I have been a artificial bait (power bait, spinners, ect.) but am very interested in learning to fly fish. In my area the streams are not very open so casting needs to be simple and tight. In my researching i am comming to the conclusion that a 8-8.5 ft 4 or 5 wt rod w/ wt forward line is a good set up.....am i close? suggestions welcome!

Yes on a 4 -5 weight but you may want to go with a 7 - 7.5 ft rod it will make it a bit easier to cast within confined areas And you wont really miss the extra foot. Medium action with a fast tip .
READ THIS FOR GUIDANCEhttp://www.streamsideadventures.com...y-rod.html

Thank you.....my club has a seminar each year on fly fishing but i never am able to make it due to raising and stocking the fish.... Im a co-op nursery mgr.

Since you cannot attend the club seminars, perhaps someone in the club could help you. I am not a great caster but I went to the casting pool in Balboa Park (San Diego,CA) for a demo and lessons and ended up helping others as the person who was supposed to lead the "class" never showed. And read anything the rod tosser suggests, all of those I have looked at were very good.
I found a book called "Fly Fishing for the Complete Idiot" that was easy to read and unencumbered by bull and fluff.

the best is to learn the casting part from a certified instructor they can get you going the right way before you develop bad habits. Some times fly shops and sporting good outlets teach casting classes . Like cabelas and gander mountain, another may be community ed or fly fishing expos , or you local trouts unlimited.
you can learn a lot online about the fly fishing too .
I have that book Too very good book . The best part about it is it is understandable and not written in some Alien language.

I wish you were a little more specific on the size of the stream and the size of the fish. When my family hikes in and fishes the creeks in the local Sierras, we use 2wt and 3wt rods and do just fine. All of our smaller weight rods were built by me. I use a 7.5' Sage 2wt, wife's G-Loomis is a 3 wt and 6.5' and my daughter's St. Croix rod is also a 3 wt and 6.5'. Our native trout usually don't get much over 12" and these rods do just fine, especially in close quarter casting. Also, the shorter rods make it easier for hiking and crawling through the bushes. As for casting, our local fly club always seems to be having free casting classes. It's good to look around, find and join a fly fishing club. Within 100 miles of my home, there's probably about 1/2 dozen clubs. I only commit myself to one of them, but have been asked by a couple of others to join. Naw, too many meetings and such. Be forewarned, that fly fishing bug will get you and you may never go back tossing spinners.

Most of the streams i fish vary in size with the width ranging from 4-8' across with fair amount of cover.they get very low and warm in summer so fishing pockets is key... as for the trout size, they vary from 8-13" .....I manage our trout nursery so fishing time is limited and like the idea of tying on fly and spending time in nature.

I would still probably go with a 4- 5 weight just because it is a good multiple purpose rod . you may decide to fish for other species other then trout and you may want to cast some bigger streamers. and then you can usually go up or down a line size depending on your needs .

for a body of water like this, a 4-5 weight would work fine. as for length of the rod 7.5-8.5 would be my rod of choice. when you become more advanced you can start to look at rods that are smaller and/or lighter in weight. If you fish a lot of dry flies and nymphs, go with a 4 weight or lower, 5 is good for light hoppers and makes a great one-size-fits-all kind of rod, 6 weights are good for streamers and hard fighting fish. any weights beyond (7-15) are mainly for saltwater, salmon, steelhead, and any thing else that would probably snap anything lighter. Just make sure that you research a rod that is well-made for your target species and method, look for warranties; they will save your wallet should your investment break, and make sure that there is a fly fishing retailer close by to help you select one!
Happy fishing!

The length and weight of your rod is dictated by the stream reach as you've discovered, but also depends on the size and species of fish you are after. For most of my smaller streams I fish a 7ft 3 weight. This fishes very differently than say my 9 foot 5 weight. I would say if your planning to only fish this small stream and the trout are under the 18 in mark, a 7 ft 3 weight could be a good option. I would also like to put out the type of fly fishing you are attemping (ie... Nymphing, Dry, or a combination of the two) will certainly dictate the weight of flyline you will use which should help narrow down a length range. For a beginner, especially if you are planning to fish diverse waterways (Not just a small stream) in the future a 8 ft 4 weight is a perfect set up. Consulting a guide can be helpful in this process, they typically have a variety of rods themselves as well as the knowledge to tell you the differences, plus you can catch fish in the process learning your interest in the sport. Good luck!

Posted By troutmasta on 06 Apr 2012 09:34 AM
I have been a artificial bait (power bait, spinners, ect.) but am very interested in learning to fly fish. In my area the streams are not very open so casting needs to be simple and tight. In my researching i am comming to the conclusion that a 8-8.5 ft 4 or 5 wt rod w/ wt forward line is a good set up.....am i close? suggestions welcome!

Yes but if I were you I'd look at anywhere between a 7' to a 8 1/2' rod nothing larger  the 4-5 wt is a good choice I prefer a 8' 5wt for myself! It all comes down to what feels good to you! If you want the rod to load easier if it's a 4wt put 5wt line on it! if 5wt go w/6wt it will load and cast easier! Also I've found I prefer a wt forward line over others!

I am good for two more pennies on this conversation. I've fished some deep woods creeks in Indiana, North and South Carolina, Florida and a few other places. Something no one has mentioned yet. If you are just starting out fly fishing, and you are going immediately into "cover" fishing ... Practice in your yard first. Without any leader on, just learn to put the end of the fly line within a couple of feet of targets. Try for targets that approximate the distances you'll be going for on the water and then see if you can back cast and roll cast to the target without hanging anything behind you.
Then, when you get on the water, start your fishing with only a couple of feet of mono between the fly line and the fly. If the fish are not pressured, you'll probably get plenty of hits, and less frustration working a very short leader around cover.

Good luck, however you go.