If you want a rod for a small brushy stream, a short rod works best in tight situations, both for casting and for playing fish. Two-handed rods are the standard for Atlantic salmon in Europe, and are becoming very popular in North America, both for salmon and steelhead. They control line better on larger waters by helping you leverage slack line and throw mends. Long rods perform roll casts better. Performance and Action Other important features of rods are performance and action.
Performance is the ability of a rod to work effectively under a wide range of fishing conditions.
The best rods cast accurately at all ranges, mend line easily, and present your fly appropriately through a wide variety of situations. A great rod combines the best attributes of both sensitivity and power. Rod actions are often classified as moderate, fast, or very fast. Slow-action rods seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Moderate actions are designed for delicate presentations, and cast without amplifying certain casting flaws.