Favorite Dry Fly Rods

It is dry fly season across the United States, finally!  Many anglers rejoice for salmonflies, mayflies and caddis, and leaving the indica...

It is dry fly season across the United States, finally!  Many anglers rejoice for salmonflies, mayflies and caddis, and leaving the indicators at home for a few months.

We love dry fly fishing, and casting everything from a #4 Hopper to a #22 Trico, and there is a rod that will do what you need in our lineup.  Here are our favorite dry fly rods and the lines to match.

Favorite "Big Water" Rod

The Big Y Boss rod is made right here in the Northwest.  It has all the Oregon mojo that a rod needs to tackle the big bugs on the Deschutes, Yakima or Snake. 

The 6 weight is the way to go on big rivers with big trout, plus it is easier for throwing those big bugs in the oft-windy days of late spring in the Northwest.  We love this rod paired with a Rio Gold fly line.  The gold is a great match, providing just the right profile to pick up and deliver a big fly with accuracy and without overloading the rod.

Favorite "All-Water" Rod

If the salmonfly hatch isn't going to be the focus of your summer fishing, then a 9' 5wt might be a better rod.  We love a 9' 5wt for that "do-it-all" rod. From mayflies to hoppers, a 9' 5wt can handle it.

Our favorite 9' 5wt is the Douglas DXF.  It has a really crisp action that makes tight loops no problem.  We call it our "mama bear" rod.  It is not too slow, not too fast, not the most expensive, not the cheapest, but definitely the most "comfortable".  When paired with a Scientific Anglers' Mastery Trout line, this rod is as good as it gets, and is our shop favorite for throwing dries at the lake in the evening.

Favorite "Small Creek" Rod

There is something about stalking small trout in a small creek.  Delicate presentations, hopping across the creek on boulders and cherry-picking prime spots as you hike; it's a favorite for many anglers.

For this scenario, we love a 2 or 3 weight in the 7' to 7'6" range.  Our favorite rod for that is the new TFO Finesse.  We could not believe how light and precise this rod is.  It is deadly accurate to about 30', and an absolute joy to cast.  The 7'9" 3wt was my favorite, while a couple of the guys here really like the 7'3" 2wt.  Either way, putting a Parachute Adams exactly one inch behind that stick has never been easier.

We have tried this rod with just about every "presentation" line out there, and we keep coming back to the Cortland 444 Sylk Double Taper.  It is THE line to get for dry fly fishing with shorter, more moderate actions.

Favorite "Spring Creek" Rod

For those slow, crystal clear spring creeks, we love a 4wt that is a bit shorter than the traditional 9'.  Rods shorter than 9' are more accurate, but the ability to cast long distances diminishes as rod length decreases.  The Beulah Platinum 8'8" 4wt is that perfect length for fishing dry flies on those classic spring creeks like Silver Creek, Rocky Ford and even the Henry's Fork.  Deadly accurate with enough power to put that fly where you need it, even when that is across the creek.  We like this rod with a Rio Trout LT fly line, but it has the design to be able to take a heavier line like a Rio Gold or a fine presentation line like that 444 Sylk. 


As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us here at the shop!