Fly rods

  
Depending on your level of experience and the type of conditions that will be present most often where you plan on fishing, your choice of fly rod will vary.  There are several different characteristics that need to be considered when deciding what type of rod is best for you.  Some things to consider are the type of rod (ie. what it is made of), the length of the rod, the line weight and the rod action or flexibility.  Obviously the cost for a fly rod can also vary greatly based on those characteristics from quite affordable to very expensive.

Types of Fly Rod

There are three main types of fly rods used by trout fisherman– fiberglass, graphite and bamboo. Fiberglass rods are the heaviest of the three.  They are especially good for beginning fisherman in that they are inexpensive but they are also very sturdy.  
Graphite rods are perhaps the most popular of the three in recent years as they are significantly lighter than fiberglass but equally strong and versatile to work in a variety of trout-fishing situations.  In addition, while the upper end of graphite rods can be costly, they are generally affordable and much less expensive than bamboo rods. 

This may be the best option for beginners who aren’t willing to spend a ton of money but want to find something a little better than the cheapest options which will both be effective and hold up for a few years at least. 		 

  Bamboo rods are the mainstay for the most experienced fisherman, which have been built and used by trout fisherman since the earliest days of the sport. 

Due to the intrinsic labor involved in constructing a hand-crafted bamboo model, it is not uncommon to expect to pay several hundred dollars for a single bamboo rod.  But to many, the extra cost is well worth it compared to the heavier and stiffer rods 
More often than not, it takes a certain level of expertise and countless hours of casting fly lines to truly appreciate the grace and flexibility of a bamboo rod.  But for those who have mastered the bamboo rod, it is rare that you will find any who have ever gone back to something else.

Fly Rod Length

For pretty much all of Missouri’s trout streams, the length of your fly rod should be in the 8 to 9 foot range.  In general, a smaller rod is better for narrower streams with tighter areas that require more precise casting such as those with brush or fallen trees.  While you might find an 8 foot rod useful for Maramec Spring Park and even some parts of Montauk State Park, an 8.5 foot rod is a bit more ideal for most of the area trout streams.  Its versatility allows for successful fishing in a wide variety of conditions. A 9 foot rod can be practical when fishing for bigger fish and casting over greater distances.  A rod this long might be functional for some of the wider and deeper parts of LakeTaneycomo, but not really necessary for the majority of Missouri’s streams.  However, if you plan on fishing for salmon or some of the biggest trout in Canada or Alaska, even longer rods may be preferable.

Fly Rod Weight

The next thing you need to consider is rod weight.  Obviously, a heavier weight rod allows for the possibility of catching bigger fish, but selecting a rod heavy enough to reel in a world record trout is not usually a good idea. The lighter the rod is, the less visible the line is to the fish and usually the more action that results.  It is not uncommon for fisherman to reel in trout that weigh far more than the weight of the rod they are designed for.  But there are some tradeoffs as well to selecting the lightest possible weight as the line can easily snap when bigger fish are hooked and also is prone to break quickly if hung up on a tree or some brush.  Typically a 4 to 6 wt rod is ideal for Missouri’s trout streams.  As a happy medium, I most often stick with a 5 wt rod as its versatile enough for nearly all of my trout fishing needs in Missouri.  The key thing to remember about rod weight is that it must match the weight of the line as well as the weight of the reel or it could cause problems when casting and potentially even damage the rod.  

Rod Action

The rod action or flexibility is another trait of fly rods that will vary depending on the user’s tastes and the type of fishing that will be done.  There are three main types of action seen in fly rods: Fast action or Tip-Flex, Medium action and Slow action.

A Tip-Flex or fast action fly rod refers to the fact that the rod bends only at or near the tip of the rod on the backswing of the cast.  As a result, the stiffness of the rod propels the fly forward more quickly and also farther than those of other types of rods.  This can be good for bigger streams or windy conditions.  In addition, it can be beneficial when fishing with bigger flies. However, the faster action also requires more precise control and often can be difficult to handle for beginners or those used to slower action rods.

A medium action rod is a bit more flexible than a fast action rod as it tends to bend from about half-way up the pole down to the tip on the backswing.  This is more forgiving than fast action rods and also is more versatile for different types of situations.  A medium-action rod can be successful in most situations and hence is a good place to start if you like to fish in different types of conditions.

 

A slow-action rod is very flexible and on backswings will typically bend around ¾ of the length of the rod.  As a result it is very forgiving of casting blunders and many find them easier to learn on.  However, the deliberate nature of the cast can be a bit cumbersome for the impatient. 



But slow-action rods do come especially in handy when fishing smaller streams or brooks with tighter surroundings that require more precise casts and a more disguised approach.  An added benefit to the slow-action rod is that the flex in the rod makes it seem as though every fish is a big fish, which always adds to the intrigue of what is actually on the end of the line.

If you are just starting out, a fly-rod combo may be your best option as the reel and rod will be packaged together and they can usually be found a bit cheaper this way.  However, I don’t suggest going the cheapest route possible as you usually get what you pay for.  A decent fly-rod outfit can typically run you in the $150-200 range.  Obviously there are more expensive ones (as well as cheaper ones), but I wouldn’t suggest spending much less than that if you want something that’s going to last a few years.