Best weight rod for NZ

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canuck
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Best weight rod for NZ

Post by canuck » Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:07 am

Hi All,

Just looking for opinions on what weight rod and possibly brand and model would be best for NZ. I currently use a 8.5 ft 5 weight Z- axis and most days it does the job really well. Occasionally the wind and nymph rigs allow me to struggle with casting it(more than normal :( ) , just wondering what you folk would recommend.

Thanks,

Canuck



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fraser hocks
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Location: Queenstown

Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by fraser hocks » Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:37 am

One rod?? Preposterous my good man! That is akin to suggesting to playing a round of golf with merely one club. Maybe a putter? :?

Nothing wrong with the rod you currently have, but id suggest that you consider building a quiver to suit the fishing your going to be doing, around the rod you currently have. I typically take a minimum of 4 rods out for a days fishing and choose the rod im going to use for the conditions and style im going to fish once I get to the river.
  • powerful 6# for chucking big stuff and dealing with lots of wind
  • 9'-10' 5# stiff rod for backcountry and larger river work
  • 8'-9' 5# medium action for medium size rivers and dry fly work
  • 7'-8'6" 3-4# for small stream work and wee spring creeks.
Dont fall into the "one rod that does everything" pit. I know that many people with 5 rods that "do everything" and non of them do. Buy the rod to fit the purpose, so you have a selection. ;)


Bucking trends in fly fishing since 1970!

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flyfish
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by flyfish » Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:04 am

Haha, I only use the one rod Fraser, guilty as charged. 906/4 Radian for everything, or the 906/4 Meridian for Taupo, all I own... I'm a bit minalmist these days!...



canuck
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by canuck » Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:24 pm

Mmmm Fraser I might need a caddy for all that stuff and to help me with rod selection?

I tend to carry one rod which is usually the 5 weight as I can dry fly and nymph with it. I do have a 3 weight that I use for dry fly fishing for cutthroat trout as they are on the small size and a 6 weight that I use for streamers(it is a bit of a burly 6 weight so it works well for this).

I did carry 2 rods yesterday so that I could throw a bigger streamer for bull trout. This turned out to be a bit of a pain as I went exploring and ran into a ton of blown down trees that took a while to get through; two rods made this a bit more work. I think I spent more time bashing through the forest than fishing.

I was going to try and avoid the blow down on the way back but a black bear encouraged me to return the way that I had come. I was busy blowing the whistle that I have attached to my pack to encourage it to bugger off - someone asked me if that helped;I said it helped me feel better so yes :D !

A caddy would have been awesome here as well because if I understand it properly the caddy is to assist the player? So I could have sent them off to deal with the bear and continued walking back to the truck?

Canuck



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TIDDLER
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by TIDDLER » Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:43 pm

Hi CANUCK - THE ABOVE TWO REPLYS ARE FROM FLY "GUNS" . THEIR VIEWS ARE BASED ON EXPERTISE . I'M OFFERING AN AMATEUR POINT OF VIEW BASED ON ONLY 4yrs FLY FLICKING . I MAINLY FISH OTAGO'S HIGH COUNTRY TUSSOCK LAKES AND SOMETIMES WELL BEHAVED RIVERS . THESE LAKES CAN HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL WEATHER BUT COMMONLY ARE SOMEWHAT BREEZY . I USE A 6# FOR BOTH THEM AND RIVER .
ALL SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN THE LAKES FISH REALLY WELL BUT THE WIND CAN BE VICIOUS . A COUPLE OF MY FAVOURITE HOLES REQUIRE FISHING INTO THESE WINDS . THEN I GO TO AN 8# ROD WHICH I BOUGHT 2nd HAND BUT IN NEW CONDITION . ITS AN OLD KILWELL 2pc MATRIX 908. IT HAS BEEN A GODSEND (to an oldish arthritic body ) AND HAS CAUGHT MANY A SOLID FISH IN ROUGH CONDITIONS .

AS FOR THE BEAR - HAVE YOU CONSIDERED USING HIM AS YOUR CADDY ? HE COULD CARRY MUCH MORE THAN YOU AND YOU COULD THROW HIM A FISH FOR HIS EFFORTS :P . JUST A THOUGHT :)



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fraser hocks
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by fraser hocks » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

HEHE yea interesting isn't it that me and Andrew have very different views on it hey? Each to their own, suppose.

I guess that down here in Otago catching is all about a good presentation and its nigh on impossible to delicately land a size 18 parachute adam's on the noise of a rising fish without spooking it, if you have a stiff 6# with a real brute line on it. On the other hand when the wind picks up, and your on a big back country river your going to be stuffed with a shortish 4#. (Up in Wellington where Andrew is, it never stops blowing :lol: )

Canuck,iv found that one of those plastic drawing tubes that architects use are brilliant and can easily hold 3-4 rods in their socks. Strap one to our pack next time you head into the back county. Makes carrying multiple rods a breeze.
http://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/drawing-tub ... jBvqpDLILq

Iv seen may people walking out a long backcounty fishing trip because they have broken the only rod they own. I once choppered into a river with some mates for 3 days. One mate broke his only rod in the first hour. You know how much I ribbed him borrowing one of my spare rods was going to cost him? :lol:

I reckon your better of with two $300 rods that suit the purpose, than one $1000+ rod that you try to do everything with.

If im a "GUN" Tiddler, then its a very old rusty one that probably had the firing pin removed, and is only good as a display ornament now :D


Bucking trends in fly fishing since 1970!

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Tom McAuliffe
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by Tom McAuliffe » Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:25 pm

This isn't going to be much help but... guys I fish with use anything from 4 to 7 wt. Just bear in mind you will have to deal with wind, and heavy dry dropper type rigs some of the time.
Personally I want the best casting tool available so use a fast 6wt for the majority of my fishing. Your chosen rod and line combination needs to be one that works for you! Good presentation comes down to accurate casting, not which stick you happen to be using..

Oh and a back up rod is a fantastic idea.. big rocks, beech trees and tungsten nymphs give my rods hell..

cheers, Tom.



Johnno
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Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by Johnno » Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:04 pm

A med fast 9 foot 6 wgt will do just fine. That's my go to length and size for a lot of the med to larger rivers I hang out on. You don't really need a lot of rods (says me with over 40 - ahem) to fish NZ. That's just me and 20 anglers will have 20 opinions.....

4, 5 and 6 wgts in 8 to 9 foot lengths will, in all reality, do you just fine for 90% of the places you'd likely fish.

And yeh, a spare'd be helpful....



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Whio
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Location: Wanganui NZ

Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by Whio » Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:04 pm

Johnno wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:04 pm
A med fast 9 foot 6 wgt will do just fine.
My thoughts too Johnno. I do carry a couple of different lines depending on what I'm doing. One with a standard tapered leader, the other with a clear 8ft floating polyleader plus leader.
Oh and I always carry a spare rod when going backcountry.


Some of my life I spend fly fishing, the rest I just waste!

Dave
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Location: Invercargill

Re: Best weight rod for NZ

Post by Dave » Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:29 pm

I agree with Johnno and Whio, a med fast 9' #6. However I do normally have a faster 9' #6 in the car as we get the occasional breeze down here in the south. I make my selection before leaving the car. I know people down here who have #5 rods and struggle somewhat trying to deal with the wind.
Dave



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