When you first decide to start fly fishing and step foot into a fly shop to purchase your very first fly fishing setup, the choices of fly fishing rods can be incredibly overwhelming. With entire walls being covered with fly rods, you might wonder to yourself what really is the difference. Mainly fly rods have different weights, lengths, flexes, and grip styles. When you start to think about what type of fish you will be targeting and what conditions you will be fishing in, it becomes much easier to understand and narrow down your options.
The first consideration is what weight of rod to get. A rod’s weight directly correlates to the fly line weight you will be using (a five-weight rod will use a five-weight line). When determining the proper rod weight you will need to consider a few factors. To start narrowing everything down you will need to think of the type of water you will be fishing, how long of casts you will be making, weather conditions you might be fishing in (wind), fly size you will want to use and the type of fish you are targeting. Here in Colorado anglers spend their time on smaller rivers and streams, high alpine lakes, and reservoirs. If you’re fishing an area that tends to be a little windier, it’s nice to have something heavier that can punch through the wind and make those longer casts.
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There is no one size fits all rod for Colorado. However, if you’re just getting started, the ideal rod will be between length of 8.5 – 9 feet and will be a 5 weight. This will be good for catching most trout in a variety of areas and conditions. Most fisherman have multiple rods for different scenarios but if you’re looking to only own one rod this would be it.
The rods action is another big consideration. This is more of a personal preference, but a slower casting rod will help put flies onto the water more gently while a faster action rod will help throw flies out further. A good moderate action rod is ideal for most beginners.
There are obviously a lot of choices between brands and styles of rods out there. The only way to really know what will work best for you is to stop into your local fly shop and cast a few different types while getting some guidance from an experienced fly-fisherman.
If you’re looking for some more guidance be sure to give us a call and we are happy to help! Be sure to book your next guided trip with us as well and our guides will give you all the tips you need to land those monster trout!
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