A 5 weight rod is certainly more versatile than a 3 weight. It may be overkill, but not by much and having too much rod on a small stream is a much more agreeable situation than having a wispy little 3 weight on a larger stream.

Could you elaborate on casting flaws that you associate with modern fast action rods? I'm really interested.

yrs-
Evan!

the rod has nothing to do with line weight choices that anglers have to make. it's simple physics. the more mass a line has, the bigger the fly (or split shot, indicator, lead eyes, whatever) it can deliver with more efficiency.

while a 3 weight rod is plenty of rod for fighting a sissy fish up to 20 inches (ok, maybe 24 if you're lucky), a 3 weight line is not very efficient for moving a #4 hopper, much less a weighted streamer.

obviously the rod corresponds to the line weight it's rated for, but rods do more than just fight fish.

One thing you can do as a guide is keep a midflex 4 or 5wt rod strung up and ready. I carry it along and use it as a pointer to show the client the target. After the 2nd or 3rd bird nest, suggest they try it. I always stress that the smoother your stroke the better this rod performs. Then demonstrate a nice slow cast while chanting smooth and slow. If they aren't too type A, they often click into the groove of the rod and stop the spastic water swatter stroke. There are alot of great and forgiving rods out there. Unfortunately, many good flycasters reccomend the high performance fast action sticks to people who have not developed timing or muscle memory. Everyone seems to want the "New Hot Ferrari Flyrod". A good flyshop guy should never sell them one unless they have seen them cast. A quick lawn or parking lot session can reveal the level of flycaster and help match them with the right stick.

deeter lives in colorado. dinky rivers, dinky fish...(hehehe).

he also recommends a sand wedge as an all around golf club.

I've never commented until now, but I just had to respond. I usually enjoy reading FlyTalk and have been reading weekly for a long time now, but this post didn't seemed simple minded. I own plenty of fly rods and have fly fished since I was seven. First off you titled the article "fast rods are for weak casters" which pretty much suggests that the new technology fast rods cast for you. Then you go on in the article to say that beginners should learn on softer rods before they move on to fast rods. This would mean fast rods are actually for advanced casters that are able to keep the knots out. So which one is it? You must get the timing right on any fly rod in order to cast it, even fast rods. It's just a different timing, so what's the difference on which one you learn on as long as you get the concept of timing? What makes the bad caster is the fact that people who buy fast rods are guys who go to the fly shop and insists on the most expensive, technologically advanced rod to go on their once a year guided trip. Lack of practice makes the weak caster. Also, as others have said already, a five weight allows a larger variety of sizes and types of flies to be cast in various wind conditions. A three weight if fun and more challenging, but that doesn't change the fact that a five weight is a more effective all around weight.

jerry k.,

yes, dinky rivers/dinky fish. like rob says, montana has bigger rivers, bigger wind, bigger fish...requiring bigger flies, therefore bigger line weights/rods.

anyway, you can brag all you want about colorado because you're still only talking about a trout. i'm not a bitter guy and trout fishing is not rocket science. i just avoid those places (s. platte, frying pan, etc.) like the plague. those fish are only 'hard' to catch because those tailwater monstrosities get pounded by thousands of anglers, why would i care to fish there?

btw, save the hyperbole ("massive proportions") for a more deserving fish, like tarpon.

sorry, jerry. i was just giving kirk a hard time, didn't mean to offend the whole state of colorado (or did i?)...haha...cheers...