Ina Nektar Fly Fishing

Freshwater Fly Fishing

What is the best Fishing Rod to buy? There are thousands available in fishing tackle stores online (and off) so lets start with the basic rod types and what they are used for. We will then talk a little about brands, construction, quality and price to help you find the right fishing rod.

Firstly there are a number of different types of fishing rods. Read through the following sections to see which activity best suits what you need to do while fishing.

Spin Rods

Spinning fishing rods are most often used in freshwater locations, although you can buy heavier rods for saltwater or boat use. Spin rods are designed to suit an eggbeater style reel and are used for casting and retrieving lures and baits. Many general purpose rods are called spin rods. It is likely that if you want to do a little river fishing, some pier fishing, or maybe light boat fishing that a spin fishing rod may be your best choice. Spin rods generally have lengths of 1.6m to 2.4m.

Surf Rods

Surf rods tend to be the longest fishing rods, and they are usually quite heavy in construction and weight too. They are long to assist in casting bait and sinkers/tackle from the beach out into the surf. Also, you can catch quite large fish with surf rods (maybe even shark) so a rod with plenty of strength is required. Surf rods are designed for eggbeater reels, overhead/conventional reels and sidecast reels. They are typically 3m to 4.2 m in length.

Game Fishing Rods

Game rods are used for game fishing in deeper saltwater. They are designed to catch large pelagic fish, and typically designed to hold fishing line of 10/15kg up to 37kg in strength. Game rods are thick and do not bend very easily. They will often have a gimbal fitting on the butt section so they can be used in a game fishing harness or chair. They will often have one or more 'roller' guides instead of regular line guides.

Fly Rods

Fly fishing rods are designed to catch freshwater fish, most usually trout, halibut or salmon. They are between 1.8 and 3.6m in length, and have a thin 'whippy' blank. They are designed to hold fly fishing reels and are predominantly used for freshwater fishing (although some people now use larger heavier rods and flys for some saltwater fishing too).

Boat Rods

Boat rods are probably a sub class of spin rods, but are shorter and heavier in length, designed for the rigours of saltwater fishing. They may be short to medium length (1.6 to 2.1m in length) and be able to hold line weights of 10 to 20kg. In Australia for example, boat rods are used for snapper and shark fishing, and may  be designed to hold overhead/conventional or eggbeater style reels.

Construction

Most rods are made of either of 2 materials, fibreglass or graphite.

Fibreglass rods are hardier, can usually bend more, and cheaper. However, graphite rods can offer better 'feel' and now thanks to improving technologies, can be quite tough and resilient too. Graphite rods are usually more expensive.

Value/Quality/Brand

There are many brands of fishing rods in the market these days. Some brands are known worldwide, others are local to a country or region, and there is a growing number of very small brands due to the ease of importing product directly from factories and agent sin China (eg, home eBay businesses).

The fact is most rods in the world are manufactured in asia. Usually in China. The big companies/brands all use very large and sophisticated factories. Smaller brands either use contract factories or piggy back onto the top tier factories. there are many rod factories, so quality can vary. We recommend sticking to well known brands and retailers in your area that can offer support, have good product knowledge and can offer good value too.

Look for good reputable retailers, and do some price research before buying.

Tacklemania.com.au has a great range of fishing rods and fishing tackle to choose from with some great value high quality brands.
Fishing Rods
Fishing Tackle

The New Fly Fishing Basics $18.74 Rated: NRSynopsis: The New Fly Fishing Basics DVD From casting for freshwater trout in small mountain streams to saltwater fly fishing for Sailfish and Marlin, this instructional program is the product of over 50 years experience gained from fly fishing every conceivable location and situation possible. Select segments of the program cover the essentials of fly fishing equipment and setup such as choosing the right rod, line choices for every situation, knots and fly styles. Lessons and examples include basic casting techniques, expert casts for difficult situations and the proper way to fish lakes, streams and rivers. The program also provides step-by-step lessons for basic fly tying. Subject details include: Basic Fishing Techniques in Lakes, Streams & Rivers; Entomology; Basic Casting Techniques; Knots; Equipment; Basic Fly Tying; Advanced Techniques; Choosing the right rod and Line choice for every situation The New Fly Fishing Basics DVD From casting for freshwater trout in small mountain streams to saltwater fly fishing for Sailfish and Marlin, this instructional program is the product of over 50 years experience gained from fly fishing every conceivable location and situation possible. Select segments of the program cover the essentials of fly fishing equipment and setup such as choosing the right rod, line choices for every situation, knots and fly styles. Lessons and examples include basic casting techniques, expert casts for difficult situations and the proper way to fish lakes, streams and rivers. The program also provides step-by-step lessons for basic fly tying. Subject details include: Basic Fishing Techniques in Lakes, Streams & Rivers; Entomology; Basic Casting Techniques; Knots; Equipment; Basic Fly Tying; Advanced Techniques; Choosing the right rod and Line choice for every situation The New Fly Fishing Basics DVD From casting for freshwater trout in small mountain streams to saltwater fly fishing for Sailfish and Marlin, this instructional program is the product of over 50 years experience gained from fly fishing every conceivable location and situation possible. Select segments of the program cover the essentials of fly fishing equipment and setup such as choosing the right rod, line choices for every situation, knots and fly styles. Lessons and examples include basic casting techniques, expert casts for difficult situations and the proper way to fish lakes, streams and rivers. The program also provides step-by-step lessons for basic fly tying. Subject details include: Basic Fishing Techniques in Lakes, Streams & Rivers; Entomology; Basic Casting Techniques; Knots; Equipment; Basic Fly Tying; Advanced Techniques; Choosing the right rod and Line choice for every situation

