Hey Payton,

I've fly fished for bass a good amount down in Arizona. I started out with an 8wt as well, but honestly it was way overkill for anything I ever caught down there. My go to setup at the moment is an XI2 6wt and a St Croix 3wt, believe it or not. I usually switch to the light rod when the panfish are biting, but I've brought in 4lb bass on it. I do like the stiff 6wt XI2 for throwing larger poppers and divers, and it's got more than enough backbone for all but the largest of bass. My opinion is that while an 8wt might be great to have if you hooked a monster, you won't need it most of the time and something a bit lighter will be much more enjoyable to cast all day. An 8 1/2 7 wt would probably be my idea of the perfect bass rod, with the shorter length being helpful for throwing under low hanging brush/docks.

Matt

 

If you fish wood, weedy water, use big flies or fish in strong current the #8 is ideal. Sometimes you need backbone to steer the fish away from things you don't want them wrapped up in. Then there is the hook set, if I have 5/0 hook and I'm fish the bottom for largemouth I want to be able to punch a hook home. If you get the proper line on a 7' 11" bass rod you can cast just about as far as a 9' rod. If you are going to catch most 3lbs and under an 8# would be more than needed. I catch a 4 lber just about every time I go out and often several that big or bigger. A saltwater 7# would be fine for me too. Just depends on flies, water, junk, WIND and size of fish you are after.

 

I've fished a lot of LMB in SoCal in lakes where double digit fish were not uncommon. While a 6wt works most of the time, throwing big bugs with wind often requires a jump to an 8. I had an old Lami 8wt that was just bulletproof in the heavy stuff. As stated earlier, much depends on the water type you intend on fishing and what you are throwing coupled with weather. My go to fly was a char over white clouser.

Sent from my little square phone thingy...

 

I fish for bass as much as trout, and I don't have, nor do I want, a "bass rod." Don't over think this too much.

You might spend more for your line than for your rod. You need a good bass, bass/pike floater.

Imagine a continuum, left side fishing feel, right side strict utility. You do want something that will pull bass out of slop, but most of the fish you'll catch are either side of 2#. I just sold what might be considered the perfect utility bass rod. It was an old Lami graphite, 8' 6" 7 wt. sold it for $40. Just the right action for yanking bass from slop, but no soul, no feel. I didn't like it.

I often use an old Orvis Superfine 1 wt. for bass. 7.5 feet so there's not much to it, and I can't throw big bugs, but it's got enough butt to yank and of course it's got good feel. I'd use that long before I'd use most 3-4 wt. rods.

Look at an old Fenwick FF806. They are glass rods and sell for about $100 on eBay. Perfect. They will throw your bugs, yank your fish, and give you a fight. I bought an old glass Berkeley 7' 6 wt. for $35 and that too would work well. Another great one for closer in work is a Fenwick FF 756. 7.5', 6 wt. Sweet rod and it will work for you. $100ish on eBay.

Want new and nice? BVK 890-4, $260. Light, fast, great bass rod. '

Want new cheap? Eagle Claw Featherlight, 8' 5/6 glass rod, $28 Amazon. Guarantee you you'd love this one, even tough it's very low end. I have it and love it. Just get an Airflo Bass/Pike or Wulff Ambush line, 7 wt. for that rod.

Your Cabelas deal might be fine, but be careful. You don't want a light tip; you want a rod that will throw your bugs and can yank fish from their habitat.

Try to keep it at 8' though for a 6 wt. , 9' tops for an 8 weight. If you want to be sure that you're covered, get an 8 wt. You'll not need more, but you might find you're in overkill much of the time. I almost always use a 6 wt tops, except in the wind.

 

All the above advice is right on. It just depends on where you are fishing.

I started with an 8 weight but found I can get away with using lighter rods for the waters I fish. Nowadays, I use a fast action 5 weight because I primarily fish farm ponds with little vegetation or submerged structure. I use a 7 weight bass taper dry line and have found the line makes most difference for me when it comes to casting bugs than does the rod.

If you're primarily fishing for bass in the NW from a personal floating craft, personally, I'd probably consider a 6 or 7 weight rod instead of the 8. Speaking from experience, an 8 weight gets danged heavy toward the end of the day. I imagine, if you're fishing from a boat that wouldn't be so much the case because casting is much easier from a boat.

 

I second the recommendation from GAT. Weight does become an issue and if you've got a few days to fish you don't want to wake up on the second day with a bad case of tendonitis from the previous days casting. I learned this the hard way with an 8 wt 9' that I cast for about 5-6 hours one day. It took several weeks and lots of Ibuprofen before my arm was feeling back to normal.

 

Casting a good 8 wt. 9' graphite rod never bothered me, even casting through an entire tide. But yes, I am always standing up in my boat, and I'm really anal about reel balance. I don't think I've ever fished an 8wt. from a pontoon or tube. I still like the idea of glass for bass fishing.

 

Flyfishing from a boat changes everything. When we fished from boats for Dorado down in Baja, we were using 12 weight rods and I never suffered any ill effects after 5 days of fishing. Once you can stand up, I think it changes the dynamics of fly casting so you're not relying completely on your upper body muscles.

It is a totally different story when fishing from a personal floating craft such as a pontoon boat. I think your arm, shoulder and back are tasked much more when you can't stand up to cast.

