On Mon, 30 May 2005 19:22:45 -0500, Bob Patton
wrote:

Joe wrote:
But do you think the shorter rod will be necessary anyway, for the
places I want to fish? I cant imagine hauling a 9-footer into some of
these places. I've thought about getting a second heavier and longer
rod for other situations, but dont even know if I am going to like
using the first one yet...


The longer rod will be a little more versatile, but if you spend too
much time worrying about which rod, reel, backing, line, leader, tippet,
and fly to use, then you'll never get to the water and learn what this
is all about in the first place.

Without a little help getting started you may find yourself bewildered.
I'd find a good fly shop somewhere close and get some advice there about
fly selection and where to fish. And buy the rod there, too.

Mail-order is fine for people who know what they want. But folks who
need advice should join the local chapter of Trout Unlimited or
Federation of Fly Fishers and buy their gear from somebody local.

Having said all that . . . I see that Cabela's has an 8 1/2 foot
5-weight on sale for 90 bucks. I think that'd be hard to beat. Wait
until you have some more experience before going for a lighter rod.

Bob


I agree. An 8 1/2' 5 wt. is a good choice for an all around rod for
northern Wisconsin. While it may seem that you need a very light rod
for fishing our tag alder infested sreams in actuality if you are
going to be only casting 10 or 15 feet of line and 7 1/2' of leader
attached to a sometimes bushy dry or streamer having the extra mass of
a 5 wt or even greater weight line (I won't get into overlining
though) is an advantage. I know several *excellent* fishermen who fish
5 wt. rods virtually everywhere, from the spring creeks of SW
Wisconsin to the tag alder jungles up north to the smallmouth bass
rivers that are everywhere up here to the big rivers in Montana.


g.c.

Who wonders how many people can *always* lay a fly down in a 6" circle
at 40'.