# Fly rod length



## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Hi all,
I'm in the beginning stages of looking to get a new fly rod. I want something with a faster action than what I currently have. I'm looking forward to the new orvis recon rods coming out in January. My question though is about rod length. When I bought my last rod I couldn't decided between a 9 or 10 foot so I got a 9'6" rod &#128539;. The rods I'm looking at now only come in 9 or 10 foot. I want a 7wt and it will be used 95 percent of the time for carp and bass, maybe some steelhead, but I use a center pin for them most of the time. I know that the 10 foot rod would be better for mending and line control. But what do you guys think for carp and bass. Is a 9 foot still the best. Seems like the most common length.

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## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

For carp i use a 10' 7wt and I prefer the longer rod for the leverage. For bass it would all depend on what flies you're throwing. I don't think a longer rod would be an advantage if you're casting big dear hair flies but that's not my wheelhouse. Hopefully someone will chime in and give better advice on a bass setup.


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## thefraz44 (May 4, 2014)

I'm certainly no expert but I would say 9 foot for bass and an advantage is there will be less room for hitting trees...


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for your guys replies. Even though I said bass and carp more than steelhead, the vast majority of what I target is carp. Ha I'm making this too hard of a decision, but for the amount of money fly rods are going for I want to get the right one.

I have heard that longer 10 foot rods can have softer actions that the exact same rod in a 9 foot model. 

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## FishDude (May 15, 2014)

Indybio72 said:


> Thanks for your guys replies. Even though I said bass and carp more than steelhead, the vast majority of what I target is carp. Ha I'm making this too hard of a decision, but for the amount of money fly rods are going for I want to get the right one.
> 
> I have heard that longer 10 foot rods can have softer actions that the exact same rod in a 9 foot model.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Ohub Campfire mobile app




Just curious, what area of the state do you carp in. Southwest ohio guy here with my main quarry being carp.

Not much help with rod choice , I just pick one up and go!


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

I'm in Northeast ohio very close to Cleveland.

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## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

rod length is only a factor when nymph or fishing dry's....I don't get hung up o rod length...I have rod's from 7.5' to 9ft no trouble with line control.....if your in doubt stick with your 9'-9.5'5 length the extra 6'' will not be a issue..


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

thefraz44 said:


> I'm certainly no expert but I would say 9 foot for bass and an advantage is there will be less room for hitting trees...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


So true, often when there is no room for a back cast then a roll cast is needed and often overhead trees will be in the way and that foot can make a difference. I have 2 6wt. rods and 2 8wt. rods and all are 9' in legnth and about the only time I wanted a 10' rod is wading in large lakes and reservoirs when just distance casting. 
I think line control is fine with a 9' rod and perhaps better casting accuracy too and 7wt. is a good all purpose line weight.

I am sure you will be happy with the Orvis Recon Rod, well worth the price of admission and Orvis usually has Outstanding customer service for turnaround should you ever need to use the 25 year guarantee.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

kritterkare said:


> I am sure you will be happy with the Orvis Recon Rod, well worth the price of admission and Orvis usually has Outstanding customer service for turnaround should you ever need to use the 25 year guarantee.


My current rod I use is an orvis clearwater 7wt in 9'6", I just find the action too soft especially for the distance I sometimes need. I got to cast some fast action rods and they fit my casting style much better. The recon looks like it will be really good. I also want to stick with Orvis because there store is close to my house so if I ever have problems I can just run right there.


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

Yes some of the entry level rods lack power for distance though I still use my first sage entry level rod, a 5wt. that I eventually started lining with a 4wt. line cause it was too soft and slow. 
I have a 6wt. Orvis Helios 2 tip flex that can cast some heavier patterns with ease but I also have an older Orvis TL I think it is in a mid flex and it casts with almost no effort but can not do what the Helios can do in terms of heavier patterns and distance casting.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Yeah I wish it was easier to find a place and test rods. Ha I want 10 different rods laid out in front of me and a big field and let me cast for awhile so I can really determine what I like. Oh well I guess I just need to keep buying rods  

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## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

Mad River Outfitters will take you out back to the grass area and let you try casting different rods. Those guys are amazingly helpful. I can't give that place a high enough recommendation.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

I'll have to consider that. It's a bit of a drive as I live near cleveland but for the amount of money rods cost it may be worth it.

