Fly Fishing Rods
Fly fishing rods come in a variety of lengths but are usually between 6 feet and 13 feet. Fly rods and lines are designated as to their “weight”, usually written as 4wt, 7wt, 9wt, etc. The manufacturer will mark on the rod the fly line weights for which the rod has been designed. Some rods may show a range of weights, i.e., a rod rated 6-7wt. This indicates that the rod is designed to be used with either 6 weight or 7 weight fly line.
The type of fishing planned, such as what species of fish and under what conditions, will for the most part, determine the weight of rod selected. 1wt rods and lines are the lightest; 16wt the heaviest. (Rods and lines greater than 16wt are available but 16wt is generally the heaviest readily available.)
The following table illustrates the weights and their generally accepted use:
| Weight | Type of Fly Fishing |
|---|---|
| 1wt/2wt | small trout, panfish |
| 3wt/4wt | small stream fishing |
| 5wt | all-around rod for trout |
| 6wt/7wt | large rivers,fishing with streamers |
| 8wt/9wt | steelhead or salmon in medium rivers, bass fishing with large flies, lightweight saltwater use |
| 10wt/11wt | large saltwater gamefish with high wind or surf |
| 12wt/16wt | tuna fishing from a boat |
It is important to match the fly line to the weight of the rod. Using too heavy a line on too light of a rod can very much affect casting performance. It can actually damage the rod as well. Generally speaking, you can safely go one line weight higher or lower, i.e. using an 8wt or 10wt line on a 9wt rod.
The earliest fly fishing rods were made from a tropical wood known as greenheart. Later, rods made of bamboo from China became popular and are still sought after by some fly fishermen. In fact, it is not unusual for a split-cane bamboo rod made by a famous rod maker to sell for several thousands of dollars (US).
Fiberglass became the material of choice for fly rods after World War II and remained popular for many years. By the 1980s, however, most fly rod manufacturers had switched to using a carbon/graphite composite. Today’s graphite composite rods have proven themselves superior to most other synthetic material and are available in just about any size and type, from the very light trout rods to the much heavier bass fishing rods.
