The Best Fly Rod

     When people think of fly fishing, they think of fishing rivers and streams for trout.  Trout can be very picky eaters.  In most cases, they will only eat the insects that are common to their environment.  This means that the super small size 20 and 22 nymphs can be the most effective.  The fly rod is the only effective way to deliver these small flies.
     Trout is not the only fish that can be caught on a fly rod.  Any fish can be caught on a fly rod. 

Photo courtesy Tom Carpenter

     The most commonly targeted fish is the Largemouth Bass.  When fishing for bass, bigger lures equal bigger bass.  This brings the question of how big of a fly can a fly rod throw?  What size of fly rod is best?

     There are no set rules about the size of fly that can be used for each rod/line weight.  The only rule is putting the fly where the fish are.  To maximize a fly rod’s potential there are some general guidelines.
     The 5 wt rod is the general use rod.  It can effectively cast almost any fly from a size 22 up to a size 8. These are great for trout, bluegill, and smaller bass.  It is possible to cast a little bit bigger fly such as a size 4 hook with a Fish-Skull® on it.  The best option for bigger flies that are used for largemouth or striper is an 8 wt rod.  The 8 wt’s general size rating is size 8 to 1/0 flies.  Like the 5 wt, the 8 wt can effective deliver larger or smaller flies.  It is possible to use a size 10 or 12 wooly bugger with the 8 wt but the line is a little heavy for the delicate presentation.  When casting the larger flies for bigger fish such as False Albacore or Tarpon, an 8 wt may not provide the power needed to bring the fish in. 
     There is not a fly rod that can do it all.  The 5wt and 8wt rods will cover most all fly-casting.  The only thing that these to rods can’t do is deep sea fishing.  They will handle everything from casting for bream on a farm pond, to Trout on mountain streams, and Redfish in the marshes.