What is the ideal setup for catching trout in the mountains? What lenght, weight rod etc? thanks
depends a lot on the surroundings. Whether its open or overhanging trees. a 9 1/2 ft rod will give you more distance but will be harder to cast in thicker cover. A 8 ft rod will be easier to cast in cover but cant get as much distance. usually a 4-6 wt is good for larger trout wheras if your fishing for brookies 2-4 wt. ya have to compromise somewhere along the line whether you want the extra distance or want to be able to cast to that trout between the tree branches.
strip…strip…FISH ON!
I agree w/ Flyfishn 100%. It really depends on where you fish. I love going to some of the smaller streams and creeks up near Elkin and Sparta, so I use a 6 1/2 foot 3wt there. It’s easier to pick my way through the brush and overhanging trees. You have to be stealthy sight fishing a short rod up close under trees though.
If I’m fishing the Nantahala, the New or the Dan I use my 8 1/2 foot 5wt. Plenty of room for casting and it’s fun to lay out a long line sometimes. My main reason for the longer rod is the ability to reach more spots with LESS line out and LESS movement. I try to stalk and sight fish just like I would on a small stream. The longer rod keeps be from having to move as much in bigger water.
So much water, So little time
stay w/in the 3-4 wt range, their lighter tip protects fine tippets needed to fool most trout. If you hook a fly onto a post/fence and (keeping the rod high) try to break a 5x or so tippet with a 3 wt rod, you’ll notice that the rod absorbs the tension and not the leader. Not so w/ sig. larger rods. I have fished 7’ and 7’6 rods mostly in the mtns, distance has never been an issue, although long line mends can be trickier. W/ a longer rod you cound always break it down to a 2 piece and throw a 4.5 ft tip w/ the reel in your pocket:smiley:
7’-6 to 9’-0, 3wt-5wt depending on conditions. Smaller streams can be tricky but they are managable. I use a 8’-8 4 wt for just about all of my fishing. Floating line and 7’-0 to 10’-0 4x-8x leader and tippet. Right now small size 18-28 flies fished slow.
Where are you thinking about going for trout?
scott4wt
Buddy’s parents have a place at the Greenbriar. They are members of the sporting club. Not sure what that is but it looks like there are streams nearby to fish in. No clue what to do. Only fished saltwater on the fly and not with a lot of luck. I have a 4wt rod that i use in ponds for bream and bass. There is an orvis shop at the greenbriar so I will just pick up whatever flies people are using at the time.
I would stick to a 4-6 weight rod 8 to 8 1/2 feet in length and using woolybuggers black or olive with a brass bead head fly that way you dont have to worry about trying to figure out how to fish nymphs and dry flies big learining curve there good luck
This is a fly I came up with when I was in Coloado and it SLAYED the brownies… I used to pair it up with a small nymph about 18" behind it, tied to the bend in the hook, and hauled in a quite a few doubles, brownie on the craw and a nice bow in the nymph. The one in the photo is the first one I tied up but I did add Moose mane to it as antenna, If the stream is slow moving and there are crawdads about you’ll have a good time with this one…Fish it along the bottom with a series of 3 quick strips and a twitch. With a little tweaking this has also turned out to be a pretty good shrimp pattern. Well it looks shrimpy, I have yet to fish one yet…
“I’ll be your huckleberry…” --Doc Holiday
That’s a nice looking fly. Thanks for posting that-I think I’ll tie up a couple to try to fool some carp and smallies up here.
Mike