 

My rod choices range from an old Sage 5 weight, to an LL Bean 8piece 6 weight that casts like a bamboo rod, a TFO TiCrx 7 weight, a Fenwick 7 weight glass rod, to a Loomis 8 weight. It all depends on where I'm fishing, how the wind blows and the chances of hooking up with something other than a bass. Most of the rivers I fish also hold summer steelhead, spring Chinook and some honkin' huge carp.
If you are only going to chase largemouth in stillwaters, and stand up while doing so, the 8 weight will be fine. If doing the same fishing but from a tube or pontoon, then something lighter will save your shoulder and still get you into fish.

 

I'm taking a medium action 6 wt. glass rod and my new to me 4 wt. glass Echo (thanks, Randy!) to Maine for river smallies. Might be a bit under gunned with the Echo, we'll see, but it should be pretty fun to find out.

 

LCnSac
I have an FF806 I'd like to line for bass. What line would you recommend?
Thanks

 

First, please understand that I'm new to glass and am learning too. Randy Clark or Lugan are far advanced and are probably better sources. But, here's what I've found.

I've cast the FF806 but don't own one. The closest thing I have is a Steffen 5/6 8'6" and that rod is a little faster. I also have a 5 pc Berkeley 6 wt, 7' medium action (for glass) and the line I've found for both that makes both rods sing is a Rio Grand half size up (the new ones are a full size heavier) WF6F. A standard line size 6 wt. floater didn't do either rod any favors. I'm sure the Wulff Ambush 6 wt. would be fine too, but I think its going to need a bit of over lining.

Of interest, Randy Clark had the Echo 4 wt. before me, and he said an Airflo WF4F was perfect for him. I don't have that line, but lined it up with an Orvis Wonderfline 4 wt. floater and the rod did not like it at all. Next I tried a Wulff TT3F and that NAILED it. So, in Randy's hands it's a 4 wt., and in mine it's a 3 wt.

I've learned it's a good investment to have a bunch of lines, even if they're old, just to try out on any rod. Sometimes you can guess correctly, other times you'll be shocked at what works best, in my experience.

 

Thanks
I have some Steffens as well, including the 8' 5/6. Love them all. While the 5/6 Steffen is certainly the more pleasant casting rod, the FF806 has more power and therefore it's own niche. It'll definitely huck some line, more than the Steffen. I think I have a 6 or 7wt SA bass line in the grocery bag. I'll give it a try, even though I didn't like it on another rod. I also have the ff857 that many rec. Those old Fenwicks are sleepers. Well worth the $100 or so they go for. I don't fish with it a lot but the ff806 could be the most versatile fly rod ever. If you could have only one...

 

David I have a 7 wt. Airflo Bass/Muskie line, and that one works GREAT on my cheap Eagle Claw 8' 5/6 which is slower than the Steffan. Actually that's about all that rod is good for--bass--but it will throw good sized bugs pretty well. I'm about 99% sure if you have that line in 6 or 7 you'll be really happy with it on the FF806.

 

My suggestions/thoughts are based on fishing from a casting platform or on foot. Every couple years I might fish from a float tube for bass and when I do I will use a 5 weight like most sane people. From a tube I usually use an 8'6" RPL and throw standard flies.

Line wise I would not attempt to suggest anything unless I have personal experience with the rod or model line. Like Sac I feel one has to have a bunch of lines. I have close to 40 lines in my refridge in seal bags at the moment and who knows how many on spare reels, spools and rods.

I think this is good thread with tons of info. If there is any challenge it is all the variations in rods, lines, water, wind and size of fish/incidental likelihood.. heck size of flies. I fish with jig flies in 45 degree water that weigh over an ounce in the spring and use a short bass stick that is an 11 weight and it works like a charm. With that much weight on the terminal end and a stiff rod you tight line it and any touch sends a message. You don't set the hook till line starts moving through the water with that style of fishing.Those hooks might be as large as a 7/0 and therein lies the reason I fish broomsticks because to drive that size hook home on a double digit bass ya need backbone. On the other end of the spectrum I find a San Juan worm to be one heck of a fly for bass that are lock-jawed in slower or still water(patience required).

In the end a person has to sort out where they'll fish and all the particulars to make a good choice on equipment. The most important thing of all is to go fishing!

 

As stated earlier, you've just gotta try out different lines until you find the one that works best for YOU, which may not be the one that works best for ME. Same goes for rods.

I've never played with the FF806, but on my FF807, I've always liked either a DT7 or a WF8 on it, but that's just my personal preferences. One thing I've never liked for bass fishing, is the Ambush. It's an amazing steelhead line for swinging flies, but I just don't feel like you can get the accuracy with it because of how short that head is (or at least I can't).

LCnSac, let me know how that little Echo works out for you with bass. I would think that if it could handle a 15-16" redside, it should handle smaller bass pretty easily, you'll just be limited to the size of fly you can throw.

Cheers,
Randy

 

Ok, mind you, I don't have tons of experience with bass. I've been fishing a bass lake a lot more now thanks to PHW. I'm not sure on the Steffens, but I've used the Fenwick equivalents to those rods. I'm using an 8' 6wt fenwick quite a bit. Great rod, lots of play, and a hell of a lot of fun on the bigger bass. Haven't caught a huge one yet, but one around 14". Lots of dink bass and way too many bluegill. LOL. I'm using a WF on it. I'm mostly tossing streamers and some poppers we tie up on base for PHW.

Randall is right on the money. Play with lines until you find one that works for you. Same with rods too.

 

oh, speaking of Steffens, I hate fishing my 8' 5/6 for bass (it's just too limiting with what I can throw despite it being one of the most versatile rods in my quiver), but my 8'6" 7/8 is right on the money for both largemouth and smallies.