Fly rod 5/6 weight for estuary/saltwater fishing?

[savit]

Hi All,

Just wondering if 9' fly rod 5/6 weight can be good for local estuary/ light saltwater land-based fly fishing or too light?

Thank you.

[abecedarian]

It'll do fine if your casting is up to it.

[savit]

Thank you abecedarian. I wish I could say so. I need more practice. Most of other fishing methods are less challenging.

[adamski]

I bought a similar rod weight and length in the UK a month or so ago for trout fishing and I was thinking about getting it sent over and using it for bream with sea flies (though it might have to wait til summer- my casting's crap in good weather, let alone the stuff we've had recently). The outfit coped fine with trout up to about 5 lb, so I reckon that weight would be ok for bream.

Just out of curio, do you reckon bread and butter species would take a dry fly or a lightly-weighted sinking fly on floating line in warmer months? I figured bream and whiting take surface lures and shallow divers so it might be worth a shot.

[luderick -angler]

A 5/6 will be fine for light estuary bream blackies whiting small pelagics and flatties. Make sure after use you wash a freshwater outfit in warm soapy water and let it dry so corrosion does not set in. I use my Sage SP 5 weight which is a trout rod for light salt and it goes fine. just don't high stick like you would for trout when playing saltwater species otherwise you may be minus a rod tip! Point the rod at say a 30 degree angle keep it low and use the whole rod to play fish

[big Neil]

A 5/6 will be fine for light estuary bream blackies whiting small pelagics and flatties. Make sure after use you wash a freshwater outfit in warm soapy water and let it dry so corrosion does not set in. I use my Sage SP 5 weight which is a trout rod for light salt and it goes fine. just don't high stick like you would for trout when playing saltwater species otherwise you may be minus a rod tip! Point the rod at say a 30 degree angle keep it low and use the whole rod to play fish

That's interesting information to know Royce. Still hoping to get over to Sydney and try some of that fly fishing for Luderick. I've caught Trout on my 5/6 wt gear but had no idea what it would be like on saltwater species. Cheers.

[luderick -angler]

I bought a similar rod weight and length in the UK a month or so ago for trout fishing and I was thinking about getting it sent over and using it for bream with sea flies (though it might have to wait til summer- my casting's crap in good weather, let alone the stuff we've had recently). The outfit coped fine with trout up to about 5 lb, so I reckon that weight would be ok for bream.

Just out of curio, do you reckon bread and butter species would take a dry fly or a lightly-weighted sinking fly on floating line in warmer months? I figured bream and whiting take surface lures and shallow divers so it might be worth a shot.

Bream will hit surface pooper flys and drugs such as a big atimmie or cicada pattern, whiting will take a popper fly such as morsies whiting popper and they respond well to small scud shrimp patterns. Luderick are a favourite on weed flies and you can chase bream on small clousers and bream busters.

[luderick -angler]

A 5/6 will be fine for light estuary bream blackies whiting small pelagics and flatties. Make sure after use you wash a freshwater outfit in warm soapy water and let it dry so corrosion does not set in. I use my Sage SP 5 weight which is a trout rod for light salt and it goes fine. just don't high stick like you would for trout when playing saltwater species otherwise you may be minus a rod tip! Point the rod at say a 30 degree angle keep it low and use the whole rod to play fish

Neil that weight rod is also great chasing carp and goldens in the fresh a lot of fun mate

That's interesting information to know Royce. Still hoping to get over to Sydney and try some of that fly fishing for Luderick. I've caught Trout on my 5/6 wt gear but had no idea what it would be like on saltwater species. Cheers.

[big Neil]

Might stick to the spinner baits and lures for a while longer, still trying to get the hang of these methods. What info do you have on the types of "flies" for freshwater species. Curious. Cheers.