6wt or 7wt

[fishingtaco]

Hello first time posting so please bare with me, I am looking for a new rod and reel in either a 6 or a 7, I live in nh and I normally fish for bass and maybe sometimes trout in a pond. So my question is should I get a 7wt to be able to throw bigger flies and would that be good for trout also? Or would a 6wt be better. I have done a ton of research online and everything says 7 and then it says 6. Sorry if this has been asked before and probably many times.

 

[dpreller]

do you own a fly rod already? if not a 6 is a good general purpose first outfit. if you already have something lighter 7 could be fine for bigger flies fish etc.

 

[caseywise]

first off, welcome taco
a six we be a good fit for both bass and trout.
i would recommend a 9 footer.

casey

 

[fishingtaco]

Thank you I have been checking out all the different threads for a few months just never posted anything, currently I do own a fly rod it's just a beginner fly rod scientific angler, 6wt 9ft. It served me well for the past few years but now I want something better. Looking at a tfo pro series rod. I think most of the time I will be fishing for bass out of my kayak but there are some trout ponds and we camp in the mountains so I will be doing some trout fishing. I was thinking the 7 for throwing better flies and also with the wind. I live about 40 seconds from a lake up hear. Just want to make sure i get the best bang for my buck, rather get something that will serve me for everything. I don't think I will be catching huge bass but I have caught some good size with my spinning reel.

 

[kuch]

I agree with the other post that the 6wt will work best for both trout and bass combined. I use a Scott S4 7wt exclusively for bass and also some steelhead but I had no intentions of fishing trout with it. The 6wt is the best choice for your circumstances.

 

[fredaevans]

Agree with the '6 calls' above. At a 7 you're now into light Steelhead fishing.

 

[pete a]

I tend to respectfully disagree with many.

First don't like the idea of a "general purpose" rod. Might consider both, buy 2 rods (5 & 7), 1 reel, 2 spools. TFO lower ends rods are really good bargains. Buy a "cheap" reel, I mean $30-40 (look used) as neither of your listed quarry are "drag burners", and you can save your pennies while still fishing for name reels down the line.

I fish for bass most of the year and find a 6wt will leave you wanting. Bass like a mouth full, hair bugs, medium poppers, flashy large streamers and Clousers all will tax a 6wt. Toss in a bit of wind, snags (always where bass lurk) and just it gets worse. 7wt gets a bum rap however a med/fast but not too fast 7 is very versatile . You won't be too "overgunned" for trout but right in there for bass, steelhead and light salt.

The more I fish differing waters I find the 6wt to be the "odd man out", too heavy for tight streams and small flies, too small for most bass/steelhead. 5wt seems to fit the general trout rod with next step starting at 7wt.

My 1.87 cents.

Pete A.

 

[kuch]

I tend to respectfully disagree with many.

First don't like the idea of a "general purpose" rod. Might consider both, buy 2 rods (5 & 7), 1 reel, 2 spools. TFO lower ends rods are really good bargains. Buy a "cheap" reel, I mean $30-40 (look used) as neither of your listed quarry are "drag burners", and you can save your pennies while still fishing for name reels down the line.

I fish for bass most of the year and find a 6wt will leave you wanting. Bass like a mouth full, hair bugs, medium poppers, flashy large streamers and Clousers all will tax a 6wt. Toss in a bit of wind, snags (always where bass lurk) and just it gets worse. 7wt gets a bum rap however a med/fast but not too fast 7 is very versatile . You won't be too "overgunned" for trout but right in there for bass, steelhead and light salt.

The more I fish differing waters I find the 6wt to be the "odd man out", too heavy for tight streams and small flies, too small for most bass/steelhead. 5wt seems to fit the general trout rod with next step starting at 7wt.

My 1.87 cents.

Pete A.

Some good points. My 7wt definitely is overgunned for trout but it is a very powerful 7wt. I still think in this instance the 6wt is the right call. Trout on a 7 isn't much fun.

 

[runningfish]

My money is on the 7wt. I'd rather be overgunned than undergunned.
I recently bought a 7wt rod Z brand while I was waiting for the 7wt line to come in the mail. I put my Rio Gold 5wt line from my 5wt rod on the 7wt rod, just to play around. I never underline or overline before and to my beginner surprise.
The 7wt Z brand, cast the 5wt line delicately in short and longer distance and with precision and with more to offer when needed. Next, I put an 8wt line (overlined it) no problem. Even better. But different rod brands will act differently to under/overlining.
I just think that the 7wt is more versatile than the 6wt, specially if you fish bass more than trout. and yes 7wt is over kill for small trouts.

 

[charged]

Will add a different perspective. Started with a 7wt. , and migrated south.

Today I most often fish a 3, and will rarely fish more than a 5.

My largest bass, was brought home on a 4wt rod 3 wt line.

 

[cw76]

I would say go with a six wt; It seems to me the six is on the upper spectrum of "smaller" rods, i.e trout etc. and the seven is on the lower spectrum of the "bigger" rods, i.e steelhead etc.. An invisible line if you will, although I guess, one could argue the seven lives in no mans land between the border of the two. Hmmm, I'm waxing philosophical now, at any rate I hope you can understand where I am coming from when I recommend the six wt. for you're purposes. Good luck :fishing:

 

[highjumper]

Fishing outfits are kind of like cars. You should buy what will work 90% of the time. From what you've described, a 6wt would be more than sufficient for most 90% of the fishing you will do and is a more versatile (and dare I say re-sellable) outfit.

 

[fishingtaco]

Thank you everyone for all of the help, I think I am
Making this alot harder of a choice than it should be, I am still not really sure what to go with I have been fishing with a 6 wt last summer and the one before I wasn't able to through big enough flies and that might be why I didn't catch a whole lot of bass? When I used my spinning rod I was catching them like crazy but bass don't like the little flies? I guess I still don't know haha thanks for the info though