Common Waters, a new film highlighting stream access issues in Colorado, has just released on YouTube. The film profiles river access advocate and angler Roger Hill, and also gives the most comprehensive overview of problems impacting stream access in Colorado to date.
Roger Hill is an angler who spends time on the Arkansas River. Hill accesses the river via Bureau of Land Management land, then continues staying either in the river, or below the high-water mark, when the river enters private property. Hill has yet to be arrested.
Why would they trespass?
Hill, and many others in Colorado, including filmmaker Benjamin Kraushaar, believe the public has a right to access rivers that flow through private property, whether it’s for fishing or floating. Currently, precedent in Colorado’s Supreme Court holds that the public does not have a right to access water as it flows through private land, despite the state’s constitution declaring all natural streams as public property.
According to legal experts in the film, that means Colorado should hold title to those lands in a trust, effectively guaranteeing continued public use. The state Supreme Court and Attorney General both disagree, as highlighted by some stretches of river not even being open to floating through on a raft or boat.
The way that Hill and others see it, they’re not trespassing. They’re exercising a legal right they have to access water guaranteed to them by the state constitution. Getting arrested would allow Hill to have standing in the case, thereby giving him and other legal experts a new avenue to challenge Colorado’s access laws.
Colorado is an outlier
Colorado is unique among Western states because of its stance on accessing rivers and streams. Even Utah and Wyoming, two states with notoriously tricky access to some rivers, still allow anglers to float through land that’s private. Colorado actively fights against any access to rivers through private property, even though that access is guaranteed in the state constitution.
“Despite the Colorado Constitution declaring all natural streams public property and federal law mandating a public trust for navigable waterways, the Colorado Supreme Court and Attorney General have failed to uphold these rights, effectively denying access to waters flowing through private land and even challenging the navigable status of rivers,” Common Waters’ filmmakers said in a brief accompanying their film. “This stance makes Colorado an outlier in the West, where many states actively protect public access to both navigable and non-navigable streams.”
Longstanding Right
Generally speaking, if a river was declared navigable at the time of statehood, that river’s streambed is property of the state, and therefore, accessible by the public. To determine a river’s navigability, it has to be proved that the river was used for commercial trade or travel, or was “susceptible” of being used for that purpose. This means larger rivers and streams—like those flowing through many mountain valleys where land costs a premium—should be considered public property.
This doesn’t give the public a right to access the river through private property, nor does it give the public a right to leave the river above the ordinary high-water mark. As Hill and other river access advocates argue, it simply means the public has a right to fish and float the river, even when flowing through private property.
This right is recognized in Montana and Idaho, and to some extent, in California and New Mexico.
Taking Action
Common Waters is a call to action for anglers and anyone who enjoys rivers throughout Colorado. Director Cody Perry said the impetus behind making the film started with the 2009 Taylor River dispute, which ultimately saw a law allowing a “right to float” fail.
“Through Common Waters, we aim to pull this vital issue from the shadows of neglect, not merely to educate Coloradans on our ambiguous river laws, but to ignite a renewed call for decisive action from our elected officials, who are entrusted to resolve these hard issues for the public good,” Perry said. “It’s time to ensure our rivers remain truly common, accessible for everyone who comes to Colorado, for river adventure, for generations to come.”
The film is available on YouTube, and is still touring through Colorado, as well.
Guardians of the Snake, an F3T featured film, is the kind of fly fishing film you think you’ve seen before—it tells the story of a few guides in a world-famous fishery. But Guardians is unique in that it’s more of an honest portrait of guiding and the guide lifestyle in one of the most demanding places on the planet—Jackson Hole.
Guiding on the Snake River isn’t for the faint of heart, as guiding in general isn’t, either. It takes a special kind of person to be a legitimately good fly fishing guide, and places like Jackson attract some of the best in the world.
But Jackson comes with its own problems, ubiquitous across ski and fishing towns in the Rockies. It’s expensive to live there, it’s tough guiding on water that sees insane amounts of traffic, and it’s easy to feel like you don’t have what it takes to make it.
The film opens with a focus on guide Mike Janssen, who at one point was one more mistake away from not guiding anymore. He dug deep, worked extremely hard, and turned his career around in a way that will surprise you.
Guardians of the Snake opens with Jackson Hole guide Mike Janssen.
Janssen’s experience anchors the film, while other guides—from newcomers to Jackson legends—detail their time on the water, what the Snake means to them, and ultimately, the importance of protecting this river for future generations.
The film’s title is apropos; these guides really are the guardians of their river, and this film does an excellent job of showing you why this place is worth protecting. To give you even more insight into the film, we sat down with filmmaker Jon Klaczkiewicz to discuss some of the movie’s finer details.
Flylords: What made you want to do a film highlighting guides? That seems like a topic that’s relatively well-worn, but you obviously came at it in a very unique, insightful way. What inspired that?
Jon Klackiewicz: I was standing in the parking lot of Albertson’s with my bag of fried chicken (they’ve got the best), waiting for a buddy to go fishing for the day, and I watched at least a dozen guides with drift boats pull in, say their hellos, give their fist pumps, and head off to meet their clients. The early morning roads and rituals of Teton County are strewn with trucks pulling drift boats, and I was momentarily struck by the “Groundhog Day” routine that the guides go through every single day, day after day, yet for everyone who steps on their boat for the day, it’s a new and hopeful opportunity for what that day will bring. I think that guiding can, in many ways, be considered a “solo” profession, yet the “community” that exists, whether it be the exchanges getting lunch in the morning, boat ramp rigging, or the nods on the river, is robust. There is an unspoken bond within the ranks of the guide community that I was inspired to pay homage to.
Flylords: What made you focus on a place like Jackson? It’s so well-known, and you found a great story in this group of guides, but what made you choose this area and this fishery?
JK: Jackson has been home for me for 27 years; it is such a phenomenal place to be able to call home, and because it is so epic, it is very well known. I started to think about the human impact, not the digital, curated, doom-scrolling eyeballs, but the face-to-face, verbal, human, shared experience that these guides have spent hours together coaching those who go fishing with them for a day. Multiply those hours by the number of guides, and the number of days they are on the water every season, and they have a massive human impact on education about the ecosystem, the etiquette, the risks, and the stewardship required to mitigate those risks. I started chatting with John Bowers at Visit Jackson Hole about their desire for more community-driven storytelling and celebrating the people that make Jackson so special, and was like, “Hey, I got an idea…” I am super grateful they were able to support the project, and then the JH One Fly Foundation, Snake River Fund, and JH Trout Unlimited came on board as well to make the idea a reality.
Flylords: One of the guides in the film says that “guiding is sort of fishing by proxy.” That was one of the film’s best lines, and it seems like you picked great guides to feature here. How did you choose the guides to be in this film?
