Rod line rating

[dickandjill]

Hi

I wish to buy a fly rod for sea use for mackerel and (hopefully) bass.I also would like to use it when on holiday for brown trout in small hill lochs in scotland.

I believe I would need a #6-7 rated rod for the hill lochs BUT would need a #8 rod for sea use.

Will a#7-8 rod be too big for small trout ?Or if I go for a #6-7 rod will this be too small for bass etc?

I have never fly fished before I usually spin in the sea.

What size rod should I get?

Thanks

Richard

[BalticFlyFisher]

This is not an easy one to answer ....

 

... to be honest the line (casting weight) rating of the fly-rod is not so much important to the type of fish you want to target, but "the size of fly" you want to cast. I frequently use a #6 weight in the salt - but only with smallish flies (8's - 12's). I do however also cast size 6 weighted flies for cod if the wind isnt toooo strong. If the wind is up and I need to cast larger flies (6 - 2) I use a #7 or even #8 weight rod. An #8 weight is a good allround SW weapon, you can also use it to throw largish flies at pike. However as you quite rightly point out it is a tad on the heavy side for small loch brownies.

 

I guess you will have to weight up which of the target fishing types will prevail (SW or Hill Loch) and then go for a rod to match, for the other type the rod will be a compromise, at least until you have enough cash to buy two - one for each type of target fishing, then you need a heavier/lighter rod for SWAFFing and a brook rod ...

 

... it never stops

[MJB]

Go for a #7. It will cope with all bar the biggest saltwater patterns, but still be ideal for fishing hill lochs.