Fly Rod for Streamers?

[red light]

Looking to get a rod for streamer fishing only, mainly brown trout and smallmouth later in the season. Getting some confusing information, can you help clarify? Would a 9ft 6wt or a 10ft 5wt be the better rod for this application? Price range would be $400.00 to $600.00 if any particular rod is recommended.Thanks.

 

[Flyrod Buddy]

I like my Orvis Superfine Fiberglass 6wt.
I also have a Echo BadA$$Glass QuickShot 7wt, I’m mentioning this rod because its an affordable alternative to the American Rod Companies. They are designed in the USA and are made in China but this is a decent salt water or heavy bass streamer rod. But if you can look at their River Glass Rods. I like the soft tip and durability of glass, I also have a elbow that gets aggravated from stiff graphite rods. But there are my suggestions.
Here’s my 6wt in action
The Fly Fishing Redneck catching a Bucketmouth YouTube


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[Ard]

I've used every rod I ever owned for streamer fishing. Unless you start trying to use huge heavy flies a 9 foot 5 weight is fine. For larger fish and flies a 7 weight is a good all round rod. The #5 rod allows you to switch to a dry fly leader if that becomes a good option too.

 

[hollisd]

9' #7 for a dedicated streamer rod. 5 wt isn't a streamer rod and a #6 excels only in casting Woolly Buggers or Autumn Splenders but a 7 is a versatile tool for streamers. I have a 907 Scott Radian with Ross Evo LTX 7|8.

In your price range I would spring for the one piece G. Loomis IMX-PRO or they also make a 4 piece.

 

[moucheur2003]

I think a 9x6 will do the job best for all but the biggest Kelly Galloup-style weighted articulated monster streamers and pike flies, as long as it has has some backbone. (Mine is a Hardy Zenith, bought on closeout for $300.) A 9x5 can do the job too, and it would be a good choice for an all-rounder, but a 6 can handle bigger flies and more distance if you want a dedicated streamer rod. A 9x7 can also do the job and can handle the extreme situations even better than a 6, but it might be a little bit too much rod for most trout under most conditions, so you'd lose some feel and finesse.

 

[WNCtroutstalker]

9' #7 for a dedicated streamer rod. In your price range I would spring for the one piece G. Loomis IMX-PRO or they also make a 4 piece.

I agree with the above. I haven't cast the IMX Pro 1 piece, but I have cast the 4-piece 7 wt and think it would be terrific for streamers. I imagine the 1 piece would be even lighter and smoother. Another nice streamer rod in your price range is the St. Croix Bank Robber. As mentioned, I'd personally get the 7 wt, but it comes in a 6 wt too.

 

[benglish]

There truly is a tool for everything. Sre you can get away with a fast action 5wt but why? Few years of that will result in eventual rotatory cuff surgery. Especially if you fish where it is as windy as I. Also depends on "where you are" in fly fishing. I have been doing this for quite a while but was not until the last 5 years or so though that I really began to become adept at streamer fishing. Now, I probably throw meat 1/3 of the time when I walk and 2/3 from my boat. So for me, I want the right tool for the job. The 9'6" 6wt Method will do both nymphing as streamer fishing very well Including all but the "biggest hugest" streamers (the Method is pretty quick). From the Claka, the 6wt Method is THE dedicated streamer rod and will throw pretty much anything with the added leverage and hight from being in a boat. From the river (walk fishing), my 7wt ONE is the one. It will throw absolutely anything in pretty much any wind. My two cents

 

[coolhand]

Douglas Sky #6 or #7. St. Croix Bank Robber either #6 or #7. Sage Foundation #6. Echo EPR #6 or #7. G. Loomis IMX Pro, #6 or #7 (#7 one piece configuration is awesome if you have a way to transport it).

 

[mcnerney]

I use a Sage ONE 9 ft 7 wt for a dedicated streamer rod, it is a casting cannon.

Trident is a sponsor here on the forum, they have a Sage ONE 9ft 6in 7 wt on EBAY if interested.
Sage ONE 9’ 6” 7wt Fly Rod - Trident Trade-In (796-4, 967-4, 796/4) | eBay

 

[isaiah20]

May I ask what size streamers?


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[red light]

I am thinking in the range of 4 - 6 - 8 streamers for trout and 4 - 4/0 for bass. This is what has been recommended to me so far. Not necessarily experts but more in the line of the sales people in the local fishing stores. The skeptic tells me to listen with a grain of salt. Are they really concerned what is in my best interest or are they trying to make a sale? Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful and unbiased advice and suggestions.

