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Advice in choosing your SONIK Fly rod

So which fly rod should you choose? The choice for today’s fly angler is vast and for many people, most confusing. At SONIK we prefer to make life easy and carry the most commonly used lengths and line weights that will cover the large majority of fly fishing requirements without overcomplicating things.

Whilst it is not possible to provide a rigid set of rules that work for everyone, nor is there one rod that will do everything, there are certain factors that should be considered when making your decision.

A. Type of water – the size and type of water you intend to fish directly relates to the ideal length of rod to select.

As a general rule, shorter rods are better for accurate casting but lack power and stiffness in the butt section for longer distance use. Longer rods allow more control over the drift and fish of the line and can help when needing to clear bank side vegetation on the back cast. When fishing from a boat, a rod of ten feet has the advantage of allowing better control of the line at the end of the retrieve, especially when using longer leaders, without becoming too heavy and sluggish to use when casting. Rods of 9’ or 9’6 tend to be better for bank fishing as they are less tiring to use and allow quicker lift off and recast when required.

B. Size of flies – Because the fly is carried out to the fish by the fly line it is important to match the weight of line to the size and number of flies being cast. Therefore casting large and wind resistant flies to pike will require a considerably heavier fly line than casting a single size 16 dry fly to trout on small rivers and streams. Below is guidance for matching line weight to fly size.

1. Very small flies of size 16 and under (midge fishing) – lines of AFTM 4 and below.
2. Dry flies, nymphs and wet flies of size 10 to 18 – lines of AFTM 4 to 6
3. Flies of size 8 to 14, flies which are heavily weighted, and bushy wind- resistant flies – lines of AFTM 6 to 8
4. Large flies and lures of size 2 to 8 – lines of AFTM 7 to 8

C. Size/type of fish – the larger the fish, the more powerful a rod will need to be to effectively hook and land it. Recent trends to stocking with ever larger fish means that for many anglers, there is a realistic chance of hooking a double figure fish, so rod choice needs to take this into consideration. If however, you plan to flick small flies to small, wild brownies then rod casting weight, length and action should be reduced accordingly.

D. Rod action – SONIK sk3 and sk4 fly rods fall into two different categories for action:-

1. Medium or ‘Middle to tip’ action SONIK sk3 fly rods:

• Excellent performance over a wide range of conditions
• Suits a wide range of casting styles
• Great combination of butt strength for fighting fish and medium flex for casting ease
• An excellent measure of tippet protection
• For the angler who needs one fly rod for a variety of conditions.

2. Fast or ‘Tip’ action SONIK sk4 fly rods:

• Light tip for a “light-in-the-hand” feel
• Helps the caster maximize line speed and throw a tight loop for distance and accuracy.
• Suits more experienced casters with quicker, shorter fly casting strokes
• Strong butt section (in upper line weights) for fish-fighting “backbone.”

Deciding which one is best for you will depend upon experience, casting style and type of fishing to be done. For example, experienced ‘loch style’ fly anglers may prefer a medium action fly rod over a fast one, due to the fact that they generally will be using three flies, often in windy conditions and wish to minimise tangles. A simple roll cast or one or two false casts is often all that is required at the end of each retrieve. In these circumstances, a fast action rod may not be desirable. Alternatively, reservoir bank anglers needing to punch a long line into the wind may prefer a faster action rod with more power in the butt section.

Whatever you decide, you can be sure that with all SONIK products, they have been thoroughly tested as fit for purpose, and represent excellent value for money. You can order in confidence with our full 28 day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase.

View SONIK sk3 fly rods or SONIK sk4 fly rods.