Fly Rod Bass

[N Wolf]

As far as the sage rods go, I think you are missing their point. They are not for guys who want to fight the fish. They are made to be tournement legal and are extremely stiff for landing big bass in seconds. The heavy lines are required to load a rod that stiff and to throw giant flys.

As far as rods to use for fun, it realy doesnt matter. I use an 8wt becouse I throw big poppers and hair worms that would be imposible for me to cast with a 6wt. And I have found that the fight realy isnt that much less with an 8 than a 6 of the same action. When I go back home to the Elk I use a 9ft 4wt and have tied flies for the rod. Crease flies are very easy to cast and catch smalies like crazy!

If you can afford it, buy all sizes of rod. If not, dont worry about it.

[Geoff]

Those Sage rods are sweet though. They sure cast very well. Price isnt half bad either.

I use a 5wt for pretty much anything warmwater, except carp, i have an 8 for that. However if I am throwing REALLY big flies, i will bring out the 8, just because of the ease of casting

[Terry Beeson]

What you must keep in mind is that the line weight of a rod is about the size of FLY you are casting as much as the fish you are casting to. In other words, as some have said, you will use a heavier rod to cast a bigger fly. Try casting a big cone head wooly on a 3 wt. Then grab your 8 wt and fling a size 22 dry. So, for bass, if you are casting large heavy flies, you will need something up around a 6 or 7. If you are flinging smaller stuff, a 4 or 5 wt will do just fine. I've landed some good size bass on a 3 wt casting small poppers for bluegill.

And you are absolutely correct about the Sage BASS series rods. They are 7' 11" for that very reason - to adhere to the BASS and other pro fishing tournaments. But they are very popular among others seeking bucket mouths and brownies.

Now... for the real question... Do you need another rod? Geez... "MAN UP" buddy... OF COURSE you need a new rod... You need MANY new rods... One for every occasion!!!! Having only one rod is like a woman having only one pair of shoes. (Hope that helps if you're having problems justifying things to your SO)

(And NEVER tell my wife there is a question about the need for a new rod... )

[N Wolf]

One good thing (or bad depending on how you look at it) about bass, is the fact that any old clicker reel will work. They arent known for long runs. In fact, I found that trying to get them on the reel is more trouble than its worth. They do pull real hard for short spurts and I would recomend a batting glove on your rod hand to prevent line burn.

Now I have another question for this general bassin discusion. I have been thinking about making some balsa popper heads instead of the store bought foam ones Ive always used. Has anyone used balsa? How does it compare in casting ability?

[Flysmallie]

Has anyone used balsa? How does it compare in casting ability?

I don't think that there is any noticeable difference in casting. It's more about the mass of the fly. You should give a few a try and see which one you like better. I love foam, it's easy. Others like Fishinwrench like cork. I have started going back to deer hair after I wrote it off do to difficulty. I think they all have a place. Some will ride lower in the water giving you a different presentation. There are tons of little tricks you can try to make each one behave differently in the water.

I tend to agree with the reel. But if you haven't had a smallmouth make a big run on you, you are missing out.

[N Wolf]

All the small mouth fishing I've done has been on Elk river, Buffalo creek, Big sugar, and Indian creek. They can run all the way across and still be in the belly of the line.

I could imagine that if they had room to run they would really be a blast. If you really want to take a butt kickin, try carp on those waters. They are every where and really easy to hook but hard to land. If there was ever a reason for someone in Missouri to buy a 10 wt, that would be it.