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Ideal Rod Lineup

5K views 41 replies 29 participants last post by  Tacovedo 
#1 ·
If you had to rebuild your quiver, how would you do it?
This is more about the methodology of your ideal rod lineup, rather than what models you would include. An exercise in why more than what.

Let's say that you have enough funds to make it what you want/need it to be, so it doesn't need to be a bare minimalist collection. However, you don't have unlimited funds, so you don't want to own every single weight category as you won't be able to afford enough fly lines and reels to actually fish them all.

What are the fisheries you're targeting and the weight categories / rod types you're going to choose?
 
#2 ·
For me, I've so far built a collection using:

Single hand rods: 3wt, 5wt, 8wt
Spey & Switch: 8wt

I mostly fish for:
Trout, King Salmon, Steelhead, Coho Salmon, Bass
With the occasional trip to fish for:
Bonefish, Sea run cutthroat, Carp

However, I'm starting to rethink this lineup. Mainly because of the difference in needs between the huge Chinook around here and the rest of the bigger fish on that list.

Wondering if a better approach would be:

Single hand rods:
  • 3wt (creeks & high alpine lakes)
  • 5wt (all purpose trout, medium-large rivers and lakes)
  • 7wt (streamer trout, steelhead, coho, bass, lakes, beach fishing, carp)
  • 9wt (King salmon, bonefish, coho)
Spey & Switch:
  • 4wt (trout)
  • 6wt (summer steelhead & coho)
  • 8wt (winter steelhead, coho, chinook)
 
#5 ·
I haven't really had a design in mind when I bought fly rods, but some natural patterns have emerged. I've got a couple each 2- and 3-weight rods, which I use occasionally. I've got at least half a dozen 4 weights, the size that works best for me in the Driftless Area. Then two 5-weights, a Sage 6 weight, and a 7-weight that I think I have never used. Lastly, a lovely 8-weight that I used to use for Oregon Coastal steelhead, when I lived there. So my rod collection now skews a bit lighter than when I lived in Oregon and Washington.

But these days, 2 of my 4-weights get 95% of my time.
 
#6 ·
My trout and steelhead stuff hardly get used any longer.
I use a 6 wt for 95% of my fishing now.
That might be why I owned eight of them at one point.
I’ve always been a even number fan except for having some 5 wts.
I’m two handed challenged, so I sold all of those along with all my 10’ single handers which I never enjoyed fishing.
SF
 
#12 ·
My trout and steelhead stuff hardly get used any longer.
I use a 6 wt for 95% of my fishing now.
That might be why I owned eight of them at one point.
I've always been a even number fan except for having some 5 wts.
I'm two handed challenged, so I sold all of those along with all my 10' single handers which I never enjoyed fishing.
SF
Curious as to why you didn't enjoy the 10' single handers? I've been contemplating that size as a drift/nymph rod for steelhead / salmon.
 
#8 ·
Since I mainly fish for trout...

9' 5 weight - moderate action (IM6) --> Delicate presentation and great tippet protection
9' 6 weight - faster action ---> streamers, dual fly setups, and windier days
9' 6 weight (3 or 4 piece IM6) ---> for travel because it covers lots of fishing conditions. None of them perfectly, but good enough that with some casting/line adjustments it is fine...

I have had 2, 3 and 4 weights and they were rarely used. (I do not enjoy fishing for dinkers.) So I sold them all. I gave up on steelhead/salmon a couple of decades ago so my 7 and 8 weights were sold...
 
#9 ·
I started out with a 6wt as a compromise for trout/steelhead, rarely use it anymore. Next up was a 8' 2wt that I absolutely love on the small creeks. Then a 8'6" 4wt. Then I caved in and got the do all trout rod 9' 5wt. That's what's in my hand most of the time now.

Now I would probably still want the 2wt
next up would be a 8'6" 3wt for high lakes.
9' 5wt for the do all trout rod.
9' 7wt for coho, steelhead, or wind for whatever.
I would not buy a two piece rod again, I love the portability of the 4 piece, don't think going to more pieces is worth it for a 9 footer.
Not likely to be a world traveler, and spend very little time chasing steelhead, so that would cover it.
 
#10 ·
I'm actually pretty fascinated by this thread, since I think way too much about my quiver, how I use it, and how I can get more out of it (without buying more rods). I hate having rods that don't get fished, I'm not made of money, and if my quiver grows any more, my wife will start asking questions.

