Rod Weight For Stillwater Fishing

[markm]

I have been fly fishing for trout for several years and have used a 5 weight for fly fishing here in Utah lakes from a float tube or kick boat. The 5 weight has worked well although in windy conditions or with bigger flies casting can be an issue. This year I have gotten into bass fishing though and want to use this as an excuse to get a new rod at a new weight. What weight rod would you guys recommend as a good Stillwater rod for trout and bass.

Mark

 

[andrew_rigsby]

I would recommend an 8wt. It gives you enough versatility to fish different types of water and has enough feel to fish for the big trout and bass in still water. You can also throw some pretty big flies into the wind for redfish or sea trout. Plus if you ever go steelhead or salmon fishing you can use it for that as well. Just an overall good wt rod in my opinion.

 

[bloomagoo]

I was leaning toward a 7wt or 8wt. I have several in both sizes and they are great still water rods.

 

[Bigfly]

My take on this question may be off......
The rods most used tubing by me, are...
An 11' 4wt Greys, which is really nice when sitting in the water casting dries.
A 9' 5wt. for troutskis up to 23" or so. Dry or bobber...
Then a 9'6" 6wt for streamers, rigged shallow (less than 10').
And an 9' 8wt for getting serious and using a 300gr sinking line......
Smallies go upwards of 7lbs. here and will bend a rod. Bertha bass, likes fat streamers in the spring...
Have fun.....

Jim

 

[fireroad]

Trout and smallmouth = 6wt
Trout and Largemouth = 7wt

I just made the jump from 5 to 6wt for stillwater and it's plenty of rod for me, even in the Idaho wind. It's definitely feels like a bigger jump than say going from 4 to 5wt. Considered a 7wt but they can get pretty tiring after only and hour or two. 8wt even more so...

 

[turbineblade]

I would recommend an 8wt. It gives you enough versatility to fish different types of water and has enough feel to fish for the big trout and bass in still water. You can also throw some pretty big flies into the wind for redfish or sea trout. Plus if you ever go steelhead or salmon fishing you can use it for that as well. Just an overall good wt rod in my opinion.

Bingo -- if someone put a gun to my head and said "you can save one fly rod, but no more" I'd head straight for the 9' 8-weight. You can use this size for a hell of a lot of fishing and it'll put you on fish in virtually any area you might go and in a wide range of distance/wind conditinos unk:.

 

[runningfish]

Your 5wt will still do, but if you really need to get a new rod. I would recommend you a 6wt for the trout and the bass. The 6wt is light enough to detect the trout bite in the stillwater and still capable to cast flies for bass.
I often underline my 8wt zenith with a 6wt line to fish for trout and bass after I sold 2 of my 6wts (Predator 7'9" and Vapen 9') to give a room for a switch rod.

My avatar picture is the Redington Red Vapen 6wt 9ft and in the net was one of the 12" club members that I caught with it. I don't have the picture of the bass that I caught with it but a 6wt will serve you well for both species. Get a faster rod too.

 

[tfrank]

I'll be another to mimic the sentiments for an 8wt. It's just such a versatile rod. With a 5wt. and 8wt. you can fish pretty much anywhere in the country and not feel over or under gunned. With the exception of the larger saltwater species.

I find throwing large flies in the wind with too small of a rod much more tiring,not to mention aggravating, than throwing a heavier rod weight with the same fly. I'm not trying to be mean here, but if a person is worn out after fishing a 7 or 8 for an hour or two there is an issue. Barring arthritis or some other physical disability a rod in this size range isn't much work. There is either something desperately wrong with the casting stroke or they really need exercise.

 

[Joni]

I fish mostly stillwater, right here in Utah, and parts of Idaho. I love chasing any species and have been know to latch on to several 30+ inchers.
My preferred weight is 6 as I can handle it all day and all sizes.
I do use 8wt for Carp but more for the vegetation that comes with them.
I am currently having my dream Bass/Carp stick built by Sweet Grass. It will be a 6/7 weight 7' 9" quad in which I will load with Shark Skin Magnum 7.

In answer to this question, 6 wt or larger.

 

[mojo]

I vote 6 wt. too. Like Joni mentioned, we fish Utah stillwaters and Idaho's including Henry's Lake, Daniels, Chesterfield etc. I would recommend Allen's Xa2. Very impressive stillwater rod. Should handle any bass here in Utah except maybe wipers at Willard- that's 8wt. territory there.

 

[Joni]

I am assuming you are MBM on another forum.?

 

[tfrank]

I guess I should have asked what bass fishing is like in Utah and what is meant by large flies. When I think of large flies, it's 6"-10" long. Basically a chicken wing with some deer hair, a hook (or two), and some big dumbell eyes, or a popper that resembles a bull frog or baby duck. Just put a couple hooks in a squirrel tail and call it an eel pattern.I'm being serious on this one and the 6"-10".

I've only fished for LM here in Md. and in Va. and Fla. In Md./Va. 6 pounders aren't uncommon. And all summer you have to horse them out of hydrilla so thick a blue heron can walk on it, or lilly pads. Then in the Potomac river drainage you have the chance of 30"-40" snakeheads. Or some very large catfish up to 60 pounds or so. Just grab the line and break off the big snappin' turtles 'cause they'll just pull you wherever they want to go.In the early spring you could get into a 40" plus striper. I've seen 52" caught while large mouth fishing. Saw a 104 pounder from a gill net during the moratorium.

Down in Fla. 10 pounders weren't uncommon in the nineties (last I fished there). Pretty decent (20 pounds) mudcats/flatheads weren't uncommon. Caught a few small gators (under 4'). They are fun. Had a 10'er steal two poppers one night at the state campground in West Palm. They have the snakeheads now too and the hydrilla and lilly pads.

Right here in my part of Md. you get the added bonus of a gunfight with some of them guys you see on tv with the fancy boats and nifty clothes. A friend of mine was so happy he got pulled off the bass tournament detail. He said he could go all hunting season and seldom worry about getting shot. During the bass tournaments he felt he needed kevlar. Last year there were just over 400 tournaments in about 8 months. Between the hydrilla and tournaments I lost my taste for bass fishing years ago.

 

[markm]

I am assuming you are MBM on another forum.?

That is me, been trying to get some good info from everybody.

 

[Joni]

Nothing wrong with that at all. As long as you are here, check out the Allen Fly Fishing rods...they are AWESOME.
I am going to hit DC this weekend to see what wants to play.

 

[markm]

Nothing wrong with that at all. As long as you are here, check out the Allen Fly Fishing rods...they are AWESOME.
I am going to hit DC this weekend to see what wants to play.

Thanks Joni, I will check out Allen Fly Fishing. I think I am going to head back up to Mantua this weekend. My daughter wants to catch some bluegill and I have been doing well there on the bass. Good luck at DC! DC ,Jordanelle, and East Canyon are all on my list of lakes I want to hit over the next few weeks.

Mark