Fly Rods

Fishing Rod Repair and Maintenance

WeaverCraft Custom Fishing Tackle

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APPLICATION—FLY RODS

Application Technique and Presentation

Fly Rods

If you have read the discussion on Application and Technique, you are familiar with the concepts of action and power and how they are applied. Fly rods share much of the same characteristics but with modified meaning.

ACTION FOR FLY RODS AND FLY CASTING

Action in fly rods refer to the same characteristics as other (non-fly) rods—how much the rod will flex, but has different implications for the angler—some good and some not so good. So, let’s talk about fly rod action for a moment.

Most fly rod manufacturers rate their action in three categories: fast, moderate and slow or sometimes referred to as soft.

A fast fly rod will bend only in the tip. A fast fly rod will cast the farthest and are great for double-hauling techniques and shooting head lines. In the hands of a skilled angler, a fast action fly rod can be used in very windy conditions due to the tight loop that can be cast in the leader and tippet. However, fast action fly-rods are harder to use and ARE NOT recommended for a first fly rod.

The next action, and most popular available today, is the medium action. A medium action fly rod is a suitable action for those starting out and is a very good all around versatile action for more experienced anglers that do not want to have a bunch rods for specific techniques. For the beginner they are very forgiving to learn as casting efficiency is easier to achieve than on a fast action.. Moderate action rods do not cast as far and are a challenge in windy conditions as it more difficult to get a tight loop in the leader to combat the wind.

The last action is the slow or soft action. With a slow action the fly rod blank flexes almost to the grip. Slow, full-bend, fly rod blanks do not cast very far and are almost unusable in very windy conditions. Like golfers, some fisherman measure their proficiency by the length/distance—which BTW is wrong as accuracy is more important than distance in fishing (and golf too). Regardless, demand of slow action fly rods is almost non-existent which means a lot of manufacturers do not offer them. This is bad because a slow action fly rod is absolutely ideal and in some instances a necessity for small creeks and streams. They are deadly accurate and perfect technique is not required to silently lay the fly on the surface without a ripple. But the best thing about the soft action blank is the ability to absorb shock. This characteristic reduces stress on the tippet and aids in fighting and landing the fish.

POWER:

As discussed on Application and Technique page, resistance to flexing is called power. Power refers to the blank’s resistance to flexing under load and is an inherent design characteristic based upon the taper and wall thickness of the blank. Once again, Action and Power are not the same and cannot be used interchangeably.

When talking about fly rods, power is described differently. As noted in the Application and Technique article, there are no industry standards used by rod and blank manufacturers to describe Action and Power consistently. However, fly rod weighting is fairly consistent and about as close as can be obtained in the market without going to Dr. Hanneman’s Common Cents system.

FLY ROD WEIGHT:

Fly rod sizes are designated by weight; abbreviated by “wt”. In the “old days” the weight referred to the number of grains equal to the first 30’ of fly line. A numerical designation, 1 to 16 was applied where 1 was the lightest and smallest diameter and 15 was the heaviest with the largest diameter.

In modern times with line tapers, weight-forward design and various composites, the weight to length ratio used in times past does not equate. However, the terminology and characteristics of times past has been applied to modern materials.

Fly line wts are important as it relates directly to rod design, fly size and the particular application. A #22 midge on a 14 wt line will work. However, the mass of the line will toss the tiny midge fly all over the place killing accuracy. Not to mention the heavier mass of the line will cause more disturbance when it hits the water. Also, unless the rod you are using is designed for a 14 wt, the heavier line will “overload” the rod causing it to perform very very poorly inhibiting casting.

Here are some general guidelines for fly rods and weights.

1-3 wt: Small trout, panfish, other small fish. Used when casting 18 or smaller flies (remember the greater the number the smaller the fly) on short casts. Want some fun? Catch a Bluegill on a 2 or 3 weight—just hold on.

4 wt: Small to medium sized trout and other similarly sized fish. Used when casting small to medium sized flies: #14 to #20 with lighter tippets. 4 wts are typically well suited for short to medium length casts. This is a good weight choice for trout in medium sized streams.

5-6 wt: The most versatile of fly line weights, IMHO. Very broad range of hook sizes #8 to #16. Can cast smaller flys very well, not as much control depending upon the size of the tippet, as well as bugs and small poppers. Recommended weight for bass—not hawgs-but good sized fish in fairly open water. Weight is good for medium to long casts and can be deadly accurate.

7-8 wts: Now we are getting into the big guns. Very, very popular for large trout, big bass and light saltwater. The 7-8wts are the bridge between the smaller species and flies to the larger game fish and casting of large streamers and big bugs really well. You can still throw small flies, say down to a 10, but presentation may be difficult if trying to be stealthy, but it will work. The 7-8wts cast really well and give the distance needed to cover the water. These line weights perform well in windy conditions and are perfect for large rivers, back bays and the coast.

9-14 wts: Big fish need big tackle. The most popular will be the 9 through 12 weights in this category. Some would argue that the 9 wt should be grouped with the 7-8 wts. But, I believe on flats and back bays you need the stealth and lighter line provided by the 9 wt. The 9 through 12 wts are mainly used for saltwater and freshwater fishing for salmon and steelhead. In saltwater, 9 through 12 wts are good for snook and tarpon. The 13 wt and 14 wt are typically used for sharks, Marlin—yes Marlin-and the largest of tarpon.

Once again, this has been a very high level overview for rod action and power. It is meant to cover the basics and how the two characteristics benefit and impact each other for various techniques. Use this information to better equip yourself when on the water AND when choosing a new rod.

WeaverCraft Custom Fishing Tackle

150 Shotts Farm Rd.

Chapel Hill, NC, 27516

Contact Information

Phone: 919.812-2431

Email: eddie@weavercraftfishing.com