JK: Tom Montgomery. Absolute legend. He came up in the era of John Simms, Paul Bruun, and the Allen family as guiding was getting pioneered in the region. He has been guiding for 48 years and is an incredible photographer, and still crushing it. He actually bought his first jon boat to guide in from Paul Bruun and would strap it to the top of his Datsun to go figure out the secrets of the river. (There is a whole story that needs to be told.) I think the impact of that quote really stems from the acquired wisdom that these guides get from the critical thinking required to figure out their clients, the river that day, the fish, the bugs, and their ability to put all of the pieces together. Choosing awesome guides from this community wasn’t hard; the crux was how to try to encapsulate the guide community without having the time to feature all of the guides that make this place what it is.
Flylords: Have you ever guided before? This feels like a personal story, of sorts.
JK: From a career standpoint, I have been a filmmaker since I moved here, but I have always loved fishing, and I have a lot of really good friends who are guides and who live it and breathe it every day. I am incredibly lucky to have guide friends who want to go fishing on their days off, and I am always struck by the nuance of knowledge they have and are willing to share. I think, regardless of experience level, every day is an opportunity to learn and be curious, and not just about tactical technique, but also about the people you get to go fishing with. The journey of conversation throughout the course of an 8-hour day sitting in a boat together, hopefully interrupted by moments of absolute stoke (and sometimes by moments of heartbreak), is hard to describe. I have always loved asking questions because it provides the inception for a response, and you never know what you’re going to get. I think this project combined one of my passions with the vehicle to ask questions to a group of people whom I have the utmost respect for.
Flylords: Strategically, how did you plan out this shoot and get all the footage you needed? You worked with a lot of guides—it’s impressive. Can you peel back the curtain a bit on what it took to get this project to come together?
JK: I was chatting with my good friend and Production Manager at Fish Camp, Anthony “AJ” Swentosky, about how to make the film different; obviously, we all love our fish porn films, but we wanted this to be about the people, the community, and how to give the audience the experience of a day with a guide. (So I naturally had to fish out of the back of the boat of the guides we were interviewing.)
We also wanted to bring a different level of production to it, so we hit our buddy, Jon Riley, at Out in Space Studios, who is an epic GSS camera operator. (The GSS is a gyro-stabilized camera system that we typically use to film action sports films from a helicopter.) We devised a plan and figured out how to rig the GSS to the front of an Adipose Flow, where Jon could operate the system from the back of the boat. We were immediately nerding out over the shots we were getting and how smooth they were, as typically shooting boat to boat is tough to keep the camera stable for the operators on a long day floating down the river. The combo of splitting our limited number of shoot days between boat interviews and GSS shots, with some traditional content capture, lets us stack a ton of footage from multiple guides.
Flylords: What other insights about the Jackson community in particular did you not get into the film that you’d like to share with the audience?
JK: I think the biggest thing is how many amazing guides there are who we didn’t have the time or resources to feature in the film. We tried to get as many voices in as possible, while still allowing for the ultimate mentor, Mike Janssen’s evolution as a guide to anchor the experience for the audience. We are lucky to have such an amazing and supportive community that really cares about this place, and I am grateful to all the people who helped bring the film to life.
Watch the Film
The 2026 Fly Fishing Film Tour is on the road, bringing another exciting lineup of captivating stories from the water to the big screen. If you want to watch the films in this year’s Behind the Lens series, check out the F3T Tour Schedule and purchase tickets for a show near you!
Costa continues to push the boundaries of sunglass technology for anglers who demand the most. As of today, they have added to this long-standing legacy with the new Pilothouse Pro Sunglasses. These performance shades feature a semi-rimless, full-wrap shield and an ANSI Safety Rating. When hooks are flying, and anglers demand the most out of their eyewear, the Pilothouse Pro is a promising option. Not only do you get eye protection, but you also get Costa’s premium polarized lenses. For more information on the Pilothouse Pro, view the full press release below:
From Costa:
Costa Sunglasses unveils Pilothouse PRO, the first semi-rimless shield delivering a “full-screen” high wrap view of the water. The launch marks the return of shield eyewear from the brand for the first time in 15 years, offering advanced lens technology for unparalleled clarity and superior protection from the elements in a new full coverage shape. Inspired by the Control Center of a boat, Pilothouse PRO delivers a commanding, uninterrupted view of the water when it matters most.
Pilothouse PRO takes the PRO Series to new heights as the first from Costa’s lineup to meet the American National Standard for Occupational Eye and Face Protection Devices (Z87.1+ safety rating). By passing rigorous impact tests including a ¼-inch steel ball traveling at 150 feet per second as well as high-mass and high-velocity pointed-impact trials, watermen gain an added layer of confidence when conditions get demanding.
Constructed from injected bio-resin, Pilothouse PRO also features advanced airflow in both the frame and lens to help manage heat and fog, for ventilation you can feel, not see. Anti-skid top brow and Hydrolite® retention temples stay put when the seas don’t, while an integrated eyewear drainage system stops sweat from pooling and beading, and keeps surfaces clear when conditions turn sticky.
David Fried, Costa Sunglasses Product Manager, shares, “Designing a semi-rimless shield with ANSI-level impact protection was the biggest challenge, and the biggest breakthrough. We engineered Pilothouse PRO to maximize field of view while still meeting rigorous safety standards, then layered in airflow, drainage, and retention based on real time feedback on the water with our Costa Pros. The result is a design built around function first, because at the end of the day, clarity and protection are non-negotiables.”
Emmanuel Williams, a Miami-based waterman, angler, and creator behind the YouTube channel iBelongOutdoors, has partnered with Costa to debut Pilothouse PRO. Taught to fish by his dad at just seven years old, Emmanuel turned a lifelong passion into a mission to inspire others to get out on the water and explore. Best known for chasing fish from a personal watercraft, he understands better than most how weather, space, and time shape every pursuit and why safety always comes first.
“Emmanuel represents the kind of waterman Costa builds for, someone who understands the realities of purpose, conditions, and responsibility on the water,” said Robbie LaBelle, Vice President, Global Marketing at Costa Sunglasses. “His curiosity is just the starting point, his drive to break boundaries and share his experiences with his growing community is truly what sets him apart.”
Retailing at $280–$301, Pilothouse PRO is available in various colorways, including Blue & Gold Mirror, Copper, Gray, Rose 580P and Clear lens options, beginning today on CostaDelMar.com. Follow @CostaSunglasses on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest Costa news.
About Costa Sunglasses
As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Costa has made the highest quality, best-performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its purpose to provide high-quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of more responsible materials to its Kick Plastic® initiative, #OneCoast efforts and meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or X at @CostaSunglasses.
