Choosing the Right Fly Fishing Rod

Choosing a good rod is a major decision for the fly fishing angler. Shopping for that new rod can also be allot of fun. But how do we know what the right rod is? Here are some tips to help you make your purchasing decisions.

Fly rods are about the action, casting speeds, weights, and many more factors. You generally want a soft or slow casting rod. Softer is often better because the line will land in the water with less impact. The faster your rod is the harder the impact.

You need to purchase a rod that suits the type of fishing you do. If your into bass fishing you will need a strong rod and one that's longer. Fishing for more active fish will generally require a much stronger and longer rod.

Shorter rods are great when your around trees and objects. You need a much shorter length in order to avoid getting caught in objects.

If you like to fish where there is lots of action and rough waters your going to need something that is much heavier. This will provide a much faster casting speed. The only problem with this is that its not beginner friendly. If your new to fishing start by fishing for small fish in a calm environment.

These are just some beginner tips for choosing the right rod. Remember to ask the stores sales person when buying your rod. If you plan on buying one online most stores have guides to help you with your decision. Don't be afraid to email them with a question either. Most online stores will be happy to respond.

Tyler Casselman Reviews fly rods at Fly Rods Guide.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

President-elect Barack Obama and his adviser Valerie Jarrett decide on lunch during a stop at Manny's Coffee Shop and Deli in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AP - President-elect Barack Obama promoted an economic plan Saturday he said would create 2.5 million jobs by rebuilding roads and bridges and modernizing schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.



AP - The family of a college student who killed himself live on the Internet say they're horrified his life ended before a virtual audience, and infuriated that viewers of the live webcam or operators of the Web site that hosted it didn't act sooner to save him.

Former US President Jimmy Carter, former UN head Kofi Annan, and Graca Machel, wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, seen from left, during a news conference in Johannesburg, Staurday, Nov. 22, 2008. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says he and others have been refused entry to Zimbabwe for a humanitarian mission. Carter says he and other members of The Elders group were informed Friday night by former South African President Thabo Mbeki that efforts to secure travel visas had failed. The Elders group was formed by Nelson Mandela and includes former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mandela's wife Graca Machel, an international advocate for women's and children's rights. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)AP - Zimbabwe has refused to let Kofi Annan and two eminent colleagues visit the impoverished African country for a humanitarian mission, the three said Saturday.



Barack Obama (R) and Hillary Clinton address supporters during a rally in Orlando, Florida in October 2008. Intense speculation flared Friday over reports that president-elect Barack Obama is weighing whether to name former Democratic primary rival Hillary Clinton as a heavy-hitting secretary of state.(AFP/File/Emmanuel Dunand)AP - President-elect Barack Obama has moved with unusual speed to select officials for his administration, and senior Democratic officials say he intends to name Timothy Geithner as his treasury secretary as soon as Monday.



In this photo is provided by the Hall County Sheriff's Office, Billi Jo Smallwood is shown. Smallwood, 35, charged with setting a fire that killed her two young children at her Fort Campbell, Ky., home was held without bond pending a possible death penalty trial. (AP Photo/Hall County Sheriff's Office)AP - An Army wife accused of setting her apartment on fire botched an attempt to collect on her husband's $400,000 insurance policy when he survived and her two children died instead, a federal prosecutor said.



In this image provided by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough (anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint) participates in the mission's second scheduled session of extravehicular activity Thursday Nov. 20, 2008 as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. (AP Photo/NASA)AP - Astronauts up on the international space station faced the longest and hardest spacewalk of their mission Saturday, a seven-hour-plus excursion to wrap up repair work on a gummed-up joint.



U.S. President George W. Bush, left, with President Hu Jintao of China before their meeting at the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)AP - President George W. Bush said Saturday that the pursuit of free trade should not be abandoned in the face of a worsening global economic crisis. "One of the enduring lessons of the Great Depression is that global protectionism is a path to global economic ruin," he said.



Actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild, Alan Rosenberg, poses for a portrait in this March 17, 2003, file photo taken in Los Angeles. The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday Nov. 22, 2008 that contract talks with Hollywood studios has failed despite the help of a federal mediator and it will now ask its members to authorize a strike. (AP Photo/Ric Francis, File)AP - The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator.



