Action and Lengths Best For Beginners.

[noreaster]

This Christmas the wifey will be getting her first real fly rod.
She started in the middle of last season and still has some frustrations common to beginners. Although she picked up the basics rather quickly. She hates knowing I am better than her at something. Shes quite fiesty and competitive.

I am thinking the Temple Fork offerings may be right, something 4 or 5 wt. around 8 feet long plus. I want this rod to be light, and facilitate her learning and enjoyment of the sport.

So I am wondering want kind of action and rod length would lend itself, and be forgiving, to the newbie with half a season of casting under her belt?

Her Walmart combo was a 4 piece 5 wt. that feels mushy, and has dead spots in its stroke. She thinks she likes it, so I want the difference in performance to be noticeable.

Thanks
phil

 

[caseywise]

a 9' 5 weight medium action rod would probably be a good choice for her.
check out the allen ATS rod-
ATS Rod Series - Allen Fly Fishing Store
incredible fly rod at a great price

casey

 

[mikel]

Is there a budget for the rod?

 

[noreaster]

Is there a budget for the rod?

I was hoping to find at least a bit of a deal and not have to pay full retail. I have time to scout the best choice and maybe nab a deal. Under $200 I guess. Imported models are fine as long as they are some what proven with a decent warranty for replcmnt tips.

 

[Liphookedau]

I'd buy her either a 5 or 6 wt Medium to Mediud Fast 9ft Rod & one of The Lines which is 1/2 Size heavier
that way down The Track you won't have to buy another Rod as She will soon get used to it.
There's an Old saying"If you are going to do something properly,it's better to work will The Best Gear,that way you can do it better & quicker ".
Also she would learn quicker with some of her friends if they are into Flyfishing.
Also there's always good Rods for Sale on Places like eBay as well as The Classified Section here.
Incidently a friend has An Allen 9ft #4 or 5 Mythe with a Rio Gold Line,it's a nice setup.
Brian.

 

[MoscaPescador]

The reality is that rods have slimmed down due to modern technology. Even the price pointed rods are as light as many premium rods from years ago. That mushy 8ish foot 5 weight Wally World rig that your wife is using has graphite technology that is ten or more years old.

As for actions and lengths, there are three criteria to make her choices off of.

1. Water types. Big water, small streams, both?
2. What kinds of payloads will she be throwing? Dries, indo-float-a-bob-cators with split shot and multiple nymphs, streamers with heavy sinktips.
3. What kind of action does she prefer?

If I was going to play the statistics based off of past observations, here are some choices that are popular in the western states with women.

1. Small to medium streams, mostly dries, light nymphs and streamers. 8.5' 4 weight medium fast action.
2. Medium to big water, a mix of everything, 9.0' 5 weight medium fast action.
3. Big water, a mix of everything but favoring larger flies, usage of heavy sink tips for streamers, 9.0' 6 weight fast action.

I won't talk rods brands and models. There are a lot of good ones at every price point thanks to the trickle down of technology.

Dennis

 

[noreaster]

a 9' 5 weight medium action rod would probably be a good choice for her.
check out the allen ATS rod-
ATS Rod Series - Allen Fly Fishing Store
incredible fly rod at a great price

casey

That is a very nice rod. And fits the budget. Allen would be a contender.

---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------

As for actions and lengths, there are three criteria to make her choices off of.

1. Water types. Big water, small streams, both?
2. What kinds of payloads will she be throwing? Dries, indo-float-a-bob-cators with split shot and multiple nymphs, streamers with heavy sinktips.
3. What kind of action does she prefer?

If I was going to play the statistics based off of past observations, here are some choices that are popular in the western states with women.

1. Small to medium streams, mostly dries, light nymphs and streamers. 8.5' 4 weight medium fast action.
2. Medium to big water, a mix of everything, 9.0' 5 weight medium fast action.
3. Big water, a mix of everything but favoring larger flies, usage of heavy sink tips for streamers, 9.0' 6 weight fast action.

