One rod for smallies and trout?

[bisonfly]

Hi all, I'm relatively new member and have been learning a ton lurking through the threads the past several months. I'm from CT but am currently a senior at Bucknell. I picked up fly fishing this past summer and have caught the bug ever since. Right now, I have a 7'6" 3 wt Echo Base which has been great for the small streams around me at home and the many brookie streams I've been exploring in Union/Centre county. With only a few months left until I graduate, I'd love to try my hand at smallies in the Susquehanna (5 min walk from campus) as well as trout in some of the larger rivers like Penns. From what I've read seems like a 6-7 wt would be ideal for bass, but might be too much for trout. Could I get away with a 5wt for both scenarios or does anyone have any rod recommendations? Thanks

 

[ryansheehan]

Yes, I often fish my 9 foot 5 weight for smallies, it's not the perfect tool but it will do just fine.

 

[Swattie87]

9’0 6wt is the best compromise for what you’re looking to do IMO. Comparatively speaking, the 6wt will handle dries on Penns better than the 5wt will handle big Bass flies on the Susky...if that makes sense. 7wt, though ideal for Bass, is probably too heavy for most normal Trout fishing tactics, other than big streamers.

Pretty much every rod manufacturer makes a 9’0 6wt. If you’re on the beginner’s end of the spectrum, and don’t know yet exactly what you want in a rod, I’d suggest a relatively inexpensive ($100ish) middle of the road, medium fast action graphite rod. Even after you later more specifically know what you like, more than likely this rod will be middle of the road enough that you’ll still be able to enjoy using it, and will make a good backup. Look at LLBean Streamlight or Redington Crosswater. Both fit this bill and are darn good rods for the bucks.

I went to Susquehanna. I didn’t fish nearly enough in college. Get out there and enjoy it.

 

[bisonfly]

Thank you for the advice swattie, I will look into those rods. Definitely looking to go a more inexpensive route as I am most certainly still learning the craft.

Kicking myself now that I didn't discover fly fishing earlier while at school. I'm lucky enough to live very close to one of the few class A wild trout streams in CT, but even so I didn't know it existed until this past summer. The fishery in central PA is quite unbelievable. Looking to make the most of my time remaining here.

 

[troutbert]

Swattie87 wrote:
9’0 6wt is the best compromise for what you’re looking to do IMO. Comparatively speaking, the 6wt will handle dries on Penns better than the 5wt will handle big Bass flies on the Susky...if that makes sense.

I agree. Go with a 9 ft, 6 wt.

I've fished for smallmouth with a 5 wt, and it's undergunned, both for throwing the big flies, and for fighting smallmouth.

And a 6 wt is fine for trout. In the early 1970s a 6 wt was probably the most commonly used line weight for trout.

 

[poopdeck]

I started with a 5wt. Perfect for trout not so great for SMB in a big river. I bought a 6wt. It worked better but not so great in the river either. It's great for a small stream but not so much in the river where I'm tossing bigger flies in more wind. Lefty and clouser both recommend an 8 wt for SMB so I bought and 8 wt followed by a 2nd 8 wt. I really enjoy the 8 wt for handling the bigger streamers I toss for SMB. Ive also picked up a 3 and a 4 wt for trout and pannies.

Guess what I'm saying is don't try to compromise and make one rod fit all circumstances. You will just be buying more rods later on so might as well plan for it. Indentify the type flies you will be tossing and get a rod with an appropriate weight. Forget matching rod to species, rather match your rod to the fly.

 

[Dave_W]

'Nother vote for a 9' 6WT.

 

[krayfish2]

What is your budget? Check your PMs

I found a way to get a solid 9', 6wt rod, reel and 2 lines for $130.

I also came up with this option.....

9', 5wt rod, reel, line....AND.....9', 8wt rod, reel, line for a total budget of $245.

Getting just the 6wt might leave you undergunned at times and overgunned at other times.

Getting he 5wt / 8wt setups gives you a true trout and true warmwater rod.

Let me know if I can help. I'll even help with rigging backing, nail knots, etc.

 

[MKern]

Agree on the 9' 6 weight.

