{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Advice for a first-time fly setup for our area?

You're about to hear every recommendation from 5 weight through 8 weight in every length and action.  The real answer, is you should buy 16 fly rods in every line weight, length and action from 2-8 weight or so.  You're going to do it anyway, so just do it now and get it done with right away ;).  

I would probably go for a 9' 7-weight or 8-weight rod and reel for here.  Heavier fly lines (and the rods which will cast them) are good for casting against the wind and with larger flies for bass.  Unlike spinning gear where heavy rods/line won't cast small jigs and spinners worth a darn, a heavy fly rod/line will cast all sizes of flies (big and small) more easily than a lighter rig. The trade-off is the larger, heavier fly line "slaps" the water a little harder than a light line.  If you won't use it for trout much and don't know what a chalk stream is, don't worry about this.  

Virtually any rod you buy in a fly shop will be good.  I'm a fan of Urban Angler because they were friendly and helpful when I first moved here and didn't know anything.  It's amazing how you don't always get good service as a newbie going into a specialty shop!  The Orvis shops locally are very good too.  I don't know any others.  

In a pinch, you can certainly catch plenty of trout on an 8-weight rod if you want.... no one will tell you that, but it's true.  For subsurface flies and sinking lines it may even be preferable sometimes.  

Gene

On Friday, March 20, 2015 at 5:29:39 PM UTC-4, Carl Lettow wrote:

Folks, I've lurked around here for a while, and could use some advice. I'm a fairly new conventional tackle fisher, looking to try out fly fishing. Any advice on a rig for our area, assuming it will be the only one I will use for a while (SWMBO said only one rod/reel for now)? I will probably stick to my usual bass, etc. targets, rather than try to go straight into trout and streams.

Thanks,
Carl.

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