 

[VaFisherman]

With the size streamers you mention, and I agree with those sizes for trout and bass, you need a 7 weight fly rod to handle those efficiently. As others have said, normal size wooly bugger type fly for trout can be handled with a 5 or 6 weight but if you want to throw big flies for big trout or any streamer suitable for smallmouth you need a heavy rod. I use 7 and 8 weights for smallmouth fishing, but I fish for big fish and big smallmouth like big flies.

 

[flafly14]

I think that lots of people use less rod than would be ideal for the flies they want to throw. The smaller your fly relative to the weight of your line, the easier it'll be to deal with. Of course the right line taper helps, but at a certain point that bigger mass of the heavier line is just really helpful. FWIW I would probably not use one rod to throw streamers from size 8 all the way up to 4/0. I'd probably use a 6# for the smaller and at least a 9# for the bigger flies. But that's just a guess since 4/0 can be tied sparse or bulky.

Edit: Check out this chart. It shows what size flies this guy recommends throwing with any given line weight.

Basic Knowledge of Fly Fishing Leaders Cures Beginner Casting Woes

 

[clouserguyky]

I am thinking in the range of 4 - 6 - 8 streamers for trout and 4 - 4/0 for bass. This is what has been recommended to me so far. Not necessarily experts but more in the line of the sales people in the local fishing stores. The skeptic tells me to listen with a grain of salt. Are they really concerned what is in my best interest or are they trying to make a sale? Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful and unbiased advice and suggestions.

You can throw those trout streamers with a 5 or 6, but you'll struggle with the bass flies on a 6 unless you buy an aggressive line like SA Titan, Rio Big Nasty or Airflo streamer float. If you want a dedicated streamer rod, get a 7. If you need this rod to throw dries and nymphs as well, get the 6 and invest in an extra line with an aggressive taper for it.

 

[karstopo]

I second the recommendation for a line like the SA Titan. I use a 6 weight SA Titan taper with my 5/6 weight CGR and that combination can throw 1/0 deer hair bugs pretty well with an aggressive, relatively short knotted leader.

Lines like that are often available on the discount websites for a greatly reduced price. But at any rate, a shorter, heavier head works a lot better for chunking bulkier and heavier streamer patterns than some sort of long head lighter dry fly presentation line.

 

[dennyk]

My 9' 6 weight Scott Flex is my streamer/smallmouth rod, but I'm not fishing big water. I have yet to run into anything it could not handle with the right leader set-up. The SA Titan is a great line once you get over the sound it makes going through the guides.

Denny

 

[isaiah20]

I was going to suggest a 6 wt and 8wt. I fish a 5 wt a lot in the Driftless. But 6’s,7’s, and 8’s for bass and carp. The noisy Titan Taper can be mitigated with the Amplitude Smooth!


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[flav]

I come at streamer fishing from a different angle. I don't want to use a 7 or 8 weight rod for trout or smallies, that's no fun, so I don't. I discoved, quite by accident, that my 4 weight will cast big flies easier when lined with a 7 weight line. And when I say easier, I mean much easier. It's the same concept behind lines like the outbound, which are designed 2+ line weights heavy and cast heavy flies for distance. Line designers know what they're doing people just need to learn to buy in. A heavier line loads your rod deeper, where the power is, then the mass of the line is what actually casts the fly. Bigger payload, but less work. Anyway, just a different way of saying maybe you don't need a different rod, a new line might be all you need.

 

[westmt]

5-6-7 wt should work for you.I mainly fish for smallies with 6,8 and even down to size 10 streamers. Being i fish deeper holes in a big river, i use a Sage One 6 wt with an OPST head and medium sink tip, with 5 ft of leader. Catch both Smallies and trout. If i need more range i use a 4 wt 10' 9" switch rod set up the same way. Lots of places i fish there is no room for back casts.
I've even used my 5 wt rod with streamers with standard wt forward line and about 7 ft of leader. Our Smallies even like nymphs. Late summer with my 5 wt, I'll use a grasshopper for floating and 14-18 inches under that tie on a nymph.

 

[NWADrew]

I highly recommend you watch the youtube video by Blue Ridge Fly Fishing on the Ultimate 7wt Setup. It was very helpful to me in my search for a light streamer and mousing rod. I bought a Sage Foundation last week ($325) and absolutely love it. IMO a fast action 6wt can cast smaller "streamers" with 160 to 200gr sinking lines, and handle shooting head floating lines well. But I think you'll be much happier with a 7 wt as I am.