sean k Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I'm looking to get into Fly Fishing for Smallmouth in a river close to me. I have never really done it ,so I have no clue on what weight Rod or length that is suitable for smallies? My father also recently moved to Colorado last year and when I visited the area I noticed the endless oppurtunities on trout fishing. I guess my question would be is there a rod that could come close for fishing both species? Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie shard Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 If you are going to stick to small nymphs and streamers for both trout and bass, then the classic 5 wt is fine. That was my first rod. Works okay for most things, especially in the beginning, but.... If I did it all over again, I'd say a six weight is a good do-everything weight. If you need to have a delicate presentation, use a longer thinner leader on the 6. As soon as you want to go after big trout/bass with big lures or to fish large streams with significant wind... that's when a 6 is just barely enough. If you were buying two rods, I'd say a 5 and a 7. If you were buying three, I'd say a 3, 5, and 7. So... really the choice is between a 5 and a 6 for a first rod. If you are more focused on trout, 5 is it. For bass 6 is it. A safe bet would be to buy the most expensive 6wt combo you can afford. -jamieS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aloomens Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I agree totally and would probably choose a 6wt. also. I would really suggest going with a 9 ft. rod, unless you will be primarily fishing small overgrown streams. I went with an 8 1/2 ft. rod for my 8 wt. rod, and really wish I would have gotten a 9 ft. It makes a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest One More Cast Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Could you throw hardware for Pike with the same baitcater you would use for smallies? Maybe, but it would be a chore. My bias is for the odd number rod weights, 3 for small stream trout, 5 for large stream trout and 7 for wind, big bugs and streamers. If you lean to the even numbered rods weights, you won't go to jail, just my bias. Take a look at a 8 1/2 foot five weight. It's going to be a better cross-over rod. Bear in mind: it's hard to make a Porche out of a moving van and cross-over rods tend to do everything only marginally well. Most Colorado rivers are not large, nor are they as windy as Montana, Wyoming and Idaho where I woud not venture out with anything less than a 6 weight. Colorado? 5 weight is fine. Test-cast everything you can get your hands on, don't buy from a catalogue or Ebay. You're going to end up paying twice. Once for the "deal" and again when you swallow your pride and buy the right stick you should have purchased in the first place. And don't buy a Combo. The fly lines are crappy and you can better gear if you A La Carte you purchase. Reels hold line, buy what you can afford and don't spend a penny more. Invest in a quality fly line, this is not the place to scrimp. In fact, you might dedicate a fly line for trout and invest in a Clouser line for smallies. Stop in to chat and test cast if you wish. Joseph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean k Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Thanks for the feed back guys. One More Cast, I will make it a point to stop by your shop for some help ,so I dont steer myself in the wrong direction. Like I stated before this is all new to me, I'm more or less a spinning and Baitcast fishermen. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie shard Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Heading to a shop is great because you can mix and match components instead of just buying what a pre-packaged combo offers. A good rod, a great line, an okay reel is a much better combo than a good rod, a good line, and a good reel! -j p.s. All my rods are 9'... or 7'6". Dang, another excuse to buy a rod! p.p.s. I think that 3,5,7 guys tend to like sportscars and 4,6,8 guys tend to like trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aloomens Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Well, I use a 5, 6, and 8 and I drive a Buick... p.p.s. I think that 3,5,7 guys tend to like sportscars and 4,6,8 guys tend to like trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team9nine Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well, I use a 5, 6, and 8 and I drive a Buick... p.p.s. I think that 3,5,7 guys tend to like sportscars and 4,6,8 guys tend to like trucks. LOL, I've got a 6 wt. .... and a truck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest One More Cast Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well, let's see. Don't yet own a two weight but I do have 3 three wieghts. Got 3 four weights, 4 five weights, only 2 six weights, 2 seven weights, 5 (yikes) eight weights only 1 nine and only 1 ten weight but I'm getting another next week. Don't own an 11 weight, (that'd just be showing off ) but I do have a 12 weight. Go-to sticks: 3 weight for trout, 5 weight for local Smallies and the 8 for Saltwater and Big Fly smallies. So, I'm all over the board with weights, not the 3.5.7 guy I thought I was. Joseph .....and I drive a van! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 I have a 6 wt and an 8 wt and four vehicles. Does that make me a redneck with two fly rods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 To answer the original question. I have a 6 wt and an 8 wt. I intend on using the 8 wt in summer on the Kankakee in an effort to land fish more quickly and put less stress on them particullarly in summer. A smallie will kill itself fighting if you let 'em. Land 'em fast and catch another I say. The 6 wt is really light and casts nice but I feel like the 8 wt is more appropriate for big water and fighting fish in current. On the other hand if it's a small stream you might not ever encounter those conditions and a lighter rod might be the ticket and will double as a trout rod. The 8 wt will work for northerns, steelhead and light saltwater. 