Small stream fly rod choice

jkilroy

jkilroy

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
378
Hello Everyone,
I'd like to soon get into fishing small streams and I think the 8'6" 5wt is a bit long for that type of fishing.

What's gear is everyone using for this type of fly fishing? I was thinking 7' or 6'5" 4wt or 3wt.

I'm leaning towards the 6'5" 3wt.
 
and that's lean and mean-sounds good
 
I use a 7-piece 7' 4wt that converts to a 6' rod by leaving one section out. I find the 7x4 just about the right tool for the job in nearly every case. HTH
 
I have a 7'9" loomis IMX 2 weight that is great on all but the tiniest streams. I have a 6' 3 weight to use on them
 
I use a 7' 3 wt and a 6' 4wt
 
I use a 7' Cortland GRX 4 wt. It's my favorite fly rod. Period.
(Including a bunch of Sage's I have.) Very light, crisp and affordable.
 
I use a 6' 4wt for most of my small stream fishing and it generally works well. There are times that I wish I had an extra foot (don't we all :-D) for reaching out over the stream a bit more (nymphing, etc). Overall, I'd say that you can't go wrong with a 7' (+/-) 3 or 4 wt for small stream fishing. If you're talking really small (only couple foot wide streams), then by all means a 6' rod would work great - small mountain freestoners come to mind.
 
I fish small water with a great Echo 7'6" 3wt. What an incredible rod. Medium-fast action, and I can sling large muddlers and wooly buggers. They also have a 2 wt. that is phenomenal. Their prices are unparalleled for that level of quality...in my opinion, you simply can't go wrong.

Rajeff Fly-rods
 
Sage make a 6'3" 3wt for $500+, or I could get someone to built me a 6'5" no name blank for less than $200. The 6'5" would be faster action and a bit heavier. I wonder if I should spend the money? The lighter the fly rod, the greater the fight!

Just how hard it it to fish in those tiny mountain streams? I've never done it, closest I've came is Stoney.

-JK
 
I use a 6' 2 wt that I overline with a 3 wt line. Seems to help with roll and bow and arrow casts in the brushy cricks I like to fish.
 
jkilroy wrote:
Sage make a 6'3" 3wt for $500+, or I could get someone to built me a 6'5" no name blank for less than $200. The 6'5" would be faster action and a bit heavier. I wonder if I should spend the money? The lighter the fly rod, the greater the fight!

Just how hard it it to fish in those tiny mountain streams? I've never done it, closest I've came is Stoney.

-JK
Click to expand...

"The lighter the fly rod, the greater the fight!"

I never really bought into this. A 4wt rod is perfect for small streams. I find that I am better able to control my casts in tight quarters with a 4wt and can maintain my accuracy in wind, or with a split shot, or with bushy dry flies.

The Sage TXL that you are looking for is a great rod if cash is not an object, but a less costly rod will do.

I posted this link several times. I really like these rods for small streams. They pack small, won't break the bank, and fish well.

http://store.beekflies.com/marchbrown4.html

Good luck.
 
I lean toward extremely short fly rods for much of my trout fishing. For small mountain brookie streams do consider a multi piece rod for hiking that will fit in a short backpack tube. My favorite brookie rod is a 5 foot for a 3 WT.
 
I like an inexpensive, yet good quality, medium action graphite that is 7 or 7.5 ft for 4 or 5 wt. line. On occasion I overline with a 6 wt. There are lots of those available at very reasonable prices. My current favorite is a Browning I picked up in the early 90's for about $40.00.

Being a very cautious person who tends to fish alone, and with no idea how my CNS would react to snake venom, I like to probe grass or brush areas with the rod as I move around. That is the rationale for going inexpensive. Especially if I have to climb up a streambank and there are shrubs obstructing the view, I probe with the rod. Paranoid, perhaps.

For some streams precaution probing could be done with a walking stick on the hike in--it just depends.

I am not an expert caster, but on bow and arrow casts, frequently needed on very small streams, I do best with the rod lengths mentioned.
 
I have a 6' 2wt that is fun to fish, except for windy days where it can be a little tough to cast. If there is wind then I will usually break out the 7'6" 4wt. I'm in the process of building a 5' 2wt Rainshadow RX7 which should be great on small mountain streams.
 
I'm a punch caster and like a 5 wgt. even on the smaller creeks.

I had a 7" 3wgt. T&T I won at a TU banquet many years ago. I thought it was fundamentally a useless rod. Too short for places where the lighter weight allowed for more delicate presentations and too light to punch a #12 stimulator under a hanging hemlock bough at 30 feet

I have an older Orvis 7' 5wgt Small Stream Premium that I used to use in PA on small water.

It's all a stylistic thing, IMO..

But out here in the Midwest, it hasn't been out of the tube in 5 years
 
I've used both shorter and longer rods on small streams and prefer the longer rod. I currently use a 9ft 3wt Elkhorn 4 piece rod. On the smaller streams that I fish there isn't much need for lengthy casts and with heavy brush or tree cover it's mainly dink & dunk flies over small pools and riffles. The 9 ft gets the line out over the stream in good position without having to be on top of the fish. The problem is away from the stream it can be difficult to navigate through the brush and woods if you're bushwhacking or if there is no path along the stream unless you break the rod down.
 
I think the rod length/wt debate is another one of those issues in flyfishing that will never be settled. It's a preference thing when you come down to it. Some guys fish 9' rods in tiny mountain streams, others fish 5' rods on the Delaware.

For myself, I have a few 7 1/2 foot 5wt bamboo rods. To my mind they are perfect for small stream fishing. Not too short, not very long. The weight makes them versatile (who wants to hike back to the car because a wind picked up, making the 2wt useless?). The bamboo casts short very well, and depending on the taper, you can punch out a long cast rather well too.
 
I have a 7' 4wt 2-pc Hobbs Creek (Bass Pro) rod that I purchased within the past year ($85). I have only used it a few times but it performed quite well for dry flies and light nymphs. If I plan on dry fly fishing a small stream I use something in the 7 ft range. If I plan on nymphing, I use the longest rod that I think I can get away with (typically 8-8.5 ft). 2 and 3 wts are nice for throwing midges on spring creeks. I have found no need for anything less than a 4wt on small streams.
 
Orvis Superfine. Anyone of them.

I use the 3wt 7'6" full flex 2.5. Good Luck!
 
Now I'm more confused than before I started. I don't see how you use a 9' fly rod on those tight mountain streams. I know for a fact that I would get very frustrated, quickly! I know what I can do, borrow one from this one guy I know that has a 6'5" 3wt and try it out. Thing is, if you do have a nice opening with room, casting a 6'5" 3wt any distance is probably out.

-JK
 
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