Selecting a Fly Fishing Rod
As a fly-fishing angler you will soon realize, your fly rod is the second most important pieces of equipment. The first most important piece of the puzzle is the gaining and storing of knowledge in the art of fly-fishing of course. Selecting the right fly rod can be puzzling. I hope this article will give you some direction into which fly rod is right for you.
Fly rods come in various shapes and sizes, and which one you choose depends mainly on the type of fishing you plan on doing.
Fly fishing rods come rated in terms of the net weight they can handle (designated by nwt or just wt). This means that if you are fishing waters for fish up to eight pounds, you should use an eight nwt rod. Therefore, the higher the number, the bigger fish the rod is capable of handling.
Some rods are multi-rated like 8-10 nwt. multi-rated rods are good because they can handle a variety of situations. The trade off is you will give up some performance in the fly rod. A multi-rated fly rod is good for the beginning fly anglers because of its ability to adapt to various fishing scenarios.
Fly Rods are made of three different materials: fiberglass, graphite, and bamboo. Each type of material will give the fly rod certain handling characteristics and benefits.
The length of your fly rod makes a difference as well depending on the type of fishing conditions you are fishing. Fly rods less than 8 feet long are good for tight, narrow places and areas with overhanging trees. Eight to nine foot rods are ideal for trout and bass fishing in open areas. These longer rods will provide you with better casting distance. Anything nine feet and over is for wide-open waters and those long distance casts. The nine feet and above rods, work well for fishing from a float tube or drift boat.
Put some thought into your selection of a fly fishing rod. While your fly rod is not the only piece of gear that matters it is the one piece of gear that can help you bring in a trophy fish or just another fish. Think about what you want to accomplish on your fishing excursion and choose a rod that you help you attain your goal.
Spinning Reels
Spinning reels have long been the number one choice for the beginning angler as well as experienced anglers. They are easy to use, perform well, and if you are fishing light lures and bait, they are essential. A spinning reel will cast light lure as well as heavier lures and baits as well. There is not the fear associated with a spinning reel as with the dreaded birds nest that are so common for the beginning baitcasters. With the improvement to the modern spinning reels and their drag systems, you will find that a spinning reel is capable of handling almost all of your fishing needs.
From casting, a small 1/32 ounce jig for Bluegill to heaving a 1-ounce steelhead or salmon rig the spinning reel will complete the task repeatedly. A spinning reel today with a front spool adjustable drag system is as smooth and reliable as any other type of reel and they are easy to clean and maintain.
You do not need an expensive spinning reel to catch smaller species of fish; however, you should consider the following when making your purchase:
Size.
Your spinning reel should balance well with the rod you are using; other wise, casting will be a lot more work. As a rule, you will need a reel weighing about 7 or 8 ounces to balance with an ultra-light rod. A 10- or 11- ounce reel is a better choice for a medium- power rod.
A well-balanced rod should be balanced when held just in front of the reel seat.
Line capacity
Is not much of an issue while fishing for the smaller species of fish such as Bluegill, Crappy, Perch and such. However, you may need a high-capacity reel on large western streams and rivers where you are making longer casts for larger fish.
Drag.
When you are fishing for small to medium sized fish, the type of drag is not too important. However, when you hook a big steelhead or salmon, the last thing you want is a sticky drag. A good rule to keep in mind is a front drag is much smoother and more reliable than a rear drag. The drag system works much like disk brakes, the washers on a front drag exert pressure on a large, flat spool surface and this causes friction. The more pressure applied the more friction against the spool and the harder a fish has to pull in order for the drag to let out line. It is important to note here that you should never over tighten your drag for the weight of line you fish. One thing to keep in mind with this drag system is that if you are not taking in line when turning the handle stop turning the handle until you are able to take in line. If you keep turning the handle while not taking in line all you are doing is twisting your line. The next time you go to cast your line will jump of the spool like a coiled spring.
Shape of Spool.
For best casting performance, choose a reel with a wide, long spool. If the spool is too short and narrow, the line will come off in tight coils; this creates friction on the line guides and shortens your casting distance. Another drawback to a short, narrow spool is you have to re-spool more often to keep the line level near the spool’s lip. With a narrow spool, casting performance will suffer when you lose even a little line. To get the maximum casting distance with a spinning reel it is imperative that you keep the spool full. The line should be within an eighth of an inch or less of the spool’s lip. Make sure that you do not over fill the spool, as this will cause problems also.