Which fly rod should I buy?

Which fly rod should I buy?

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