Battenkill vs Battenkill Bar Stock

Post by **Lookinforlunkers** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:51 pm

Todd guess I better look into a 6. As far as Carp go I would be happy if I never hooked one. Sorry fishboy but I will be there for the smallies

I am thinking I am gonna need a 10 for Muskies though

Man what am I gettin myself into

Post by **Todd B.** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:08 pm

Lookin,

When you're trying to determine the rod weight you only really need take into account how much backbone you need and the size of flies you going to be tossing. If you're going to be tossing large/heavy flies you'll most likely be up in the 8-10 wt range. A 9wt would cover a lot of bases for you...steelhead, pike, LM (in cover), muskie, and salmon (average sized)

At the moment I have a 4, 5 and 6wt, though I'm definitely looking at picking up an 8/9 for steelhead, etc. I can get by with my 6wt for SM, walleye and pike around here. Anything over say 8lbs would be hard to control on a 6wt. I know Moosebunk landed a salmon on a 6wt last fall, though I'm sure it took him ages.

Post by **ganman** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:40 pm

Not sure but I think that rod (Avid 904) is a pretty pwerful 4 weight as most 9 footers are. I bet it would handle a 5 WF no problem, might even work better.

It's funny about rod action and line weights. You can never be sure. Squib just bought a 8'6" 5 weight Sage which I'd have pegged as a pretty stiff and powerful 5 weight as Sage rods are known to be. However when seeing it - it is probably a tad softer and slower than my Orvis Trident TL 8'6" 4 weight. It's a great rod, being a tad softer and slower but throwing a slightly heavier line in a breeze its an ideal rod for NY trout streams.

Post by **Lookinforlunkers** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:49 pm

When I go shoppin for a Muskie rod It has to be able to handle at least a 30 pounder. I have caught one thatr big in the one spot I plan on hitting and raised bigger ones in the area. I will be fishing the ottawa aswell and we all know there are monsters there. Will a 9 handle that size of fish and should I think about a spey for this. A guy I take archery lessons with uses a spey for Muskie. Is the perpose of a spey to handle heavy flies as well. (I am a work and my question mark key is not working)

Post by **Fishboy** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:14 pm

LFL, the Dark Side takes no prisoners.....

I agree with Ganman on rod action...it appears that there is no true standard by which all are measured. Subsequently, one brand of 5-wt might be equal to another brand's 4-wt or yet another's 6-wt. Makes rod selection a lot more of a "personal feel" choice rather than a choice based on rod wt. Most reputable dealers with load a few rods for you to test in the parking lot.

Todd makes a good point about backbone, too. I have an Orvis Trident 9-wt which can handle some pretty big fish and toss some hefty flies, but I'm not sure how well it would handle your 30 lb muskie.....you might go for a rod designed for saltwater fishing or learn to spey with a heavier wt rod.

BTW, for larger fish, the reel becomes more important than it does for lighter rods. If you decide to fish for muskie, get something with an above average drag system. Just like a baitcaster or spinning reel, a good drag system can mean fewer lost fish. Oh yeah, get lots of backing for those big boys.

You'll probably love (new toys!) /hate ($$$) doing the research.

Post by **Lookinforlunkers** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:53 pm

Hmmm....guess I better get used to fishing with one before i think about buying any more. I have alot of learning to do, It all seems a little confusing right now.

Post by **Fishboy** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:00 pm

Good plan....take things at your own pace. I began by taking both fly & spin tackle. When I got too frustrated with the fly rod, I put it down and went back to spin fishing until I felt relaxed enough to fly fish. It worked for me and I never touch my spin tackle anymore.