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## iggyfly (Jun 30, 2012)

Have used an 8wt 9ft sage vxp for carp and bass for the past few years, until I picked up a used 10ft 7wt sage fli yesterday for 150. Caught a smallie and a carp pushing 20# yesterday and will never use the 9ft 8wt again. Both have fast action, but the 10 7 was a great bit better for the type of river fishing I was doing. 

Cast 5ft of t8 with a heavy rabbit leech on the end with no problem. Soft hackles with 10ft intermediate no problem. And was unreal for high sticking and indicator fishing (which I caught the carp on). Did everything with ease and efficiency. Will be my 2nd rod I carry specifically for nymphing this steelhead season. My scott l2h switch 7 11.5 is my go to for swinging. 

If I were looking for a mid range price, new rod, id get the scott a4 10 7. Cant beat it for just under 400, and is even nicer than the sage fli. 

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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. As of now I feel I'm leaning towards a 9 foot still. I went to the creek I go to alot the other day and with all the trees and what not I think a 10 foot would be pushing it. I haven't really noticed a difference in casting distance from a 9 to a 10 foot rod. As others have pointed out the 10 is better at mending, but most of the time with the carp I don't really have to do any mending.

Hell I'm still young and going for my masters degree. When I'm done and finally get a big boy job I can buy more rods  . I want to venture into switch and spey rods eventually and then upgrade some of my lighter rods like my 3wt. But for now the 7wt is what I use most so I want to upgrade that first.

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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

yea it is a matter of having at least one or two good all around rods for the widest range of conditions, I should own about 20 rods by now though LOL. 
Buying used rods on Ebay is a good way to go, for the most part you can buy a used higher end rod for say 150.00 use it a year and resale it for about the same price and try another rod, the market is quite consistent so with some research you can get to try different rods at little cost.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Just wanted to give an update. I ended up purchasing a 9' 7wt TFO BVK. Everything I have heard about this rod has been fantastic for its price, which was only $250. In an 8wt shootout this rod kicked butt compared to some more expensive rods http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/ge...pal-best-saltwater-fly-rod-fly-rod-comparison 

My initial plan was to hold out for the Orvis Recon rods in January, but it will be a long time before reviews come out and it costs twice as much. In regards to length the BVK came in 9' 9'6" and 10', even though I was initially looking for that 9'6" I went with the 9' after talking with some fly shop guys


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

You have chosen wisely! Enjoy that rod!


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

Hope the rod is still working for ya, love The Yellowstone Rod Shootouts, such great information. 
It is true mid priced rods can be very great, and I have tried some of the top line rods that I did not care for but there are so many factors, I have an Orvis Helios 2 that I still have not fallen in love with yet but perhaps a different line will make all the difference.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

kritterkare said:


> Hope the rod is still working for ya, love The Yellowstone Rod Shootouts, such great information.
> It is true mid priced rods can be very great, and I have tried some of the top line rods that I did not care for but there are so many factors, I have an Orvis Helios 2 that I still have not fallen in love with yet but perhaps a different line will make all the difference.


I'm enjoying this rod very much. Much better than my medium action orvis clearwater. My only problem now is that I'm learning to cast a shooting head with it, and am realizing my casting skills are not that good haha


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

Ahh, A high persentage of my casting was for distance and I always wanted to try shooting heads but usually just bought a distance line. I remember it was recommended use a weight heavier then the rod being used is that the system you are using?


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

kritterkare said:


> Ahh, A high persentage of my casting was for distance and I always wanted to try shooting heads but usually just bought a distance line. I remember it was recommended use a weight heavier then the rod being used is that the system you are using?


Yep. I got the Rio outbound short. Which is actually more than two grain weights heavier. So a 7wt outbound short is actually the grain weight of a 10 wt line. So I actually got a 6wt line because it's really a 9wt. It loads the rod well and when I actually get my timing right it shoots far. Problem is I can't get the timing right haha most of the time.


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

Sounds like the method of casting is very unforgiving and the difference between a good cast and a failed cast will be quite evident, I have read about people making the heads shorter without loosing much if done right. If I had boat years ago I would have given them a try and still will someday.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

Using short heads lines will take a bit more casting and learning skills then like a standard WF line. Rio lines are not very good IMO. Have you tried a Airflo 40+ or a Nymph line or any line with at least a 1/2wt more? For your BVK rod? BVK are not a very fast rod so casting compact short heads can be more work then necessary. Try not going for distance and just concentrate on your short to mid range casting mechanics otherwise you will be frustrated to no end.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

The only other lines I have tried with it are the airflo elite and airflo mend. I just can't seem to get past 60 feet with those ones. Ha I wanted a fast action rod and it appears the one I got may not be fast enough. But for the money that's what worked best for me now.

