What Rod Should I Buy?

[marty]

hey guys and gals

here's the same old question alot of you have heard a thousand times but i'm going to ask it anyway. i'm just getting into the sport and am torn as to whether i should buy 1 rod or 2 different rods. which weight and length of course. i'll be fishing some small lakes around edmonton and alot of creeks and rivers around the nordegg area.red deer area hinton area and i'll hit the crows nest pass at least once. please help me decide.

[JMasson]

hey guys and gals

here's the same old question alot of you have heard a thousand times but i'm going to ask it anyway. i'm just getting into the sport and am torn as to whether i should buy 1 rod or 2 different rods. which weight and length of course. i'll be fishing some small lakes around edmonton and alot of creeks and rivers around the nordegg area.red deer area hinton area and i'll hit the crows nest pass at least once. please help me decide.

 

Those are the areas that I fish most often as well. I tend to like my 4 weights more than anything else. I wouldn't go any heavier than a 5 wt. You may want to get two rods anyways. A 4/5 wt. and a 7/8 wt. There are bulls in the nordegg area and there is also some decent sized jacks around edmonton. You could target both with a 7/8. Most of the cutts, bows and browns you'll run into around Nordegg to Hinton should be easily caught on a 4 wt.

 

If you want to fish sometime, let me know. There's lots of well known water around Nordegg and also some relatively un-fished streams. I don't have secrets but I know some places where not a lot of people go.

 

James

[BRH]

marty ... that's probably the question of the decade. If it were me, I'd be looking at a stiffer 3 wt or softer 4 wt for the small rivers and creeks and some of the lakes depending on the size of the fish. For bigger waters I'd be looking at a stiffer 6 wt or softer 7 wt. This does not mean you can't use the heavier rod on the smaller waters or visa versa, but generally this rule will hold true. I wouldn't go with anything less in a 9 foot length for the heavier rod and probably would be looking at an 8' or 8' 6" length for the lighter rod. I also wouldn't be going and breaking the bank with your first purchases. There are some very good less expensive rods that will serve your purposes. Once you have some experience and have a better idea of what you like and what you want, then go ahead and spend some big bucks on higher quality rods. Some may disagree but that's what I'd suggest. If you're going to get carried away with spending money, pay a little more for a good quality line and less expensive rods rather than the other way around.

[headscan]

There are already some good suggestions here. A couple of things I'll add based on my own experience. First, if you haven't already, try to take some casting lessons before you buy any gear. Most places that offer beginner lessons will supply rods/reels/lines. Try to cast a few of them to get a feel for the type of rod action you prefer. Make a note of the rod and line that you're most comfortable with so that when you're ready to buy you have a starting point. Visit a few different shops and test as many different rods as you can and note your favourites so you can come back to them. As pseudonym said, you don't have to break the bank on your first purchase, but don't go too cheap either. I started out with a really cheap rod and hit the limit of what it could do fairly quickly. Ask the shop's staff if a rod is forgiving enough for a beginner but has room to "grow into" as your ability improves. As a beginner, you may want to go with a rod that has a "no fault" warranty for those unexpected accidents (car doors, stepping on it when releasing your first fish, hitting the rod with your fly during a cast, etc.).

 

Second, don't forget the importance of matching your line and reel to the rod. Make sure the reel isn't too heavy for the rod or you might find your arm tiring out pretty quickly. Some people might buy a 6 and 8 weight rod and try to save money by getting one reel with two spools for both rods. This will usually mean that the reel balances the 8 weight but is too heavy for the 6. The line is one of the most overlooked things when a beginner buys a rod but probably as important to consider as the rod itself. A great rod with a crappy or mismatched line will usually cast like crap. There are some exceptions to this, but usually they're few and far between.

[BRH]

... don't forget the importance of matching your line and reel to the rod.

 

Excellent point headscan. marty ... is it extremely important to match your line to your rod. If the rod is a 4 wt, be sure you get 4 wt line. If the rod is a 6wt, be sure you get a 6 wt line. The reel isn't as critical but is still important just the same. You should buy a reel that balances the rod. One might think that if you go to a pro shop you wouldn't have to worry about this and the guy behind the counter will provide you with equipment that matches. Not necessarily so. From my experience, the buyer beware rule applies. Go with enough information to protect yourself from being lead astray.

[birchy]

9'0 5 weight TFO Axiom.

[Brownstone]

a great all-around stick is a Sage Z-Axis, on the higher end of the price scale but worth every cent

[luukesh]

I will second Birchy's Axiom suggestion.......love the six weight. Can't beat the warranty too.......three visits to spring springbrook and counting

[mkm]

9'0 5 weight TFO Axiom.

 

I second birchy. I just bought this rod and it is has been awesome for me. However, it is great for the Bow but might be a little stiff (fast action) for some smaller water. Lots of reviews on this rod say its comparable to rods that you will pay $200-$400 more for. Plus its TFO which means the warranty is kick ass, especially if you will be around Calgary (take a busted rod straight to the factory and get a replacement peiece immeidately). Try it out and see if its for you.

 

Mike

[walker1]

5 weight Sage

older discontinued as mentioned may fit into your budget. You will be happy.

[EdB]

9'0 5 weight TFO Axiom.

 

 

i agrre with birchy. I have a 6wt though and i love it.