Rod Setup, Favorite Sizes

[FlyMaster99]

What do you guys think about rod length and weight for fishing around central pa in the decent sized streams, approximately 10-15 yards from one side to another, I have a 5 weight 8' rod and a 4 weight 7 1/2' rod. Which of these two would you prefer, include if you would recommend another size.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Out of those two rods, I'd use the 8' 5wt for this time of year. I would use the 4wt if I was fishing dries or emergers.

 

[krayfish]

Either of those will work fine. A little wind or bigger flies, the 5 weight will do better but the 4 weight will be more fun playing fish or in low water.

I'm at opposite ends of the spectrum. 9' 5wt or 7'6" 3wt. Each has its own time to shine.

 

[djs12354]

Been doing more nymphing than anything, so the 10 footer has been my go to, followed up by the 9 ft 5 wt. But when I have the chance I really love to get my 7 1/2 ft 4 wt out.

 

[krott243]

My two go to rods are a 9'6 5 wt and a 9' 4 wt.

 

[IdratherbePhishing]

go to 8 foot 3 weight. if its bigger stream 9 foot 3 weight

 

[Cold]

For me, "favorite" and "most used" are two different things, but since only one of the two was represented on the list, it makes it a bit easier.

"Favorite" is probably my 6'9" 1wt.

"Most used", for the last few years has been a 9' 4wt. It's a great all-purpose rod capable of anything from dries and midges to small articulated, or medium-sized single hook streamers on a sinking leader.

In PA's waters, it's suitable, with proper tippet, for just about everything that swims, outside of large carp, Erie steel, stripers, and musky.

 

[MKern]

I use two equally:
A 9' 5wt. For normal streams, and
A 7.5' 4wt. For smaller streams.

However, if I still lived in Lycoming County my most rod used would be a 6'6" 2 wt..

 

[pcray1231]

The standard, for good reason, on said streams is a 9' 5 wt for an all 'round, do it all type thing. That's assuming you're talking about graphite sticks. A 9' boo stick is very heavy indeed.

If you are primarily a nympher, maybe a touch longer. If you intend to maybe take it on smaller streams once in a while but don't want to buy a separate rod dedicated to that, a touch shorter.

If you're mostly gonna throw dries or small nymphs and rarely if ever throw streamers or heavily weighted nymph rigs, then opt for a 4 wt instead. If you want it to double as an ok bass rod and be able to handle a once in a blue moon steelhead trip, opt for a 6 wt instead.

And for what it's worth, if I had a different rod for each of the big 4 in central PA (Spring, BFC, Penns, LJR), I'd have 4 wt for Spring, a 5 wt for BFC, and a 6 wt for Penns and the LJR. But a reasonably powerful 5 wt covers them all just fine.