How many fly rods do you actually use?

[Waterborne]

In a given year, how many fly rods do you actually use?

I got into this game a little over a year ago. I've purchased and resold way too many fly rods. I bought into the tackle peddlers' hype of "building a quiver" of rods. So now I have 5 rods just for them pesky trout.

TFO Finesse 6'9" 1 wt - locals
St. Croix Avid 7'9" 3 wt - alpine/backpacking
Scott A3 8' 4 wt - all around for Eastside and Kern
Sage Vantage 9' 4 wt - short line nymphing
TFO BVK 9' 6 wt - streamers and wind

Some of you might find 5 rods completely insufficient, and others might find it opulent and unnecessary. I'm starting believe that I could be perfectly happy with just two trout rods (2 wt for the small stuff and 4 wt for the Eastside and Kern). That would honestly cover 100% of my fly fishing.

So, do you have a quiver of rods (i.e., a set of specific rods for specific applications), AND fish all the rods in your quiver over a course of a season? I'm not talking about collections. I see nothing wrong with owning a collection of stamps, guns, bottle caps, impressionist paintings, fly rods, etc, and not using a single one IF collecting is your thing. I'm more interested in finding out how many rods you have in your functional quiver.

[WanderingBlues]

I have a Sage TXL 1wt, a TFO Finesse 2 & 3wt, A Sage One 3wt, and TFO Finesse 5wt. I use the Sage rods all the time, and the 5 wt if I'm on a big fish water with CFS that may cause issues with turning it's head. My son uses the other 2 & 3's.

[Dry Fly Rie]

I have a very "bare-bones" collection of rods that will pale in comparison to some of the quivers on this board, but here's my line-up:

-Orvis Green Mountain 8ft 6wt for warm water ponds (bass & bluegill) and windy days on Hot Creek

-Orvis Green Mountain 8ft 4wt for the majority of my Eastside fishing, and when I specifically target bluegill

-La Crosse 7ft 2wt for smaller creeks

That's it for me. None of my rods cost more than $100, and I've had the 4wt for about 20 years (got it for my 12th birthday as my first fly rod). FWIW, I got the La Crosse 2wt for $60 on eBay, and have absolutely loved it on some smaller Sierra creeks.

[hpskiff]

I thought I had too many rods until I met a few people on this board. Lets just say this topic could get seriously long winded. But if I stick to just the rods I use...as in no spares, backups, or just in case AND if I leave out the rods that only get used in a downhill counterclockwise hurricane for speckle peacock barumundi in brackish water over 82.7 degrees....I would say 4 actually get used on a regular basis:

1. 6'5" 3wt for local tiny water
2. 8'6" 5wt. for trout on bigger water
3. 7'11" 8 wt. bass taper with floating line for bass (fresh and saltwater) & bluegill.
4. 8' 3" 9wt that throws a sink-head line better than the bass rod.

As for how many are actually squirreled away in the closet, I'd rather not say but the latest news report shows an influx of 20lb. sea-run golden trout migrating through the Salton Sea so I may get to use that purple one after all.

[Pete]

Actually use huh?

3-4 weight 7' Bamboo
5-6 weight 7'6" Bamboo

Will probably be adding a 2-3 weight 6'3" Bamboo.

Other than that I have several rods that I think I am going to use, but you know how it is. You find your favorites and usually stick with them. Although I may build another plastic switch rod for the ocean / steelhead. Don't have the heart to get the Nickel Silver hardware near the salt on the St.Croix switch I built .

[Rasputinj]

6ft 3wt bamboo for tiny SoCal creeks

8ft 4wt for slightly larger creeks for better reach

9ft 4wt for most streams, Kern, Owens, HC

10ft 3wt for Czech or indicator Nymphing used on Kern last week.

9ft 5wt for when the wind kicks up or for larger fish on Stillwater

I do need to get something around 7ft also.