At Flylords, every photo, film, and feature starts with a story. Behind the scenes, someone has to shape those stories—deciding what gets told, how it’s told, and why it matters in the first place. For the written word, that responsibility falls to Max Inchausti, Flylords’ Editor-in-Chief.
From fish tales and gear deep dives to conservation conversations and profiles from across the industry, Max helps steer the voice of Flylords Mag, making sure everything we publish is equal parts informative, thoughtful, and true to the culture. We caught up with him to talk about where it all started, what makes a story stick, and the one fish that still lives rent-free in his head.
Flylords: When did you first fall in love with fly fishing?
Max: “I first fell in love with fly fishing when I was a kid. My grandfather gave me his Sage Graphite II that a friend had custom-built for him. I’m pretty sure I put an 8-wt fly line on a 4-wt rod at first. I had no clue what I was doing, but I started watching videos, reading whatever I could get my hands on, and eventually grew into the angler I am today.”
Flylords: Tell us a little about your role at Flylords. What does Editor-in-Chief actually mean day to day?
Max: “My role at Flylords is Editor-in-Chief, which is a fancy way of saying I run Flylords Mag. From planning new content, editing work, and writing my own pieces, I have a hand in all the written content that lives on Flylords. I’m coming up on two years with the team, and it’s been a fun journey steering our content in a direction that is informative and compelling for our audience.”
Flylords: What kinds of pieces do you enjoy writing most?
Max: “Personally, I enjoy telling stories. Whether a fish story, a compelling place, or a profile of someone I’ve met along the way, these are the topics every fly angler can relate to. Figuring out how to do that in a way that’s digestible for the readers is the fun part.”
Flylords: What do you hope someone feels after reading or watching a Flylords piece?
Max: “My goal with every Flylords piece is to give the reader something compelling to think about. Whether it’s a how-to piece that can benefit them on the river, a gear piece that helps them make an informed purchase, or a story that leaves them reflecting on their own experiences. If our content can add to the fly fishing experience, then we’ve done our job.”
Flylords: Is there a piece of gear you’re weirdly sentimental about?
Max: “I’m a big believer in fly rods being tools rather than sentimental belongings. That said, my Sage Graphite II has a special place in my rod room. It’s my first fly rod and the one my grandfather gave me when I started fishing. These days, I don’t fish it anymore, but it’s the one rod that will always have a special place in my quiver.”
Flylords: What’s the story behind the most memorable fish you’ve ever caught?
Max: “The most memorable fish I’ve caught has to be my biggest wild brown trout. I had been after a true Pennsylvania giant for years, particularly a stream-bred fish. I’ve caught plenty of big lake runs, but a stream-bred fish, over 25-inches was my holy grail. A fish of this caliber is old, smart, and powerful—a worthy adversary for any angler.
It took nearly three years to find ‘the one,’ but on a spring morning fishing a Pennsylvania freestone, I set the hook on a fish that immediately dove to the bottom. After about 5 minutes of back and forth, I netted a 26-inch Pennsylvania stream-bred wild brown trout. Over the years, I’ve caught bigger fish in other far-off locations, but this particular fish in my home waters is still the one I look back on.”
Flylords: Last one—what’s your most unhinged riverbank meal?
Max: “These days, I spend more time on my skiff than on the riverbank, so I’ve become quite the expert in boat lunches. I wouldn’t say it’s unhinged, but my go-to is Publix fried chicken. Whenever chicken makes it into the boat, the fishing is better. It may be superstition, but ever since we jumped our first big tarpon after eating some fried chicken, it’s become a cooler staple.”
Stay tuned for the next installment of Meet the Team as we continue highlighting the folks behind Flylords.
Colorado pikeminnow during a survey by the Utah Division of Wildlife. Photo by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
I’ve spent a lot of time around rivers and the people who fish them, and I’m always struck by how narrow our focus can get. We learn a system through a handful of species and patterns, and over time, that becomes the entire story in our heads. The Colorado pikeminnow breaks that framing for me. It isn’t a fish I’ve chased or even seen in the wild, but it’s one of the most unique native species this river has ever held.
The Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) is part of the minnow family, and for thousands of years, it evolved in a river that was warm, muddy, unpredictable, and powerful. Folks back in the early settlement days called it “white salmon” because of how far and how reliably it moved through the river. The historical accounts describe fish that were enormous, with lengths well over five feet, cruising long stretches of water.
Illustration courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife
What makes this fish so different from anything else most of us chase is its form and function. Pikeminnows aren’t built around structure-based ambush feeding or clear-water sight hunting. Their long, torpedo-shaped bodies are designed for distance and current. They don’t have big, sharp teeth; they have pharyngeal teeth (teeth in the throat) for processing the fish and prey they swallow whole. It’s almost like they evolved for movement first, feeding second.
For as much as the pikeminnow once defined this river ecosystem, very few anglers today ever see one. And that’s not because they’re secretive, it’s because the river that made them has changed. The Colorado River is controlled by a network of dams and diversions that flatten natural flow pulses and reshape everything downstream. Those seasonal floods that once created backwaters, gravel bars, and shallow nursery habitats are mostly gone. Water that was once warm and muddy is clearer and colder. Migration paths are broken. The fish that thrived on variability and disturbance now find themselves in a river that favors stability and consistency instead.
CPW’s Jenn Logan holding a Colorado pikeminnow, a critically endangered fish, during a native fish survey on the White River.
Officials have known the pikeminnow was in trouble for a long time. It was listed as endangered here in the United States back in the late 1960s, one of the first fish species to get that classification. Today, wild populations persist only in fragments of the Upper Colorado, Green, Yampa, White, and San Juan river systems. Even in places where they still exist, adult fish are rare. That’s why pictures of biologists catching three wild pikeminnow in the 15-Mile Reach near Palisade back in early 2025 made local news.
The decline didn’t happen because of one thing. Instead, it’s the sum of a dozen smaller changes that together reshaped the habitat. Blocked migration routes make spawning harder. The elimination of natural floods removes the shallow backwaters and side channels young pikeminnow once relied on to survive their earliest life stages. And when water conditions favor non-native species like smallmouth bass and walleye, they compete with or prey on pikeminnow juveniles. That pressure makes it even harder for young fish to survive to adulthood.
Even today, the species persists. That’s largely due to coordinated work between state wildlife agencies, federal programs, tribes, and conservation groups in the Colorado Basin. Those efforts include managing river flows and removing non-native predators. A full return to historical abundance isn’t realistic. The goal is to keep the species from disappearing altogether.
