There are two types of fly fishers in the world: the ones who are thinking about getting another fly rod, and the ones who are actively shopping for another fly rod.
Be it graphite, fiberglass, or bamboo, a fly rod is what makes the real connection between the fisher and the fishing. Your hand holds the cord, you feel the line load, and you (hopefully) experience the fight of a fish. For those reasons, and because we like stuff, most anglers are always thinking about another fly rod.
You might want an upgrade, need to fill a hole in your arsenal, or simply desire one more fly rod. And some folks can just go out and buy whatever they’d like, whenever they’d like. For the rest of us, the process takes a little bit of deliberation. Recently I wrote about the merits of casting any rod you might be interested in well before you get too deep down the rabbit hole of considering purchasing it. Here are three more posts that address the issue from a number of perspectives: steps to go through when beginning the process, what I like about a new rod I have, and the feasibility of sticking with an older piece of gear.
Read and watch them all here:
The 3 Things You Need To Do To Buy The Right Fly Rod
Line weight, price, castability, and usefulness. There, I spoiled the article for you. That being said, these “common sense” items aren’t always given their due diligence. From years of selling (and more years of buying!) fly rods, these are some of the key areas that I like to walk people through as they consider rod A versus rod B. This really is helpful when rod A is $500 more than rod B.
I don’t do a lot of traditional gear reviews on Casting Across. However, as I’ve become more focused on nymphing and nymphing well I have felt the compulsion to encourage others to take the plunge. I’m a big fan of my Risen Fly 23PS, and I think that some of the characteristics I point out in this brief video are elements of a nymph-specific rod that anyone should look for as they make such a purchase.
…or, just stick with what you have already. I mean, looking back on the year would you rather have another rod in the closet or another set of memories from a fishing trip? Are the energies and efforts spent on shopping for a new rod taking away from focusing on using the gear you already have to catch more fish? I love me some new fly rods, but maybe – just maybe there are circumstances where what we have is what we need.
Sorry Matthew, I’m 68 years old and have around 35 or so fly rods. I finally decided enough is enough.
Jackie Mason once quipped, “I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.” 🙂