Currently I have
1. 3wt - 7' 6" Moderate action. Mainly used for small stream dink fishing around Mt. Hood (Redington CT).

2. 3 wt - 10' 6" This is my Euro Nymph Rod. It's not my favorite way to fish, but it puts up numbers (Echo Shadow II).

3. 4 wt - 8'8" Moderate Action. This is a new rod to me and it's safe to say I am in love. It's pretty much an exclusive dry fly rod and I got it specifically for the Metolius River (Scott G2).

4. 5wt - 9' Fast Action. This was my dry fly rod and alpine lake rod before I got my 4wt (Scott s4).

5. 8wt - 9' Fast Action. I use this rod exclusively for big streamers while fishing for Bull Trout (Scott s4).

I'm tempted to sell the 7'6" 3wt because the 4 wt can pretty much do all that work (although, the shorter length is helpful). The biggest thing I've also contemplated doing is selling my 905. The only place I see myself using that rod at this point is on alpine lakes. I never fish from a boat (except trolling leeches from my canoe) and I don't have a float tube (I may someday soon). But I was thinking was that a 6 wt may be more of a useful rod in terms of streamers and casting into the wind. And realistically my 4wt can do most of my alpine lake work. However, a weighted bugger might not be the most fun, and if it gets windy, thats also a chore. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with my other rods.
 
#11 ·
I'm tempted to sell the 7'6" 3wt because the 4 wt can pretty much do all that work (although, the shorter length is helpful). The biggest thing I've also contemplated doing is selling my 905. The only place I see myself using that rod at this point is on alpine lakes. I never fish from a boat (except trolling leeches from my canoe) and I don't have a float tube (I may someday soon). But I was thinking was that a 6 wt may be more of a useful rod in terms of streamers and casting into the wind. And realistically my 4wt can do most of my alpine lake work. However, a weighted bugger might not be the most fun, and if it gets windy, thats also a chore. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with my other rods.
Sounds like you and I have a lot of overlap in fish and equipment choices. I have the older Sage SP rods in a 3wt & 5wt which pretty much covers the small creek to larger river dry fly action.

With your line-up, I'd definitely look into trading/selling that 5wt for a 6wt. Then you'd pretty much have the quiver dialed.

I hear you about the shorter 3wt. I have the same 7'6" 3wt as you do and go back and forth on selling it because it doesn't get near the use that my SP does. It almost feels like that short of a trout rod would be better replaced with a 1 or 2wt fast action rod for extremely small creeks (if even then).
 
#14 · (Edited)
Rods I’ve kept tell a better story of my preferences than rods I’ve bought and sold. They also represent the rods I currently want and best fit my needs.

Saltwater flows in my veins, so until recently the smallest keeper rods in my lineup were salty 6wts.

I like to travel, and big fish, so I have a 9 wt. In tropical climes it’s like a salty 6wt here in Washington. This is the “oldest” of my current rods, so I’m starting there.

The 6s aren’t beefy enough as a light tropical salt rod, so I have a 7. It’s the fastest rod I’ve ever used, but still sensitive. Many dislike it or over line it, but even with a standard 7wt line it fits my stroke like a glove. It’s a specialized tool, so I don’t feel like the 6 or 8s will do its job nearly as well.

About the same time I wanted an 8, to compliment my 7 or 9, and for fish where either were not quite right, those bums in Montrose, CO introduced a 8 1/2 foot 8wt. It's crazy light, and just as powerful as the 9’ (though better for lifting and line speed). In my opinion the lost 6” are not at all missed. Everyone buying an 8 wt should try it.

This inspired my to get the 8 1/2 foot 6wt. Same story, amazing rod and I don’t see that I’ve lost anything a 9’ rod would offer me. Some beach fly anglers say longer rods keep your fly out of the rocks on your back cast, but I haven’t seen a difference.

Then, I got caught up in this forum’s tuna fever and got a 12wt. Since I liked the shorter 6 and 8 weight rods by those Montrose folks, I almost went with their short 13wt, but it seemed overmuch for my needs. I haven’t forgotten about that 8’4” 13wt, though. It’s day may still come.

Recently I picked up a 10’ 3wt for rivers, and am having Kerry (a rod builder in south Washington) roll a 10’ 4wt for me. A trip to Colorado convinced me that a 6wt is not a great nymphing rod, and I’ve been bobbing around in lakes more frequently as well.

tl;dr:
10’ 3wt,
10’ 4wt,
8’6” 6wt,
9’ 6wt (x2),
9’ 7wt,
8’6” 8wt,
9’ 9wt,
9’ 12wt

Edit: removed a rod builder name that snuck in there.
 
