Danny,
When bass fishing, both large and smallmouth, your main problem is not fighting the fish, but delivering the fly. Smallmouth bass will eat anything from small poppers and mayflies to large crayfish and baitfish patterns. Largemouth fishing is traditionally a large fly game. All of those patterns tend to create wind resistance when casting them and most large deer hair poppers can’t be thrown on anything less than a 6-weight rod (barely).
Back to fighting the fish, smallmouth bass can be fun on lighter weight rods, but really lifting and moving them out of deep holes or cover can really put a bend in your rod. Largemouth bass in the summer months live in the Hydrilla and lily pads and if you hook one, just fighting to get them out of the grass can be a real pain, so stout rods help here also.
I’ve fished light and small rods and due to the size of the Potomac and the size of the fish, I routinely fish a 6-weight for smallmouth, carp, and shad, and an 8-weight for largemouth bass.
To answer your original question, trout in central VA with the occasional panfish and bass should be a piece of cake – Either a 8.5’ or 9’ 5-weight will get him catching everything he wants, both locally and throughout the rest of the US. Trout fisherman tend to travel west and north for more trout, so this will be able to be used in the Catskills, central PA, and out west in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Idaho. It can be used to throw smaller flies at smallmouth bass as well.
If he’s going to be focused more on dry flies or central VA streams with lots of overhanging vegetation, chose the shorter rod, but I’d still have him stick with the 9’ rod. This is his first fly rod, so he’s going to want it to be as versatile as possible.
Do not look at anything smaller than a 4-weight as it will lengthen his learning curve and limit his choices.
There are lots of decent rods available. Look for an outfit that’s in his price range from a reputable dealer. Going to Wally World and grabbing the cheapest outfit because it was on sale has led to lots of buyer’s remorse and rods collecting dust in the closet.
R
Richard Farino
Urban Angler VA | 108 N. Washington Street 2nd Floor | Alexandria, VA 22314 
(703) 527-2524 | fax: (703) 527-3313 | richard@urbanangler.com
From: tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com [mailto:tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of flyrodder
Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2012 11:22 AM
To: tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: A new rod
A 2 weight is more than enough for Bass - both Large and Small mouth. UL is the way to go for pretty much any freshwater stuff. Just make sure you match the tippet and leader and he/you will be amazed at the finite control and amazing action you get on a 2 or ought weight. I have caught hundreds of 3+ lb Largemouths on an ought weight with no problems.
On Saturday, April 28, 2012 7:03:13 PM UTC-4, HeaveToo wrote:
If he is after bass at all I would suggest a 7 weight. That is the weight that I used for smallmouth bass. It helps turn the larger flies over better to have the weight. Also, a 20" Smallmouth is a beast!
On Saturday, April 28, 2012 6:40:10 PM UTC-4, Danny wrote:
My buddy is looking to buy his first rod, something under $125. Brand does not matter. I was gonna suggest something 7'-8.5' and a 4 or 5 weight. Before i advise him on anything wanted to get some other input. Hes going after mostly browns and bows in central VA. Possibly some bass.
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