9 foot works for me in both cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean k Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well, I traded my truck in last year due to high gas prices. Now I have a Honda Civic Special Edition. It's kind of sporty,so I guess I have to go with the 5Wt Thanks for the input guy's , it's greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick D. Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 My all-round for bass is a 6-7 wt. in an 8.5 ft length. For a start I'd look at a graphite moderate action rod (tip). A respectable palming reel to handle like size lines with a spare spool should offer a good line holder. I suggest a good WF7F with a DT6F on the spare spool. Save the sinking tips or lines for when your expenience develops. The 3m Scientific Angler lines are a good selction, A Cortland, Rocket Tapers, are a great alternate in WF lines. I use 0X-3X leaders in 7.5 - 9 ft lengths. If your looking for line Orvis just put their Lines on clearance in the latest Orvis News. Orvis lines are 3M Scientific Angler. My personal all-round rod/reel combo is an 8.5 ft. Lamiglas graphite rod with a 5-6 & 7-8 tip(s) with an Orvis Madison III reel and three spare spools. I carry a WF-5F, WF-6S, DT-7F, WF-8F. These lines are 3M or Orvis except the Fenwick WF5F. Good luck and enjoy the move to long rodding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick D. Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 I need to add that my first Smallie Fly combo was an 8.5 6-7 wt. Pflueger Summit rod. The reel was Pflueger palming reel and spare spool with Cortland WF-7F(rocket taper) and WF-6F 3M. This served me well and is still serving may son as I passed along the experience of smallies on the long rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie shard Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 My first rod was a nice 5wt redington 7pc combo (built right before sage bought them). A fast rod, acts more like a 6wt... but here's what I learned from it. I like using nice rods with trout flies and cheap rods with clousers and other dumbbell weighted lures. I can't relax when it feels like some flying lead could snap the rod at any time. So most of the time I now use a $90 Redington 5wt rod that I bought for my wife when I'm fishing for smallies. I don't care if it breaks... much. The reel I got with the combo was a silver click-drag style reel... and I've learned I like black silent drag reels. And then after fly fishing for a while. I realized I really like 3 wts for trout, no need for much more if you are casting insects... so I rarely use my first 5wt at all anymore... except when I just bring it "just in case" on road trips or as a back up rod. What I'm saying is my original do-everything rod is now... not doing much at all. I think I might throw a 6wt line on it and make it a trout streamer rod. -j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team9nine Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Just an FYI while on the fly rod topic, I just bought my second outfit last night. Cabela's has a really good clearance sale going on at the moment. I was able to pick up a St. Croix Premier 8'0" 5-wt. rod (to go with my sports car ), a Cabela's Prestige fly reel and a spool of Prestige Plus floating flyline (WF-5) all for just $79.98, a total savings of $100.00 on the outfit. Not a fancy outfit but a great starting outfit from everything I've read and at a price that can't be beat! I'll be setting this one up for rivers and ponds and be using my 6-wt for lakes and LMB. -BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie shard Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 I like using nice rods with trout flies and cheap rods with clousers and other dumbbell weighted lures. I can't relax when it feels like some flying lead could snap the rod at any time. So most of the time I now use a $90 Redington 5wt rod that I bought for my wife when I'm fishing for smallies. I don't care if it breaks... much. It's funny, I was searching for some rod recommendations and I came across an old post of mine. It's funny because I was searching for rod recommendations because I finally broke this rod! I didn't care much... except I didn't bring a back up rod. Short trip this morning! -j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Whichever rod size one chooses,4-8wt for warmwater gamefish, should be teamed with a line 1 size heavier.Whereas trout casting is mostly about laying down a small fly with delicacy and finesse warmwater casting is about generating enuf power to cast large flies often at long distances.The heavier line will bring more of the rod's powerful butt section into play,will better turnover big flies,and will better handle windy conditions.I've used and have had good results with the Clouser, the Wulff Triangle Taper,and the Airflo Distance and Extreme Distance flylines.The Wulff and Airflos have thin running lines to enhance distance casting.A major advantage the Airflo offers for pursuing warmwater fish,which are lost due to a poor hookset more than for any other reason,is that it does not stretch and so will provide better hooksetting especially at longer distances.On the other hand it would be a detriment in trout fishing where the hook is set with just a flick of the wrist and where line stretch cushions the delicate leaders reducing breakoffs.If only 1 line were used for both warmwater and trout the clear choice is the Wulff.It casts both small flies with delicacy and large flies at distance very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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