7 Best Fly Rods of All Time [Wisely Picked]

Are you thinking of trout fishing? Fly fishing is the best method to catch trout; therefore you will need a fly rod. Fly rods are used to cast artificial flies and it is more costly than other rods which can be dreadful!

Rod constructing companies are coming up with innovative ideas continuously.

But choosing a fly rod from a vast variety is pretty tough too.

That’s why we are going to share the best fly rods of all time from the market. Hence you will be able to find your needs and be able to purchase the budget-friendly fly fishing rod after reading the whole article.

Top Fly Rods of All Time at a Glance

Products	Features	Price
Wild Water Fly Fishing Complete 5/6 Starter Package	Diecast aluminum spool Components are stainless steel Quick-release spool Disc drag IM6 graphite design Western-style grip crock	Check Price
Orvis Clearwater 905-4 Fly Rod Outfit: 9’0″ 5wt	A new color scheme with an upgraded technology Disc drag system Lightweight Smooth casting	Check Price
Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod	Made from IM8 graphite Alignment dots for easy setup A durable and sensitive rod Half well crock handle Adjustable shoulder straps for traveling	Check Price
Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod	IM8 graphite Stainless steel components Western-style grip Disc drag Slow action rod	Check Price
Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 8’6″ Fly Rod	Made from graphite Affordable Beautiful design Easy to use for anyone Good construction	Check Price
Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo 4 Piece Fly Rod	Slow action rod IM8 graphite Disc drag Stainless steel components Western-style grip	Check Price
Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9′ Fly Rod	Graphite made rod 4 pieces Great design Travel-friendly for anglers Smooth performance	Check Price

Best Fly Rods of All Time Comparison & Reviews

#1. Wild Water Fly Fishing Complete 5/6 Starter Package

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Wild Water Fly Fishing Complete 5/6 Starter Package is our first choice and the best fly rods of all time.

This rod is made with IM6 graphite and the length of the rod is 9 inches, which easily breaks into 4 sections that make the storage of the rod in the rod sock and protective case much better. As for the easiest storing system, it will catch your intention.

For easy storage of the fly, there is a stainless steel hook keeper in the rod. It is a slow action, the mild-flex rod which is designed for 5 or 6 weight lines.

The product weighs around 3.5 pounds. The cork grip is the western grip style which helps for easy handling and is accented with compressed crock trims of the rod. Western grip style is a unique handle type which is not available in many other rods.

With a quick-release tab, the spool can be removed from the frame. This line comes with one spare 9 foot, 5 X leaders. For a fine line drag, there is a long drag adjustment knob.

By stretching it is easily straightened. The small fly box is waterproof keeping the contents dry and the custom design foam inserts the fly storage with 9 files. Components are stainless for freshwater and saltwater fishing.

#2. Orvis Clearwater 905-4 Fly Rod Outfit: 9’0″ 5wt

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Orvis Clearwater 905-4 Fly Rod Outfit: 9’0″ 5wt is another best fly fishing rod. It is redesigned with great technology for the great casting of any skill level.

They have upgraded it to a new color scheme. All this development delivered the rod a strong inline. As a result, you will get the most expected and obvious feedback from this rod.

Besides, this rod series comes with Dacron backing, tapered leader, Orvis Clearwater fly reel, fly line, and divided rod tube.

This rod is perfectly balanced with a fly reel and has a disc drag system. Due to the rod’s new design, the rod is lightweight. With all the features, the Orvis rod series is affordable for anyone. So, you will get an amazing outcome and budget-friendly product in the same place.

Orvis has made medium, medium-fast, and fast action rods thinking about the users and the models. The casting of the rod is smooth and the drag system is not only smooth but powerful.

Besides that frame is lighter and stronger which creates a great balance for the rod and the stacked disc drag can hold its own high performance machined reels.

#3. Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod

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Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod is another option for the best fly rods. it’s a fast action rod. This rod is made from IM8 graphite and designed for high sensitivity.

Therefore it is durable and gives an accurate performance. So you can easily focus on catching instead of worrying about the rod. As it is a fast action rod, so for fast setup, it is aligned with dots for easy assembly, which helps to get the sections right on the first try.

The stripping guide is made from ceramic and for smooth gilding fly lines the chrome snack guides are used. Besides the sturdy reel attachment, the machined aluminum reel seat is with double lock rings.

The cork is half a well-crooked handle that is high in quality and comfortable. As a result, you will get an amazing grip from the handle. The color of the rod is dark gray, which is a natural color that helps the fishes to not get distracted.

Besides, it helps to cast accuracy and prevents fatigue on heavy days. As it is travel-friendly, it has 4 compartment rod tubes that have adjustable shoulder straps.

#4. Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod

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Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod is our fourth choice for best fly rods. it is a slow action rod. The rod is made from IM8 graphite which is mid flex.

