A fly fishing rod is can be a major investment and it will certainly have an important effect on your success in you hobby. For this reason, you want to thoroughly vet the rod you are buying before you take it home. Begin by doing your research, checking reviews, speaking to other fishermen, and visiting your local fishing shop. Once you have narrowed down your choices, you should plan to go into the shop and test out the rods you are thinking of buying. Never buy a rod without testing it first.

There are about four tests you should plan to run on the rod. Begin by testing the curve of the rod. You should do this with both the inner and outer curves. A good rod should curve uniformly from the butt end to the tip. Next, you should cast the rod to see how it feels in use. Make sure you use the same line weight you plan to use in the future. Pay attention to the rod’s action: is the backcast smooth? Does the line go out straight? Now pull about five feet of line from the reel and let it fall. Use your non-rod hand to cast the line and if all of the line goes out then the rings will be properly aligned.

Finally, see how far you can cast over grass. These tests should tell you what you need to know about your rod choice.s