Signs you aren't using the right fly rod

Fly fishing gear is like a puzzle, its all designed to fit together neatly, and one impropper piece can make it impossible to complete the picture. At the center of that puzzle is the keystone piece, the fly rod. Almost all other pieces of fly fishing gear are either directly connected to it, or not strictly necessary. Like the puzzle, its critical that your fly rod match your fishing application, and the rest of the gear connected to it. If you are stuggling with technique on the water, it could very well be that your rod is a mismatch to your situation. To avoid this, lets cover the signs you aren't using the right fly rod.

1.   Casting Distance - If you have decent casting technique and a line appropriate for your target species, but still aren't able to attain a reasonable casting distance, you likely aren't using a rod appropriately weighted or sized for your application.

2.   Unenjoyable Fish Fights - The weight and flex profile of your fly rod will determine how much it bends and at what amounts of pulling pressure. The bend in a fly rod alleviates tension on the line, so too little bend can increase your break-off rate. Conversely, too much bend in a rod can cause an unnecessarily long fish fight, leading to undue fish stress, and possible the eventual death of the fish. If you are dragging the fish across the water without bending the rod, or not gaining any headway on a fish with a rod thats bent to your toes, you are using the wrong rod.

3.   Rod Collisions - If your rod is constantly clanging into trees and other obstructions while casting, your rods length might not be a good fit for your area. There are, of course, always areas where casting with any length rod is difficult, but if you are using a 9ft rod on a small stream with dense vegetation, you aren't doing yourself any favors, and should really be using something shorter.

4. Rod Deterioration - If you take a typical fresh water fly rod and use it heavily for salt water fishing, you may find that some of the components begin to deteriorate. The most common thing you might notice would be corroding of the guides. Rods are built with components that suit their intended purpose, and some of those components will not stand up well when used in situations that don't match. If your rod seems to be wearing down at a rapid rate, you may be using it for an application it was not intended to withstrand.

Check out this additional resource below to help you identify exactly what rod you will need to catch your target species.