Fly Rods - Buyers Guide

There are few things more confusing to new anglers than shopping around for a fly rod. For better or for worse, high technology has struck the fly rod market. And with it has come a wild assortment of high-tech sounding names, none of which make much sense to new anglers.

So, in an effort to break free of this confusion, I've prepared this buyers guide to fly rods. Hopefully, after reading all of this, you'll walk away with a better idea of what kind of fly rod to get, and why.

If you would like to spare yourself some reading, I've listed some quick recommendations below on features most beginner anglers will want to look for when shopping for a fly rod.

Quick Recommendations of Fly Rod Features (for beginners)

1. For new anglers, get a medium-action fly rod. They are the most versatile of fly rods and are pretty forgiving to learn on. If you want to know more about fly rod action, read the guide.
2. Rod length, for trout fishing, should be around 8.5 to 9 feet in length.
3. The weight of the fly rod (which means what weight fly line you plan on using) will vary depending on what you fish for. But for trout fishing, generally a 4-weight, 5-weight or 6-weight rod is best. I personally prefer a 4-weight, but thats just me. A 5-weight rod is probably the most versatile, though.
4. Make absolutely sure that the weight of the fly rod matches the line weight you plan on using. And likewise, make sure the weight of the fly rod matches the weight of the fly reel you plan on using.
5. IF that's confusing, remember this formula:
   fly rod weight = fly line weight = fly reel weight.
6. For new anglers, you don't need a $700 rod. However, you'll shoot yourself in the foot with a $100 rod too. Get something in the mid-range in terms of price. This way, you'll have use of this rod for many years with no worries of quickly "outgrowing" it.
7. Here's some good brands of fly rods :
   Cabela's, Orvis, Sage, G. Loomis, Winston, Redington, Fenwick, Scott & St. Croix.
8. The above llist is by no means exhaustive. Many other fine fly rods do exist. These are just the ones I'm familiar with. Choosing one of the mid-priced rods in any of those above brands will prevent you the new angler from buying something that you quickly outgrow and later regret buying.
9. Plan on traveling alot? If so, consider getting a fly rod that breaks down into 4 or more pieces - they are far easier to pack around. These rods are frequently called "Travel Rods", appropriately enough.

Featured Fly Rod

Sage ZXL Rods : The Sage ZXL assumes the enviable position as the most versatile all-around rod from one of the world's leading fly-rod manufacturers. The moderate-fast action perfectly bridges the gap between the ...Buy at Cabela's

On the next page we'll just right into the details of selecting a fly rod. We'll cover all sorts of "fascinating" details about fly rods - if you are of the mind to learn it.

But even if you're not, knowing this stuff can indeed be helpful. After all, sooner or later you're gonna meet someone on the stream who is very impressed with has new and expensive fast action fly rod. You can then launch into the goods and bads of using fast-action rods - most certainly impressing your almost certain new fly fishing partner.

So, onward...to the next page where we dive into detail about How to Select a Fly Rod .

Find a Fly Rod

• Fly Rods : Buyers Guide
• Cabela's Fly Rods
• Orvis Fly Rods
• Sage Fly Rods
• G. Loomis Fly Rods
• Redington Fly Rods
• St. Croix Fly Rods

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