“It was an awesome thing to see if real life – I spend a lot of time on water and haven’t seen anything like that. We were finishing a fishing trip, heading home near the north intercostal portion of Sullivan’s Island and saw these 3 dolphins tossing this flounder back and forth for about 15 mins”
Reel of the Week from Adam, be sure to check out his Instagram HERE!
I’ve been in charge of bedtime for my 8-month-old daughter lately, which means I’ve picked out some new stories to read while rocking her to sleep. Somehow—and I’m sure this will shock you—we’ve ended up reading John Gierach. We’re currently halfway through Trout Bum, and I plan to read every book to her before she’s old enough to ask for princess stories instead.
Of the many things that stand out to me when re-reading Gierach, his love affair with bamboo has been striking this go-round. He fished the blue-collar rods, the ones he could afford (and, in the case of Mike Clark’s rods, the ones he really couldn’t, but bought anyway). John was the first to tell you he wasn’t some expert angler, but he fished more often than most of us, so he certainly had a grasp on the performance he wanted in a fly rod.
When he didn’t use bamboo, I know in his later years he used an old Orvis Helios 2, because that’s the rod he rigged up while we fished a small creek together in Utah one spring. The Helios 2 was a fine rod, but by today’s standards? I’m not sure how many folks would view it.
Which got me thinking: are we asking too much of our fly rods these days? Anglers like Gierach, Koke Winters, AK Best, Ed Engle, Curt Gowdy, Lee Wulff, Gary LaFontaine, Vince Marinaro, and many of the other great writers of the sport never really bragged about their gear too much. Sure, they all likely used nice tackle, but by today’s standards, we’d probably laugh at a lot of their rods.
Then, you watch a video like the one below, where Wulff and Gowdy are catching 5-7 pound brook trout on bamboo rods, and wonder how much the rod actually matters.
Just last week, I received a new rod to review from a company who’s made some of the industry’s favorite sticks. I haven’t had it on the water yet, but I spent a half-hour casting with it on the lawn. My takeaway was that this rod felt an awful lot like the one it’s replacing—so why bother with something new in the first place?
Well, part of that is the insatiable demand for new and exciting. When a fly rod company discontinued a rod series that I personally think is the best they’ve ever built, a friend who works there told me, “It’s the end of the rod’s life cycle. It’s almost eight years old. We have to come out with something new.”
In their case, they had a new graphite and resin to work with, so there was technically something new, even if the differences were too minute for most anglers to appreciate.
Now, with some companies claiming a percentage increase in accuracy with their rod, or a return to old-school feeling with this rod, or the “lightest rod ever made,” it’s enough to make even a gear-junkie like me wonder if this is all getting out of hand. Fly rods are just tools, and at some point, won’t we reach a certain level of performance that just can’t be improved upon?
Some might argue we’re already there, and they may have a point. The differences between top-tier rods largely come down to the action you prefer, and whatever marketing copy speaks to your angling instincts the strongest. At that level, you’re buying feeling and brand more so than performance. A rod at the same price, from a different company, will put your hopper next to the bank just as effectively.
For the new anglers getting into the sport, the price disparity can create an expectation that top-end rods do almost everything for you. After all, shouldn’t a rod that costs as much as a mortgage payment make your casts laser-accurate, and hold your drink while doing so?
Maybe that’s what fly rods are missing. A drink holder is their intuitive leap forward in design.
Or, perhaps, fly rod design peaked years ago. We expect the latest and greatest rods to blow us away, but they’re just retreading ground we saw thirty years ago. Are our expectations out of whack, or are we just excited about new ways to spend money doing what we’ve always done: blowing off something more important so we can go fishing instead?
Follow along as we explore the latest fly fishing news and controversial opinions in This Week in Fly Fishing with Jared and Wills. In this episode, Max Erickson joins the crew to talk about the newest Flylords F3T Film, MAKO, and the behind-the-scenes of bringing it to life. We also discuss the new G. Loomis Asquith, Colorado’s record low snow-pack, and tips for carp fishing on the fly. Tune in for the news that matters and the debates that every angler has an opinion on.
In this week’s “How to Tie” feature, Cheech with Fly Fish Food shows us three effective ways to use soft hackles in fly tying, each offering a unique approach for making the most of your materials behind the vise.
Learn this Technique:
Difficulty: Intermediate
When it comes to natural materials, there may be none as versatile and fishy as soft hackle. Typically, they come in at moderate pricing and quantity, which makes it important to make the best use of every feather. This video explores different ways to do exactly that, and is worth the watch, read, and testing yourself. Although we don’t have a pattern this week, learning to tie with soft hackle is more valuable than one independent fly alone.
Cheech’s first method focuses on clumping soft hackles together to fit the correct proportions for the fly you are tying. This technique is helpful as it allows larger feathers to fit smaller flies and is the most efficient use of your materials. The second method involves creating a dubbing loop, which will also allow you to adjust the length of feather you’re tying and create an incredibly buggy profile with some added difficulty. The most common technique for tying soft hackles is the third, as it involves simply wrapping the feather around the hook shank. Depending on feather size, quality of your materials, and skill of the tyer, all three of these styles can be used interchangeably for a wide variety of patterns.
Soft hackles create some of the fishiest flies on the market today. Whether you are tying weightless classic flies or European nymphing tungsten beaded bombs, this material thrives. Additionally, swing style flies often implement soft hackles as they add effortless movement and profile, without sacrificing performance. Learning all three techniques described by Cheech in this video will ease tying pains, material waste, and increase productivity on the water, which is well worth the short watch.
Fly rods, no matter the context, are a highly subjective topic to discuss. In a day and age where there are countless high-quality options on the market, it can be hard to narrow down which rods are the “best”. While there is certainly a concrete spectrum of fly rod performance and craftsmanship, ultimately, the best fly rod is the one that you fish the best with—period. That said, we set out to test the newest saltwater fly rods with feedback from multiple anglers to avoid any angler bias.
The purpose of this piece is to highlight the best of the best and discuss where/why each rod excels, so you can consider your saltwater requirements and match a rod accordingly. Let’s dive in.
Narrowing down the dauntingly long list of saltwater fly rods was difficult, to say the least. We pulled together as many proficient anglers into the testing pool as possible to avoid angler bias. The format for testing and ranking rods was not a side-by-side shootout with identical casting conditions and fly lines, but instead included a mosaic of different environmental factors, fisheries, and nitty-gritty applications. Simply put, the best saltwater fly rod was by no means a unanimous verdict, so we’ve done our best to filter through our collective experiences and biases to spotlight the rods worth knowing about, and why.