The rod weighs only 2 pounds. This combo rod package comes within a line nipper and zinger, one spare 9 foot, 7.5 inches 5 X leader, wild waters ¾ fly reels die-cast aluminum, and a high-quality waterproof fly box.

This rod has 4 pieces, stainless steel stripper guide with SIC ring and hook keeper. The crock grip is the western-style grip which is a high-quality crock and the crock trim rings are compressed.

The diecast aluminum fly fishing reel has a large arbor design reel and has diecast aluminum spool, frame, and reel foot. Besides all the internal components in stainless steel.

It has a fast release spool and for tension adjustments, it has disc drag. The line nipper can be easily attached and the line nipper can easily trim the tippet, leader, or line. This rod is great for fishing small bass, trout, bluegill, etc.

#5. Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 8’6″ Fly Rod

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Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 8’6″ Fly Rod can be another choice for best fly rods. This rod is made with a great quality of graphite that has art like the design. It is a fast action rod.

The performance of This rod is smooth and high in quality that you won’t find in any other rods. The construction of the rod is very sturdy. The rod has different lengths and weights.

Orvis encounter fly rod comes with an Orvis encounter large arbor fly reel, Dacron backing, Orvis WF floating trout line, tapered leader for professional fishing.

It is great for fishing in small streams, lakes, and ponds. It is affordable yet a good quality rod for fishing trout to any other fish. Even a beginner can use it effortlessly.

Along with all the functionality, you will get versatile service and design from this rod. So no matter in which water you use this, you will always be served the best. As it is lightweight, it is easy to carry as well.

#6. Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo 4 Piece Fly Rod

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Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo 4 Piece Fly Rod is our sixth choice for best fly rods. Wild Water Fly Fishing Rod and reel combo is a slow action rod.

The rod is made from IM8 graphite which is mid flex. The rod weighs only 2 pounds.

The rod has a small fly box & fly assortment including 6 sizes 14 Winged Black Ants, 6 sizes 14 Parachute Adams, and 6 sizes 14 Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph.

This rod has 4 pieces, stainless steel stripper guide with SIC ring and hook keeper. The crock grip is the western-style grip which is a high-quality crock and the crock trim rings are compressed.

Besides all the internal components in stainless steel. It has a fast release spool and for tension adjustments, it has disc drag. The line nipper can be easily attached and the line nipper can easily trim the tippet, leader, or line.

This rod is great for fishing small bass, trout, bluegill, etc. besides another cool feature of the reel is set up for left-handed retrieve, but can easily be converted to right-handed retrieve.

#7. Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9′ Fly Rod

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Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod is our last choice for the best fly rods. This rod is made with graphite and the reel is made from composite.

The rod has different lengths and weights. But among them, 5 weight 9-inch fly rod is best. The rod has 4 pieces and it weighs only 2.6 pounds.

It is made for hardcore fishing so it is perfect for anglers and also for beginners. Orvis encounter fly rod comes with an Orvis encounter large arbor fly reel, Dacron backing, weight-forward floating line, backing, and leader for professional fishing.

The design of the rod is unique which is like an art. It is not costly like other rods. It is affordable yet a good quality rod for fishing trout to any other fish.

The performance of This rod is smooth and high in quality that you won’t find in any other rods.

As a result if you get this one, you will never miss any targeted trout of any other fish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Consider Before Buying Fly Rod

It is quite a hard job to find the best fly rod when you don’t know what things you should consider before buying a fly rod.

If you are not into wasting money then you should consider these things. Then you will be able to find the fly rod that suits your needs.

This guide will assist you to know what you need to look or consider before buying your best fly rod of all time. So let us get into it!

Fly rod weight – Weight matters!

Generally, a 5-6wt rod is most popular because it can be used for small fish, trout, and bass fishing. If the rod weighs of 3wt, you can fish for small stream trout and panfish.

On the other hand, if you have a rod that weighs 9wt, then you can use it for large bass and also for ocean or large saltwater fish. The heavier the fish you will be looking for to catch, the heavier the weight of the rod will be.

Besides, the lightweight rod can be carried out anywhere easily. An overweight rod will fail to fulfill your expectation properly, and also you will find it troublesome to use for a longer period. As a result, every fisherman looks for a lightweight rod to get the most out of it.

Fly Line Weight

For fly line weight the fly rod weight is put on a 1-12 measurement scale to measure the thickness and weight of the fly line that the rod will able to handle. For this reason, it is very important to match a fly rod’s weight to a fly line’s weight.

Fly rod action – Multi-faceted concept?

The fly rod actions have many aspects. But it helps with the stiffness of the rod as well as the distance for casting. Basically, a fly rod’s action means the amount of stiffness or flexibility in a rod.

It also has a very important impact on performance. It is also important to keep your skill level in mind when choosing a rod’s action.

Therefore action is broken down into three categories – Fast, Medium, and Slow.

