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Fly Fishing Rods Buying Guide

• Evaluate Fly Fishing Rods
• Match Your Fly Fishing Rod and Line
• Get the Right Fly Fishing Rod Components
• Find Fly Fishing Rods on halfvalue
• Buy Fly Fishing Rods With Confidence

Discover a fly fishing rod you'll love and use by evaluating materials, action, and length.

Assess fly fishing rod materials

Manufacturers make fly fishing rods out of fiberglass or graphite. Each has its benefits.

• Fiberglass fly fishing rods: Experts and beginners can use popular fiberglass fly fishing rods in most fishing conditions. The durable material usually stands up to wear better than graphite fly fishing rods.
• Graphite fly fishing rods: More expensive than fiberglass, lightweight graphite fly fishing rods typically allow more accurate casting.

Determine fly fishing rod flexibility

Action, the amount of fly fishing rod stiffness or flexibility, comes into play when you cast and when you attempt to reel in a fish.

• Slow-action fly fishing rods: Reel in small lightweight fish with these flexible fly fishing rods. Slow-action fly fishing rods have the most bend, making them difficult for beginners to control, but offer the greatest accuracy for short-range casting.
• Medium-action fly fishing rods: Beginners find medium-action fly fishing rods easy to handle. They offer a little flexibility with the rod bending in the middle and at the tip. Use them for short and long-range casting.
• Fast-action fly fishing rods: Stiff fast-action fly fishing rods bend at the end of the rod and do not have a lot of give. They make a good choice for long-distance casting and reeling in large fish. However, they do not offer the accuracy of a short-action rod and beginners often find them difficult to handle.

Look at fly fishing rod length

Length also factors into fly fishing rod action. Shorter rods generally have less action than longer fly fishing rods because they generate less torque when casting and reeling. Beginners will want a rod long enough to provide a good casting distance, but short enough to maneuver in the water. Medium-sized fly fishing rods between eight and nine feet provide the action, casting control, and strength you'll need.

• Short fly fishing rods: Use short fly fishing rods measuring less than eight feet in tight fishing situations where trees, bushes, stream size, or other objects will restrict your movement.
• Medium fly fishing rods: Use medium-sized eight or nine-foot fly fishing rods in most fly fishing conditions. They allow for longer casting and can handle more weight than shorter rods.
• Large fly fishing rods: Measuring more than nine feet, large fly fishing rods make the ideal choice for longer casting and pursuing big-game fish.

New fly fishermen should look for an eight- or nine-foot rod made of graphite or fiberglass with medium action.

Your fly fishing rod and reel weight should match the weight of the line you want to use.

Understand some of the terminology sellers use in their item listings when describing a rod.

Research your fly fishing rod reel

The stiff section at the end of a fly fishing rod helps strengthen the rod and can help you reel in a fish. Hold the rod against your body or the ground and use it as leverage when fighting your potential catch.

• Butt plate: Butt plates come on rods that use line weights one through six.
• Fighting extension: An extension behind the reel seat helps anglers fight larger fish. You will find fighting extensions on rods that use line weights seven and higher.

Hold your fly fishing rod reel in place

The reel seat holds the reel in place so that your line properly lines up with your guides.

• Up-locking reel seats: Popular on medium and heavy rods, up-locking reels provide room between your reel and the end of the rod and rarely get in the way.
• Down-locking reel seats: Down-locking reel seats located at the end of a rod work the same way as up-locking reel seats. Its position can make it difficult to fight a fish.
• Sliding band reel seats: Two sliding bands hold the foot of the reel. It is used on some light rods fitted with light reels and the bands do not lock.

Grip your fly fishing rod

An angler holds a fly fishing rod at the cork, also called the grip.

• Cigar grips: This thin cork protrudes slightly in the center. You will find it on lighter-weight rods used to catch smaller fish.
• Half-well grips: Used on medium-weight rods, the half-well has a flare on one end that allows you a better grip when fighting medium-sized fish. It may also help you achieve a longer cast.
• Full-well grips: Prevalent on heavier rods, full-well cork is thicker than other cork, allowing a better grip for fighting large fish.

Get to know fly fishing rod guides

Fly fishing rods use three types of loops to guide your line.

• Stripping guides: The first guide on a rod helps prevent the line from tangling and reduces friction between the line and other guides.
• Snake guides: The majority of the guides on a rod are snake guides. These small metal loops keep the line close to the rod when you cast.
• Tip-top guide: The guide at the top of the rod keeps the line close to the rod and helps controls which direction a line goes when you cast.

Now that you know what to buy, narrowing down item listings to the fly fishing rod you want shouldn't take much time. Go to the Sporting Goods portal and click the Fly Fishing link under Fishing.

• Categories: Use the links in the Categories list on the left side of the page to begin narrowing down item listings. To find rods, click Rods or Rod & Reel Combos. You can also select Cases, Tubes, Flies, Fly Boxes, Fly Tying Materials, Lines, Leaders, Tippets, Reels, and Streamside Accessories. Click Videos, Books to find instructional books, VHS tapes, and DVDs.
• Keywords: Let halfvalue find items for you by entering the keywords you want to find into the Search box. If you know what brand and model you want, type in the information to get your customized results.
• Let sellers help: A good item listing should include a clear item description and should also include a clear picture. If you want to know about information not included in a listing, email the seller your question by clicking "Ask seller a question" under the seller's profile.

If you can't seem to find exactly what you want, try shopping halfvalue Stores.

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how halfvalue and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.
• Always make sure to complete your transaction on halfvalue (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of halfvalue are not covered by halfvalue protection programs.
• Never pay for your halfvalue item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?
• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?
• Most top halfvalue sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, halfvalue and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.
• halfvalue Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use halfvalue's quick and efficient resolution tools.