Rod Size on small streams

[FiveWeight]

SlingerFlyRods wrote:
looking for some helpful feedback if you all are so inclined.

When fishing a stream that's maybe 20-30 feet wide but does not offer you a ton of casting room what is your go to rod length and what do you prefer as far as a weight?

My personal favorite that ive built and used the last 2 years is a 7'3" 2wt Temple Fork Lefty Kreh Finesse Series. I have it paired up with a Lamson litespeed reel with 1 weight line.

What do you guys prefer. Lets here it straight from the fisherman themselves.

I know there are some variables to this but lets assume its a non-stocked stream, or a tributary of a stocked stream and were generally talking fish from 7"-12" on roughly. so a 5 weight is more than likely out.

Just looking for some popular models and such that you guys enjoy using so I can better myself as a builder

Thanks,
Chris

Your rod length is fine. The weight might not be depending on whats in the 20 to 30 ft wide creek. If it's a tunnel creek with a lot of overhead, the longer the rod the better. Use the length of the rod to flip the fly in to pools, make the length work to your advantage not in casting distance but in reaching distance.

 

[BradFromPotter]

SlingerFlyRods wrote:
Pine Creek - preferred rod size, weight and why?

After fishing & guiding on Pine for several years a 9' 5 or 6wt. I can cast the smallest or biggest fly I would need on Pine. I would not go lower in weight because Pine can be very windy at times. Also, if you are wading in deeper water the extra length can be very helpful.

 

[tomitrout]

If I'm heading out to explore a blue line on the map and have a decent idea that there's gonna be room to cast, then my goto length is 7'. Short enough to not be too cumbersome, but also just enough rod to cover up to a medium sized stream in case my hunch was off. Line weights? First choice is usually a 4wt, also have the option of either a 2 or 3wt in that length depending on mood and the expected wind.

Now if I know the stream is tight, then I'll reach for something shorter, either a 5' or 6' stick, the 6'er usually travels with the 7'er as a backup in case things are more crowded or smaller than expected. I pretty much only use the 5'/3wt on known, tiny, headwaters close to home. It's a fun rod, but not the best for exploring or traveling, being it's a 1pc cane rod.

Depending on water levels on Pine, or similarly Penns or Little J, day in day out I'd go with my 8'/5wt. But a 7 1/2 foot rod either 4 or 5wt can be a lot of fun also if fishing mostly dries on the bigger streams in average or lower flows. If there's a lot of water or air moving, then I might step up to the 8'/6wt. These are all cane rods btw, so 8' is as long as I fish pretty much anywhere (salt water being a different beast should I venture there). I don't do much streamer fishing or tightline high sticking, so extra speed and/or length aren't tops on the list of what I look for in a rod.

 

[Swattie87]

Small stream I have two rods, both med/fast action and both overlined by one line weight:
1. 7' 4wt - 2 piece
2. 7'6 3wt - 4 piece
Which one I pick depends on how long the hike is. I prefer the 4wt, but use the 3wt for backpacking and places I bike into.

For "The Pine" a 9' 6wt. The main bug I seem to run into when I'm up there are Slate Drakes, and they're big enough for a 6wt to handle. 6wt is better for the streamers I'm using much of the time too.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I've never fished Pine Creek. My idea of a small stream is smaller than 30' across.

My small stream rod is a Sage TXL 363-3.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I've fished Pine w/ my Fenwich (6wt 7'6"), and did well, but I find that a longer rod lets me mend better when I have a lot of line out up there.

 

[echuck66]

I am making a trip to Pine Creek for a week in April and plan to take my brand spanking new 7'6" 3wt, as well as my 9' 5wt. That way, if the new rod is too short or light for the main creek, I can use the 5wt, but still have the shorter, lighter rod for the smaller creeks and runs.

I'll probably also take my 9' 8wt rod and reel too, but will most likely leave it in the truck the whole time. Nice to know it's there though, just in case.

 

[Chaz]

Almost all of my fishing is on streams of that size or smaller with little casting room. The rod I most often use is a Loomis Trilogy 7'6" 4 weight. It will make long casts with weighted flies when I'm fishing that way. And it will cast a dry under an overhanging tree and land it gently for the king of the pool.

 

[Heberly]

I've grown up in the mountains of the allegheny front, (Ricketts Glen area) where punching a dry through tight spots is an absolute must.

Prior to entering my mid twenties, I fished with cheap ebay 7 foot rods, that was, until recently ( enter Jonas Price )...

Jonas introduced me to Hardy, more specifically for streams

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Is not the reason behind wearing waders to ensure that you can present the fly where you want it no matter how wide the river it may be? So a 7.6 rod can be used anywhere - both small and larger bodies of water.

Width should not be the concern as the depth is both important to the dropping of a nymph and the person wearing the waders.

