Newb

[kbass]

I got two fly rods for Christmas and I have a few questions... They are probably pretty simple/dumb questions but please refer to the title of the thread and forgive the ignorance.

One of the rods is #5-6 weight which I know will be good for river and lake fishing. The second rod is a #7, and the guys at the tackle shop said this would be good for saltwater. If this is correct what type of fish am I looking for? If I use this in freshwater what would I be looking to catch? Can I go between saltwater and freshwater with this same rod/reel combo?

Last question I have is about left/right hand retrieve (I should start off with I am right handed and like reeling in with my left). One combo came with the reel set up to when I reel in, it is clockwise, the other is counterclockwise. I am very confused on which is correct and I am shipping them both back so he can fix whichever one needs to be fixed (per his suggestion), but I am really curious as to which direction is correct. Thanks for any help!

 

[mcnerney]

Kbass: First off welcome to the forum! A 5/6 fly rod is a great general purpose rod for fly fishing for trout. I use a 5 wt for fishing the streams and lakes here in Wyoming. If I were to fish small mountain streams where the trout are generally smaller in size than a 3 or 4 wt rod might be more appropriate. I also have a 6 and a 7 wt rod that I use when I'm targeting larger trout or when tossing large streamers or trying to punch a cast into the wind. I've also used the 7 wt for smallmouth bass. I don't fish salt water, but I would guess an 8 wt would be a better choice, but then it would depend on the species that you were targeting. I'm left handed, use the right hand to retrieve and when I wind the line in it is in a clockwise direction. Almost all fly reels that I have purchased in the past are setup for a left hand retrieve, then you have to change the reel to retrieve with the right hand (assuming your are left handed). I hope that helps.

 

[mbphotos54]

first off welcome, youll find huge info here and great folks willign to help. I started fly fishing this past spring and would be nowhere with out the help of the more experienced folks from this forum.. now for the questions I used a 5/6 weight all summer in a creek for bass and bluegills. and that weight rating is good for most average fishing, depending on what flylines came with the combos this could effect your success in learning to cast, so a good weight forward(WF) floating line at 6wt will do great on the 6wt rod. I use the bass pro cv2 line and its been easy to learn on and get distance, I got my rig used and it has a non tapered or weighted line and it wouldnt go more then 20 ft.. theres is alot of stuff for fly fishing I would say to get but that you can do more searching on the forum for. I just recently got a 8wt rod for fishing fresh water, bass, carp, catfish maybe a striper (i hope) as for 7wt being a saltwater rig,, maybe one of th salt water guys will chime in,, but from my reading I would so no, unless fishing for smaller fish. again, not something I know about much, kentucky has no saltwater. Do you have a fish you plan to seek, like bass??? OK. the reel direction question really comes down to you, I am right handed so I cast with my right for more casting control, which is way more critial then the line hand. if the reel clicks one way and not the other, you want the click to happen while spinning the reel clockwise looking at the handle side, that click is your drag since the line winds up from the bottom. hope this helps some, good luck. watch alot of youtube videos:icon_bigg
mike

 

[silver creek]

Set up the reels to wind in counterclockwise, which would be left hand wind, the same as you are already used to. Being right handed you will cast with your right hand and your left hand will then be the line hand during casting.

After you cast, you place the line under your right index finger and retrieve line from behind the right index finger with your left hand. In that way, you always have control of the line; it is never allowed to drop free. The line is always either in your left hand or pinned against the rod with your right.

 

[kayo]

I must be southpaw.

 

[wannafish]

Set up the reels to wind in counterclockwise, which would be left hand wind, the same as you are already used to. Being right handed you will cast with your right hand and your left hand will then be the line hand during casting.

After you cast, you place the line under your right index finger and retrieve line from behind the right index finger with your left hand. In that way, you always have control of the line; it is never allowed to drop free. The line is always either in your left hand or pinned against the rod with your right.

Don't you mean clockwise? Edit; never mind you're right I got it, for left hand retrieve it's counter clockwise

 

[Rip Tide]

The second rod is a #7, and the guys at the tackle shop said this would be good for saltwater. If this is correct what type of fish am I looking for?

That depends a lot on where you live/ plan on fishing. Most anywhere a 7wt would be extremely light due to the larger flies and windier conditions on the coast.
A 7wt is a smallmouth rod in my book.

 

[kbass]

Thanks for the info.... So counterclockwise for left hand reel, got it.

Also, I live in Tulsa and plan to go to the White River and the Ozarks, which I would think the 5/6 combo would be good. As far as the #7 rod I had no specific place/fish, I was just curious if I could get away with using this for saltwater, but it sounds like I should up it to a #8 rod..... Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Vans]

Welcome to the forum kbass.

Living in Ok you might not have a regular use for the 7wt, unless there are some fish there i am not aware of. IMO, the 7 "might" be a bit over gunned for what you are gonna fish for on a regular basis. When i am fishing for small or largemouth i use my 6 wt and it is more than enough rod. My 7 wt is used for steelhead fishing. Then again, you folks do get some big bass down south so perhaps a 7 is the right rod.

Look at it this way, give it a shot if it feels like too much rod you get to buy another fly rod.

My favorite rod is my 5wt and it gets a lot of use trout fishing. I too am a southpaw and prefer to have my reel set up for right hand retrieve.