Traditional fishing uses a rod equipped with nearly weightless, transparent, mono filament line to cast a weighted hook into the water. Fly fishing essentially reverses this process by using a weighted, translucent line to cast a nearly weightless hook into the water. The action of the fly fishing rod is essential to being able to cast the fly.

Fly fishing is also different from traditional fishing in that the fly fisher never puts their rod down. Fly fishers cast the entire time they are fishing. This makes the decision of which rod to buy very important. Anglers who are fly fishing will spend the entire fishing day with the rod in their hand making casts.

The method of bringing in a fish is also different when fly fishing. While the fishing reel is very important in traditional fishing it is not nearly so important in fly fishing. Fly fishing uses a technique of stripping line by hand. The fly fishing reel is largely used as a storage compartment for spare line.

The choice of which fly fishing rod to buy is indeed a very important decision that will impact your enjoyment of the sport a great deal. Nearly all modern fly fishing rods are made from some type of graphite compound. There are a few bamboo rods still made but they are quite expensive compared to a graphite rod. There are many choices of graphite fly fishing rods available though.

Fly fishing rods are categorized by weight (for instance, a 6-weight rod - also written as 6wt). The weight of the fly rod you buy will be determined by where you intend to fish. It is important to use line that matches the weight of the rod when fly fishing. Some rods are designed to be multi-weight rods and may safely be used with several different weights of line.

One general rule when shopping for a fly rod is to purchase the most expensive rod you can afford. This advice is based on the understanding that the rod is the most important piece of fly fishing equipment in your fly fishing outfit. You can always upgrade your reel later if you decide you want a better reel.

It is always a good idea to visit shops that sell fly fishing gear before making a final decision. Even if you plan to purchase your fly fishing rod through a shop on the Internet it will be helpful to actually handle several different rods before making a final decision.

Remember too that while fly fishers tend to be an opinionated bunch, fly fishing rods are largely a personal preference. If a rod just does not feel comfortable in your hand it does not matter how many experts recommend that rod. Your choice will also be influenced largely by where you intend to fish.

For instance, small mountain streams in New England will require a lighter rod than large rivers in the Rocky Mountains or Utah.