Walt's post below got me to thinking about building my first fly rod. Please forgive my newbie questions – this is new ground for me. I don’t even know how to fly cast any more. I did it as a kid in the sixties.

I would like to build a fly rod for sunfish. I plan to use small poppers most of the time, maybe some foam spiders, etc. I use spinning tackle and a casting bubble now, but that often tangles and always makes quite a splash on entry. I would like to be able to reach out 50 feet or more if possible. I will use this out of a boat most of the time to surfacing fish that spook when I get close.

I have a Forecast blank - 5wt 3-piece that is 8’ 6”. Is this close to what I need? I don’t even know what line to purchase. I am thinking of using PB Minima guides on this one.

Thanks for any insight!

Chuck- An 8 1/2 ft. 5 wt. Forecast should do the job. The forecast blanks cast very well considering their low cost. For a line I would go with one of the distance tapers available from various manufacturers. I have had both Rio and SA Mastery distance tapers and both cast well.

I would use the lightest line that will cast the poppers well and find a rod that is a match for that line. I think too often we are concerned with rod weight designations when it is the weight of the line that casts fly's of your choice well. If the weight of the flyline is sufficient to propel the weight of the fly under the conditions you encounter then it needs to be no heavier. Matchingh that line with a rod that casts it well gives you the ideal combination IMHO.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I fly fish ponds regularly in the warm months for bass and bream. Fish out of my kayak. 8-1/2 will do it, but really like to use the longest rod possible for the boat. You are closer to the water and your backcast will drop and slap behind you if you don't keep tip pointed up. 5wt is plenty of rod, just might want to consider going to one of the longer models for ease of casting distance. Good line is always a plus I use RIO exclusively, just works well for me. I will be building a 10ft-4wt
myself this winter just for this application. Get a 3-4lb bass on that and you got a handful of fun!
Eric

I like an 8-1/2 footer personally and a 5-weight will be plenty of fun, but a 4 would be even better for bream.

Earlier this year I built a rod and fitted it with the Minima guides and really like them - a perfect compromise between snake or wire loops and ceramics. Most likely I'll use them from now on.

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Thanks for the input.

I saw and held Mr. Kirkman’s rod a couple of weeks ago.

White blank with the guides mention looked really sharp. Was an extremely light well balanced outfit
Besides the small profile of the guides the diminutive frames created a nice look to the whole rod.

One more question I will throw out there. I have a 2 wt request it will be a 6'6" for small stream native brookies. Whith regard to the Minima's, what is the smallest that will pass a 2 wt line. I have no clue what type connecting knots will be used or if any at all. I still need to talk more with the requestee.

Bill in WV

I think a 4 or 5 wt would do you well, length to be determined by how you fish: from shore, a boat? 8-9' would work. Be aware, with the lures you are tossing, a big largemouth is also a possibility. WOOHOO!!!

You cannot avoid connecting knots, how else doe you connect butt to line and butt to leader?

On a rod as light as a 2wt, single foot guides in the smallest size that will pass the knots is best to keep weight down.

Gary, bass are a real possibility since I tend to use larger poppers to keep the runts off. I will probably built the 5 wt since I have it. My other fly blank is a 6' and that is too small for my purpose. 90% will be from my boat.

Thanks!

Chuck, I fish for Bluegill 2-3 evenings a week all summer in a half dozen farm ponds here in central Iowa. I use a 3wt, 4 wt and a 5wt. All are 8 1/2 or 9' and I am fishing from small boats. I find the longer rods a must for this type of fishing and although I am targeting big Gils I do not refuse to set the hook on bass, but sometimes the 3 wt just doesn't have enough gusto to drive a little Gamakatsu fly through the mouth. And many nights I hook up more bass than gils. If I had to fish with just one of those rods it would be my light 5 wt. I can cast flies a little further with it and I can throw a little bigger fly with it, but it is still sweet!

I would add one thing to Steve's post - generally you slip-strike the fish on a fly rod thus the rod doesn't really play much of a role in hook setting. You're setting the hook by hand directly in line with the fish. There is no sweep of the rod as with a casting or spinning rod.

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