If your fly fishing world extends anywhere off the water, you’re constantly exposed to  more fly rods. You can’t shake a 5-weight without  hitting an advertisement, a review, or someone waxing lustfully over a rod. While some promotion is necessary (you can’t sell fly rods unless you sell them), much of it is superfluous at best and materialistic at worst. The technological jargon and nostalgic pandering turns many people off to the contemporary fly fishing industry as a whole. With fly rods being the central piece of the whole scene, the hyperbole and high cost associated with them draws the ire of plenty of anglers.

But the reality is that you might need a new fly rod.

Digging into your wallet and giving in to Big Fly Fishing might be  a tough pill to swallow. You have morals, you have standards, you have a budget. Still, the fish demand a few hundred dollars’ sacrifice. And they’re  the boss.

I’ve put together a (nice round) 11-point list of reasons why you should maybe definitely, absolutely probably replace your fly rod right away. Or as soon as a good deal comes along.

• Your four-piece fly rod is in five pieces.
• You’ve been “doing just fine” without those three guides.
• When you cast, you have to aim 15 degrees to the right… because your rod casts 15 degrees to the left.
• The color of your wraps is “duct tape.”
• After fishing, there is more cork left on your hand than the grip.
• You’re not sure the tip section actually goes with the rod, but you’ve been fishing with it anyway.
• Your favorite 4-weight just isn’t getting the job done; after all, you’re fishing for muskies.
• It is getting expensive to continue replacing the zip-ties that hold your reel on.
• Every three casts or so, you have to stop fishing to  “fix something real quick.”
• The reverberating wobbles of your whip-like fly rod do your mending for you (whether you want it or not).
• The stiffness of your rigid fly rod precludes a 11-to-1 casting motion; much less a 10-to-2.

Notice what isn’t on the list:

• Your old fly rod is probably just fine… if it is just old.
• Your ugly fly rod is absolutely acceptable.
• Your inexpensive (less than $100, even) fly rod is okay to use.
• Your fly rod, not perfectly suited for the task at hand – but still serviceable, works.
• Your fly rod, which suffers the unfortunate fate of being last year’s model *gasp*, is still good.

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The moral of the story is that there are plenty of very reasonable circumstances that necessitate purchasing a new fly rod. In fact, if you just want a new fly rod and can afford a new fly rod, that is a very reasonable circumstance in itself.

For the vast majority of fly fishers, using what you already have works. Don’t feel like you have to upgrade or add just to upgrade or add. At the same time, don’t feel like you are compromising or being conspicuous if you get something that works and that you like.

Enjoy fly fishing for the whole experience, realizing that a fly rod is only part (albeit an essential and really fun part) of that experience.