#15 ·
I mostly fish small rivers and lakes that can be fished from shore within an hour of my house here in SE WA. For fishing these waters I've settled on a 9' 6wt for most situations and a 8.5' Cortland Brook 4wt for low water, low wind days. I don't encounter large fish often but prefer the 6wt for the multifly rigs, wind and power to move fish from snags. I also have an IMX Pro 8wt for bass and steelheading on the snake and elsewhere.
For years I have used the same sage glf 6wt, and also have a Redington RS4. I love the sage but after fishing my other rods a lot this summer I think all the life has gone out of it after 40 years, or I've just adjusted to more modern rod speeds and recovery rates. I have a 7' 4wt I thought would be good for small streams, but it's too short. I think I might add a 10' 4wt for ESN, however currently I think I'd like to find a nice all-round rod and retire the sage.
I also have a 8' 6wt bamboo that is a fun sunny day toy. I think one in a 4wt would be fun too.
 
#16 ·
Here's mine, based mostly on my current quiver with a few new ones thrown in:
Single handed-
3wt for trout and panfish. 8 or 8.5' since even for little creeks I still want a rod that can reach. Mostly a dry line rod.
4wt for trout. This rod might be primarily a floater, but also can sling a skagit head for streamers.
5wt #1 for trout. This rod will be the bobber rod for lakes, but could also see some type 3 or type 6 work.
5wt #2 for SRC and river trout. This rod will have a Commando Smooth for SRC at the beach and swinging streamers at the river.
6wt #1 for trout. This rod will be the SRC beach rod when the wind is blowing. Might have a Skagit head, maybe just a WF floater or intermediate. Also the overall nymph rod.
6wt #2 for small bass. Will cast small poppers for bass under 2 or 3 lbs. This one can be ugly. ;)
7wt for big bass, carp, steelhead & salmon. Love firing a Skagit head on my current 7 wt.
8wt for salmon. gotta have the meat rod.

2 handers-
3wt switch for trout spey. One line for swinging, one line for nymphing.
7wt switch for steelhead.
8wt spey for steelhead & salmon.

So this would mean the following new rods for me:
5wt #2
6wt #2
3wt switch
8wt spey

Which one should I grab 1st?
 
#17 ·
I'm currently in the process of re-building the line up.
Went with:
8' 3wt
9' 4wt (dries, stocker lake fish)
8'6 5wt (bigger dry flies, go to raft rod)
9' 5wt (I like have 3 rods rigged up in the raft, this is the one that get's something standard rigged up to it)
10' 5wt (nymphing and lakes)
9'6" 6wt (streamers and SRC)
10' 7wt (bass rod, doubles for bigger streamers, small salmon, backup saltwater boat rod)
10' 8wt (dirty dirty nymphing for steel and big bass bugs)

12'6" 6wt two hander
13' 7wt two hander
13'6 8wt two hander
14' 9wt two hander

Had a 12'8" 8wt that I absolutely loved that I broke, I'm thinking that will be the last addition to the quiver for a while.

Wishing I went with 9 footers on the 7 and 8 wt. Contrary to the screen name, I'm not the biggest fan of longer rods. They have some utility, but they just don't like wind, and I would much rather throw a 9' rod than a 10' rod. And I'm fishing from a boat or raft 99% of the time now, so they don't have as much benefit as I'd like.
 
#18 ·
Jake mentioned inspiration to get a 8’6” 6wt. Other similar threads revolve around “if I could have only one”. My answer to that crazy thought finally came like a bolt of light out of the blue. So I ordered an Epic 686 built SW safe, the last rod in my list and the one I’ll take to the hereafter. Obviously not perfect for everything or everyone, but it covers the bags nicely. Big enough for anything I fish for but lively enough for the small ones.
 
#20 ·
quite a variety of weights in rods. I really wonder if one would put tape around a 4 and 5 weight, or a 3 and 4 weight. if one would really be able to tell the difference. I have made 3,4,6,7 wt rods and 95% of my rod usage is a 4 wt. I mostly fish for trout and a few times for pinks which i use the 7wt.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Below is all the rods I've purchased, in order, over about 20 years.