All products featured on Flylords are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Testing took place in the inshore and offshore waters of my native Cape Cod, the marshes of Louisiana, and the turtle grass flats of the Yucatan, to name a few. From triple-digit Florida tarpon to 10-inch Danish sea trout, our testers checked as many saltwater boxes as possible, and in doing so, determined a list of essential performance criteria despite the differences in angling contexts. We unsurprisingly determined that for saltwater contexts, casting accuracy and distance were pivotal rod features. Overall, rod blank integrity and quality of hardware were also big contributors to scoring. Perhaps less obviously considered, rod nuances like the ability to pick up large amounts of line and casting accuracy at super close range were also scored.
Rod testing encompassed several species over several destinations throughout the year.
Because testing included so many different fishy brains and saltwater theatres, we also made a point to do a bit of side-by-side casting between rod models in a controlled backyard setting. Dropping flies into a hula-hoop at 30 vs. 60 feet is far from the same thing as leading a fish at the same ranges, but we felt some controlled testing parameters were necessary for setting apart some of the most comparable rods in particular. We also deliberately tested (mostly) nine weight rod models to ensure as much consistency in comparison as possible. Certain rod models that were tested for their performance regarding a particular function/application were not necessarily tested as a nine-weight, but rather as the appropriate weight for the given rod trait in question.
While it doesn’t really concern rod performance, each brand’s warranty and repair policies were also given due consideration, because most of us anglers are not made of money, and purchasing a top-tier saltwater fly rod is an investment that ought to be protected.
Exceptional lifting power for how light this rod feels in the hand
Very nice balance of casting power and presentation
Especially great tarpon rod for its ability to deliver accurate casts both near and far, and serious lifting power
Available as an 8’10” one-piece or a 9’ four-piece
Cons:
Expensive option
Some testers reported this rod felt underpowered in lower-weight models, so make sure you’re pairing this rod with an appropriate fly line
While choosing a winner for our favorite saltwater fly rod was nearly impossible, the Hardy Marksman Z was one of the only rods that all of our testers fell in love with. Offering remarkable performance across all the crucial rod stats as well as a beautiful aesthetic, rock-solid durability, and killer warranty, Hardy has hit all the bases and then some with this downright deadly masterpiece.
It doesn’t take long to feel the spectacular quality of craftsmanship once you pick up a Marskman Z, but fishing with this rod is a bit of a learning journey that will bring you to know it more and more intimately. This is a fast-action blank that’s easy to tell has quite a bit of power, so the level of sensitivity and potential for delicate presentations might not be so immediately obvious. Casting the Marksman Z is an absolute joy; it feels super light in hand, offering a very low swing weight that has no business simultaneously packing so much punch. It very nicely draws high-density fly lines off the water due to the purpose-built, beefier butt section engineered to provide serious lifting power, while the tip remains super sensitive.
The 9-weight Hardy Marksman Z was able to put the brakes on this giant bonefish in short order.
Where the Marksman Z really excels, in my opinion, is its versatility in tackling different casting and fighting scenarios on the flats. The rod loads up beautifully with minimal false casting for making long and precise shots, while also offering killer accuracy at closer range. This is largely due to the mindful balancing of the stiffer/stronger butt section and the softer tip. I feel just as lethal punching through the wind to reach a cruising bonefish before it’s out of range as I do dropping a precise 25-foot shot to an easily-spooked tailing permit. We even tested a twelve-weight Marksman Z while targeting offshore bluefin, and it was by far our favorite rod for the task despite not being a designated big-game option. There are not many rods on the market that offer this range of adaptability, which was a huge factor in our decision to rank this stick the best overall.
Beyond the Marksman Z’s level of performance while actively presenting to and fighting fish, the durability of this rod is also exquisite. Built with a Sintrix FLT matrix of carbon fiber and nano silica resin, you can really put the beans to this rod when muscling heavy and stubborn fish to the boat or beach. I’ve fought many a striped bass from the rocks with an eight-weight Marksman Z in hand, and I’m still impressed every time I hook a solid striper at how much pressure I can deliver during the end game in particular. Ceramic-lined titanium-framed stripper guides and titanium RECoil snake guides go on to further display Hardy’s commitment to utilizing top-tier materials and hardware, so you’re getting what you pay for here. I own an eight-weight and a twelve-weight, both of which have been through figurative war while fishing around the world, and they barely look any worse for wear despite my best efforts to beat them up. Speaking of looks, the cerulean colored blank and classy aesthetics of the cork and hardware are downright sexy in my opinion.
Guides: REC black pearl recoil guides and blacked-out double-foot snake guides
Warranty: Lifetime + easy rod section replacements
Price: $649.95
Pros:
Excellent power, accuracy, and overall feel for the price point
Integrated hook keep on each side of the reel seat for stowing your fly
Cons:
Fighting butt used for the 6 through 9wts is adequate, but we prefer the larger style fighting butt used for the 10-12wts
My first time casting the Moment was in the sideways rain, battling nearly 30mph winds. Tough conditions to say the least, yet my impressions were instantly positive. Without exaggerating, I was pretty blown away by the loading power and line shooting ability of this rod, especially considering the reasonable price point—$650 isn’t exactly what I would call cheap, but I can say with confidence that the Moment’s performance competes with the top-tier $1000+ fly rods on the market.
TFO lists the Moment’s action as extra-fast, but nearly all of our testers agreed that this feels like a fast or perhaps even moderate-fast rod when compared to some of the other super-speedy sticks tested. I personally have an affinity for exceptionally fast-action rods, so the slightly slower feel of the Moment was a nice change of pace for me that forced me to slow down a bit and put my casting technique to the test.
A healthy redfish caught on the TFO Moment during testing.
Featuring an especially fast tip, the rod is a brilliant balance of power and sensitivity, engineered to generate high line speeds and tight loops, perfect for punching through challenging wind. The extra-fast recovery of the tip section also enables it to load up quickly with minimal false casting, so fast-paced sight fishing for bones and permit is absolutely within the Moment’s wheelhouse. TFO furthermore decided to leave the rod blank unsanded and unpainted, resulting in not only a lower rod weight, better recovery speeds, and higher overall integrity, but also a rod that sheds glare. Sneaky flats fishermen, take note—any edge to approach a spooky tailing fish unnoticed is appreciated.
The Moment performed great while fighting large stripers, lifting heavy sinking lines from the surf, and casting big streamers while testing on the East Coast, a testament to this rod’s integrity. If you do somehow manage to blow up this rod, TFO covers the Moment with their lifetime no-fault warranty. Perhaps better yet, you can purchase individual rod segments at a reasonable rate for the Moment (and all other current TFO rods), which ship right away without having to send in your rod. Boasting impressive rod specs, build quality, and performance for the price point, the Moment by TFO is our pick for the best value saltwater fly rod.
