Nymphing and Dry Fly General Purpose Trout Fly Rod

[Merle]

I do most of my stream fishing with a 4wt or 3wt.

If you have a 6wt, I'd say get a 4wt. My favorite rod is an 8' 6" 4wt. The Redington Classic Trout rods have a great feel and aren't very expensive.

I'd second this. I once was told to stick to the even weights (4, 6, 8) or the odd weights (5, 7, 9) when first building your rod arsenal. Believe me you will fill in the blanks later if you're like most of us

The Redington CT is tough to beat. My only other recommendation for a trout rod is the Echo Lift, a bit more affordable and every time I use mine I'm shocked at what a nice feel in hand it has for the price.

 

[Shad]

I recommend a 5-wt. for an all-purpose trout rod. A 4-wt. is ideal for fighting trout, but a 5-wt. gives you more casting range (for larger streams, of which we have many around here) and makes it easier to cast larger flies, multiple flies, and indicators (or even small streamers) than a 4.

That said, a 4 and a 6 have definite sweet spots, and I often carry all three on trout trips; 4 for dries, 5 for dry/dropper setups or nymphing with indicators, and 6 for streamers. When I want to go light and versatile, it's the 5.

 

[Porter2]

Redington CT. The 490-4 was a little bit more of a noodle than the 486-4. Never casted the 480-4. The 386-4 is the gem of the lineup MHO.

Fun and solid rods. I see there $199.00 now. Seems like not long ago you could get them for 99.00-119.00. They have been around for a while too. I remember they tried to drop this line and due to demand and complaints Redington brought them back. The two mains complaints of this fly rod is it is not fast action and the components are low end….which helps explain the price too. Casting and fish fighting is a delight.

 

[Matt B]

Redington CT. The 490-4 was a little bit more of a noodle than the 486-4. Never casted the 480-4. The 386-4 is the gem of the lineup MHO.

Fun and solid rods. I see there $199.00 now. Seems like not long ago you could get them for 99.00-119.00. They have been around for a while too. I remember they tried to drop this line and due to demand and complaints Redington brought them back. The two mains complaints of this fly rod is it is not fast action and the components are low end….which helps explain the price too. Casting and fish fighting is a delight.

Oh wow, I didn’t realize that CTs are up to $199.
As has been stated, the ECHO Lift is also worth a close look.

I recommended what I did in order to help round out Speedbird’s quiver for local/regional trout, to go with the meaty six weight. I like the 490 CT, too, but IMHO it’s closer to a five weight and I thought the 486 would do him better as a dry fly rod that can do some nymphing when needed.

 

[SurfnFish]

Oh wow, I didn’t realize that CTs are up to $199.
.

tariffs are hitting all of our wallets on any purchase made out of country

 

[Zak]

Redington CT. The 490-4 was a little bit more of a noodle than the 486-4. Never casted the 480-4. The 386-4 is the gem of the lineup MHO.

Fun and solid rods. I see there $199.00 now. Seems like not long ago you could get them for 99.00-119.00. They have been around for a while too. I remember they tried to drop this line and due to demand and complaints Redington brought them back. The two mains complaints of this fly rod is it is not fast action and the components are low end….which helps explain the price too. Casting and fish fighting is a delight.

I have a 6-piece 8' 3wt Redington CT. It's hard to find these days. I bought one and gave it to my son, then they stopped offering the 6-piece, then I found another one for me on the auction site. It's a great little rod.

 

[speedbird]

I have a 6-piece 8' 3wt Redington CT. It's hard to find these days. I bought one and gave it to my son, then they stopped offering the 6-piece, then I found another one for me on the auction site. It's a great little rod.

I might need to pick up a 6pc CT 5wt as a travel rod, didn’t know they came in 6 pieces

 

[Zak]

I might need to pick up a 6pc CT 5wt as a travel rod, didn’t know they came in 6 pieces

It's something like 21.5 inches broken down (in the 8'), short enough to fit straight into an overhead bag.

