simbirsw

I've had a Tom Thumb (about size 8 - 10) work in a similar situation. It was about the 15th fly I tried and didn't match anything on the water but worked great once I tied it on. Had friends fishing other flies with no success at the same time that started catching fish when they switched to the same pattern.

Your question is a bit open ended. If you were to recommend a vehicle to drive sometimes in the city and sometimes on the highway what size engine would you recommend? You should also consider the length of rod, how many pieces, what sort of action you like to have (slow, medium, fast)? You say you are buying a new rod. Does this mean you currently have a rod and, if so, what have you got? What is it that you like or dislike with the current rod? Are you planning on a new reel and line or using what you currently have and retiring the current rod? Do you have any physical issues when casting all day (sore shoulders or elbows)? Have you got a preference for any particular brand? Do you have a preference for dry flies or streamers? What sort of budget are you looking at? If you currently have a rod that you are reasonably happy with then I would go with something different for the new rod for variety and use the older rod when the situation calls for it. If you aren't satisfied with the old rod then why not (e.g. is it too heavy or too fast? then look at the lighter rod). If you have physical issues such as joint pain then go with a lighter and shorter rod. If you like to throw distance then go with the 6 wt but pick a longer rod. I know this is confusing but what works for someone else on this board may not work for you. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you try several rods before you make a decision. Either try them at a shop or borrow them. And don't be afraid to try several times. You should be picking the rod to match your casting style, not changing your casting style to match the rod. What often happens is that a salesperson will sell you a rod based on their personal preferences rather than what feels good to you or will talk about casting mechanics that just confuse the issue.

And when you do cast them try and have something similar in weight to the streamers you plan to throw on the end. If you are planning to throw heavy streamers a 6 wt is a bit light for smooth casting. If you are planning on using a long sink tip or a full sinking line a 6 wt is a bit light for lifting the line and fly out of the water. If this rod is mainly for tossing streamers and sinking lines then you might want to up size a bit.

If you are looking for a rod specifically for streamers then why are you only looking at 6 wt rods?

Male or female?

I'm pretty sure it isn't the Loch Ness monster. The Loch Ness monster is over 8 stories tall.