Guides: Titanium frame stripping guides with Silicon Carbide inserts and REC recoil titanium snake guides
Warranty: 25-year
Price: $1198
Pros
A superbly accurate rod at both close and distant ranges
Casting the more moderate action is more technical than a super-fast rod, yet quite forgiving
Cons
Expensive
Some anglers might not love the rod aesthetics and loud branding on the butt section
The new Helios from Orvis has been making a lot of noise across the fly fishing industry, and we’re here to confirm it’s not just marketing mayhem. Engineered to outperform the previous generation of Helios rods on all fronts, the latest and greatest iteration of Orvis’s premium rod series is worth the hype.
Available in two models, F (finesse) and D (distance), we found the Helios D, which provides greater line speed and lifting power, to be better suited for most saltwater contexts. While this is considered a fast-action rod, my first days on the water with the Helios really forced me to slow down my casting stroke, and I’m admittedly still probably waving this wand more quickly than I ought to be. That being said, I can launch an entire floating fly line with the Helios despite my sub-par casting cadence, which I think speaks volumes about the rod technology introduced here.
Feeling a bit softer than most of my saltwater sticks, it can be fished just as effectively in close-quarters, high-pressure shots as at distance. Similar in adaptability to the Hardy Marksman Z, the Helios is, without question, one of our top-rated rods for conquering different casting demands and overall versatility. This makes it an excellent choice for flats fishermen who require a rod that can handle the constant unpredictability of where skinny water species will pop up next.
The only real downfall of the Helios we discovered is the rod’s lifting power, or lack thereof. Orvis has engineered this rod to be nearly unbreakable, so the amount of bend you can put into this rod is astounding. We found that the level of flex all the way to the cork very intimately connects you to the fish that you’re fighting, but can also make lifting the big boys to the net or boat a bit tricky. I’ve struggled to force big striped bass off the bottom despite being oriented directly above them during the endgame more than a few times. While you might feel a bit undergunned when it comes time to horse fish to the boat or sand, the good news is you’ll be extremely hard-pressed to blow this rod up. Furthermore, if you do somehow manage to bust your Helios, Orvis has you covered with a 25-year warranty.
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty and Xpeditor program
Price: $1635 (8–9-wt), $1750 (11–12-wt)
Pros:
Extremely accurate
Great balance
Excellent blend of power and castability
Cons:
Modern looks not for everyone
The most expensive rod we tested
When G. Loomis first released the Asquith, it tested the market for what premium fly rods cost. Now with the release of the new Asquith, G. Loomis is testing the market again, this time with a price of $1,750. This makes this the most expensive carbon fly rod on the market by far.
On the water, you get what you’d expect out of this fly rod. It has ample power to punch through headwinds, a dynamic action that is capable of delivering casts at any distance, and a lightweight swing weight. But that begs the question, is it worth the price?
Compared to other flagship fly rods, the Asquith was at the top, if not the top, fly rod we tested. However, it was not leaps and bounds better. For the price, it makes it hard to justify spending the money on this rod. In addition, the Asquith features a modern-looking reel seat that may not be for everyone. At the end of the day, if you want the very best and are willing to pay, this is the rod for you, but for most of us, there are other rods that suit our needs for significantly less.
Guides: REC Titanium shape memory Cerecoil stripper guides with zirconia inserts and REC Titanium recoil guides
Warranty: Limited Lifetime
Price: $895
Pros:
Lovely balance and overall castability
Surprising amount of power for its weight and action
Glare-resistant blank won’t blow your cover on the flats
Reasonable price point for the quality of craftsmanship and performance
Cons:
Requires particularly high line speed for long-distance casting
Rod aesthetic is quite neutral rather than striking
A rod that’s not spoken about enough in our opinion, the Sky G from Douglas is a remarkably lightweight and well-balanced saltwater rod option that should be on your radar. Another rod that we loved for its versatility across all performance categories, this is a stellar do-it-all option for anglers who demand that their rod hits all the major bases.
After ample testing, we can’t decide which the Sky G excels at most—sensitivity, distance casting, or accuracy —and that’s a good problem to have. This is an impressive conundrum considering some of these rod specs exist at opposite ends of the spectrum. The nine-weight weighs in at just 3.97 ounces, so this is a truly feather-light rod in hand that scores as one of the lowest swing weights in its class. All of our testers were instantly impressed with the balance and lack of heft of the Sky G before even casting it. Despite its almost comically low weight, gaining familiarity with this rod is very intuitive, so learning to cast accurately and at long range comes quickly and easily. Several of our rod testers agreed that for those extra-long shots, the Sky G requires particularly high line speed, so a good double haul is a must. That being said, when you need to drop a close-range, precise cast, the Sky G is surprisingly willing to very nicely load up and lay out shorter lengths of fly line.
The author with a nice striped bass caught wading the beaches of Cape Cod.
We were also impressed by the Sky G’s inherent power once we hooked into a few fish. Don’t let the dainty in-hand feel fool you into thinking this rod is anything short of burly; it provides quite a lot of lifting power, so you can really lay into stubborn fish and feel confident aggressively pulling away from structure. Douglas has constructed this multi-modulus blank with G-Tec platelets and G-Armour coating. Translation: the Sky G is over-engineered to hold its own under extreme pressure. Between the titanium guides, AAAA flor-grade cork, and skeletonized aluminum reel seat, Douglass has equipped this rod with high-quality components on all fronts.
Boasting stellar performance across all categories, high-quality craftsmanship, and a limited lifetime warranty policy, it’s worth noting that the $900 price point of the Sky G is more than fair. Premium quality at sub-premium pricing is something we can all get behind, so if you’ve always wanted to spring for an industry-leading rod, here’s your chance to do so for a few hundred bucks less than a lot of the comparable options.
Guides: Black Pearl RECOIL guides by REC and ultra-lightweight black single-foot snake guides
Warranty: Lifetime + easy rod section replacements
Price: $579.95
Pros:
Extended, IGFA-compliant fighting butt for picking up and casting large flies
Integrated hook keeper for stowing your fly and an engraved Game Changer style fly logo on the reel seat.
Cons:
Only offered as an eight, ten, or twelve weight
Longer rod handle takes a little getting used to
Engineered to turn over the biggest and most heinous profile flies, the BC Big Fly from Temple Fork Outfitters is a brilliant tool for slinging monster patterns at monster fish. Built with an extra-fast action for supporting high line speeds and long-distance casting, this is a rod that every big-fly enthusiast should have on their radar.
As an avid striped bass angler on Cape Cod, I’m used to casting appallingly large flies from the beach. Massive game changers, eel patterns, and bulkhead decievers are the name of my game, so a lot of my fly box consists of 8-inch plus patterns that cast like a wet sock. Casting particularly large-profile, heavy flies takes a toll on your casting arm quickly (just ask my wrist specialist), so any way to minimize fatigue and maximize shootability while pitching BIG patterns is pivotal. The BC Big Fly performed exactly as advertised—excelling at handling large and in-charge streamers with grace.