AP - A college student in southern China was bitten by a panda after he broke into the bear's enclosure hoping to get a hug, state media and a park employee said Saturday.

New York Knicks' Stephon Marbury sits on the bench as the Knicks take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)AP - With two moves, the New York Knicks created salary space for a premier free agent and playing time for Stephon Marbury.



President-elect Barack Obama waves as he leaves his first press conference following his election victory in Chicago, in this file photo from November 7, 2008. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of "historic proportions" and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.



Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan addresses a news conference in Nairobi, in this file photo from October 17, 2008, after receiving the report on Kenya's post election violence in 2007 from the Commission of Inquiry. (Antony Njuguna/Reuters)Reuters - Zimbabwe has barred former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other prominent figures from visiting the country to assess the humanitarian crisis, the group said on Saturday.



Pedestrians walk past a Citibank branch in Singapore November 18, 2008. (Vivek Prakash/Reuters)Reuters - Citigroup Inc has begun talks with the U.S. government as its plummeting share price raises doubts about the bank's ability to survive, a person familiar with the matter said.



The crew of the Belize-flagged cargo ship MV Faina stand on the deck after a U.S. Navy request to check on their health and welfare off the coast of Somalia, November 9, 2008. (U.S. Navy/Mass communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Handout/Reuters)Reuters - MOGADISHU (Reuters) Islamist militants in Somalia took steps on Saturday to attack pirates behind the world's biggest hijack and rescue the captured Saudi Arabian supertanker, an Islamist spokesman said.



Leaders of the U.S. automotive industry testify at a hearing held by the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington November 19, 2008. From left are General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner, Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli and Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)Reuters - Detroit automakers began work on turnaround plans demanded by Congress in return for $25 billion in aid as General Motors Corp said it would cut production more and give up two of its controversial corporate jets.



General Motors World Headquarters is seen along the Detroit River in Detroit, Michigan, September 17, 2008. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)Reuters - The board of directors of embattled U.S. automaker General Motors Corp is considering "all options" including bankruptcy, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal's website late on Friday.



A British military vehicle drives past an Afghan man in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province October 20, 2008. (Abdul Qodus/Reuters)Reuters - The Pentagon is considering a plan to send more than 20,000 troops to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months to help safeguard elections and quell rising Taliban violence, officials said on Friday.



Iranian Ali Ashtari (C) attends his trial in Tehran, in this file photo from June 28, 2008. (Hassan Ghaedi/FARS NEWS/Handout/Reuters)Reuters - Iran has executed an Iranian businessman convicted of spying on the military for the Islamic Republic's arch foe Israel, the judiciary said on Saturday.



Al-Qaeda militant Rashid Rauf, seen here in 2006, was killed in a US missile attack in northwest Pakistan.(AFP/File/Farooq Naeem)AFP - The alleged Al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic airplane bombing plot was killed in a US missile attack in northwest Pakistan early Saturday, officials said.



Former US president Jimmy Carter (left), ex-United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan (centre) and Graca Machel answer questions after they were refused visas and cancelled their trip to Zimbabwe. Carter has accused Zimbabwe's government of being AFP - Former US president Jimmy Carter accused Zimbabwe's government Saturday of being "immune" to the hardships of its people as he and ex-UN chief Kofi Annan were denied entry on a humanitarian mission.




Night Fishing Preparation

I have to admit this subject bores me to tears. Amazingly, the... Read More

Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State

Tide rips are one of the most common areas to fly fish... Read More

From Personal Belly Boats to High Performance Racers - An Overview of Inflatable Boats

Inflatable boats, also called rubber boats or dinghies, have been around in... Read More

Swimbaits Are Swimming East

What lures are 4-13" long, been used regularly on the West Coast... Read More

The Old Heddon Meadow Mouse

Have you ever fished with a Heddon Meadow Mouse? How did you... Read More

Techniques of Wet Fly Fishing

Many anglers who are new to fly fishing consider dry fly fishing... Read More

Dry Fly Techniques

Dry fly angling is at the top of any fly fisherman's list... Read More

Fishing Alaska: The Alaskan Sampler Plate...Part I

I just recently returned from my first fishing trip to Alaska.If you... Read More

How To Catch Largemouth Bass

Six strategies for a good day's fishing(1) Largemouth Bass like plastic worms.... Read More

Make Small Fortune In The Fishing Industry

Make Small Fortune In Fishing Industry.......now there is a headline you don't... Read More

The Sublime Pleasure of Fly Fishing

Fly fishing has a history stretching back to the ancient... Read More

Are You Holding Your Mouth Right To Catch More Fish?

