Gear for small streams (rod length)

[mute]

I've started fishing small brooks and tribs where canopy and stream cover is abundant. Bow and arrow casts and quick flip casts are the top types of casts.

With that being said would one usually fish a smaller length rods like 6ft which gives easier ability to move it around and flick said line/fly without hitting branches and such. Or a longer 9 ft rod where you would more so use is length to your advantage and hold it straight out to said fishy areas and almost euro style it all.

 

[Swattie87]

There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and you hit on the two big pros and cons in your OP. Personal preference is what it comes down to. There are schools of thought in support of both.

I’ll add a third school, which I fall into. I prefer a roughly 7’6 rod for small stream fishing. Compromise between the two extremes, though not as good as a 6 footer for tight quarters, or a 9 footer for reach obviously.

As a general rule though, longer is better, until it becomes too long. 7’6 is about the right balance for me. FWIW. Fish what you got for now. If you find you’re getting annoyed by knocking it into stuff too much, go shorter. If more often you’re stretching and can’t reach where you want, go longer. If it’s a relatively even mix of the two, go in the middle.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I use a 7'6" rod for just about everything, til I get on really big water (New River down here, or think big Pine, etc. up north).

 

[Dave_W]

I'm a devotee of very short fly rods and usually use a 5-6' for small mountain streams.

Disclaimer: Very short fly rods are an acquired taste and I fish on many very small streams with dense rhododendron.

 

[evw659]

I feel it really depends on the nature of the stream. On really tight/ brush choked streams, i'd like a 6'-6.5' 3 or 4 wt. On larger, more open brookie streams, an 8' or even 9' rod may be more preferable.
But not all of us can afford to buy multiple rods for this specific type of fishing, so it comes down to a compromise. A lot of it does come down to personal preference; for me a 7'-7'6" 4 wt is a great compromise and works well for most small stream situations.

 

[redietz]

I'm of the 7'6" school of thought. I've used shorter -- down to 5'2" -- but I feel handicapped when I do.

 

[larkmark]

I really like my 6ft 3" -3 wt. I can shoot dry flies up under the trees when needed and also small wooly buggers. Also sometimes fish a dry dropper or small indicator and fish my way upstream. I have on occasion had fun landing 18- 20" fish on it. My leaders are also shorter in the 7 ft range. My rod was under $100.00 and I put a small reel on it. All from Bass Pro.

 

[Baron]

Which reel Larkmark? Sounds about where I'm heading and I am enjoying this thread.

Dave, Was there an evolution to you ending up that short. Or did it happen all at once?

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Since I've been in the mood for throwing large top water poppers - I have to use my 5wt 9' rod. Sometimes I get a good cast, other times it's a sling. It's a challenge to get a trout to hit a top water popper that's moving. My 3wt 7.6' rod just won't cut it with big lures. I get smacked in the back to many times to consider it a challenge - unless the challenge is figuring out when to duck. My 7' fiberglass I haven't taken it out to much because I already have the first two set up ready to go.

 

[larkmark]

Baron- It is the smallest White River reel they make. (that is the Bass pro store brand I think). I put 3 wt White River weight forward line on it. Everything works great. They call the rod a 3 wt but I would call it a very light 3 wt. Bob Clouser Jr. who worked at Bass Pro fly shop in Harrisburg suggested it and it was perfect weight. It just shows that you don not need to spend a lot on a set up.
I showed it to some friends who do a lot of small stream fishing and they both really liked it too.

My next rod will probably be a heavier weight (maynbe a 6wt) but short rod to be able to use large heavy streamers in tight quarters. Surprising what big fish can be is places like that on small streams.

 

[bigjohn58]

I have a 6'6" 2wt rod I built that I love for brushy conditions. I got a 7" 3wt for when things might be a hair more open or slightly bigger fish. I also have a 7'9" 3wt for when things open up a little more. Both are fun rods to use and the 6'6" works great for like bow and arrow casting.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

larkmark wrote:
Baron- It is the smallest White River reel they make. (that is the Bass pro store brand I think). I put 3 wt White River weight forward line on it. Everything works great. They call the rod a 3 wt but I would call it a very light 3 wt. Bob Clouser Jr. who worked at Bass Pro fly shop in Harrisburg suggested it and it was perfect weight. It just shows that you don not need to spend a lot on a set up.
I showed it to some friends who do a lot of small stream fishing and they both really liked it too.