Dennis

1) Not sure on her preferred action. She really isn't sure herself as she has only used her Wally world combo. Which was very slow and mushy. She did remarkably well at times though.
2) She will be fishing small rivers and small ponds for pan sized, up to a pound or two trout. Not fast waters, but slower dead waters. Could be more wind and brush obstacles than many are used to.
3) Payloads would be simple traditional wet and dry flies around size 10 up to 16, mostly 14's I' say.
At least if she wants to go where I go. Was frustrating for her though first couple times, getting caught up too frequently and then there are the knots.

 

[silver creek]

I'd like to know where she would be fishing and for what species. How "tight" is the water for casting?

IMHO, the worst thing you can do is to buy a 9 ft rod and then put her on a small stream because wading is easier. You'll be picking flies out of the trees and frustrating her.

My recommendation is:

1. Buy a rod to make her fishing easier and not to make her casting easier.

2. Better yet, teach her to cast with an appropriate rod that you already own, and take her fishing by guiding her without carrying a rod yourself. Be the gillie. Give her a "certificate" for your fly casting lessons, a guided trip, and a rod/reel later in the spring/summer.

 

[MoscaPescador]

1) Not sure on her preferred action. She really isn't sure herself as she has only used her Wally world combo. Which was very slow and mushy. She did remarkably well at times though.

Have her try out one of your rods.

2) She will be fishing small rivers and small ponds for pan sized, up to a pound or two trout. Not fast waters, but slower dead waters. Could be more wind and brush obstacles than many are used to.

I'm thinking around 8.0' to 8.5' 4 weight depending on how much brush you need to deal with.

3) Payloads would be simple traditional wet and dry flies around size 10 up to 16, mostly 14's I' say.

I wasn't sure if she might need a creek specific rod. If that's the case, you may want her to consider something as light as a 7.5' 3 weight with a medium to medium fast action. With her payloads being so light, she may not need a heavier rod.

Dennis

 

[noreaster]

Have her try out one of your rods.

I'm thinking around 8.0' to 8.5' 4 weight depending on how much brush you need to deal with.

I wasn't sure if she might need a creek specific rod. If that's the case, you may want her to consider something as light as a 7.5' 3 weight with a medium to medium fast action. With her payloads being so light, she may not need a heavier rod.

Dennis

Awesome,
This is pretty much what I was thinking. I liked the idea of medium fast in 4 wt. between 7'6" and 8'6"

I've seen some nice 8 foot 4 wt.'s around $149.00

 

[delopez]

I'd have to agree. She really needs to cast them first, to see what she likes. Another contender, which is right at the $200 mark, but a really great caster, is the Winston Passport. It's a very comfortable casting rod, light, and great for the price. I still pick mine up and cast it!

 

[mike63]

There are some Redington 4 wt CTs on eBay (new) for about $100. Kind of hard to pass up really.

 

[44runner]

I think easiest to cast is a medium-fast action. Slower actions seem to give beginners trouble with timing and fast actions seem to be hard for a newbie to control. The easiest rod I have a bunch of time on is a Sage Flight. It seems to have that perfect action that anyone seems to pick up quickly. There are probably a few left on clearance too.

I love the Redington CT and own 2 myself but it doesn't seem to be a rod I can hand even someone that has a little fly experience and they can fling it well. If that slower medium action is something she digs though I can't say enough good things about that rod. Possibly the best deal in fly rods especially now that it is on closeout. Not to mention one of the prettiest too...

 

[MoscaPescador]

FYI: The CT was recently discontinued. It has been rebadged as the Tempt. You can find CTs discounted all over the interwebs.

Dennis

 

[silver creek]

Awesome,
This is pretty much what I was thinking. I liked the idea of medium fast in 4 wt. between 7'6" and 8'6"

I've seen some nice 8 foot 4 wt.'s around $149.00

Yellowstone Angler just put out their 4 wt shoot out and one rod fits in your sweet spot ===> the St Croix 8.5 ft. 4 wt. at $200.00