Rod Selection

[Bassinboy14]

I’m tied between what weight rods are best for the trout here. I’ve always fished a 5wt at trout parks and felt like it was excellent, but the other day, they had the generators going down here and my 5wt st.croix seemed under powered on 2-3lb trout. I was throwing my indicator rig on 4lb fluro tippet and never once did I feel like I had “control” while fighting them. I bought a 4wt TFO I use for tossing midges during low water in the colder months and feel like it does pretty good for that and its an absolute honey on dries. I’ve fly fished for years at trout parks and for panfish, but this last trip on Taney just seemed like the 5wt was overworked during the fight. I keep my rod at a 45° degree grabbing the upper part of the grip while the butt/reel seat rests on my forearm and I keep consistent pressure and once they start to run I let them, and I try to guide them if they start changing directions. I usually toss woolys, indicator rig, and occasional foam dries on the rod. Is a 6wt worth the upgrade or is it just the nature of the game fishing the current. Thanks! 

[Phil Lilley]

I use a 5 wt 90% of the time.  I use the 6 wt when throwing medium size streamers and 7 wt for big streamers.  I don't notice any problems fighting fish... but fighting big fish may become an issue as we grow bigger and bigger trout here.

[dpitt]

I fish 5 weights with the water off or generation low usually fishing midges with light tippet and small indicators. I use six weights in the high generation to handle the longer leaders and heavier split shots, but 5 weights will work, but with the strong current and a beefy fish I can see how  a 5 weight might feel a little under gunned.   Streaming fishing I throw a   7 or 8 weight with appropriate sink tip line, even with the water off. 

 

 

[Tom C]

It also depends on the power of the rod; not all 5 weights are equal.  There are soft 5 weights and stiff 5 weight rods.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

On 7/5/2025 at 12:14 PM, Tom C said:

It also depends on the power of the rod; not all 5 weights are equal.  There are soft 5 weights and stiff 5 weight rods.  

^This!  
A high end stiff 5 weight is vastly different than a low end buggy whip.  

[Bassinboy14]

Website says the Connect 5wt rod is a Medium-Fast. In my past experience with St.Croix bass rods, they’re a little slower than what I would consider fast. So for what I do, should I look at faster action 5wt or bump up to the 6?

[tjm]

A vintage fiberglass 7-8wt will fish just about any freshwater situation, I think. Although in reality the line weight should probably be chosen to easily deliver the largest flies that might be used, directly into the wind. Fly rods don't really have a weight rating, simply because there is no way of measuring such a thing and no standard to measure to. Basically the rating is supplied by some caster working for the manufacturer and what they think an "average caster" might be able to use on the rod. But any rod should be able to cast a leader only and any rod should be capable of landing a fairly large fish.  On the subject of just how subjective the rod ratings are https://www.sexyloops.com/sparton/rodrating.shtml

Quote

Test casting is a bit of a black art because it is useless for any highly competent caster like myself to just go ahead and rate a rod for my own ability. I cast very well and normally want to use any flyrod in slight underload because I hit the cast hard and double haul as a matter of routine - I am still strong and very rhythmical physically as are most good casters.

When I test cast I deliberately attempt to cast like an average flyfisherman without double hauling. I try to be as like the average as possible and the average flyfisher is around 50 with a wife and 2.4 kids, a mortgage, well stressed and probably living a life of quiet desperation. He goes flyfishing at most 15 times a year. He may well also have slight tennis elbow and an imminent hernia! 

 

[Al Agnew]

I just don't worry much about rod weights.  I basically use a 4 weight to cast dry flies, a 5 weight to cast nymphs, and a 6 weight to cast streamers.  If I'm going to fish anything but a small creek and can only use one rod, it will be a 5 weight...if it's a small stream I might go down to the 4 weight, or a my 7 ft. 3 weight on really small, closed in creeks.  I can cast streamers, if I have to, on the 5 weight.  My all around do anything rod is a St. Croix Legend Ultra 5 weight...love that rod.