I fully expected the rod to sacrifice sensitivity and in-hand feel in exchange for the purpose-built taper intended to generate exceptionally high casting power, but it turned out to be a false assumption. The BC Big Fly has killer balance and feels deadly in your hand, much more reminiscent of a premium rod than a value option. Once I got an aggressive 6-IPS full-sink line in the air, however, the burly backbone and loading power of this rod became instantly apparent. TFO lists the rod action as extra-fast, but in my opinion, it’s just fast (there are much faster rod actions on the market). While it’s of course a matter of preference, many anglers agree that a bit more flex feels stellar when loading up heavy sinking lines in particular, really enabling you to generate power deep into the blank. The BC Big Fly does just that when casting high-density and sink-rate fly lines, so those who consistently fish sinking lines (regardless of fly size) will no doubt find a friend here.
TFO unfortunately only offers this rod as an eight, ten, or twelve-weight, so your options are limited on that front. Intending to put the rod to the test for big fly applications with striped bass in mind, I opted to go with the ten-weight. Weighing in at just 5.5 ounces, the total weight is impressively low considering the massive composite cork handle and fighting butt.
Length: Available in 8′ 4″, 8’ 10”, and 9′ 0″ lengths
Weight (9ft 9wt): ***** ounces
Guides: Nickel Titanium CeRecoil stripping guides with super slick, Zirconia inserts and recoil nickel titanium snake guides
Warranty: Lifetime
Price: $1,095
Pros:
Lightweight feel in hand
Fast action rod blank with softer tip section
Extremely accurate
Cons:
Rod finish may not be for everyone
Scott Fly Rods has a long-standing reputation for making premium, purpose-driven fly rods, and the Sector is no exception. It is the only saltwater-specific offering from Scott; other comparable offerings are marketed as “all-water” rods. With that said, the Sector would be the focus of this test.
While it didn’t take home the award for best overall, the Sector was right there with the Hardy Marksman Z. The Sector is a fast-action rod, delivering the power and performance you’d expect from a premium saltwater rod. The lower two-thirds of the rod fall into the truly fast category, resulting in exceptional line speed, the ability to punch through stiff winds, and deliver a fly at distance.
However, power and distance don’t necessarily convert to a great rod. To check the box of an exceptional rod, accuracy and casting ability at all distances are key. Scott solves this issue with a softer tip section. This is a two-fold solution that aids in accurate, soft casts while also properly loading the rod up close. Most fast-action rods often overlook this, but when a fish sneaks up on you, turning your fly over with minimal false casts is essential. A rod that can do this, accurately and repeatedly, like the Sector, will turn otherwise blown shots into more fish on the end of your line.
The Sector, like all Scott Rods, comes with an original owner lifetime guarantee—just be sure to register your rod, otherwise this is voided. The rod is complete with premium guides, reel seat, and cork, along with an unpainted carbon blank. For those looking for an American-made, performance-driven saltwater fly rod, take a serious look at the Scott Sector.
Guides: Titanium frame stripping guides with SiC inserts and chrome-plated stainless-steel snake guides
Warranty: Lifetime
Price: $549.99
Pros:
Excellent value option offering near top-tier performance at a mid-tier price range
Ultra-fast action provides a ton of power for long-distance casting
Unique and sharp aesthetic
Cons:
Feels fairly heavy in hand compared to the top-tier competition
Lacks recoil guides
Another excellent quality option that won’t break the bank, the Cobalt from Lamson is our runner-up for the best value saltwater fly rod. Able to hold its own alongside the premium rods we tested at about half the cost, the Cobalt offered stellar overall performance, particularly for our testers who lean towards an extra-fast action stick.
The Cobalt is a versatile, value-oriented fly rod.
Sporting an especially stiff butt section for delivering big-time power, the Cobalt is a cannon when it comes to line speed and distance casting, as well as punching through stiff winds. The rod’s stiffer base is, however, nicely complemented by a more moderate action tip and mid-section, so that the blank loads up intimately and keeps those speedy loops both tight and accurate. While the in-hand feel, swing weight, and overall balance of this rod don’t quite match up to the top-tier rods we tested, the Cobalt barely fell short when it came down to actual on-the-water performance. In other words, this rod puts the fly directly in the zone up against difficult casting conditions, but doesn’t quite have that extra-lethal feeling in your hand. Available for a mere $550, we think the Cobalt absolutely outperforms its price point.
All things considered, after a few days on the water, the Cobalt might make you wonder why folks spend the big bucks on premium-tier fly rods. Offering all of the power, accuracy, and sensitivity you need out of a high-quality saltwater stick, this is an equally fantastic option as either a daily driver or backup rod, depending on your existing arsenal.
Guides: Recoil titanium alloy snake guides and Titanium frame stripping guides with ceramic inserts
Warranty: Lifetime
Price: $995.00
Pros:
Exquisite swing weight, balance, and overall feel in hand
Shorter length makes this a great boat rod
Shape and size of the fighting butt was arguably our favorite of all the rods tested
100% American-made in Greenfield, MA
Cons:
Shorter length may make keeping your fly line off the water while wading and casting difficult (shorter anglers beware!)
The new Exocett 88 from T&T is a unique saltwater stick due to its 8 foot 8 inch length and exceptional in-hand feel. Designed to minimize fatigue, we initially picked this rod as a candidate for long days of blind casting and/or lifting and casting heavy sink lines. We confirmed that the Exocett 88 is, in fact, an excellent rod for sink line applications, but were pleasantly surprised to discover this rod’s knockout performance with intermediate and floating lines as well.
This is the type of rod that immediately leaves an impression on you upon picking it up. The Exocett 88 is not exceptionally lightweight at 4.9 ounces (nine-weight), but its balance more than makes up for that. I remarked during my first session, casting a 9-weight Exocett 88, that it felt like a 7-weight, and I was barely exaggerating. Our other rod testers agreed—this option feels wildly dainty and almost toy-like in hand; that is, until you get some line up or hook a fish. Once you have a substantial amount of fly line in the air, it’s easy to sense the surprising amount of power in the blank. Fighting fish also immediately turns the Exocett 88 from an ultra-sensitive and delicate wand into a burly workhorse, enabling you to aggressively turn fish in current and effectively lift the big boys to the boat.
The shorter length and steep taper utilized here translate to ultra-fast recovery, dramatically boosting long-distance casting and minimizing swing effort. Another feature worth mentioning that I find underrated in fly rods is the style of fighting butt used here. The slightly larger-than-standard, rounded-off two-inch fighting butt is, in my opinion, far superior to shorter, stouter alternatives when pulling on fish.
