When it comes to fly fishing, it always begins with a rod and a reel. As your fly fishing experience grows, you might have a few rods and each rod is designed for a unique task.

 

The fly rod is a very important equipment. It transfers the energy from the angler to the fly line. A fly fishing rod can be made from graphite, fiberglass, and boron. All the materials have their unique advantages and suitable for certain situations. For beginners, you can always start with a graphite rod. It is strong and light, and also has a high degree of elasticity.

 

A typical fly rod has the following components:

 

- End plug, the very end of a fly rod.

 

- The reel seat is at the bottom of the rod and it is to hold the reel securely.

 

- Rod grip is where your hands handle the rod

 

- Hook keeper is used to hold the fly when not in use

 

- Guides allow you to deliver more line as you cast and distribute the force of the fish evenly along the rod.

 

- The ferrules are the connections between the sections of a multi-piece fly rod

 

For beginners, an eight footer long rod is a good selection. But you should test it before the purchase and make sure you are comfortable with it. A good fly rod should not only allow you to cast a fly line at a desired distance and let the fly land as delicately and naturally as possible, but also let you manipulate the fly line without disturbing the natural drift of the fly. A fly rod also needs to be flexible enough to fight and land a fish without breaking. You don’t want to see the fish get away after a long struggle and the fly rod breaks, right?

 

Fly fishing rods come with a variety of weights and lengths. In general, the weight varies from 1-weight to 15-weight or more. 1-weight through 4-weight rods are light and delicate. They are usually used for small fish, panfish, small trout or stream fishing. Rods between 5-weight and 8-weight are suitable for freshwater fish and can be used a variety of conditions. 9-weight or more rods are primarily used in saltwater. 5-weight through 8-weight rods are good for starters.

 

The next thing to consider when choosing a rod is the length of the rod. In general, the shorter the rod, the more difficult it is to cast efficiently. Longer rods mean more weight, air resistance, and more difficulty to maneuver. So you should choose what fits your needs. Here is a decision chart for your reference.

 

Intended use	Dry fly size	Streamer fly size	Tippets	Length ft	Line weight	Composition	Action
Delicate fly presentation	14 - 18	Up to 8	4x - 8x	7′ - 8′	2 -4	fiberglass, graphite	slow to medium
Delicate cast & for distance	12 - 22	Up to 4	3x - 7x	7′ - 8′	5	fiberglass, graphite	slow to medium
For various fish under varying conditions	8 - 20	Up to 2	0x - 7x	8′ - 9 1/2′	6 - 7	fiberglass, graphite	slow to medium
For larger game fish	4 - 3/0	Up to 4/0	4x & larger	8 1/2′ - 9 1/2′	6 - 7	graphite	medium to fast
For the largest fish	2 - 4/0	Up to 6/0	0 x &	9′ - 12′	10 - 15	graphite	fast

 

Of course the choice of rods also depends on how much you are willing to spend. Typically new fly rods cost between $100 and $500. Like everything else you buy, you get what you pay for. Cheap rods are often hard to cast, and lack of adequate warranty or some minor defects. $500 rods are generally very light and easy for casting, and with very good warranty. But keep in mind that high performance rods come with smaller margin between the stresses of expected usage and the maximum break strength. Of course, if you just get started, you might not want to make $500 commitment right away until you are more experienced.

 

If you are a beginner, you might want to get some casting lessons first and develop a good casting stroke. The casting instructor should be able to give your some suggestions what type of rod would be a good fit. After you have developed the casting skills, go to a fly fishing shop and test cast the rods.

 

Below is a picture of fly fishing rods

 

 

Here are some fly fishing rods for sale on eBay.