Is it better to have a 4wt and a 5wt, or a 4wt and a 6wt?

[wannafish]

One more vote for the 4 and 6

[imxer]

Fish mostly larger western rivers, 4 & 6. Prefer to fish the 4 but if limited to one it would be the 6.

[ja501]

Another vote for the 4 and 6. You could use the same reel like an abel super 3n and just add a spool. That way you have a large arbor for your 4 and standard arbor for your 6. It's a win win.

[FrankB2]

I have 4, 5, 6, and 8 wt rods. No two 4wt's are alike, whether it's a difference in length, or the rod's action/taper. I have a 9' 5wt Z-Axis, and an 8'6" 5wt ZXL. There are very different rods. I also have an 8'6" 4wt ZXL, and while that rod is much closer to the 5wt ZXL than the 5wt Z-Axis, they're all different. I can horse the biggest fly I care to use into the wind with the 5wt Z-Axis, and turn large fish easily. Both ZXL lack the Z-Axis's backbone and ability to turn big fish in fast water, but they both get the job done. Most of the time, I use the 5wt Z-Axis and the 4wt ZXL. They are far enough apart in all respects there's very little overlap. When we're fishing dries, my wife and I will trade back and forth with the 4 and 5 weight ZXL's, and they are close enough that we can use either without wanting. The days when the Z-Axis is needed are a different story. The 5wt ZXL is capable of casting larger stuff into the wind, but with the same authority as the 5wt Z-Axis.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not just the weight of the rod, but the way it behaves as well. I've fished a super premium 9' 6wt (big name) that can't do have of what the 5wt Z-Axis can. Point there is that you can get a 5wt that can handle more weight, wind, and fish than some 6wt rods. It's not as simple as just buying any old rod in a particular weight, but finding a 5wt that can do the work of a 6wt is another part of the fun for me.

[billyspey]

Why just 2 wt.'s golfers have one of each wt. 2thru 9 pus two short irons and 3 woods that's 13 at least . Why be short 10 I think you should have at least a dozen of different. I have at least 6 ,4 wt. 3 5wt. 2 6wt. 1 7wt.1 8 wt. 9 wt. 1 3 wt. Spey rod. Not going to let a golfer have more than me.

[chi flyfisher]

A lot of great comments here to provide you some direction, and some good questions to ask yourself. I fished for years (trout) with only a 4 and 5 weight rod. I never felt the need for a 6 wt rod for trout and still don't. I bought one, but I don't use it trout fishing. It's a smallmouth and light winter steelhead rod for me. I could use it trout fishing, sure, especially throwing big stuff on big western rivers in the wind. But even when I was out west fishing in CO I still used my 5 wt. Z-Axis. Some may argue that a 5 wt. Z is akin to a 6 wt. but I don't. A 6 wt. Z is an entirely different animal.

For me, if I was fishing trout exclusively, wade fishing in creeks and rivers, I'd have no use for a 6 wt. rod. I'd stick with a 4 and 5 if you had to narrow it down to two sticks. As mentioned, that is what I did for years until my fly rods multiplied like rabbits - it does happen

Cheers,
Mike.

[wabi]

If I were to have only 2 rods I'd make it a 3wt & 6wt.
Fortunately I have a 2wt, 3wt, 4wt, 5wt, 6wt, 8wt, & 11wt.
Now I need a 7wt & 10wt.

[wt bash]

4 and 6 in different flavors.

[comeonavs]

So I guess I didn't ask or see the all important question.....where do you live/fish. Do you fish small and medium sized streams, or medium and large.

I fish small and medium 99% of the time and fish "bigger" water a few times a year ( S.Platte @ Spinney where it is always windy, Colorado River for Salmonfly hatch) therefore I have a truckload of small rods.

Medium 1Wt
Fast 1WT ( more like a 2)
Short fast 3WT
Medium 3WT
Longer fast 3WT
Short fast and long fast 4WT
Long med/fast 4WT

So I guess if I fished bigger water/ fish more often I would have 1-3WT and a variety of 4,5&6 WT's like Frank was describing

[fly_guy12955]

I fish an Orvis WF5f on my St Croix Imperial 9' 4wt and it does good,,esp if the wind is a consideration at all. Sometimes ,,if all is still, I might rig wf4f on it,,but it just loads and cast so much better with the 5wt line.

My 5wt mid action Access seems to prefer the wf5f line ...although honestly, I haven't tried a 6wt on it. I did try it by going lighter with a 4wt line,and performance dropped off somewhat.

I AM thinking about over-lining my 9'ft, 5wt BVK with a six weight line. I do not own a 6wt line,,and wish I could cast it with one,,before I spent serious dollars on a good 6wt line. I 'think' the BVK would cast streamers really good with a 6wt line. I does already with the 5wt,,but might do better,,and prob do a LOT better at short distances with a 6wt line. Might even be able to softly drift a dry out of the air with it then.

Learning, learning,,,learning...or trying to anyways...