6 wt Fly Rod for Bluegill/Crappie and Bass?

[hoosierbass07]

So over the weekend I bought a pack of South Bend flies for around six dollars.  It came with twenty little flies.  I've been wanting to buy and try fly fishing for the last couple of years but havne't done it yet.  So now that I bought me some flies I need a rod. 

 I was thinking of getting a Fenwick HMG fly rod.  Would a six weight fly rod be an all around good rod to throw small flies for blue gill/crappie/trout and sometimes larger fish like bass around a pound or less (maybe a two pound bass)?  

 

[A-Jay]

I do it with a 5wt ~

It's fine for bluegill, I could easily go down a weight too.  For small bass it's good too.

But once I got a little more serious about the bass, the size of the flies & the size of the fish indicated a move up.

I fish mostly smailles so I went with a 7wt for that.

A-Jay

[Ratherbfishing]

I bought a gun case.  Now I'm thinking of buying a gun to go with it.  Just giving you a ribbing!  Whatever it takes to get you started, right?!

For bluegill and trout I think a 5 or even a 4-weight rod might be a better choice however, as A-Jay said, if you ever expect to move up, a 6 or 7 weight would be better.  How far will you be casting?  Is there a lot of wind?

[Further North]

I'd run a 4 or 5 wt. for bluegills, and I most often use a 7 or 8 wt. for bass.

A 6 wt. will work for bass as long as there are no big poppers or streamers.

Fly rods are different from our spinning/casting rods in that you make your decision on what rod to use based on the fly you are going to throw.

Big, wind resistant poppers could be tough on a 6 wt. if there's any wind.

I fish pike and muskies on 9 and 10 wt. fly rods...not because of the fish, but because of the flies.

[Jigfishn10]

I run a 5 wgt. I like that size for gills, trout and perch. Lot of fun.

[Dillo]

I would go with a five or six weight. If you are mainly going after panfish or bass under a pound, a 4 weight or five weight is enough. I like the five because it is light enough to have fun with little fish and heavy enough to be used in the wind or with big(ish) flies. If you can, go to a shop that lets you cast rods before buying so you can see what each weight and individual rod feels like. Another tip: none of these fish really test a reel, so you can go relatively cheap on the reel. The general rule is to spend half the price of the rod on the reel. Prioritize the rod and line and you will be fine. 

[fishwizzard]

On ‎2‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 5:42 PM, Ratherbfishing said:

I bought a gun case.  Now I'm thinking of buying a gun to go with it.  Just giving you a ribbing!  Whatever it takes to get you started, right?!

For bluegill and trout I think a 5 or even a 4-weight rod might be a better choice however, as A-Jay said, if you ever expect to move up, a 6 or 7 weight would be better.  How far will you be casting?  Is there a lot of wind?

You joke but I was once given two boxes of 30-30 shells and ended up buying a rifle to shoot them with. 

I have also been looking at getting a fly rod for panfishing and tiny bass.  However, I am leaning towards getting a tankara set up.  The though of a small rod that I can collapse down and keep rigged in the waterbottle holder in my pack is very attractive.  I bought a $6 rod off of Amazon and have made a crude (very crude) fly line, leader, and tippit out of random scraps from my fishing supplies.  The cheap rod and cheaper line don't cast very well, but I have caught a few tiny bulegills on it.  I keep waiting for a deal on a proper rig, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. 

[hoosierbass07]

 I ended up ordering an HMG six weight fly rod.  Fed Ex shipping is so slow compared to UPS.  It's due to get to me Saturday. Ugh.  Also bought some weight forward line (that fly line is expensive!).  When I get my rod I will buy a reel for it.  Hoping this kind of fishing will be fun.  

[deadadrift89]

When i learned years ago the most helpful thing to me in the beginning was to turn my head and watch your backcast. It's all about timing and mechanics, not power. Something to consider when you get your reel is get one that has interchangeable spools available so in future you can switch between rods if you choose.