My next rod will probably be a heavier weight (maynbe a 6wt) but short rod to be able to use large heavy streamers in tight quarters. Surprising what big fish can be is places like that on small streams.

f

Might seem weird, or odd, but I used to have a 6'6" Eagleclaw Featherweight that was rated a 4/5, but I lined w/ 6wf line. I used it exclusively on small streams. It broke, which is why I say "used to..." but if you can find one, I highly recommend it if you're looking for such a rod. It can really punch out line without a big backcast.

Swattie used to fish with me somewhat frequently when I was using it, I think he could testify to the sort of casting it was capable of on small streams!

 

[JeffK]

I'm in the 7' to 7 1/2' camp. I have tried rods down to 5' and they all cast well, but I like the extra length to control the line on the water. I can't set the hook or mend a line as well with a short rod. I kind of like the old school 5 wt fiberglass rods since the extra line weight is useful for punching casts in tight spots. I don't really use the 3 wt and lighter much anymore.

One exception is the oddball 5 ft Lil Streamer rod with 10 guides and used with a level line (try to find one these days) to cast streamers in tight situations. The level line is to load the rod with a short length of line out. One keeps the light taut and the rod tip down when stripping streamers so controlling the line on the water is less on issue.

By keeping a fixed length of line out and staying a fixed away from the edge of the bushes one can hit the edge perfectly every time.

 

[Bamboozle]

Everyone has his or her idea of what a small stream is or what type of stream requires a short rod. However, sometimes you just WANT to fish a short rod because it can be a blast with the right combo under the right conditions.

To me, when fishing small streams where moving closer might spook fish, being able to reach over obstructions in the water like big rocks and the fast water flowing over or between them is a priority because such things ruin drifts. For that reason, I always use the longest rod I can get away with depending on how close the vegetation is to the creek.

Shoot the messenger, but I love Tenkara for those places.

However if I anticipate the need to cast longer distances or there is too much overhead cover, I think first about using a 6’6” rod. I have two and use them all the time. A 7’0” rod works anywhere a 6’6” rod will and is more practical. I also own rods between 5’0” and 6’0”, but only use them when I want to, not because I need to.

If I am thinking about using a rod longer than 7’, it really isn’t MY idea of the type of stream that requires a “short” rod.

I'll add one more thing that can help; I fish small creeks from a position IN the water as opposed to kneeling on the bank in a ghille suit like you see in all the videos. First, if it effects the amount of fish I catch, I usually lose count on those kind of creeks anyway so I would never know the difference.

But more importantly, it gives me the advantage of casting IN LINE with the water which most often means less obstructions overhead and behind me. Just doing that allows me to use a longer rod than I could if I was trying to approach a pool or pocket and make a cast from the bank.

Of course, YMMV.

 

[foxfire]

Short helps me meander through often brushy terrain.

 

[StreamBottom]

foxfire wrote:
Short helps me meander through often brushy terrain.

6' 3wt here, for the same reason, plus to help avoid all the brush on the stream that I usually get my fly stuck in.

I'm also partial to rod being bamboo too!

 

[Swattie87]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Swattie used to fish with me somewhat frequently when I was using it, I think he could testify to the sort of casting it was capable of on small streams!

You can cast with the best of them with any rod! Though I do think you caught your Tiger Trout with that Eagle Claw.

 

[troutbert]

I use a 7 1/2 ft 4 wt. graphite rod and I think that is pretty ideal for small streams. It's versatile.

It's short enough for casting on tight streams. Yet has enough casting punch to make reasonably long casts where the streams open up into larger pools.

And enough casting punch for throwing big shaggy dry flies, and also streamers.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I prefer shorter rods in tight cover. I have two favorites, a G. Loomis GL3 6'6" 3 weight and a Sage TXL 7' 4 weight. I also sometimes dig out my Tenkara USA "Rhodo".

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I have a 6. ft 2 wt. It's a fun rod to fish and an acquired taste. Just a cheap Canellas outfit that is good on Laurel choked streams with tight openings . Using it makes Dink's seem like whales. GG