• Fast action: The fast action rods are best for anglers who are looking for a little more performance with the added benefit of long casts. The fast action rods have some additional flex that could provide some more versatility.
• Medium action: The medium action rods are perfect for beginners. The medium action rods offer much more versatility, and they help you to cast out deep. This rod provides more accuracy than the fast action rods, but still has a reasonable degree of stiffness that helps you to adapt to every situation.
• Slow action: The slow action rods are flexible for the entire shaft, and this makes them the best choice for fishing in smaller lakes and rivers. The downside is that they are not as good for windy conditions, but the beginners have much control over it as it is the slow line speed.

Material – better the materials, the longer it will last!

Fly rods vary from material to materials and each of the materials has its benefits and drawbacks.

Selecting the right material will depend on your budget as well as your skill level and what kind of fishing you will be using it for. So the material of a fishing rod is very important as it will ensure the durableness of your rod.

So far rods are made from three materials. They are bamboo, fiberglass, and graphite.

• Bamboo: Bamboo fly rods are considered the “most beautiful” as they are old and natural. It is used by experienced anglers. They are heavy and naturally slow-action rods that require s great care to maintain it.
• Fiberglass: Fiberglass fly rods are a good choice for beginners or those who are looking for a cheap and durable rod. Due to graphite rods, the popularity of them is decreasing.
• Graphite: Graphite fly rods are the most popular rods and one of the top materials used on a fly rod on the market. Graphite is man-made so the rods can be ranged in from light to heavy. It is a popular rod because it is lighter than fiberglass, and gives a further and accurate cast. It is also known as “sensitive” of the three rods. So it is easier to hook a fish.

Therefore if the rod is made of Graphite then make sure to check it’s standard IM grade. It indicates the standard quality of your rod. Some of the standard grades are IM6, IM7, IM8 & IM12.

Length – for better casting!

Generally, fly rods are constructed from about 6 feet to about 10 feet in length. For very short casts, like in small stream settings the shortest rods are best.

While for making longer casts the longest rods are best. But for the most versatility in your fishing, a rod length of 8 to 9 feet is better.

Fly Rod Pieces – how many pieces are needed?

Now a day’s most rods are between 2 and seven pieces, and they use ferrules to connect with one another when you are ready to assemble it.

Sleeve-over ferrules are used in faster rods due to their ability to transfer energy and the spigot ferrules are used for the more flexible rods to help them with flexibility.

Though a 7-piece rod can now perform the same way as a 2-piece rod. But the debate goes on whether you should choose four ferrules or with more ferrules.

The advantage of many pieces is the ability to store them. It is easy to store and transport them as they are small pieces. But the smaller the pieces of your rod are, the harder it is to assemble.

The handle – For better grip!

Another important feature to look at is the handle or grip. If you are thinking that the grip does not make any difference, then you are wrong.

Because when you will be in the water, your hands will start to accumulate sweat and the grip on the rod will come into play as your hand will be slippery. That’s how they play an important role as they will give you control over the rod.

Rod manufacturers have made full and reverse grips that work perfectly with medium to heavyweight rods, while the cigar grips are best for the lighter rods.

But choosing the right grip will depend on you as you need to be comfortable while using it. Not everyone will be using the same grip because everyone has a different preference.

When your hand begins to get tired, the rod can be placed against the body with comfort to help you in struggle or fight to get the fish.

Placing the rod against your body is much more comfortable than having to hold it in your hands for a long time.

Final Words

If you are looking for the best fly rods of all time then you can choose one from above and we can assure you that you will not regret it. The item that I have reviewed will give you the best performance with a great catch.

Therefore if you have any confusion or don’t know which fly rods would be the best for you then read the buyer’s guide that we have shared to help you.

Every information and rod models that we shared here are very well researched and mostly from our personal experience.

I hope you are able to find the best suitable fly fishing rod for you. Lastly, I hope you have great and enjoyable fishing!

References:

Amazon.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.amazon.com/Tailwater-Outfitters-Toccoa-Fly-Rod/dp/B0197J9Q22> [Accessed 14 January 2021].

Fisheries, 2020. Fly Fishing During COVID ‐19. 45(5), pp.287-287.

Fishing, W., 2021. Wild Water Fly Fishing – Learn Fly Fishing The Easy Way For Way Less. [online] Wild Water Fly Fishing. Available at: <https://www.wildwaterflyfishing.com/> [Accessed 14 January 2021].

Fly Fishing Fix. 2021. What Is The Best All-Around Fly Rod Weight?. [online] Available at: <https://flyfishingfix.com/best-fly-rod-weight/> [Accessed 14 January 2021].

JULIE LUNDGREN., 2020. FISHING. [S.l.]: WHAT ON EARTH BOOKS.

Orvis.com. 2021. Clearwater Fly Fishing Rods — Orvis. [online] Available at: <https://www.orvis.com/clearwater-fly-rods> [Accessed 14 January 2021].

Pendergast, G., n.d. Fly Fishing.