Rod Collection and species for each.

[millsboy79]

I posted something similar in the fishing section. Since then I have been toying with the idea of going after some pike on the fly.

I am definitely a novice and have been trying to train myself to cast left handed due to an injury. I thought in the mean time I could learn what I will need to know for future adventures.

What I am curious about is what size rod you use and what you usually catch with each set up.

Guess a side note would be is that I have an old glass rod that used to belong to my grandfather. There are no markings left on it anywhere and he is not around anymore to ask. Is there anyway to figure out what it is? I am sure new rods are better made but I would like to use it at least once to catch something.

Thanks for your input.

[catnthehat]

An 8 weight will cast a friggin' chair with the right line on it!
I used 8' 9's ad 10's over the years and have gone back to the 8weight tubular glass rods because a lot of the time the fish I target get into the weeds and lumber and you have to horse the out of there.
I also used t use big flies but no longer chuck the Mega Diver style monsters unless I am up North where 20 lb fish can be had regularly .
Anything up to 15 lbs can be landed easily with a good 7 weight. IMO.I've been after these fish (and muskies) since I was eleven years old with the long rod, and interestingly enough, still often use the first rod I ever got , and 8 1/2' 8wght Heddon Pal!
Cat

[millsboy79]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

An 8 weight will cast a friggin' chair with the right line on it!
I used 8' 9's ad 10's over the years and have gone back to the 8weight tubular glass rods because a lot of the time the fish I target get into the weeds and lumber and you have to horse the out of there.
I also used t use big flies but no longer chuck the Mega Diver style monsters unless I am up North where 20 lb fish can be had regularly .
Anything up to 15 lbs can be landed easily with a good 7 weight. IMO.I've been after these fish (and muskies) since I was eleven years old with the long rod, and interestingly enough, still often use the first rod I ever got , and 8 1/2' 8wght Heddon Pal!
Cat

That would be awesome to have something like that from your childhood.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by millsboy79

That would be awesome to have something like that from your childhood.

had to re-guide it after a trip to Mexico in '92, the black chrome snakes took a beating in the salt!
I put ceramics on it with a extra large stripper guide ALA Lefty Kreh, sure improved the casting !
This one was taken in the 90's up North, we caught a lot kike that in four days it was about 12lbs or so..I used the Heddon there and one of my short streamers I designed for rocky stuff.
Cat

[catnthehat]

I also added a removable fighting butt a few years back as well:
Cat

[RavYak]

I have a 4 wt combo, 2 6 wt combos and an 8 wt combo.

95% of my fly fishing is on lakes and I just use my 6 wt combos. I use either a floating, type 3 sinking or type 6 sinking line depending on the lake and flies/methods used.

I bought the 4 wt to use on streams etc with dry flies but I often just use my 6 wt because it is a much nicer outfit.

I bought the 8 wt to try for pike and for if I do a trip to Florida etc but so far I haven't even used it because I can't get motivated to fly fish for pike and haven't done a trip yet.

I am far from a good fly fisherman but imo a good 6 wt combo will do you for almost anything you would want(except pike).

[scel]

I have...

4wt
I use it for small streams and trout dry flies. Classically, it has been used for 15% of my angling.

5wt
Collects dust. This is the training tool.

2x6wt
These are my go-to Alberta/BC trout combos. in the right conditions, they are hoot for smallmouth bass. I have 2 set ups because I am clumsy oaf. But 2 or 3 times a year, I have a friend visit, and I can confidently say that I can hook them up with good gear. This accounts for about 35% of my fishing.

2x8wt
These are the workhorses of my quiver. They catch pike, bass, bonefish, salmon, and steelhead. Again, I have 2 because I regularly seem to break one of them. In total, about 50% of my fishing is with these rods.

I have used a 10wt rod for pike in the past. It is a sweet tool for casting the bigger flies for bigger fish, but I think the 8wt is good for 90% of the pike fishing. But as soon as I start casting flies bigger than an average pike bunny, an 8wt becomes tiring.

[32-40win]

I have a 3wt I seldom use any more, like using it when I know I'll be going after small fish, or fishing with small dries, but, have also landed 24" Gerrards with it, when I wasn't expecting anything near that big.
The bulk of the time I use 5 wts, I have 4 of those from 7ft6 to 10ft.
I have a couple of 6wts stored away somewhere.
I have two 7wts, I really like them in a lot of applications as well, usually with a shooting head. Like dusk leeching with those, or for deeper chironomids.
I have a 9wt and a 10 wt for saltwater use, I occasionally use the 9 for deep chironomids, or if I want to use really heavy flies, anywhere I want to go deeper than 25-30 ft. I've gone to 110ft, on slack tides, fishing with those two rods, and had fish sound to 200 a few times. That is an application, when I might like a heavier rod yet, to get better lifting power.

