[tca1954]

Hi Everybody,

I looking at adding a 5 wt. to my small selection of rods and am considering a shorter rod in this weight class. I am familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of long vs. short, but the one question I have is in the performance catergory.

Specifically, I am interested in the TFO Finesse 5 wt. 7'9" rod. I tried one out recently and it really felt nice. I am a beginner to intermediate caster at best and to me this rod felt good because it was so light. But I am wondering besides the regular pros and cons, will this rod handle the same fly sizes as a 9' rod. Is the feel of the action any different on a 7'9" vs 9'? Is there such a thing as a better line choice for short vs. long rods?

Thanks.

[zerolimit]

It's likely to be a bit stiffer and quicker than it's nine foot brother which should make it a little easier to cast heavier bugs if say you are a bass fisherman. If I were to go shorter with a 5wt., my personal preference would be an 8-6 unless you are buying it for a specific application. Longer rods also make mending easier. But in the end, if it suits you, it's the right length.

[BigCliff]

I've cast that rod and its really frickin nice. I was suprised at how stiff it felt, given the billing of that series as being gentle, and delicate and all that.

It will cast about the exact same range of sizes of flies a longer rod would, with more accuracy and possibly a bit less distance.

What line you want on it depends less on the rod and more on what you want to do with it. For instance, if I end up buying one, it will be for a more powerful rod than my trusty 9' 4wt, and I'll use it to sling poppers and streamers into tight spots on the streams in the TX Hill Country. (dang, thanks for the reminder, you may have just sold a rod for TFO) I would want line that offers powerful turnover, like a SA Headstart or somebody's nymph line.

On the other hand, if I normally fish a 6wt and wanted it for a more delicate rod to present hoppers, a SA XPS or Rio Selective trout would be a better bet.

Your call man!

[Joni]

I have the ORVIS Far and Fine which is a 7'9" 5wt. AWESOME rod and one of the most wanted. Full Flex so more similar to Glass and Bamboo, but this can handle anything my 10' can handle. The advantage over this with the 10'er is wind and bigger flies, but that is it.
I decided I wanted something in between so I ordered an 8' 6" (I think) rod.

[Curtis]

Most people in my neck of the woods go with a nine foot five weight.

My favorite rod though is an eight foot five weight. It is more accurate then the nine footer, imo. I get just as much distance with it and just like the length better.

The only downside I can see for a shorter rod is when highstick nymphing in fast flowing water, mending can be a little more difficult but definately not that big of a deal.

I am sure that rod will be a great one for you. Enjoy!

[tca1954]

Thanks everybody for your comments, I believe the TFO I will be getting the TFO in the next couple of weeks and will let you know how it goes.

[shorthaul]

Originally Posted by Joni

I have the ORVIS Far and Fine which is a 7'9" 5wt. AWESOME rod and one of the most wanted. Full Flex so more similar to Glass and Bamboo, but this can handle anything my 10' can handle.

im on my 3rd one!---if you chop 2" off (or break it off trying to get your fly out of a log jam) it becomes a great "walk and stick" heavy zonker rod

[plland]

The main reason I use short rods is for small streams. It's not so much a matter of lacking back cast room or preferring tighter loops for roll casting, but when you're walking a brushy streamside, not wading because you don't want to spook your quarry, a 7 1/2' rod is simply easier to maneuver between tree limbs and brush than a 9' one, both when walking from place to place and when just trying to stick your rod into a position between the brush to get a decent cast--the trees may be hanging 8' or lower above the stream itself in many places. Otherwise, when not fishing small streams, I almost always go with the longer rod. You can get more distance with fewer false casts, it's way easier to mend the line and roll casting is more effective with the longer stick. On the other hand, a shortish long rod, like an 8 1/2' is noticeably more accurate at short distances than a 9' one and still has plenty of length for mending. So the 7 1/2' stick would be preferrable for close-in situations, such as on a small stream or a trip to go raiding the local hatchery's rearing pools.

[BigCliff]

I got a reminder tonight of one way to make a short rod roll cast well: stand high. I was fishing the SA River upstream from downtown on a little concrete crossing that sits about 18" above the river's surface, using my OLD StC Imperial 7' 4wt. Using a snap T and a tomahawk chop casting stroke, I was able to throw about 60'.

If I had been thigh deep, I might have been able to throw a 40' roll cast.

Just keep rod length relative to water level in mind when choosing between the long rod or the short rod.