My native small streams lastly opened up the previous week or so, calming down from the runoff we had this yr. They’re nonetheless excessive, and a bit difficult to wade, nevertheless it’s not not possible. And simply as these small streams got here into form, I received a pleasant shock within the mail.
I’d despatched in a BIIIx 9′ 5-weight to Winston for restore in March, and it turned up simply in time for some weekend fishing. Usually, I don’t use a 5-weight on my native streams in Wyoming, opting as a substitute for a 9’9″ 3-weight. However I couldn’t resist fishing the BIIIx, which was the primary good rod I ever purchased for myself.
I put the restored rod by its paces in opposition to feisty 10-inch rainbows, whereas throwing a cicada with a stonefly dropper. That’s all previous hat for a 9′ 5-weight, and the BIIIx dealt with it flawlessly.
Then, on Sunday, I went to a stretch of the creek that’s recognized to have greater fish – browns and rainbows within the 14-16 inch vary, with a number of 18-inchers exhibiting up yearly. Now, I primarily fish that 9’9″ 3-weight on this stream due to the additional attain it supplies. That rod – a Hardy Ultralite LL – was designed for Euro nymphing, nevertheless it has the spine and accuracy to deftly deal with hopper-dropper rigs. I can attain throughout many of the stream with that Hardy, and though it’s not implausible within the wind, it’s simply in regards to the good device for the job.
As a substitute of fishing that Hardy, nonetheless, I fished the Winston. I’ve an emotional attachment to that Winston (which isn’t one thing I’m certain I ought to admit on the web, however right here we’re) and needed to spend extra time with it. After placing a handful of 15-inch browns within the internet, I headed for dwelling, pondering that maybe my go-to small stream rig wanted a reconfiguration. Was that 9’9″ 3-weight actually one of the best device for the job? Particularly when the 9′ 5-weight Winston gave me extra pulling energy, placing fish within the internet in much less time?
Or was I splitting too many hairs, as us fly anglers are wont to do?
I’m a agency believer that almost all trout anglers don’t want something apart from a 9′ 5-weight. That rod handles nearly all of trout fishing conditions, and it’s provided that you determine to specialise in one thing that you just want a special rod. Even then, angler could make most rods work in any state of affairs, inside purpose.
One of the best fly rod for small streams is the one you’re most comfy with. The rod that you just really feel lets you place your flies the place you need them, to get fish rapidly into the online, and that matches beneath the foliage. On my small streams, I’m fortunate that I don’t should cope with dropping too many flies, so 9′ or longer rods are affordable. That may not be the case for anglers elsewhere, although.
Cease worrying a lot about you probably have the “ideally suited” small stream setup, and focus extra on whether or not your present rods can do the job for you. Likelihood is, they’ll.