[catnthehat]

I ave over 2 rods but only use my 5 wght and m 8 wght most f te time!
I also don't use my expense rods and line in the delta waters because the amount of silt kills both very quickly, I do use te wen I head south occasionally
Cat

[millsboy79]

I currently have a 6wt TFO and have only ever caught small rainbows with it. From what I am currently reading on here it is overkill for what I have been using it for and not enough for what I want to do hahaha.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by millsboy79

I currently have a 6wt TFO and have only ever caught small rainbows with it. From what I am currently reading on here it is overkill for what I have been using it for and not enough for what I want to do hahaha.

Unless you are getting into larger pike your 6wght will do for a while.
If you do get a larger rod, I would strongly recommend a glass one, they are super tough!
Cat

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by millsboy79

I currently have a 6wt TFO and have only ever caught small rainbows with it. From what I am currently reading on here it is overkill for what I have been using it for and not enough for what I want to do hahaha.

6 wt might be overkill for tiny rainbows but my view point is why downsize to target said rainbow when you can just learn better spots and techniques to target the bigger fish in which case a 6 wt is the right size.

[millsboy79]

Originally Posted by RavYak

6 wt might be overkill for tiny rainbows but my view point is why downsize to target said rainbow when you can just learn better spots and techniques to target the bigger fish in which case a 6 wt is the right size.

Good point ... I was just remarking about what the rod was currently being used for or at least all I have landed so far lol.

Maybe I will try it out at chestermere ... there are no monsters in there.

[32-40win]

6wt is a very versatile rod, light enough to feel smaller fish fairly well and use smaller flies, and heavy enough for some pretty decent streamers and handling some pretty fair sized fish. Plenty of ways to cast things that are "too big" for that size rod, may not be the pristine tight loop cast that people worship, but, it will do the job. You'll get a feel for that, once you have a bit of time under your belt with it. Plenty of stream situations that a really ugly cast, is the only way to get it done, as well. Lots of situations, when you really only need to get the fly over the side of the boat as well, then let it sink and move the boat. Rods are kinda like rifles, ya just want more kinds, for some more "specialized" applications, which the original would have worked for anyways.

[scel]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Unless you are getting into larger pike your 6wght will do for a while.
If you do get a larger rod, I would strongly recommend a glass one, they are super tough!
Cat

I tried using a 6wt for about a year. Casting a water-logged pike bunny from a pontoon boat is very tiring. I never caught anything over 5kg. A 6wt has enough backbone to fight most pike. I was amazed how much easier it was to cast the same fly with an 8wt.

A pike manages to break one of my graphite fly rods every single year. This year, I was trying to remove a hook. He was just a little guy (less than 3kg), hooked in the corner of the mouth. I was holding the leader. Pike shot up between my legs, into my lap (on my pontoon). Flailed around, wrapping the line around the tip of my rod, then fell back into the water, breaking my rod tip.

Glass rods are nice to cast, but they tend to be heavy and lack casting backbone. How do you find it deals with windy conditions and casts over 20m?

[catnthehat]

One has to match the fly to the rod of course , and for the most part I have gotten away from the big popular flies that Waterlog quickly .
I find I can catch big pike with smaller flies just as well as the big ones .
When the wind gets up I concentrate on making shorter , more accurate casts , but really have no issues with my glass rods.
I know a lot of people do not like them however and prefer graphites
Cat

[32-40win]

Don't think I ever used big bunnies and that ilk for pike, caught plenty with 3 & 4" deceiver styles and clousers. Lots of ways to tie a bigger fly, to be lighter and castable. I'm not sure about the need to cast 20m, either. I don't like to work that hard at it, most of the time.

[scel]

Originally Posted by 32-40win

Don't think I ever used big bunnies and that ilk for pike, caught plenty with 3 & 4" deceiver styles and clousers. Lots of ways to tie a bigger fly, to be lighter and castable. I'm not sure about the need to cast 20m, either. I don't like to work that hard at it, most of the time.

What?! The 6" red-n-white pike bunny is the pike slayer. If there is a better pike fly, it should probably be called 'The Unicorn'. I totally admit though, it becomes a water-logged slug---a seductive oddly delicious slug. Sadly, even the best tied pike bunnies become totally thrashed after 20 or 30 pike.

I understand, in most applications, it is unnecessary to cast 20m. The one personal truth I have found with pike fishing---the crappier and rougher the conditions, the better the pike fishing. The 20m cast is a rough measure of the 10m cast (something very reasonable) in 30 kph headwind bumping in the waves in a boat/canoe/pontoon. In these conditions, making a good 10m cast still requires a good double haul. Hauling is harder (and less effective) with a slower action rod (a Reddington Vappen is definitely superior to a St. Croix Imperial).

That being said...I have never seen an 8wt glass rod. I would love to try one and I would really love to put one through its paces.