On Jul 31, 9:08*am, Jason Rosin wrote:
I do not currently own any fly rods. *I am taking a 5 day trip next
week to fly fish in Montana and will be in Jackson WY for two weeks
this summer where I plan to do some fly fishing. *I am purchasing a
Sage Launch rod (based on recommendations from people on this group)
and wonder whether 1 rod will be sufficient. *Perhaps next week it
might (it will be a guided trip, and I am sure the guide will have a
spare), but in the summer, I will be on my own. *The rod I purchased
is
a 5 weight. *Mostly fishing for trout. *Is it good practice to get a
second 5 weight, something different? *Or is one rod sufficient?

- JJR

A 5wt is a great all-around rod; nice start. You have three choices,
as I see it.

1) Get another 5wt, but a multi-piece travel rod (like a Hardy Gem
Smuggler). That way your reels and lines will work on either rod, and
you are set up to drive or fly to your destinations.

2) Start expanding your collection. As others have mentioned, go up
and down by twos....if you think you'll go for small panfish and tiny
(6-8") trout, then get a 3wt. If you think you're going to go for big
bass, pike, stripers, etc...then you need a 7wt. But be aware...you're
talking about new lines, new reels, different tippet, different flies,
etc. As others have said, you better be damn sure you want to pursue
this sport before you start investing too much.

3) Take what you have...one rod. If you break it, go to the nearest
fly shop and replace it with another 5wt. I can't imagine you breaking
it, however...its less common than you think, and always caused by
carelessness.

My advice? For a beginner, you need to be sure you want to become a
dedicated fly fisherman before you start acquiring too much gear.
Also, your taste in gear might evolve a lot as you go up the learning
curve...more expensive isn't necessarily better, and you need to find
out what works for you at the stage you are at. I'm not sure if you
will have your Sage for the trip next week, but I'd suggest trying out
every rod you can during that trip...any guide worth his tip will let
you cast every rod he has with him. Let him know you want to sample
some different rods, and he will bring along a handful for you to try,
I'm sure. Then by next summer, you will know what you want. You don't
have to decide now.

--riverman