"Oz" wrote in message
...

Okay, I think I get it now. It really has nothing to do with the size of
the fish you are trying to land and everything to do with the fly you are
presenting. And, the fly is dependant upon the fish you are trying to
land.

Exactly! Um.....well, mostly. The selection of the rod actually DOES have
something to do with the size of the fish you are trying to land. Fishing
for, say steelhead, for instance, with a 2 wt. rod is not only absurd but
also irresponsible. As others have said, the tippet is the weakest link in
the chain between you and the fish. This is true not only for reasons
having to do with casting mechanics and presentation, but also as insurance
to protect more valuable elements.....which includes almost everything else
in the system. A 2 wt. fly rod is a fragile thing; light tippet helps you
prevent snapping your rod by putting too much stress on it while fighting a
fish. Now, if you want to land a five pound steelhead with terminal tackle
appropriate for a 2 wt. rod you are going to have to be very gentle, which
means taking a lot of time to tire the fish, which greatly increases the
likelihood of killing it. Of course, you may intend to kill it anyway, but
your chances of landing it successfully, however careful and gentle you are
with your equipment, are very low. So, you end up with a very good chance
of losing the fish.....and killing it anyway.

Wolfgang