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Hit the river and experience the fun and excitement of fly fishing. eBay has a large selection of rods and accessories from top brands such as Sage, Orvis, LaCrosse, and Hardy to get you started. Finding a good rod that meets your fishing needs will make your time on the water much more enjoyable.
| Evaluate Fly Fishing Rods |
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Discover a fly fishing rod you'll love and use by evaluating materials, action, and length.
Materials
Manufacturers make fly fishing rods out of fiberglass or graphite. Each has its benefits.
- Fiberglass: Experts and beginners can use popular fiberglass rods in most fishing conditions. The durable material usually stands up to wear better than graphite rods.
- Graphite: More expensive than fiberglass, lightweight graphite typically allows more accurate casting.
Flexibility
Action, the amount of rod stiffness or flexibility, comes into play when you cast and when you attempt to reel in a fish.
- Slow action: Reel in small lightweight fish with these flexible rods. Short-action rods have the most bend, making them difficult for beginners to control, but offer the greatest accuracy for short-range casting.
- Medium action: Beginners find medium-action rods easy to handle. They offer a little flexibility with the rod bending in the middle and at the tip. Use them for short and long-range casting.
- Fast action: Stiff fast-action rods bend at the end of the rod and do not have a lot of give. They make a good choice for long-distance casting and reeling in large fish. However, they do not offer the accuracy of a short-action rod and beginners often find them difficult to handle.
Length
Length also factors into rod action. Shorter rods generally have less action than longer rods because they generate less torque when casting and reeling. Beginners will want a rod long enough to provide a good casting distance, but short enough to maneuver in the water. Medium-sized rods between eight and nine feet provide the action, casting control, and strength you'll need.
- Short: Use short rods measuring less than eight feet in tight fishing situations where trees, bushes, stream size, or other objects will restrict your movement.
- Medium: Use medium-sized eight or nine-foot rods in most fly fishing conditions. They allow for longer casting and can handle more weight than shorter rods.
- Large: Measuring more than nine feet, large rods make the ideal choice for longer casting and pursuing big-game fish.
New fly fishermen should look for a eight or nine-foot rod made of graphite or fiberglass with medium action.
| Match Your Rod and Line |
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Your fly fishing rod and reel weight should match the weight of the line you want to use.
| Weight |
Fish |
Flies |
Cast |
| 1-3 |
Small trout and similar small fish |
Small |
Short |
| 4 |
Small to medium-size trout and similarly sized fish |
Small to medium |
Short to medium |
| 5-6 |
Medium-sized trout, small bass, and similarly sized fish |
Small to large |
Short to long |
| 7-8 |
Large trout and bass |
Large and large streamers |
Long |
| 9+ |
Steelhead, salmon, and saltwater fish |
Saltwater |
Long |
| Get the Right Rod Components |
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Understand some of the terminology sellers use in their item listings when describing a rod.
Leverage
The stiff section at the end of a fly fishing rod helps strengthen the rod and can help you reel in a fish. Hold the rod against your body or the ground and use it as leverage when fighting your potential catch.
- Butt plate: Butt plates come on rods that use line weights one through six.
- Fighting extension: An extension behind the reel seat helps anglers fight larger fish. You will find fighting extensions on rods that use line weights seven and higher.
Reel seat
The reel seat holds the reel in place so that your line properly lines up with your guides.
- Up-locking: Popular on medium and heavy rods, up-locking reels provide room between your reel and the end of the rod and rarely get in the way.
- Down-locking: Down-locking reel seats located at the end of a rod work the same way as up-locking reel seats. Its position can make it difficult to fight a fish.
- Sliding band: Two sliding bands hold the foot of the reel. It is used on some light rods fitted with light reels and the bands do not lock.
Cork
An angler holds a fly fishing rod at the cork, also called the grip.
- Cigar: This thin cork protrudes slightly in the center. You will find it on lighter-weight rods used to catch smaller fish.
- Half-well: Used on medium-weight rods, the half-well has a flare on one end that allows you a better grip when fighting medium-sized fish. It may also help you achieve a longer cast.
- Full-well: Prevalent on heavier rods, full-well cork is thicker than other cork, allowing a better grip for fighting large fish.
Guides
Fly fishing rods use three types of loops to guide your line.
- Stripping: The first line on a guide helps prevent the line from tangling and reduces friction between the line and other guides.
- Snake: The majority of the guides on a rod are snake guides. These small metal loops keep the line close to the rod when you cast.
- Tip-top: The guide at the top of the rod keeps the line close to the rod and helps controls which direction a line goes when you cast.
| Find Fly Fishing Rods on eBay |
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Now that you know what to buy, narrowing down item listings to the fly fishing rod you want shouldn't take much time. Go to the Sporting Goods portal and click the Fly Fishing link under Fishing.
- Categories: Use the links in the Categories list on the left side of the page to begin narrowing down item listings. To find rods, click Rods or Rod & Reel Combos. You can also select Cases, Tubes, Flies, Fly Boxes, Fly Tying Materials, Lines, Leaders, Tippets, Reels, and Streamside Accessories. Click Videos, Books to find instructional books, VHS tapes, and DVDs.
- Keywords: Let eBay find items for you by entering the keywords you want to find into the search box. If you know what brand and model you want, type in the information to get your customized results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more advice about searching with keywords.
- Let Sellers Help: A good item listing should include a clear item description and should also include a clear picture. If you want to know about information not included in a listing, email the seller your question by clicking "Ask seller a question" under the seller's profile.
If you can't seem to find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save your search and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.
| Buy With Confidence |
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Know Your Purchase
- Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.
- Is the item you want still under warranty? If so, what are the terms? If you want more warranty information from a seller, ask by clicking the seller's "Ask seller a question" link under a seller's profile.
Know Your Seller
- What is the seller's feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive feedback do they have?
- What do their buyers say in their feedback? Did the seller receive praise?
- Does the seller have a return policy? Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?
Buyer Protection
- PayPal Buyer Protection: In the unlikely event that something goes wrong, PayPal is there for you. Learn about PayPal Buyer Protection and how your purchases can be covered up to $1,000.
- eBay Security & Resolution Center: If a problem arises in your transaction, eBay can help you solve it quickly and efficiently. Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn more about eBay’s resolution tools.
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Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