[Bladesmith,]

I use a 4 or 5 for blue gills (just because I have both) use the 5 mostly. Use 7 for bass.

[WdyCrankbait]

Yeah, fly line is expensive. I always take my line off after using it to help prevent coiling. Plus, I don't get out as much as I want to.  So my two reasons. 

If you look around you can find good deals. I would suggest getting a line with braided loop ends.

Also, since you got a 6wt. I would recommend your next fly rod be at least 2weights away. You will not notice much of a difference with that of only one weight. 

Good luck & welcome to poverty!

[Fishin Ethan]

Fly Fishing with a 6wt would be fine for bluegill and slabs. Also you should try to catch grass carp on the fly. If your getting a 6wt I would totally recommend fly fishing for carp because the fight is insane!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I'll second the motion for interchangeable cartridges. Don't scrimp on the fly line. That's what you rely on to deliver the lure. Rod second, reel last. 5wt is a good all around weight for general purpose fly fishing. Step up to an 8 for more serious bass fishing or bigger flies 

[dave]

I am not a fly fisherman but,  I came into a bunch of fly tackle.  I need to sell it.  I also have a nice selection of trout tackle.  I will post on the flear market tomorrow.  I have a St. Croix Pro Graphite 4/8 WT rod that is practically new.  I have pictures of the flies that I will post.

[Neil McCauley]

I have a 9 foot, 5wt Redington 4-piece rod that is a nice general purpose do-it-all rod for me. Was $150 new, well worth it. I have a couple cheap ass reels with different line set-ups. These do well for me with surface poppers and flies for panfish and bass, and the occasional attempt at stream fishing for trout.

When it comes to fly fishing check out a fly fishing shop either a local one or something like they have at Bass Pro, then ask the clerk there for some guidance. They are usually very knowledgeable and won't steer you wrong. At least that was my experience when I first got into fly fishing.

[hoosierbass07]

 I had to a chance to use my new fly rod in the back yard Saturday (it was 71 out).  I have 6 WT weight forward floating line on it.  I could make the line go straight out half the time.  Sunday I tried it a again for a little bit and I discovered my line would go straght the more tighter my casting angle was.  So, it would do really good when I cast 9 to 12 but if I went back a little further like 9 to 1 or 2, the line would not be as straight.  Also, I noticed the wind would push my line from left to right or right to left when the wind blown.  

[WdyCrankbait]

Try slowing up the cast to let the line loop develop more on the back cast. It's really a rhythm game in getting the cast down. 

It sounds like you're getting the hang of it though. Good luck!

[hoosierbass07]

I went to the Indianapolis Outdoor/RV/Boat show on Sunday.  They were having their first ever Fly Rod weekend (along with their regular fishing stuff).  I had a chance to watch a pro talk about making basic casts.  My brother asked one of the guys selling stuff to show him how to double hall.  He showed both of us and gave me a catalog of the rods he was representing.  I was flipping thru the catalog (Temple Fork Outfitters) and noticed that guy was in the catalog listed as a pro along with some famous people like Lefty Kreh and Flip Pallot.  

 Also held an $800 dollar rod, Hardy I think.  The representative was nice but I'm not sure I would spend $800 or  more on a rod and their is no way I would spend $3,000 on a bamboo rod.  I'll get along fine with my Fenwick and will upgrade when I'm ready.  

[Neil McCauley]

I cast 10 - 2 and if I really need distance I push my whole arm to and fro like a punch, or even twist my body around and reach back, but never ever break the 10-2 rule with the rod, and keep it within a relatively straight horizontal plane, like it's attached to a rail. Takes a lot of energy but aside from that is just the timing and youc an cast a mile. Have to visualize the line traveling behind you when you anticipate the forward motion. Seems to work well for me. You might consider putting it on video from a long-distance side view and watching yourself make some casts to see what you're doing right/wrong.