Buying a fly fishing rod today can be quite confusing as fly fishing rods are made from many different types of material, come in different lengths and varying degrees of stiffness. Buying the correct fly fishing rod in extremely important, as the fly rod is one of the more important pieces of fly fishing equipment that you will buy. The fly fishing rod that is the oldest is the bamboo fly fishing rod. Although it may look like a work of art, a bamboo fly fishing rod costs more and weighs more that the modern fly fishing rods made today.

1. Rod Materials

Fly fishing rod are manufactured using the following materials:

• Fiberglass – Commonly used in the less expensive fly rods. Fiberglass rods are usually more durable than graphite, and are generally used by beginners. These fly fishing rods can be used for many fishing situations.
• Graphite – More expensive than fiberglass rods. Graphite rods are lighter, allow you to cast more accurately, and provide more fighting power in the rod. These rods can be used by beginner and expert anglers.

2. Rod Action

Rod action is the amount of stiffness in the rod, and how much the rod will flex when you are casting or are fighting a fish. The action of a fly rod can categorized as:

• Slow-Action – These rods have the most bend or flexibility. These fly rods can be difficult for beginner anglers to learn to control, but these rods have more accuracy when it comes to short-range casting. Fishing for lightweight fish is the main use of these rods.
• Medium-Action -These rods bend in the middle of the rod and at the rod tip. These rods can be used for short and long-range casting, and are recommended rods for beginners.
• Fast-Action – Beginners find these rods difficult to handle. These rods are quite stiff, and can only flex near the tip of the rod. You can cast longer distances with these rods, and can also handle the bigger fish. Slow-action fly rods have better casting accuracy than these rods.

3. Rod Weight

The weight of the fly fishing rod you choose should match the weight of the fly line you intend using. Rod weight tells you what fly line weight the rod have been designed to most effectively use – rod weight is not the actual physical weight of the rod. Fly line weights are categorized 1 to 15, and you choose your fly line weight according to the fish you intend catching:

• 1 to 3 Weight – Small trout and other small fish using small flies.
• 4 weight – Small to medium sized trout and other similar sized fish with small to medium flies.
• 5 or 6 Weight – Medium sized trout, small bass and other similar sized fish using small to large flies.
• 7 or 8 Weight – Large trout and bass. You can use streamers and large flies.
• 9 Weight and Above – Steelhead, salmon, and saltwater fish with saltwater flies.

4. Rod Length

The length of a fly rod determines the action of the rod. Longer fly rods generally have a faster action than shorter fly rods, but shorter rods are more suited to fishing in tight situations such as narrow streams. Fly fishing rod length can be categorized as:

• Short (less than 8 feet) – Use in tight fishing situations where bush, trees or stream size restrict your movement.
• Medium (8 feet – 9 feet) – Recommended rod length for trout and bass fly fishing. Using these rods, you can cast longer distances and reel in more weight.
• Long (longer than 9 feet) – Ideal choice for longer casting and fishing for big-game fish.

Take a look at the beginner fly fishing rod guide for more information about fly rods, and how to choose a fly fishing rod.

For more information about the sport of fly fishing, take a look at the Fly Fishing Elite news feed at Feedraider.com.

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To make the most of the any sport you play, make sure that you have the right equipment so you can enjoy the experience fully. Having the right gear for fly fishing is essential especially if you wish to actually catch something. From the tackle to the rods, having the right supply of fly fishing gear is highly important.

Without the right kind of fly fishing gear, you might as well not even bother going fly fishing because you certainly will not catch anything of importance. When you begin to build your collection of fly fishing gear you might find yourself a little perplexed as to what you need to buy. A idea that will help you figure out what kind of fly fishing gear you need to use is read books and magazines on fly fishing. These items will have the information to make your fly fishing trip even more memorable.

Time To Start Purchasing The Goods

If your money situation can afford it, it is always best to start out by purchasing a brand new rod as a part of your fly fishing gear. Old or used rods wouldn’t be a wise choice for your first experience of fly fishing, not only will your experience be ruined but your rod will be broken as well. If you go fly fishing with brand new gear the chances of your equipment lasting a while are greater. It always feels good to have new items that can be apart of your exciting fly fishing adventure.

To get the best quality of fly fishing gear that your willing to spend, you might want to check out well known fly fishing sites. Not only are these types of places known for giving the best deals on fly fishing gear but they also are known for having an incredible variety for you to pick from. The big variety will help make sure that you end up with all of the fly fishing gear that you could possibly need for your fishing trip.

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Fly fishing rods come in a variety of materials including bamboo, fiberglass and graphite. Just like any the participants in any growing pastime, the fly fishermen are constantly looking for the best equipment, so manufacturers continually try to improve their fly fishing rods.

For the beginning fly fisherman selecting the best fly rod can be a challenge because of the enormous selection of fly rods available. A low priced fly fishing rod is ideal for a beginner. This allows them to get into the sport without spending a great deal of money to try out fly fishing. The most affordably priced fly type rods run from about $40 to $80.

Those that have been fly fishing for a long time will usually favor bamboo fly rods readily singing their praises. Bamboo rods have advanced to the point that the center is solid having strips of bamboo clued together to fit the outside of them. Amazingly strong bamboo rods are the most expensive fly rod on the market. This is not one a beginner would wish to have due to the cost alone, this rod comes after you have decided the passion you have for fly fishing is unmatched by any other activity in your life.

Then there is the choice between graphite fly rods and fiberglass fly rods. The graphite fly fishing rods are made from graphite materials. These rods tend to be a little on the stiff side and rather strong. The quality of the graphite fly rods that you choose will determine its strength. Most fly fisherman prefer the graphite rods to the fiberglass rods since they are more sensitive and stronger than the fiberglass rods are.

Since the graphite fly rods are stronger giving the fly fisherman added support it is a good choice for the beginner. If you ask an experienced fly fisherman they will gladly give pointers on deciding which of the fly rods available are best suited for your use dependent upon your skill level.

For those who are experienced fisherman and those who are just begninning to show intersest in the sport, fiberglass fly fishing rods come in a wide variety of strong flexible material. While fiberglass fly fishing rods are much more flexible, they tend to be so heavy that many fishermen won’t use them.

These are just a few things to take into consideration when deciding on the purchase of fly fishing rods.

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