BUYING FLY RODS

[shooter]

"...buying a fly rod in the average city store, that is, joining it up and safely waggling it a bit, is much like seeing a woman's arm protruding from a car window: all one can readily be sure of is that the window is open."

[John Laudenslager]

Of the couple dozen flyrods I've bought in the last 40 years, the two that proved most perfect for the purpose were ones bought where I walked into the fly shop with the line and reel I intended to use. In one case the line was a 2 wt forward for small dry flies at moderate disances for trout.
In the other case the line was a 4wt double taper to use up close and under timber with mostly size 8 dry foam spiders and wet flies for bluegill.

In the case of the rod that proved perfect for far-and-fine, it was rated as a 2 wt. Just coincidence. In the second case, my favorite rod for bluegill fishing from a kayak under timber along little rivers, it was rated as a 2 wt but probably should have been rated as a 3 wt. So it is overlined with the 4 wt double taper - except this is the line that throws the flies I like up close and under stuff - and up close the rod is not overlined.

I have also bought rods on reputation or after waggling them at a store. Some were pretty good. Just luck.

[Lee Nagel]

My first flyrod was a X-mas gift from Santa (my Mom & Dad) when I was 10. It was a Wally World combo and I fished the dickens out of that rig until I was given my Grandpas rig when he passed. It was a 8'5" 5/6wt bamboo. I fished with that until I left for the Navy. I was very much the Ham fisted caster and never really appreciated that rod, but could really reach those stream bass!!!!

The next rod I bought was at my local fly shop when I got back from overseas. I asked and was matched up with a very nice Orvis rig, 5wt 9' that I still use today and that was 25 years ago.

My latest was a gift from a good friend who has delved into the custom rod making hobby. It's a 7'5" 3wt 2 pc that I was completely blown away by. Great action and just the right amount of spine to get the fly where I want it on these small streams.

My point is, there are many ways to acquire a rod, don't over look any of them and keep looking and asking.