On Mon, 19 May 2008 15:20:51 -0500, "Wolfgang"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
Ok, first, I am not the greatest fly-fisher there is. In fact,
"Mediocre" just might be a compliment. But, if given enough room, I
can usually (sometimes) hold my own.

My problem - There are many small steams - some no more than 2-4 feet
wide - that I would like to "fly" on, but clearances are very tight -
even trying to walk through the woods with a 6-8 foot rod is nearly
impossible, never mind trying to cast once the water is reached.

Are there any SHORT fly rods made? Something in a 2 or 3-weight, in
the 2 to 4 foot range that would allow a person to work in close
quarters, casting maybe 10 or so feet or even allow a person to "flip"
or roll-cast a fly this distance?

I have a 4 ft. fiberglass rod I made out of an old tip section found in an
abandoned building. It is eminently fishable but, surprisingly perhaps, the
4 or 5 ft. difference in length doesn't present much of an advantage in
tight quarters, except in a very limited set of circumstances. Practically
speaking, in most instances you've got enough room to swing a fly rod or you
don't......the length of the rod (within reasonable limits) just isn't a
major factor. As others have mentioned, you're better off finding out what
kinds of tricks the rods you already have can do, and then master them.

Wolfgang


Even when standing in the middle of the streams, there is rarely a lot
of room - most of them have a vegetation "canopy" over them at a
height that is usually not more than 10 feet. I suppose that if I
were to actually sit down in the water, I may be able to work a cast.
I will be back in that part of the country in mid-July....I'll give it
a try.

Never met a fisherman that couldn't lie his ass off with a straight
face