I have seen the airflo 40 plus lines. Which would you recommend. There is the "normal" one with like a 35 foot head and an "expert" version with a head over 40 feet.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

60 ft is way plenty enough for everything in the area. The standard 40+ is what i use. Extra dast rods have very narrow forgiveness in the casting stroke which can be difficult to atay on top of after all day on the water. Nothing wrong with the BVK rod at all.


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

I have been sold on Cortland 444 and 555sl lines for many years, with a stiffer inner braid and stiffer coating and longer body taper it is a decent all around line that can cast pretty far.
YakPhish is correct in saying to perfect the short to medium distance casts and booming out short to medium long casts in a single motion with only a single false cast or just a back then forward cast is very efficient and you should never really have to do any more then 3 false casts for a distance cast.

For sure shooting heads are a specialty line for a specific purpose, the reason I considered them is fishing big waters to cover lots of water but I have been able to get 80' casts consistently with out much effort if things are right.

I will clean, stretch, and dress my line every time before I go out for best performance, a dirty line sticky from mud or algae will kill distance really bad. 

The leader makes a difference, the stiffness and length and the pattern being thrown can slow down a cast. 

As Yak mentioned a very fast rod needs to be cast very precise and many will find a quality mid flex rod will cast the mid distance with almost no effort vs. a fast rod can generate higher line speeds but the timing must be right. 

It is all physics I suppose, energy put in to loading the rod will release the energy when the rod unloads.
For the longest time when I was struggling trying to get distance BUT I read one sentence, "the line must straighten out in front of you and behind you when false casting" if the loop on your backcast has not straightened then when you are moving on your forward cast the energy is completely wasted until the line has straightened out then the rod finally starts to load.

Find a casting class if possible you may be making fundamental casting errors like I did for many years or it is indeed possible your rig is just not set up the best.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Well I dont know if this is stupid of me, but when I normally practice casting I dont have a fly on. With the shooting head today I put on a wollybugger (hook removed) and noticed a large difference. I could tell much easier when the line was straightening and was able to get 90 foot casts pretty easy. No guarentee that the next time I try i'll be able to do it again though


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## JTater55 (Aug 21, 2014)

I think that when it comes to picking out a rod or reel, even for spin casting, it all comes down to personal preference. The way it fits your casting style. Like you said before you like the 10' rod because of the way you cast. Personal preference is the most important thing when picking new gear. 


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

JTater55 said:


> I think that when it comes to picking out a rod or reel, even for spin casting, it all comes down to personal preference. The way it fits your casting style. Like you said before you like the 10' rod because of the way you cast. Personal preference is the most important thing when picking new gear.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


Very true. I think you are referring to me saying that I prefer fast action rods with how I cast, not with 10 footers (I ended up buying a 9ft). But you are right that its all personal preference. For example I like that my 7 and 8wt are fast action, but for my 3wt I much prefer that its a slow action.


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## JTater55 (Aug 21, 2014)

Oh ok. I must have mis read. Yeah right after I posted I saw that you made a choice haha. Enjoy it and catch em big! 


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## kritterkare (Jul 30, 2014)

I actually have the top of the line Orvis rod of this year and I personally like older heavier models, so the new 800.00 rod for me wheigs almost nothing in the hand does not make me cast farther or better. I assume a different line might make a difference in how much I like the rod, it is a fast action rod like most of mine in the past but I guess I do not care for the ultra light weight of the rod but I do know that it can perform better then any rod I have owned in the past.

If you can cast 90' on the lawn then you can do it on the water, the saying goes fishing on the water is the worst place to practice LOL.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

kritterkare said:


> I actually have the top of the line Orvis rod of this year and I personally like older heavier models, so the new 800.00 rod for me wheigs almost nothing in the hand does not make me cast farther or better. I assume a different line might make a difference in how much I like the rod, it is a fast action rod like most of mine in the past but I guess I do not care for the ultra light weight of the rod but I do know that it can perform better then any rod I have owned in the past.
> 
> If you can cast 90' on the lawn then you can do it on the water, the saying goes fishing on the water is the worst place to practice LOL.


Yep! Thats a fairly accurate assessment!

Why is there a need for a 90' cast? You will soon find out you will not even need to in the actual conditions.
Have fun!


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