[midger]

You've posed an interesting question. The number of rods I actually use depends on what I plan on fishing for any given year. I haven't used my 7 and 8 weight Sage RPLs (both 9' long) in a couple of years as I haven't targeted salmon or steelhead recently, but when I do, those get used.

For trout on medium to larger streams/rivers I use my 9' RPL which I had custom made back in 1990. It is my favorite rod and I have a couple of new, in the tube backups just in case something were to happen to it. I use it for chucking streamers, large double or triple nymph rigs, and hopper/dropper combos. It is also my go to drift boat rod and will always be in the boat with 2-3 additional rods--generally a 3 weight (sage 8'9" SLT) and a 6 weight (sage 9' rpl) and possibly the 7 weight if it's a big river and I anticipate the need to throw large streamers into wind .


For smaller streams, I use the 8'9" SLT which enables me to throw double midge rigs or dries, depending on the need. This is my go to rod for the bishop area.

For SoCal locals, I use a 7'9" Forecast rod I made up 3-4 years ago. It can throw double nymph rigs (smaller nymphs) or dries.

I'm not a real short rod proponent as I like to mend my line a lot while drifting, and frankly have found that the shorter rods just don't do it for me. I've had them down to 6' but now the shortest rod I own is 7'6", and it rarely gets used.

I have many rods that never see useage except in situations that might require something one of the above rods can't do. You might say I'm a collector, I guess, as I have somewhere north of 20 rods and south of 50 rods. Frankly I don't really know as they are strung out between Idaho and California, in storeage units and closets, etc. If my wife knew how many I had, I'd probably be looking for a new home. Maybe I could live in Pete's rod making palace.

Actually one of my goals for this fall and winter will be to list and sell a number of these overflow rods(sage, winston, tfo, powell, loomis)

[NorcalBob]

First the disclaimer; I have around 100 fly rods in my quiver, from ultralight up to 12 WT, most of the popular line weights in a variety of lengths to do whatever job I need to do. So, I have no shortage of rods from which to choose!
Over the previous 12 months I have used the following rods. By far, my most utilized rod in my quiver is my 10' Orvis Helios 7 WT. Nothing else even comes close to the amount of use it gets. It's used for shad, trout lake fishing, trophy river trout, steelhead, and the surf. My second most utilized rod is my 9' Orvis Helios 8 WT.
PS, all of these rods are Orvis Helios' (except where noted).
7.5' 4 WT Bamboo (custom made by Thomas Key)
9' 4 WT (mid-flex and tip flex)
9' 5 WT (mid-flex)
10' 5 WT (tip flex)
9.5' 6 WT (tip flex)
11' 6 WT Switch Rod
10' 7 WT
11' 7 WT Switch Rod
9' 8 WT
9' 9 WT
9' 10 WT
9' 11 WT
9' 12 WT
12'6 5 WT Sage Z Axis Spey
13' Scott 7 WT Spey
13.5' Sage 7 WT Z Axis Spey
13.8' Beaulah 8 WT Platinum Spey

So over the previous year I used 18 rods, which represents about 18% of my *!!!

[lucfish]

First the disclaimer; I have around 100 fly rods in my quiver, from ultralight up to 12 WT, most of the popular line weights in a variety of lengths to do whatever job I need to do. So, I have no shortage of rods from which to choose!
Over the previous 12 months I have used the following rods. By far, my most utilized rod in my quiver is my 10' Orvis Helios 7 WT. Nothing else even comes close to the amount of use it gets. It's used for shad, trout lake fishing, trophy river trout, steelhead, and the surf. My second most utilized rod is my 9' Orvis Helios 8 WT.
PS, all of these rods are Orvis Helios' (except where noted).
7.5' 4 WT Bamboo (custom made by Thomas Key)
9' 4 WT (mid-flex and tip flex)
9' 5 WT (mid-flex)
10' 5 WT (tip flex)
9.5' 6 WT (tip flex)
11' 6 WT Switch Rod
10' 7 WT
11' 7 WT Switch Rod
9' 8 WT
9' 9 WT
9' 10 WT
9' 11 WT
9' 12 WT
12'6 5 WT Sage Z Axis Spey
13' Scott 7 WT Spey
13.5' Sage Z Axis Spey
13.8' Beaulah Platinum Spey

So over the previous year I used 18 rods, which represents about 18% of my *!!!

