There are so many brands lengths weights of fly rods and it can get very confusing which one to buy and which one to use. In an ideal world I would own every type of fly rod. Unfortunately this isn’t reality and in a way its fun to make due with what you have.
So which fly rod should I take in an ideal situation.
If I had just one fly rod I would buy a 9 foot 5 weight. A 5 weight can throw streamers dry flies and many bass flies. It is long enough to nymph fish and short enough to cast to spooky carp.
If I could choose
BASS
I like a shorter length rod around 8’6” to 8”10. These fly rods have a more full type flex for pulling up giant flies and making fast accurate casts
6-7 weight 150-200 grain for smaller bass
8-10 weight 250 and up for pike large stripers
TROUT
Fly rods can be made of fiberglass, bamboo, graphite, and ect. I personally have never fished with fiberglass and just seem to stick with what the manufacturers are putting out and have never gone wrong.
Small creek streams I like a 3 weight in an 8’ to 8’6”. Fly lines a WF line as I like to throw big terrestrials with droppers but any floating fly line should work
Rivers 4-7 weight nymph fishing I like the longer fly rods 10 feet and longer. I usually always fish a floating line on rivers
Lakes 6 weight 9’6” to 10 feet
Fly lines I like a type 6 sinking then a intermediate sink tip and a floating line
CARP
7 weight 9 foot or shorter with any type of bass taper
SALTWATER
8 weight 9 foot. At the end of the day I always end up with an 8 weight 9 foot for all my bonefish situations including triggerfish. Same with Redfish and Snook plus sea trout
9 foot 12 weight for tarpon. Once again this ends up being my go to weight and length
9 foot 10 weight for smaller tarpon and permit