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Posts: 222
Location: c.wis | hello all- im looking into a fly rod for next season, im new to the equipment but have used some in the past- im looking for info on what weight rod/ line and tippet? and how you rig it all- do you still run tippet then steel leader/ floating- or sinking line- and a place to look for esox size flys- I tie flash already so I dont think the flys would be that big of an issue maybe with that some info on size/weight for starters. also should i be looking for a saltwater reel with some sorta drag or ?????? any pointers would be awsome and thanks in advance- eric |
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Posts: 4
| It depends, as always, on the kind of water you are fishing and what flies you intend to trow.
A #9 is the general pikefly rod, works great with most flies on most waters. If you like to fish smaller streamers or streamers with materials that wont take in as much water as say raccoon you can get away with an #8.
I like to use an #8 on smaller ponds where my streamer doesnt have to stand out as much as on the big lakes.
If you fish big water with big (raccoon/polarfox) streamers you would want an #10.
The heavier rods are abit more effective in bigger winds but are harder to cast with, no biggie when you've got some expiernce.
I use a 9/10 with a #9 line on the bigger lakes and cast 6' raccoon tubeflies with it.
As for the line i really like the pike Guideline sink version. I use #9 sink 3 wich lets me fish fast higher up or abit slower and deep. If you are fishing weeds near the surface i think a intermediate line would be great.
The reel is just an thingy to keep your line on, dont spend the money on that unless you can afford it. The line and rod are much much much more important. For 50euros you already got an great fly reel.
As for the tippet i like to use 45/00 to 50/00 fluor carbon as it is stiff and sinks nicely. When you fish in the surface you might want nylon over fluor carbon. Then i tie a 40cm piece of 60pounds 7-stranded titanium to my fluor carbon with a albrightknot so the titanium doesnt cut my FC. At the end a sleeve with a coil snap or splitring so that cant open up in flight. Melted leader directly to the fly are also great and cant open up. Or you could use a 1,5mtr piece of 80pounds FC as tipped and leader all at once. It is heavy but the transition from your fly line is great. I wouldnt recomend FC as leader because you can get bit off. Happend to me with a smaller fish but what if that was that 50+ incher ... Also know of plenty of other cases were the FC got bit in two. Dont use crosslocks or other snaps bacause they will open at some point and if that one pigg bites and gets away because you used a snap that opened ... i know i wont forgive myself. Dont use single strand titanium either because of all the flexxing in the false casts it can get weak and suddely break for (it appears) no reason.
Ive been using the 50/00 FC tied with an allbirghtknot to a 40cm piece of 7(or more)-stranded titanium wire for awhile now and i love it. Do use crimptube over the knot to protect it, will also keep it clean from algea. I also like to use a piece of crimptube over the sleeve and coiled snap for the best transition.
I hope i awnserd most of your questions,
greets, Jasper |
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Posts: 292
Location: SW MI | I once read that you can use a line 1 heavier than the rod you're using(9wt rod and 10wt line). It makes casting easier also. For muskies, I'd use a 9' 10wt. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | I use very fast 10 and 11 wt rods for muskie. And as was touched on, you need to take into account where and how you fish. You can get by with 9's and even 8's (in some select situations) for muskie, but I like heavy rods to get the job done on big water with big flies. The smallest muskie fly I use for myself is about 6" and goes up to an average of 10-12". I primarily use yak or Flashabou, and both cast fairly well. But you are going to want a fast rod for pretty much every reason you'd want a faster rod...they all apply to muskie fishing.
As for overlining, I prefer not to. What I do do, is make and modify my own lines. There's alot more to take into consideration than just the weight of the head; namely the shape and distribution of that weight in the head. And that's why I only own a few of the "musky/pike" lines out there...they usually only go up to 10 wt and are usually right at AFTMA weights and the heads are usually longer than I prefer. Meaning, if I go to cut the head the way I like it, then I'm underweight on an already super fast rod. I think they're a decent starting point but once you get into your muskie casting groove and pick up some of your own preferences, you may outgrow them.
You don't need a massive drag in a muskie reel. Muskies don't make blazing runs like salmon or steelhead, and even with those species you'd want to palm the reel. For muskie (and pretty much all fish actually) I keep my drag to where it will just stop the reel from overrunning when I strip off line. Any drag I need beyond that will come from the rim. And like I say, muskies don't make huge demands on drag anyway. What you do want is a quality reel. Just as in conventional tackle, a muskie will find your gear's weakest point and show it to you when you least want them to. So if you're out with a super el-cheapo reel and something plastic or underrated breaks...the muskie will let you know. It ain't got to be a $700 reel, but get the best you can afford. I like Tibor reels. They've been very good to me and they're all I'll use. But most modern fly reels of the appropriate weight will suit you well.
