articles on choosing flies and casting etc. which may be helpful to you if you want to check them out.

I wish you all the best and tight lines.