The only real downfall to the 88 is the rod’s shorter length while wade fishing. Compared to standard nine-foot rods, the four-inch shorter length lowers your loop more than you might expect, so shorter anglers in particular might struggle to keep their fly line from slapping the water while wading above the waist. Keep in mind, however, that a shorter length rod enables you to load up fly line for making accurate, close shots sooner—so the eight-foot, eight-inch spec is really only a double-edged sword if you consistently find yourself pushing the limits of your waders. A slightly shorter, less wieldy rod is also of course your friend when it comes to fishing from a poling skiff or any vessel really, so the 88 makes for a fantastic boat rod.
Honorable Mentions:
While we couldn’t include every rod on our list, here are a few notable rods that didn’t make the cut but are nonetheless worth considering.
Sage Salt R8:
Sage’s newest flagship rod delivers the fast action and accurate casts saltwater anglers expect. That said, at its premium price point, we can’t help but notice something is missing with this rod. Perhaps it’s personal preference, but the R8 Salt doesn’t have the in-hand feel you’d expect from Sage. Compared to other rods, it does everything a saltwater fly rod should do well, but it doesn’t do anything the best. ($1,100)
Hardy Ultralite X:
An ultra-fast action stick that we loved for dropping lengthy, delicate presentations with the wind right in your face. Designed with a powerful butt section and an especially high recovery rate, the Ultralite X drives extra-tight loops and beautifully handles big flies and stiff winds. Available up to an eight-weight, this is a fantastic bonefish, striper, and redfish rod for anglers with an affinity for fast-action rods. ($995)
Thomas & Thomas Sextant:
Another especially versatile rod due to its accuracy at close range and inherent casting power to more distant targets, the Sextant from T&T is just as lovely to cast as it is aesthetically striking. Built with quick recovery and high line speeds in mind, both expert and novice anglers alike will very quickly get to know this rod intimately. T&T even gives you the option to add a custom inscription and select your preferred stripping guides. ($1,095 – $1,175)
Orvis Clearwater:
A longstanding Orvis rod series, every generation of the Clearwater over the years has impressed us, especially given the entry-level price point. Offering fast action at higher rod weights and more sensitivity than you might think possible out of a budget rod, this is a stellar choice for new saltwater anglers or those looking to pick up a reliable backup rod that you’ll still be stoked to fish with. ($298)
FAQs:
Q: What weight fly rod for saltwater?
Which weight fly rod to fish for saltwater applications is entirely dependent on the environmental conditions, style of fishing, and, of course, the preference of the angler. Different target species, different fly lines, and different fly profiles and weights all call for different strength and sensitivity rod blanks, so there are many factors to consider when selecting the right saltwater stick for the job. Some fisheries might even call for an eight-weight one day, and a ten-weight the next, so there is no definitive “do-it-all” saltwater rod. That being said, if I had to choose one weight fly rod for the best compatibility with the greatest variety of species and saltwater scenarios, I would go with a nine-weight.
A nine-weight has the power to punch through stiff wind and turn over relatively meaty flies while also retaining a nice degree of sensitivity and feel. Generally speaking, a nine-weight also protects your tippet better than higher-weight rods, so it’s a superior choice to a ten-weight when the conditions or target species at hand demand you fish lighter leader strengths. With a nine-weight in hand, I’ve felt confident fighting substantially sized tarpon and also intimately connected to smaller-sized bonefish. I’ve managed to turn over 7-inch striper patterns on sinking lines and to delicately drop tiny crab patterns in 10 inches of water. While owning a quiver of rods is the best solution for conquering each and every saltwater scenario, I’m a firm believer that a quality nine-weight offers the greatest overall versatility of any saltwater stick.
Q: Can you use a saltwater fly rod in freshwater?
Saltwater fly rods can absolutely excel in freshwater fishing. Many of my saltwater sticks play a comparable but different role in my quiver of freshwater rods, so the lines are blurred, really. My fast and accurate eight-weight, which I primarily utilize for bonefishing, is also my go-to rod for tossing big freshwater streamers to largemouth bass. It’s a deadly precise rod that threads the needle between lily pads and lake structure just as well as it gingerly drops shrimp patterns in front of a tailing bone. I also prefer to rely on a slightly beefier eight-weight as opposed to a six or seven-weight rod for pulling largemouth out of weed beds and structure without worrying about overexerting and blowing up my rod. I’ve experienced another salt/freshwater crossover the few times that I’ve pike fished, utilizing a ten-weight that I typically target striped bass with in order to effectively manage the heavy sinking lines and massive streamers required for the species.
Things to Consider
A new saltwater fly rod is not a small purchase, so doing your due diligence researching different model options and how closely they match your specific angling needs is paramount. In this day and age, there are countless high-quality fly rods on the market, which can make selecting the right one feel difficult. Think about the most important qualities you require from your rod, research rod models that satisfy your criteria, and if possible, visit a fly shop that carries the rod and see how it feels for yourself. The main detail to consider while selecting a new fly rod is, in our opinion, rod action and how it will translate to your expected fishing style/conditions. After you break that down, we suggest examining the utilized hardware and warranty policy for any rod you’re considering purchasing.
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While most anglers lean towards a faster rod for most saltwater applications, there are certainly scenarios in which fishing a slower action stick can be preferable. Softer rods protect tippet better, so anglers who target large and powerful species on lower leader strengths might gravitate towards a more moderate or slower-action option. When making close-range shots to cruising or tailing fish, getting properly loaded up to drop an accurate cast will require less fly line with a slower action rod. While I personally prefer an extra-fast action rod while fishing in the tropics, I’ve blown countless close-quarters permit shots because I couldn’t effectively load up a measly 20 feet of fly line in time for an accurate cast. Punching through wind and precise long-distance casting are more important stats to me than close-range accuracy, but there are many accomplished permit fishermen who are of the exact opposite camp. At the end of the day, rod action is just as much a matter of preference as it is necessity, so always go with the rod that you fish best with. If you want to go deeper into the rod action rabbit hole and learn more about how it relates to your style of fishing, check out this neat, informative piece from Orvis.
Lastly, make sure you’re taking a look at the warranty or repair/replacement policy for any rod you’re interested in. The turnaround times and fees of some brands are less than ideal—especially if you’re on a tight schedule or budget. A nice saltwater fly rod is a substantial investment, and we all know that things happen, so don’t be left high and dry in the event you bust a rod.
Final Thoughts
Truth be told, the fly fishing market is, at this point, saturated with phenomenal fly rods. In our testing, the difference between our favorite rods and runner-ups was often the slimmest of margins. While rod mechanics, angling conditions and scenarios, and price point should all steer your decision-making process, it should really come down to personal preference.
