What you need to know before getting a fly fishing Rod

Fishing rods come in different length and act differently during casting. In the market, their length ranging from 24 inches to 16 feet. The longer rods provide for greater mechanical action while casting.

Long, thin and flexible are the features of fly fishing rods. Commonly, fly is tied with feathers, fur, some other lightweight colorful materials. A fly rod uses the weight of the fly line for casting. A “leader” is often tied onto the fly line on one end, and the fly onto the other end. Factors that determine what size of the rod to be used are what type of fish you intent to catch and other environmental like the water/ wind conditions and lastly the weight of the line.

Casting larger and heavier flies will require heavier and larger lines. Available in the market, fly rods size is between size #0 rods to size #16 rods which are recommended for catching small freshwater fish such as pan fish and trout and for the larger saltwater fish respectively.

Unlike other fishing rods, most fly fishing rods have very little or no handle, sometimes referred to as a butt section. This will cause no interference while casting. A fly rod with a longer rear handle is called a spey rod. It is sometimes used for fishing in saltwater surfcasting, or for large rivers to catch steelhead or salmon.

When choosing fly fish rod, pay special attention to the amount of flexibility or stiffness in the rod. There basically three types of rods based on their actions.

1) Slow-action fly fishing rods have the greatest amount of bend and are used to reel in smaller, lightweight fish. Beginners will find these rods sometimes difficult to handle but they also provide the most accuracy for short-range casting.

2) Medium-action fly fishing rods are recommended for beginners as they’re easier to control. They have some flexibility, and the rod bends more in the middle and at the tip. These rods can be used for short or long-range casting.

3) Fast-action fly fishing rods bend at the end of the rod and are very stiff. They do not have much give to them at all. These rods are best for long-distance casting, and also for reeling in the bigger fish. Beginners can find these harder to handle because they are not as accurate as a short-action rod.

Many fly fishing anglers prefer custom rod building to buying rod off the shelf. The fun and knowledge gained are the things that keep many fly fishermen treat it as a hobby.