I take it you like Orvis Helios rods!

[NorcalBob]

"I take it you like Orvis Helios rods"
Yes, I do think the Helios is the best fly rod on the market today.
But then again I'm biased, I'm on their pro staff and an occasional employee!!!!

[Rob909]

I'm cheap!!!!

I only own 3 rods.

5 wt. Sage Launch
5 wt. St. Croix Legend Elite
3 wt. St Croix Legend Ultra

I probaby get the most use out of the 3 wt. in the locals, and use the St. Croix 5 wt. mostly on the bigger waters in the Sierras.

I try not to get caught up in "keeping up with the Jones's". And I can't afford it anyway!

I remember a conversation I had with Dr. Creek years ago talking about having this and not having that.....and he simply said "use what you have".


Rob

[briansII]

Well, I feel safe to respond, now that Midger and Bob have replied.

The number of different rods I use in a 12 month cycle varies a lot. This year to date, I've fly fished only a fraction of previous years. Counting in my head, I've only used 6-7 different fly rods so far. A couple could have been the same wt, just different model/brand/length. The lightest rod I've fished this year has been a 5wt. Heaviest, a 9wt. Throw in a switch and a spey, and that about covers it for this year(year is not over though). In past years, when my days on the water were much higher, I'd say I could easily increase the number to 20+ rods. I fish 0 - 10wt rods, and mostly only skip a 1wt(don't own one)on the way up to a 10wt. I fish multiple 4, 5, 6,7, 8, and 9wts throughout the year. I own a couple switch rods, and having a couple spey rods built. No plans to increase the collection.



but if I find a screaming deal..................

briansII

[flybob]

I have been on about 17 fishing trips this year, I have used a different rod for each one!
This includes two multiple day trips.

I have this thing about using a particular rod for a particular piece of water.
Not so much for the species but more for the conditions to be expected.
Obviously this took some time to discover which rod works the best for any given water.
On new water, I make a choice based on known conditions and try to match it up with someplace similar.

I think I have a total of 24 rods, I know that I have used and caught fish with each one.

[tenandtwo]

I guess if one was trying to be a minimalist they could get away with owning a 3wt, 6wt, and 9wt. That would cover most situations.

I think I own about 8 rods that I actually use and have a couple more somewhere in the garage that I have not used in years. I like rods that break down to 4 pcs because most of my trout trips are a good hike in. A 9' 2pc is a pain here. I always pack in 2 different rods, for different situations and in case I fall and break one, which I have done - none of my rods are very expensive. I think I use my Hook Hackle Xi 6'6" 2wt, Sage Fli 9' 4wt, and Ross Essence Elite 9' 8wt the most.

Someday when I grow up I might have a collection of maybe 20% of what some of you guys own.

Waterborne already 5 in one year - wow.

[DrCreek]

I love these kinds of threads.

Not even going to bother with an exact number of rods. Quite possibly though, I could be the west coast king of SPL 0's.

I own nothing but 00, 0, 1 and 2wts. Weather, amount of water, size of the trout, etc. None of this matters much to me. For the last several years I've used a 0wt exclusively on EVERY fishing outing. With the wind, against the wind, left, right, up or down, I don't care. The 0's are my primary stick for everything - and always will be.

There's nothing wrong with maintaining a "quiver" of flyrods from 000 to 12. Infact, "quivers" are kinda cool in my book, and it's interesting to hear what rods people use in different situations for different waters. If you fish salt and fresh, warm and cold, lake and stream, you're gonna need some variance to your gear. And if you're worried about not having the rod you "think" you need for a particlular kind of fishing, * it. Just have fun and use what you've got.