 

[k-bob]

great images heberly ...

any rod can be used anywhere.

for a stream even smaller than the ones in heberly's images, I personally would prefer to fish dry flies with a 6'9" or 7' rod. a 1 or 2w rod, overlined with 3 weight line. def 4 pc for hiking.

for a guy who fishes the smallest streams, I don't really like bow and arrow, which longer rod is better for. just me. I know it works, but I'd just rather make a more conventional cast whenever possible. so I like 6'6"-7' rods on tiny streams.

there is no 1 size fits all small stream rod, because we use different flies on different streams, have different ways we like to cast, and are even trying to do different things

I am the anti-becker a small stream specialist. I fish streams so small that in one case the landowner had never had a person ask to fish there. I am happy to catch fewer fish using dries versus dry and dropper because I like dries. But early season, yeah Ill use dry and dropper.

If I were targeting bigger fish (or counting fish) in small streams it would be different. subsurface flies and heavier gear for bigger fish. bow n arrow and more nymphs if I were counting.

like everybody else, I just do what works for me...

 

[SlingerFlyRods]

PennypackFlyer wrote:
Is not the reason behind wearing waders to ensure that you can present the fly where you want it no matter how wide the river it may be? So a 7.6 rod can be used anywhere - both small and larger bodies of water.

Width should not be the concern as the depth is both important to the dropping of a nymph and the person wearing the waders.

The reason I wear waders is to not get wet. Sounds simple but yes, it's very effective. If I have to be up to my neck to present a fly I've defeated the purpose of a good backcast with proper load and presentation.

I didn't see where we talked about nymphing on here and my appogies if there had been. I was basing this all on topwater fly presentation.

EDIT: This is especially true on Pine Creek

 

[troutbert]

If you want to own two fly rods for trout fishing PA:

9 ft, 5 wt for biggish waters.

7 1/2 ft, 4 wt for smallish waters.

That will cover it, you really don't need anything else.

If you want to go even more basic, you can fish nearly any trout stream with one fly rod, an 8 1/2 foot 5 wt.

But of course what you NEED is one thing, and what you WANT is something different. I think there is a song about that.

 

[SlingerFlyRods]

troutbert wrote:
But of course what you NEED is one thing, and what you WANT is something different. I think there is a song about that.

I am glad I got a chance to see all the different responses. Seems as if its all over the board.

you are right about the want/need factor

 

[k-bob]

we are doing different things. TB probably knows more PA streams than anyone, but I think I tend to fish more truly tiny streams than TB does, for example. so I may like different gear.

my set of gear would be ridiculous for a big water guy like becker!

but id rather cast and hike w/ 6'9" than 7'6" in a brushy trickle.

beyond the size of the stream, also a personality question im a gear junky and just try stuff, keep some trade some.

 

[k-bob]

tb, two is better than one, right. wouldn't three be better than two? if you could select three fly rods for PA streams, would two of the three be the same model and same length?

 

[troutbert]

k-bob wrote:
tb, two is better than one, right. wouldn't three be better than two? if you could select three fly rods for PA streams, would two of the three be the same model and same length?

And 4 is better than 3, and 5 is better than 4 etc.

One time a flyfisher told me he owned 92 fly rods. He should be ready for nearly all situations.

 

[pcray1231]

Ask Les how many he owns!

Personally, I'd struggle with 1, though for people who primarily fish "normal" water it'd do just fine. But me, who does lots of small mountain stream fishing, I kind of require a second, but I could easily get away with 2 for 98% of my fishing. And assuming you're talking solely in PA, I think virtually everyone could own just 3 and not be missing much at all.

1. medium to largish water trout/bass: 9 ft 5 wt
2. Small, brushy mountain streams. 7'6" 4 wt
3. Steelhead + truly big river trout/bass. 10 ft 7 wt.

All of the above in a medium-fast action which is suitable for anything.

Now, if going out of state, you may need a saltwater rod, one for salmon, or whatever. I'm merely talking in PA. But all of us, everything we have beyond those 3 is simply out of a desire to have more. We like, don't need, to do things like getting a dry fly taper vs. a nymph taper vs. a streamer tosser. We like, not need to have tweeners, like an 8' or 8'6", for those more open waters that walk the line between small and medium sized. And many of us have duplicates that fit the same basic function, just cause we like trying new stuff, and "gearheading" is a part of the sport to us.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I agree, you can cover nearly all Pa. trout flyfishing with just two flyrods. I am glad I have a few more to choose from but those are all rods I wanted not needed.

 

[Chaz]

Heberly wrote:
I've grown up in the mountains of the allegheny front, (Ricketts Glen area) where punching a dry through tight spots is an absolute must.

Prior to entering my mid twenties, I fished with cheap ebay 7 foot rods, that was, until recently ( enter Jonas Price )...

Jonas introduced me to Hardy, more specifically for streams