9' 6wt
9' 6wt
8' 4wt
9' 8wt
9' 5wt
9' 6wt
9' 6wt
8'9" 5wt
8'6" 5wt
10' 3wt

They've all been sold, except for the 10' 3wt and the 8'9" 5wt. The 5wt will probably be replaced with another 10' 3wt, within the next year. I really like euro rods that try to be a bit more general purpose; the versatility is unmatched and they allow me to use one rod for all of my trout fishing. The minimalism of that is appealing to me. I have been through the gear hoarding phase and I now like the challenge of trying to be minimalist in every area I can; rods, reels, lines, materials, etc.
 
#22 · (Edited)
If I were rebuilding the lineup today I would probably aim for:
  • A true 2wt for use on alpine tarns and small cricks where smaller fish prevail...like 6-8 inchers. I have a little TFO 2 now, but it feels like it needs a heavier line.
  • Two 9' 4wts. Most of my fishing now, actually all of it the last two years, is from a float tube or pontoon. Two rods allow me to have two different set-ups ready at hand. In 4's I currently fish an Echo Carbon XL, an older Sage, a vintage Loomis and a little Redington Traveller. If money were no object, I would still go with the Echo. Twice.
  • Two 9' 6 wts for the same reason cited for the 4wts. These would be used in waters with larger trout so they could be brought quickly to hand. One would be a "light" 6, the other a bit more stout. I generally use a Redington CT and another Carbon XL. I'm happy with both. They aren't too fast, neither am I.
  • For nostalgia purposes I would buy a 9' 9 weight. I'm 73, both shoulders are a mess and in need of repair, my knees are yipping and a hip is starting to make itself known. But we live in salmon country and I had some great years working tidewater and just above for fresh salmon to 36 pounds. I like to think that I'll do it at least one more time, even though I know one fish will cripple me for months. But....there is that incredible moment when you hook a big chinook. You do a hard hook set and the rod tip doesn't move. Then it dips a bit, just a couple of inches, once, twice, while the fish ponders whether there's a problem. Two, three, four seconds pass, and then the river EXPLODES! God, what a rush!
 
#23 ·
there is that incredible moment when you hook a big chinook. You do a hard hook set and the rod tip doesn't move. Then it dips a bit, just a couple of inches, once, twice, while the fish ponders whether there's a problem. Two, three, four seconds pass, and then the river EXPLODES! God, what a rush!
That is an awesome capture of the feeling.
 
#24 ·
Current quiver as follows

7' 3wt for small streams
9' 5wt fast action for medium rivers, streamers, sea runs
9' 6wt 6 piece travel rod
10' 7wt single hand summer steel, large dollies
9' 8wt winter steel, multi salmon species
12'6" 8wt two hander winter steel

Likely additions 10' 3wt euro nymph rod, 7wt two hander
 
#25 ·
I fish for similarly sized fish (with perhaps the exception of tiger muskies) and my basic lineup looks like this (the most used rods in my current quiver)

Medium action (fast for glass) 5/6 for all trout needs--even little ones

3 7wts (slow, med, fast) for everything from smallies to surf perch to trout streamers to steelhead

2 8wts (med and fast) primarily for steelhead

4 10wts (slow, med, fast) for tigers and if I fished for kings, I'd use these rather than a 9wt


I also regularly use a 12wt as well, but it doesn't sound like you target anything that would require one.

If you fish a lot for trout, you could toss in a 3wt euro rod as well.

Cheers!
 
#26 · (Edited)
Mine has been through all sorts of evolution, right now it's a little out of whack but it still works and I put up plenty of fish. I mostly fish trout and steelhead but occasionally wander a tropical beach with a beer.

Single handers:
  • 6'9" TFO Finnesse 1wt - the dink rod, and about as much fun as you can have with your pants on.
  • 9' Redington Hydrogen 3wt - dry/dropper and light nymph rigs
  • 8'6" TFO Pro 4wt - daily dry fly/soft hackle driver, has caught more fish than all my other rods combined
  • 10'6" Echo Shadow II 4wt - euro rod, also used for bobber lobbing
  • 8' Epic Glass 5wt - a stonefly and hopper fishing machine, fishes like a 6wt, wish it was a touch longer
  • 10' Sage ZAxis 6wt - streamers, double nymph rigs, single hand spey
  • 9' TFO BVK 8wt - big streamers and light beach fishing in Mexico, Florida

