What size fly rod do I need?
These days, fly rods are coming in all sorts of lengths and sizes. Some may be a marketing ploys, some may be legit. We like to keep it simple and have outlined our fly rod sizes below along with their purpose.
All of our 406 Fly Rods are 4 piece rods and come packaged in a hard sided travel case allowing for easy travel through airports and packing 10 miles in.
- 8' 6" 4wt - the perfect rod for creeks (cricks if you prefer) and small rivers. The shortened length of the 8' 6" rod allows for casting in tighter areas with trees and bushes lining the river while still packing some backbone for a solid bow and arrow cast in to light wind.
- We recommend this rod for smaller trout and similar sized fish
- Uses: Small - medium dry flies, small - medium nymph rigs, small streamers
- This rod's weak point will be distance casting on larger rivers and lakes as well as larger nymphs and streamers.
- 9' 5wt - the most popular and diverse fly rod size on the market. This rod accomplishes everything from small-medium streamers to small-medium dries while providing that length and strength for rivers.
- We recommend this for every trout and similar sized fish purposes. From 20"+ Yellowstone River Brown Trout to arctic grayling in the mountain lakes
- Uses: any dry flies, any nymph rigs besides large double stone flies, and small - medium streamers
- This rod's weakness will be in consistent and gusty winds on the larger rivers as well as the large nymph rigs (salmon flies, large stone flies) and large dry flies (large hopper imitations, salmon fly imitations)
- 9' 6wt - this rod has a bit more backbone than the 5wt mentioned above making it more ideal for larger rivers, lakes/ponds and bigger flies. If wind is a factor, this will provide some reprieve. Great option for a bass/trout hybrid rod.
- We recommend this for medium - large trout and bass
- We recommend this for med-large nymph rigs, medium-large dry fly rigs, and medium-large streamers.
- This rod's weakness will be smaller dry fly fishing as well as small double nymph rigs due to the reduced sensitivity from the extra backbone.
- 9' 7wt - the next size up from the 6wt and we are getting in to a larger category of fish, and many more applications. This rod and its juiced up backbone is applicable to the following fish species:
- Large trout
- Small steelhead
- Small northern pike
- Largemouth and Smallmouth bass
- Barp
- Bonefish
- Redfish
- Small Stripers
- 9' 8wt - Now we are talking big fish. The 9' 8wt is going to be a go to for the big boys allowing you chuck bigger flies with some weight to them. These are fish we watch movies for:
- Steelhead
- Juvenile Tarpon
- Small Permit
- Bonefish
- Northern Pike
- Salmon
- Snook
- Stripers
