Can Someone please explain to mewhen you would use what weight fly rod at what time and does weight have anything to do with length. I am an old bass tourney fisherman and would like to expand my rod building to fly rods and also what is line weight versus your cast.(more=farther yes/no) If anyone knows of a book that may explain this that would do also. I am just looking for info so I might understand a 4wt rod at 9' is used in this circumstance versus a 9wt at 12' is used for this. Now IM confused. thanks

Jason Kesckes. Aint no fish'n like bass fish'n

Jason:
While there are lots more folks on this forum who know more about rod building than I, I have been fly fishing for a long time but have built only a few rods. I did not understand any of it either until I read the Common Cents article (click on the link on the left.) While you might have to study it some (I did), once you understand it, you will see how to measure rod performance, etc.

Regarding a 9' 4-weight, I have recently built 3 of the Dan Craft (again link on left) 904's. These are 9' , 4 piece, 4-weight. They fish GREAT!.

Good luck,

Harold

May I suggest you just head to the local public library and borrow a book on fly fishing in general.

Fly lines are based on the weight of the first 30 feet line with each being designated a number. It's not breaking strength but weight, like your bass lures. Length has nothing to do with it.

In general you select a line based on the rod number if you're using the rod at about 30 to 40 feet. If the rod is to be used at longer ranges then you drop a line weight. Shorter then you go up a line weight. But the fly fishing industry has muddled this up so you can't always depend on it 100%

For bass fishing I'd select something like an 8'6" or 9' 6 or 7 weight. That would do most of anything you'd want to do with a bass on a fly rod.

6 or 7 weight is all you need to land a bass, but there are a few other considerations. Since in fly fishing the momentum of the line propels the lure, casting more massive or more air resistant flies requires more massive line (corresponding to more momentum, assuming you generate the same line speed) to keep the lure moving. If you are planning to fish big clousers or hair mice think 8 or 10 weight, not for power but for line mass.

What rod length affects is ease of presentation. In tight quarters a long rod can get in the way and caught in brush, on big water a short rod can make long casts and mending more difficult. Do the reading, it is essential, but the only way to really get a good understanding of this is to fish a lot of different rods in a lot of different situations. Hope some of this helps!

Ain't no fish'n like bass fish'n as long as you are using a fly rod. It is really a lot of fun. There is a fellow that works at a local sporting goods store and everytime I walk in there he points at me and says, "That fellow got tired of catching fish and took up fly fishing." A 7 or 8 weight rod with a floating weight forward line should do the trick. Jay Yela has done well fishing a plastic frog and you can do the same using a deer hair bug only it will be more fun with a long rod. And at the end of the day if your friends ask you if you caught anything just say, "No, I was fly fishing." Which is what I always say.

Jason,

If you want to 'know' about fly rods, fly lines, and their applications, I suggest you get a book to flesh out the basics. The lines cast or 'carry' the flies. Heavier lines let you cast heavier/more bulky flies. Rods load with different line weights, so you need a heavier rod for heavier lines, but there are tons of exceptions, tricks, and tactics to all this.

Just so you know, it's about as absolute as choosing which crankbait for which situation....picking the proper worm color, or the exact correct spinning rod for drop shotting for every bass fisherman......

Good Luck!

Buddy Sanders

Jason,
Here's a great website to get you going: []. Go to their Basics section and browse the articles. It's a wonderful and very addicting way to fish.

Jason -- If you ever want to call sometime and just have a little shop-talk about various aspects of flyfishing for various species of fish, just feel free to give me a call. I will be glad to offer some input of what, where and when for you. It can seem complicated and may take us more than just one conversation to answer all your questions that may pop up from time to time, but I am available to help assist you. Keep a pad handy and make notes of questions that you think of from time to time and I'll do the best of my ability to help answer them for you. As suggested, books are a good starting point, but I'll also be glad to help all that I can. As far as that goes, any others that have questions, feel free to call. Nothing like one on one shop-talk about rod building and fishing applications. Shop Phone -- 931-684-6164.

Bob McKamey -- Custom tackle Supply

take up bob on his offer. many vendors i've run across for components in my fly rod wrapping experience are great people, friendly and love to talk fishing. bob is one of them. dan craft is another.

after reading a bit, brushing up on the word aspect of the fundamentals, if you have't yet, go out and fish for bass with someone, taking two different weight setups. you'll catch on very quickly with a hands on aproach. a fly rod builder who actually fly fishes is golden. keep in mind, fly rods are very simple things. a fly reel, even simpler.

eric
fresno, ca.

Fly fishing may take a commitment, depending on how fast you pick up on it. I started fly fishing about 4 years ago and I learn every time I go out. I have bought lots of books and a few dvd's (I strongly recommend anything by Lefty Kreh especially the book Lefty on Fly fishing and the DVD Lefty on Fly Casting) these have helped tremendously. Don't expect to go out and master all aspects of fly fishing in an afternoon. Enjoy the journey and everthing will come in time. Practice makes perfect, or so the theory goes, but practice will make you better. Don't try to learn on the water, cast in a open area prior to hitting the water just to get the swing of things. The presence of fish proves to be a great distraction while learning to cast. As time goes by and you do your homework, you will be able to diagnose problems in your casts and correct them. On a final note if you are out casting and things are going well and then turn for the worse, pack it in and try another day. Don't get frustrated and enjoy the journey!