Two handers:
  • ACR Nova 3wt 11'4" - trout spey soft hackles, small streamers, half-pounder steelhead on dry line
  • ACR GFR 5wt 12'5" - summer steelhead
  • Echo E3 6wt 11'0" - summer steelhead switch rod for smaller water, responsible for most of my steelhead on the swing but also the rod I have fished the most/owned the longest
  • No-name 7wt 11'0" - coastal steelhead on brushy streams

Things I would remove from the quiver:
  • I have not fished the BVK in over a year, largely due to no air travel/COVID. No sense in getting rid of it yet, but I might soon.
  • I would rather have a 2-3wt glass rod than the 1wt Finnesse because they roll cast better, but I probably won't sell the TFO, just add a glass.
  • If I continue to fish coastal steelhead, I will update the 7wt switch to something a little nicer and maybe 6 or 8" longer, but the current rod casts fine with the lins I have and since I rarely catch fish anyways it doesn't matter.
Things I would add:
  • I really want a Scott F2 7' 3wt glass rod but it's expensive so I will probably build a CTS or buy something less expensive.
  • I need a longer 6-7wt Spey if I intend to continue to steelhead fish on larger rivers, but I mostly find myself drawn to smaller streams so seems like a waste of money. A 11'6"-12' 7wt might be a good eventual compromise.
  • I would love to upgrade my 4wt daily driver but the TFO just feels good in my hand and thus is hard to justify replacing plus that rod is so damn fishy.
  • I probably could use a dedicated 9' streamer rod in 6-7wt but the Zaxis does fine loaded up with a chunky switch line and the extra reach can be useful.
 
#27 ·
Still a ways off from ideal but here's what currently have:

4wts - Two cheapo Shakespeare outfits I bought to take kids fishing for bluegill at the local lake
5wt - None, but I should probably add a legit trout rod at some point
6wt - None
7wt - One I bought for bonefish but also use for steelhead/shad/surfperch and potentially bass.
7wt spey - Really need to learn how to cast this thing.
8wt - Think I have 3 (bones, steel, silvers, rockfish, surfperch,........
8/9wt - Primary salmon rod, also useful for same 8wt species
9wt - None, but a definite gap that needs filled.
10wt - Custom built by @veilside180sx. Was my fav but now resting in pieces thanks to a big roosterfish. Very useful weight IMO. Need to replace!
11wt - None but need at least one
12wt - Currently count is 4. Tuna, roosters, jacks, other big tropical stuff, and chinook here at home
13wt - My one and only Sage, and favorite tuna rod
14wt - My hoping for something bigger than albacore rod.
15wt - None yet but vacillating between adding a 15 or 16wt, for larger tuna and/or billfish
 
#28 ·
I fish with two rods most days. I like matched pairs, same weight, same model, and I go with multiple spools to change lines. I like the same-ness of the casting, it doesn't seem like I changed a rod. I also tend to stick with a make/model of rod for the same reason. I really stay away from mixing fast and slow rods, it is too jarring a change and screws up my casting - which needs all the help it can get.
 
#29 ·
Ideal rod lineup. Ideal for what? Most of my fishing is for steelhead and trout, so most of my fly rods are suited to that kind of fishing.

Until a few years ago the lightest line weight rod(s) I owned were 5 wt, but since then I have two 3 wt rods, only one of which I actually use. So a couple 3 wts, a longer one and a short one in case I want to do some creek fishing. Four or five 5 wts is a reasonable number; it takes a while to decide which rod action you most prefer, and that preference may be subject to change over time. Wouldn't want to experience a shortage of an all-around trout rod. I only have three 6 wts, so I should probably look for another because a 6 is sometimes a lot better suited to certain kinds of trout fishing. I don't often use a single hand 7 wt any more, but I think I have four of them. It's a good idea to have at least one for bonefishing in Mexico. Actually I need a 6, 7, and 8 for bonefishing in Mexico, depending on how windy it is. I used to use a single hand 8 wt as my all around steelhead rod, but almost never use them for that any longer because 2-handed rods are so much fun. Need at least one 8 wt for tropical salt water fishing, so the faster action 4-piece will always remain in the inventory. Still have two or three 9 wts, but haven't used them in years. Not sure 9s are a necessary category any longer. One 10 wt, again for tropical salt water.

The 2-handed group really only needs the 5 and 7 wt Speys, but the 6/7, 7/8, and 9 are good back ups along with a "just in case I want to fly fish for Chinook again."

My line up might not be ideal, but it is serviceable. For now. And subject to change.
 
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