Fly Fishing Rod Buyers Guide

Buying the right fly rod can be a daunting task for the beginner. There are a few things that need to be taken into account when making a purchase to ensure that you get the most from your new rod. The more expensive rods are not necessarily going to suit you better, take a few simple steps to choosing your new rod.

1. Rod Length - You will notice that most rods come in a wide variety of lengths and weights. For now lets just take the length in to account. When fishing small streams and rivers you would usually select a short fly rod, from 7ft to 9ft. These lighter rods cast very light lines and offer a delicate presentation of your fly. Being shorter they are easier to use when there are trees etc on the riverbank. You will also not be looking to cast long distances. If you are looking to fish small inland Stillwaters a rod of between 9ft and 9ft 6inches will suit you best. These rods are capable of casting reasonable distances and can easily cover feeding fish with the correct fly line. They are by far the most popular size. At the far end of the scale you have rods that are between 9ft 6inches to 10ft and longer. Resovoir and boat fisherman uses these rods. They carry heavier lines, cast long distance, they are heavier and more difficult to use.

2. Rod Weight ATFM number - All rod manufactures print a rating on the butt of the rod. This #rating tells you what weight line will work best with that particular rod. Using the wrong weight line makes casting difficult or impossible if severely mismatched. Remember it is the rod that does the work, a correctly matched rod and line is a pleasure to use. The #rating is known as the AFTM (Association of Fishing Tackle Manufactures) number. Ensure that your line matches your fly rod. Just as short rods are used on small waters and long rods on bigger waters, the same applies to the weight #rating of the rod. Low ratings form #3-5 are usually on the short lightweight rods. #6-8 on the 9ft and 9ft 6in rods. The long 10ft rods and above usually carry a line of between #8-10. The actual weight of a fly rod also makes a difference to the angler. A heavy rod will make you tire more quickly. The more expensive rods are usually lighter and thinner than cheaper models of the same ATFM rating.

3. Fly Rod Action - Each fly fishing rod will have an action of it own. The action can be described as soft, slow, medium, fast, mid action, tip action etc. The action of a rod will make a considerable difference to its feel when casting and when playing a caught fish. The action is a description of how the rod bends under pressure and how it recovers to its original position. Fast action rods generally produce more line speed and can cast greater distances. They can be quite stiff and require a greater degree of timing when casting and care needs to be taken when playing fish to avoid breakage of the tippet. A slower action is more forgiving to bad timing and will not cast as far, its soft action is better for casting closer in as it requires less line out of the rod to create the flex needed to create a good casting technique.

4. Price - As with almost everything in life, the more you pay the better it gets. However this does not mean that you must buy the best to enjoy the sport. Cheaper rods tend to be slightly thicker and heavier in construction and the fittings (cork handle, Guide rings/snakes/guides and reel seat) are constructed from cheaper materials. As you become familiar with different waters and your casting improves you may well find that your original purchase could be improved upon. However, by now you will have the experience to make a more informed judgement about what suits you personally. Our cheaper 'Starter kits' are sold hundreds of times over each year and our customers are amazed at what you can get for under £100. If and when you decide to be more serious about fly-fishing you can add to your tackle, it never hurts to have a spare rod anyway. Prices for carbon fly rods range from £23 to many hundreds of pounds for the top brands such as Sage, Orvis etc. You will see that we carry stocks of everything from the cheaper to more expensive rods.

If you require a more personal service please do not hesitate in calling us before making your purchase. If in any doubt we are here to serve you, so please ask.