My young stepson and I was fishing at Rush Creek in Ohio... Read More

Fly Fishing Small Streams

Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small stream in... Read More

Stream Trout Fishing

Many people enjoy a nice, long fishing trip. Others enjoy fishing trips... Read More

Bass Fishing - Recreation or Obsession?

First of all, we need to look at the word ... recreation.... Read More

The Old Man And His Bluegills

I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset, Ohio, called... Read More

A New World Record Bass

Many people go to Florida to fish for that trophy bass but... Read More

Why a Blacklight Will Take Your Night Fishing To A New Level

If You Have Never Used A Blacklight While Night Fishing, You're Missing... Read More

Lake Trout On The Fly

The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the actual species... Read More

Finding Trophy Bass

Have you ever noticed some people have all the luck when it... Read More

Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species?

Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and... Read More

Cabo Sport Fishing is Like a Box of Chocolates

As Forrest Gump would say, you never know what you're going to... Read More

Trout Species ? Brook Trout

Brook Trout: Frequently gullible, yet extremely tasty, Brook Trout are wonderful trout... Read More

Spinnerbait Tactics That Work

How many fish have you missed?It is said you could be missing... Read More

Catch More Fish - The American Way

These are busy times we live in.Running a full time business, having... Read More

Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler

Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety of... Read More

Spawning the Chinese Algae-Eater

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri Common name: Chinese algae-eater Family: Gyrinocheilidae (Algae eaters)... Read More

Ever Said: We Should Have Caught Bass By Now?

Have you ever been on a lake and thought to yourself or... Read More

Challenges of Nymph Fly Fishing

When nymph fly fishing, the angler is imitating the juvenile stage of... Read More

What You Need To Know Before You Sell Your Boat

As the owner/operator of a full service boat detailing-yacht maintenance business I... Read More

Erie Steelhead Flies

As we stated in our article on Pacific Steelhead flies, the steelhead... Read More

Bluefin Tuna Fishing

Bluefin tuna are one of the greatest challenges to anglers off the... Read More

Introduction to Lake Fly Fishing Techniques

Often lake fish will gather in schools and cruise around looking for... Read More

Do Fish See in Color

Fish do indeed perceive color. Every fly fisher knows that or ought... Read More

Cincinnati Catfishing Bait

Some of the baits I have used for used for CATFISHing here... Read More

A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques - Part II

Method 1EquipmentI fish baits at all depths, not just the bottom, in... Read More

Some Things You May Not Know About Luring Fish In The Night

Night fishing is becoming more and more popular recently, and for good... Read More

Teaching a Kid to Fish

Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be difficult, if... Read More

The Value of Observation

The beginner must learn to look with eyes that see. Occurrences of... Read More

Pitchin For Large Mouth Bass

Well, we have talked about flippin and now we'll mention pitchin.Both techniques... Read More

Anglers Who Want Quality Equipment at a Reasonable Price Need the Garmin 160 Fish Finder

The Garmin 160 Fish Finder has some big advantages over the competition.... Read More

Fishing Equipment Tips

Cheap SinkersSpark plugs make excellent disposable sinkers. Need some cheap (free) fishing... Read More

Choosing The Fishing Trip Destination Thats Right For Your Group

Try doing a web search on the words "fishing lodge" and you... Read More

Why Do You Need a Tacklebox?

A tacklebox or a tackle bag is a necessity... Read More

10 Fishing Gems

Fishing Gem #1 ? When Is Best?If you are in a boat... Read More

Bass Fishing In The Winter In The North

The next few days in Ohio are supposed to be in the... Read More

Swordfishing Fort lauderdale Style

I was laying down on the bow of the boat gazing at... Read More