 

[shakey]

+1 for six weight.

interestingly,most budget vintage fiberglass and bamboo are six weight.

you can easily get a fiberglass six for $30-40.

i also use a six weight in connecticut a lot.
it is good for the hoosie,salmon river,farmington,and most bass lakes like moodus/bashan.

 

[shakey]

(there's a reason people collect phillipsons)

 

[tomgamber]

I had an old 9ft 5-6 LLBean rod I liked a lot. Shot double taper 6wt which roll cast and battled wind well and weight forward line in 5wt to lay out longer leaders and dries. Really gave me a lot of flexibility for situations just like yours. Today's rods seem a little narrower in their ratings. 9ft 6wt is an excellent choice as has been said.

 

[poopdeck]

I know I'm not really good at it but I must really suck at fly fishing because I find throwing SMB flies on the Delaware with a 6 wt very laborious. Perhaps my 6 wt, a st. Croix imperial, is not up to the challenge. I hope it's the rod and not me. I'm curious if the guys recommending a 6 wt are predominantly trout and/or small stream fishermen? I guess that's a question.

 

[shakey]

poopdeck wrote:
I know I'm not really good at it but I must really suck at fly fishing because I find throwing SMB flies on the Delaware with a 6 wt very laborious. Perhaps my 6 wt, a st. Croix imperial, is not up to the challenge. I hope it's the rod and not me. I'm curious if the guys recommending a 6 wt are predominantly trout and/or small stream fishermen? I guess that's a question.

there's a lot of variables there.it can all depend on the taper.

for example, my six weight phillipsons punch large flies into the wind much harder and further than my sage launch seven weight graphite rod.

have you tried using a seven weight line with your imperial?

i once used an old 6'8" st croix imperial that was pretty nice.

 

[Swattie87]

poopdeck wrote:
I know I'm not really good at it but I must really suck at fly fishing because I find throwing SMB flies on the Delaware with a 6 wt very laborious. Perhaps my 6 wt, a st. Croix imperial, is not up to the challenge. I hope it's the rod and not me. I'm curious if the guys recommending a 6 wt are predominantly trout and/or small stream fishermen? I guess that's a question.

Yes, you suck, but so do I.

The OP asked for the best one rod option to fish both Penns (for Trout) and the Susky (for Bass). Naturally this is going to need to be a bit of a compromise, which is probably why the consensus seems to be a 6wt. A 5wt is probably ideal for Penns, and a 7 or 8 weight for the Susky, but that’s two rods, and the OP didn’t ask that.

 

[poopdeck]

Swattie87 wrote:

Yes, you suck, but so do I.

The OP asked for the best one rod option to fish both Penns (for Trout) and the Susky (for Bass). Naturally this is going to need to be a bit of a compromise, which is probably why the consensus seems to be a 6wt. A 5wt is probably ideal for Penns, and a 7 or 8 weight for the Susky, but that’s two rods, and the OP didn’t ask that.

Dang! I was hoping it was the rod. Penns and the susky has a pretty big disparity. A 6 on Penns is a solid choice. It would get by on the susky if the fly selection was scaled down.

No I've never tried up lining my 6wt. my uneducated thought on that is, if I want a seven weight I should just buy a seven weight. I try to keep things simple so I don't get into the taper this, the flex that with this line in these situations and that line for others. Thinking is very stressful and expensive to me. I just go cast with as few thoughts in my head as possible.

 

[krayfish2]

Good call Swattie. If poopdeck has the last version of the imperial, it was a pretty fast rod. It should easily handle 7wt line.

 

[Mwheaps32]

I smallmouth fish more than I trout fish and I use a 9.5 6w the majority of the time. I also use an intermediate line alot particularly through pre spawn and fall and you'd be surprised how easily it is to toss a large fly a good distance with only a 6w . When using a floating line I have not problem throwing a good sized popper and you'll also be catching the smallies on alot of trout sized standard streamers think zonkers and clousers in the size 2,4,6. You won't have any problem covering this with a 6w for starting out. As a side note smallmouth are an addictive fish and lower penns creek is on fire during pre spawn big bass will head up out of river and hooking a 4lb fish in current is hard to beat in a smaller setting and your only 15 minutes away. Also the fibradam on the selinsgrove side is a hot spot