 

[Brute]

I have a 9’

Overplaying fish is independent of rod weight.
I've watched thousands of folks play fish over the years, and had many intermediate/advanced fly anglers respond to my coaching by telling me the "proper way" to fight fish...as I watch them do what essentially amounts to taking their pet fish for a walk on a mostly slack leash.
Fly rods are tools, and as you learn more about the tool, you will understand how to use it to your advantage.
My preferred tools for my local non-salmon fisheries (streamer/dry/indicator) are both 3wts. The 10' ECHO Shadow II 3wt 4 pc gets a lot of use as an indicator/dry twig, and a 9' 2pc Loomis IMX handles small streamers like a champ. Char (both salty and river) up to 25"-27" are the usual targets for these fishpoles.
If I was to pick out one factor that makes me move up to a 5wt, it would be wind. 3wts (especially 10' 3wts) are challenging in gusty conditions.

i have the Echo Shadow X 3wt…you can tight line with it, and I carry 150 gr commando head to swing leeches, small streamers…and another reel (you could just carry a spare spool) with a 4wt dry fly line to throw beetles, ants and dries…it is very versatile

 

[jaredoconnor]

I have a 9’

i have the Echo Shadow X 3wt…you can tight line with it, and I carry 150 gr commando head to swing leeches, small streamers…and another reel (you could just carry a spare spool) with a 4wt dry fly line to throw beetles, ants and dries…it is very versatile

I do the same with the 10ft 3wt Carbon XL, but I feel like 150gr is a bit too much. 10ft 4wt would be better for that kind of thing IMO.

 

[Tom Butler]

I loved my Carbon XL and think the Shadow II is even better, but I just don't feel they are appropriate for fish over 13-14". C and R is vital to keeping things working around here and I don’t care to overplay a fish. Especially in summer when it gets warm in the afternoons. Of course the 3wt is manageable in winter flows also, but sometimes I felt undergunned. I've just ultimately decided 5wt is appropriate for me for most days due to fly size and largest anticipated fish.

 

[Matt B]

I loved my Carbon XL and think the Shadow II is even better, but I just don't feel they are appropriate for fish over 13-14". C and R is vital to keeping things working around here and I don’t care to overplay a fish. Especially in summer when it gets warm in the afternoons. Of course the 3wt is manageable in winter flows also, but sometimes I felt undergunned. I've just ultimately decided 5wt is appropriate for me for most days due to fly size and largest anticipated fish.

Plus you need to ability to land fish 2 and three at a time.

 

[clarkman]

Plus you need to ability to land fish 2 and three at a time.

most of us mere mortals don't have to worry about that.... @Tom Butler is the outlier...

 

[RCF]

Plus you need to ability to land fish 2 and three at a time.

Or lose a rod or two overboard...

 

[jaredoconnor]

I loved my Carbon XL and think the Shadow II is even better, but I just don't feel they are appropriate for fish over 13-14". C and R is vital to keeping things working around here and I don’t care to overplay a fish. Especially in summer when it gets warm in the afternoons. Of course the 3wt is manageable in winter flows also, but sometimes I felt undergunned. I've just ultimately decided 5wt is appropriate for me for most days due to fly size and largest anticipated fish.

The butt on those rods is as strong as any 5wt that I've owned. I think folks are just not used to putting that much bend in a rod and it freaks them out, so a conventional 5wt feels stronger.

I think I've had my Carbon XL for over 5 years and I've pushed it harder than any rod I've ever owned, but it won't break.

 

[JakerH]

Well sir, my experience leans a little different than the majority of posters here. Your own post states you caught four fish this year. I offer that a 3 weight is too big a leap for you, no offense.
While I don't disagree that a 4 weight might serve your purposes, it's my perspective that you'd most benefit from a 5 weight. In many lakes you'll rig both your 6 and 5 for versatility.
If I only had one trout rod, it would be 9' 5 weight medium action.
Trust me, before you're finished in your progression, you'll own a handful of rods that will all get fished.
Do it one rod at a time and enjoy yourself along the way.
I would offer also that in that price point there's a myriad of choices, but the Echo is a great standard to hold them to.

 

[Pigs]

I fished a Loomis GL3 9’9” 5wt for years as my do everything rod. Have piles of rods now, still fish the GL3

 

[SovDog]

I have the carbon xl in both the 2wt and 4wt configurations both paired with battenkill click reels to cover nearly all my small and mid sized rivers here in MT. Fantastic light rods for the money especially if you can find one on sale

Cheers.

 

[Pigs]

I wanted an affordable 9ft 4wt for dries. It was between the CT, and the Carbon XL. I actually bought both. I liked the Echo better, so I sold the CT.

 

[speedbird]

Picked up a custom rod from @Wetswinger and it is a work of art. Can't wait to try casting it. Now I just need to find a good deal on a Click/Pawl reel, time to start hitting the thrift shops!