For leaders, I'm not into records, so I don't abide by IGFA class tippets or anything like that. Depending on my fly line, fly and where and how I'm fishing, I may run a short level leader of 40# hard mono, down to a 60-100# FC tippet. Or I may run the heavy tippet directly to the fly line. No need whatsoever for tapered leaders, and no need for a class tippet unless you're after a class record, and in that case, your tippet would need to be 12" or less. I don't use steel or titanium. I've tried both, and have settled on FC. |
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Posts: 222
Location: c.wis | thanks for the input! what do you think ill be into the combo for? do you think 300-400 would get it done? or is it pos. for less- my guess is that the rods the most important right?? thanks again! |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Sure you can do it for that money. Buy the best you can. If you were going for bluegill or maybe even bass, I'd maybe say start off cheap to see if you like it and then go from there. But with a fish like this, where they don't come easy, you don't want that one fish of the day to show you what's what when she destroys your reel or snaps your Wal-Mart 6 wt like a twig. Look for a fast action rod with a good warrantee on it. The big companies will offer usually a lifetime warrantee, or if not, a 5-10 yr warrantee for replacement. Odds are the rod won't fall apart, but rather you'll break it in your truck door, step on it in the boat (which is why I never lay mine down; they always go in a vertical holder or into my stripping basket when not in use) or break it horsing a fish. It's these times that warrantee comes in handy. Cabela's is a good place to start, as they have the full gammut of rod prices and they have alot of combos. That, or hit a fly shop that actually knows what a muskie is (I've been to three of them in WI) and has the appropriate gear and won't try to sell you a 7 wt and DT line. |
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Posts: 102
Location: Bowling Green, KY | I would watch ebay. I bought my musky flyrod, a 9' 10 wt. TFO TiCr-X with an Orvis Battenkill Mid arbor with 2 spools and a 10 wt. SA striper floating line and a triangular TFO rod case for $350.00. I bought a Rio Outbound 10 wt intermediate line for the spare spool. I tied up a half dozen or so Brad Bohen HangTime's and managed to catch my first musky this fall. I run 2 ft. of 80 lb. mono followed by 2 ft. of 50 and 2 ft. of 20 lb. I end it with a foot of tyger wire. As a side note, about two month's later I scored a 9 ft. Powell 10 wt. for $99.00 shipped. |
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Posts: 1287
Location: WI | Guys I know use Konic reels with 10wt Airflow intermediate shooting head lines. Pike Saber (google it) are supposed to be some sweet rods.
I picked up a GLoomis Cross Current saltwater rod on ebay for $100 less than retail a couple years ago. I have a 9wt, wish I would have went 10, but I'm going to give it a go and see how it works out. My reel is a Danielsson loop reel which is sweet but expensive. I've used wire/hard mono for leaders with a melt know, but I'm going to switch to Floro this year.
Brad Bohen (mentioned above) is the man for musky on the fly in WI. He posts as Afton Angler on The Drake forums...but I would only private msg him there or email him from his website, those forums are like the wild west unless you pass their intro post test. http://muskycountryoutfitters.com/index.html is his site.
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | That hangtime fly is a bad dude. I tied some of those up myself last winter and even though I didn't throw the fly rod nearly as much as I wanted to, got a couple on it earlier in the year. Dang, now I'm back in the fly mood. I definitely need to upgrade the rod though.
Good stuff guys. |
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Posts: 380
Location: Michigan | After some research, I picked up an Orvis TLS Power matrix a few years back in a 9' 9 wt (Tip Flex) for larger pike. I actually bought if off eBay from an orvis dealer for ~300.
The reel I got was the Battenkill Mid Arbor for ~125 and it came with a free extra spool. The reel seems to be built pretty well for that price point. This put me in just over $400.
I thought I would have trouble casting 6-8" flys, so I bought the Orvis 10 wt Tarpon Wonderline which is designed to turn big flys over. I am not the best at casting heavier flys, but I think my logic was flawed with the line choice. I can't cast this combo well at all. I think the 9 wt line would have been a better choice.
It's hard for me to judge the rod with this line, but it gets pretty good reviews for the $400 price point.
I need to spend some time in the boat with my buddy esoxfly so he can teach me how to cast;) Maybe iit's not the line at all, and all me... |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Chasin50 - I need to spend some time in the boat with my buddy esoxfly so he can teach me how to cast;) Maybe iit's not the line at all, and all me... I'm a phone call away Chad! Anytime amigo. Whoever sold you that tarpon line, sold you the wrong line. I don't like tarpon tapers and heads at all for muskie. I've got probably 25-30 muskie lines you can try and see what suits you. Give me a call or email whenever you like, and we'll get you set up with the right line and see what that does for your casting, and if not, we can get that taken care of too. |
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Posts: 102
Location: Bowling Green, KY | I really like my Rio Outbound Short intermediate. One thing about this line though, is it is very heavy, so don't overline with it. According to Rio's website, the 10 wt. Outbound has the weight of a 12-13 weight. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | That is a good line. I've got a few of those, and they work well. |
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