I'm looking to get a new rod for fishing rivers as I think the rod I use right now is a bit heavy(Wychwood Trufly #7-8, that I mostly use for fishing stillwaters and fishing for salmon later in the year).

I'm hoping to get one fairly cheap as I probably wont use it as much as my other one, so less than £50 if its possible to get a decent rod at that price.

The river is about 30-50 feet at the widest part.

So I'm looking for some advice on what line weight and length etc would be best, and decent rods there are available at that price.

Thanks.

dont let people tell you different you can catch plenty with a 7/8# take a look here
Grayling Photos at stillwater anglers pic this fish and many others were caught on an 8#rod with a 9#line in a little river in places barely wider than his rod

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

I haven't used it yet, but I bought an orvis streamline outfit for about £120. If you buy a rod for £50, unless you have one already, you will need a reel and line.

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http://www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk/

Length of your rod will depend a lot on bankside vegetation,line weight, i know a lot of people who use a #4 that is great but if you are like me and only an average caster i would go for a #5.The lighter you go is fine if there is no breeze but if the place you are going to fish has a tendency to be a bit breezy then it would go for the #5. hope this helps.

Haven't used it yet because the season only starts in March, but like you I wanted a lighter rod for the rivers and streams owned by my local club, so I picked up a 7ft, #4/5 Shakespeare rod from Mullarkeys for £20-ish and teamed it up with a lightweight Greys reel, about £30, and a 4/5 weight line.
I use a Shakespeare #6/7 9ft 6in rod for stillwaters up here and it's been fine so far, so I can't wait for the season to start to try out the wee rod - and those prices show you can get something decent well within your budget.
Steve

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There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.

I too bought some Shakey's at knockdown prices and like them, both the Odyssey and the Trion. However, stocks at most of the outlets seem to be getting low and there doesn't seem to be the range that there was a few months back.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

If you do indeed want to buy a rod that will suit just about every river in Great Britain and still be effective on some of your stillwater outings, then you should look for a 9ft rod to take a #5 line and get as light a reel as you can, plastic reels are best in this regard and treat yourself to a floating line. If you search on eBay using keywords like Fly Lines Brown Float you will find something suitable for little money.

Most important about moving to the rivers are three aspects: tackle (most of what you already have will be suitable so no big spend there); clothing (to aid in your stealth); and your approach. You can read about the angler's migration from stillwaters to rivers and streams here.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Whilst I agree with you entirely BRUCE1, if he is casting on his wider river, it will be difficult (possible but difficult) to get the longer lengths of line to land gently. It is one thing using a short heavy line, quite another when using a long heavy line.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

church for me tomorrow now then ,miracles do happen

as to a long heavy line cast correctly there wont be a difference can and does still land feather-light

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

Yes but he's just moving to rivers and might find it difficult to make it land gently...

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."