Fishing For Beginners - Fly Fishing $6.99 Fishing For Beginners - Fly Fishing

Shakespeare Freshwater Advanced Fly Fishing Combo. $53.99 The product is an excellent fly casting outfit suitable for the more experienced fly angler.Length of rod: 2.7m.Number of sections: 3.Fly reel.EAN/Barcode: 2000231383017.Free delivery by post.

Fly Fishing $34.99 Fly Fishing - Giclee Print

The Fishing Fly $19.99 The Fishing Fly - Art Print

Shakespeare Freshwater Starter Fly Fishing Combo. $37.99 The product is an ideal starter kit for the new fly angler and the outfit is very well balanced and is capable of casting a good line.Length of rod: 2.4m.Number of sections: 3.Fly reel.EAN/Barcode: 2000231382911.Free delivery by post.

Fly Fishing - Vol 3 - Stillwater Fly Fishing $8.99 Fly Fishing - Vol 3 - Stillwater Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing - Vol 1 - An Introduction To Fly Fishing $8.99 Fly Fishing - Vol 1 - An Introduction To Fly Fishing

Freshwater Fishing (Paperback) $16.98 Describes the equipment, skills, and techniques needed for freshwater fishing.

Fly Fishing for Dummies By Kaminsky, Peter $25.96 Identifies freshwater and saltwater species for fly fishing, describes the best equipment for particular conditions, offers instructions for tying flies, and examines casting styles Author: Kaminsky, Peter Series Title: For Dummies (Computer/Tech) Publication Date: 1998/04/17 Number of Pages: 354 Binding Type: Paperbound Language: English Depth: 1.00 Width: 7.50 Height: 9.25

Dry and Nymph Flies Fly Fishing Set $122.59 Perfect accessory for any fly fishing setup Set includes 36 dry fies and 36 nymphs Two fly boxes included Ideal set for action in any freshwater stream

Anglers Book Supply Co 0881507598 Fly Fishing Long Island A Comprehsive Guide To Freshwater Saltwater Angling $45.83 Everything you need to know from where to go to how to catch the big one. The first comprehensive guide to the amazing fly fishing. Worldclass freshwater fisheries with such exotic opportunities as searun brown rainbow trout. Bass and panfish abound in lakes ponds. 50 BW photos 5 maps; 6x9 inches 256 pgs. Long Islandthe Montauk area in particularhas been discovered as a worldrenowned saltwater fly fishing destination. The fall runs of striped bass bluefish and false albacore draw anglers from far and near. The island also has worldclass freshwater fisheries with such exotic opportunities as searun brown and rainbow trout. Bass and panfish abound in lakes and ponds. Yet until now no one has done a comprehensive guide to the amazing fly fishing opportunities Long Island has to offer. Peluso will tell you everything you need to know from where to go to how to catch the big one. Softcover

Fly Fishing In Iceland $9.99 Fly Fishing In Iceland

The Orvis Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing $56.48 THE ORVIS ULTIMATE BOOK OF FLY FISHING is a grand tour of the world of fly-fishing strategies and techniques, from Orvis`s world-famous team of experts and advisors. In large format with rich and helpful color photos and drawings, the book covers everything from basic fishing knots and casts to expert techniques you won`t see in standard books. Besides trout technique and secrets for rivers and lakes, the book also covers the worlds of fly fishing for bonefish, striped bass, permit, bluefish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and steelhead. Learn how to nymph for steelhead from Matt Supinski. Find out how to catch the elusive permit from Jack Samson. Take a lesson from John Shewey on swinging a classic wet fly for West Coast steelhead. Learn how to find stripers along Northeast beaches from Lou Tabory. Find out which knots work best for saltwater fly fishing. Tom Rosenbauer will tell you how to read a trout stream and approach the fish, then discover his secrets for catching trout on dry flies and nymphs. Jim Lepage shares his knowledge on catching trout in ponds and lakes, then Bill Tapply will tell you how to catch freshwater bass on flies. Polish your fly casting with world expert Tom Deck. All this and much more in the most comprehensive and attractive book in the Orvis line.