I freely admit that I have a problem when it comes to fly rods. I own more than 40, and in my career as a fishing writer, I’ve reviewed probably six or seven dozen. I’ve used a few clunkers, but most of the rods were great for their intended use, price point, or both.
I remember reading once that something like 70% of fly rods sold in the U.S. are 9′ 5-weights. I’m not sure if that number is accurate, but the 9′ 5-weight is certainly the bestseller, and it’s the rod configuration I get almost every time when reviewing a new stick. That makes sense, since the 9′ 5-weight is a do-it-all rod that handles dry flies, nymphs, and smaller streamers with relative ease. Today’s 5-weights, especially, are jack-of-all-trades rods for anyone fishing for trout.
Despite their popularity, I’m a firm believer that they’re not the perfect rod for most of us. In all but one or two aspects, an 8’6″ rod is superior to a 9-footer.
Accuracy
The shorter a fly rod is, the more inherently accurate that rod is. For all the hoopla over the new Orvis Helios and its accuracy, the 8’6″ 5-weight will be more accurate than the 9′ 5-weight. The longer a rod is, the more side-to-side movement it’ll have during the cast. That side-to-side movement causes the rod tip to track off a straight line, and when that happens, your accuracy plummets.
Yes, accuracy is largely on your shoulders as the angler, but some rods are built in such a way to minimize that side-to-side movement that causes accuracy problems.
Case-in-point: last week, I was on a float trip with two friends. We were on a medium-sized tailwater (large enough for drift boats, but not too many boats or it starts to feel crowded) and the blue-winged olives were hatching. Every other angler I saw was throwing a 9-foot rod of some sort. I had my 8’6″ 5-weight Winston Air 2, and it was only when I needed to punch casts past 50 feet that I regretted bringing the short stick.
You often need to throw longer casts from a drift boat than when you’re wading, though, and when we left the boat to stalk rising trout on foot, I didn’t have a problem getting the distance I needed.
What impressed me the most, though, was how I could tuck casts underneath branches, in tight windows, and drop flies right where I wanted them. I’m a middling caster at best, so I appreciate rods that eliminate accuracy variables and put it all on me. I made casts on that trip that I probably couldn’t have made with a 9-foot rod.
Dom Swentosky, over at Troutbitten, described it like this: “If you’ve learned the nuances of your favorite tool, and your technique is solid, then you likely have the necessary accuracy. But you’d be even more accurate with a shorter rod.”
This isn’t a thinly-veiled plug for Winston, either. I had the same experience when fishing the 8’6″ 5-weight Sage Classic R8, too. Every 8’6″ rod I’ve thrown in the past year or so has been a more accurate experience than its 9-foot cousin.
Better With Dry Flies
There’s a reason many of the sought-after collectible dry fly rods are either 8′ or 8’6″ long. These shorter rods are often designed with a softer tip section, which helps present dry flies with more subtlety.
I’m not saying that 9-foot rods are awful here. It’s just that the difference between those and an 8’6″ is almost night-and-day.
Close Quarters
Obviously, a shorter rod is easier to work with in tight, brushy streams. But it’s not just the length of the rod itself that makes it better for close-quarters casting. Shorter rods have a quicker recovery time (the time it takes for the rod to bend, then return to its original unbent position). That speeds the rod up, especially at short distances, which can help you make those short casts with less effort.
Where 9-foot Rods Excel
9-foot rods have the edge in power and line control, especially at distance. An 8’6″ rod’s sweet casting spot tends to fall right in the traditional trout fishing distances of 25-50 feet. Past that, longer rods are king.
But how often are you throwing casts that far? My guess is, a lot less often than you’d think. If you’re making longer casts, dealing with a lot of wind, or partial to throwing heavier rigs on your 5-weight, than a 9-foot rod is probably best for you. 9-foot rods also have more reach, so you can high-stick and mend easier, especially if you fish a lot of pocket water.
I’m hard-pressed, though, to want to give up my 8’6″ rods, even though they’re not as powerful and don’t have the reach of their 9-foot brethren. The accuracy improvements, the tight loops, and the increased feel I get out of an 8’6″ rod make the tradeoffs worth it for me.
Granted, I live and fish in the Rockies. I’m within a two-hour drive of two famous tailwaters, a handful of large freestones, and I’m a half-day away from some of the sport’s most heralded fisheries. Most of my fishing is on medium-sized water, while walking and wading. When summer rolls around, I’m in the high country every chance I get, where the streams aren’t all that big (but the fish sometimes can be). The 8’6″ rod suits my needs perfectly.
If you fish similar types of water, I recommend giving an 8’6″ rod a try. You might be surprised at just how much fun they are.