Fly Fishing Rods
The most important part of fly fishing will be the rod. The fly fishing rods job begins with the fly line hulling the leader out to you appointed target that elusive fish.
By Sammy Slmon
Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2005
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The most important part of fly fishing will be the rod. The fly fishing rods job begins with the fly line hulling the leader out to you appointed target that elusive fish. If the fish picks up the fly the rods job is to control the line and the fish once the fly has been taken. The rod must keep a constant pressure on the fly line so the fish can not spit out the hook. But it is also playing the fish out as well.
The first fly rods were made from wood which made them long and heavy. With some experimentation the manufactures found that bamboo or split cane rods were light and flexible. But the cost and repairs make them difficult to keep in good condition for most fly fishing but is well worth the effort.
 The first fiber glass rods were cheaper and more durable and soon replaced the bamboo rods. The solid fiber glass rod gave way to hollow fiber glass rods which turned around the art of fly fishing. The new hollow rods were very popular until the early 1960’s.
Graphite was the next innovation to fly rods which made then stronger ,stiffer and longer. This enabled the line to flow at a higher speed. The graphite rods rule the market even today for fly fishing..
My self I am old fashion I still use a split cane rod that was my grand fathers will the old light weight metal reel. Some of my friends say it should be in a museum. It is stored in a canvas rod case and sits in the back window of my truck. The feel of the line as it slides through the eyes which are original for that rod. It is hard to explain but it feels right and sound just perfect to my ears.
Even some of my friends have used the rod and they say it feels good in the hand and the sound it makes is soothing to the ears. The feel of the strike seems to be sharper than a graphite rod and you just know what the fish is doing by the way the rod acts.
Yes I have to maintain the rod and do the occasional repairs but if you were as old as this rod you would need to be repaired once in awhile. But I will use it as long as can.
If your rod has good action then you like its performance. Most fly fishermen like a rod that has fast action or about 30 per cent of it bend while under load. But as with every thing the rods speed is different for each fisherman. One of the things most seem to forget is you need to balance the line weight for the rod you are using.
Each person will try out different rods and once they find a rod they like it would be very difficult to get them to change fly rods. I have a few fly fishing friends that still use the hollow tube glass rods. To get then to change to a graphite rod would only take a act from god him self.
They have three or four reels that have different lines on them and t will switch back and forth from line to line to find the perfect line for the fishing area they are in. No matter which rod ,line or fly you use you still have to bait the fish or the day will be lost.
Article by http://www.fishing-for-fun.net/
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