Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Recommendation for Fly Rod?

Echoing what everyone else said, you're going to have a tough time with just one rod for all of that. I had always just used a mid-price range Cabela's 9' 7wt since I started fly fishing about 15 years ago. It was before I was old enough to work, so my parents were buying it for me and I couldn't get anything else. It was great for the freshwater stuff I was doing on Cape Cod, and worked well for bluefish and got by for striped bass (although the bass were obviously much bigger up there than anything we'd get into in the Potomac). I still use that same 7wt for all my fishing out here, on the Shenandoah, and on the Rappahanock. You're using lots of weighted flies around here and could get into something big on any cast, so the size helps. 

I recently bought my girlfriend an Orvis 9' 6wt Clearwater for her first rod, and it casts like a dream, but it's starting to be a little bit of a chore for the clousers, but definitely still cast-able. That being said, it's still way too big for the mountain streams. I decided to pick up a 7'6 3wt for my trout work around here, and bought the Cabela's Three Forks combo since I didn't know how often I'd actually use it and just wanted to go as cheap as possible. It was $70 for the rod, reel, backing, line, and leader. I'd avoid the 3wt I bought though. The reel is the model they designed for the 4/5/6 weight rods, so it's a little out of balance and doesn't cast great for those rare circumstances you need a longer cast on the trout streams. The larger rods may be fine.

Think of what kind of fishing you'll do the most, then get a rod that's right sized for that. You don't need to break the bank, but I wouldn't try to be as cheap as possible with your main rod. The Orvis Clearwater is pretty perfect in my eyes.

On Fri, Oct 26, 2012 at 12:26 AM, Terry C <flycstrva@aol.com> wrote:

I use 3 rods primarily,  a 4wt. for Big Hunting Creek and othe small trout streams, 6wt. for most of my river fishing around here, and 8wt. for the Salmon River in N.Y.   It's tough to find a total all round rod.  A 6wt. on  Big Hunting Creek would feel like a telephone pole to me, and a 4wt. Fishing the Potomac for shad,bass, and stripers would feel like a Deer hunting with a .22. .  I would  decide where you think you would do most of your fishing for the first year and taylor your rod  to that. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good casting rod.  If your like most of us you will collect a variety of rods and equipment over the years as you develop your skills.

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