4 WT Rod Length Suggestions

[Windspeed99]

Rod size advice needed as I’m fully addicted 🙂. Looking for an all around small stream 4wt. I have a 9ft 5wt for trout and10.6 3wt nymph rod. Looking for an all around 4wt trout rod for smaller streams that I can both Nymph and dry fly fish with (when I don’t want to carry a second rod).

Should I be looking at an 8ft or 8.6 foot? Looking at a medium - fast rod?

Thoughts

 

[tomgamber]

You're going to get a lot of different opinions on this. My second rod (at the time) was a 7ft 3/4wt. The length kept me out of the laurel and the limbs. It was a softer rod that I liked for a while. Was soft enough to feel lighter takes. I then made a faster one that I liked even more because it was easier to just "flick" line out but not as sensitive. I still have the softer one.

 

[NRD]

The smallest stream I fish is White Deer Creek, where I have used:
8'6" 4 Wt Orvis Clearwater with 5Wt line
7'0" 3 Wt Hardy Demon
7'9" 3 Wt G.Loomis IMX Pro c, which is now definitely my small stream rod
I've taken the 7'9" 3 Wt to Fishing Creek above Lamar twice now, and come away thinking that next time I should take the 8'6" 4 Wt.
Maximizing your casting enjoyment may depend on exactly how small your preferred streams are.
I do not enjoy a fast rod on a small stream, which is why the Demon didn't make the cut.

 

[Bamboozle]

Rod size advice needed as I’m fully addicted 🙂. Looking for an all around small stream 4wt...

The first question is how small is the "smaller stream(s)?"

If it ISN'T as small as what I consider small, (which is a stream less than 5 feet wide in most places), I'd look at a 7'6" rod or 7'9".

If small to you is a stream between 10 - 15 feet wide, I'd be thinking about an 8 footer.

Action is what you like, not what is required as evidenced by the fact I use medium to slow action rods for all of my trout fishing regardless of the stream size, rod length, rod material, line weight or flies fished.

Good luck!

 

[JoeE]

Bamboozle hit it on the head. My favorite 4 wt is a 7’9” for small open streams for tighter streams I will fishing 4, 5’ and 6’ 4wt rods. I like a 7’5” 6 wt or 8’ 5wt for streamer fishing smaller streams.

 

[JoeE]

I’m working on a 5’10” 4wt for a friends grandson, he doesn’t know it yet should be a surprise for both. I just have to sand the wraps and if everything looks good the dip tank. The rod on the side is a 9’8wt. Just came of the bench a week ago just cutting the blank and sanding. This will be my sons bass rod and he thinks it is mine 😀. JoeE

 

[JoeE]

I’m working on a 5’10” 4wt for a friend of mine’s grandson. I just have to sand the wraps and if everything looks good the dip tank. The rod on the side is a 9’8wt.

 

[HopBack]

8’6” 4wt redington classic trout is what I use almost exclusively now on small streams. I have a 7’6” 3wt and a 6’5” 4wt rod but I enjoy the reach on the larger rod better.

It’s not something a newbie should consider but it really helps you stay back from a hole and helps to keep your fly line off the water which is important in faster moving pocket water.

 

[jifigz]

8’6” 4wt redington classic trout is what I use almost exclusively now on small streams. I have a 7’6” 3wt and a 6’5” 4wt rod but I enjoy the reach on the larger rod better.

It’s not something a newbie should consider but it really helps you stay back from a hole and helps to keep your fly line off the water which is important in faster moving pocket water.

Hopback got it right. For the money you can't beat the 8'6" Classic Trout.

 

[bdhoover77]

Hopback got it right. For the money you can't beat the 8'6" Classic Trout.

I’ve been wanting a second rod and have been going back and forth on a 4wt or 5wt Redington CT. If I do go with the 4wt, I also can’t decide between 8’6” or 9”. Is there an appreciable difference in performance?

 

[KeviR]

My all time favorite small stream rod was a 8'9" 3wt Sage SP (graphite iv). I loved how the rod loaded easily at fairly short distances but could cast 50' if you needed to. And you could cast all day and it was still a feather in your hand. I have never tried a really short rod, like under 8'. The small streams I have fished are mostly northern tier streams where there wasn't much rhodo/laurel and the forest canopy was fairly open. To me, that's the main question with regard to rod length. For streams that have a fairly open canopy, a 8'9" rod was a lot more useful than an 8' rod. If you want to fish tightly canopied streams, a shorter rod would probably be better.
I prefer a slower action rod for small streams.

 

[Acristickid]

Have an 8 foot 3 inch 4 wt , 5 piece. It’s a great dry rod and I don’t think I would want a longer rod for small streams- it packs up small for hiking. If I had to do all over again I’d go with fiberglass- because slow dry rods are the cats meow.

 

[Del Gue]

You might also want to consider a Taylor Dynamix.