Boy ain't that the truth iagree You can read all the reports you want but until you actually try it out you'll never know. I think this year I'll demo the Nordica "Hot Fuel's" (something like that) or the Movement "Thunder". As for fly rods I did like the TFO's but I ended up with th Sage Launch. Nice rod Malcolm
When I was about 12 years old I really wanted a snow board. My dad bought me a used burton from the mid 80's. It was like trying to learn with a piece of plywood strapped to my feet. Actually it was nearly impossible to learn on. I almost gave up on snowboarding untill someone clued me in on the fact that the technology had changed so much and I needed a different board. Problem solved and I was shredding it up within two more trips to the mountain. Point is, my dad probable wouldn't have bought that board for me if he had gotten a little good advise to begin with. I still do have the board; it has decorative apeal for my office.
Dude, thats why you have to go cast some. I have a preference on what I cast because I have cast a lot of different sticks, same goes for most of the people posting on this thread. You just have to go figure out what works for you man.
I support local buisness. The internet is great for finding things you cant buy local, but otherwise I like to buy from guys who provide a livable wage to their employees. I did however have a bad experience the last time I was in a fly shop. It was in Zig-zag, Or. Talk about your fly fishing snobs. I had some basic questions that any noob would about tapered liter and what fly's would work good in the area, and I basically got the cold shoulder like I had no buisness in their store or anywhere near a river becuase I didn't walk in there with previous knowledge. Lucky for me, in this case, there was a very helpful local resident, who witnessed the attitude of the store clerk, and answered all kinds of questions for me.
I totally agree. And now I have the names of some reputable companies to try out and see if I like em. :wink:
If by spin fish, you mean a lure or spinner...Thats what I do mostly. I've got three dozen spinners and spoons. I never bait fish. Its too boring. I dont ever see myself going as far as pontoons or other tubes or floatations, but I guess you never know. I may do some float trips down the daschuttes, but otherwise i'm kind of a minnimalist. I like the idea of hiking to the good hole. But i'm not imune to getting too involved in my hobbies. I've got 15k into a jeep that I only paid $1200 for it.
Since you quoted my snowboard story, im having a hard time discifering if your being fiscisuos. :lol:
My previous post was just a joke. But if you are intersted in fly rods, I would go to a local shop and cast a few of them. It is hard to make up ones mind on what rod to buy until you have casted one of them around. I bought my first rod many years ago(an off brand fiberglass) and I have updated my choice many times. What is liked by one person is not liked by others. But if you live close to Seattle, check out this site's loner rod thingy. Chris has several different kinds of rods to try out. I'm not up on what he has but he has some of the good ones out there. Jim
I didn't take it serious. I dont bruise easy. I'm new to this forum, but not new to forums in general. You guys have been very nice. I feel like cuddling. I just found out there's a flyshop less than a mile from my work. Heading over there at lunch. I'll report back what I found.
Another vote for TFO... I have been flyfishing awhile and have used numerous rods and I seem to always be drawn to my TFO when the fishing allows me to choose between multiple rods. Granted, i have not cast every rod below $150 but with the warranty, price, quality i don't think you can beat it, especially for a beginner. I have also taken out beginners who have had Sage, Orvis, Reddington (why do so many people buy Reddington's when they first start out?) and it seems like they almost always love the feel of the TFO when casting over their own rods. Very easy rods to cast
Echo classic is slower than TFO and would be better to learn on IMHO. For the same price you also get a rod tube which you need to have.
Medium to medium fast action rods allow you to be less accurate on your timing than fast or slow action rods. So... if you want to become the best caster, start with a fast action rod. If you want to catch fish sooner, start with a medium action rod. And if you want fish to feel bigger than they really are, start slower.
So I stopped by the fly shop after work yesterday and looked at TFO and Echo. I didn't make up my mind. I decided to cast my own for another week before I decide on what works best for me. I do have to say...the experience at this fly shop from the one I visited in zig-zag was like night and day. When I walked in i saw three older gentelmen sitting around a table. They gave me the standard greeting and I started grazing from rod to rod on the rack while listening to them swap fishing stories. When I had some questions, one of the gentelmen was more than happy to explain the positives and negatives, even explaining his own bias. He didn't want to steer me from a rod that I like based on his own bias. He had offered to let me try anyone that I wanted. He also told me one of the gentlemen at the table offered beginner lessons If I'd like or he told me they have a local club with 75 members that I would be welcome to come to a meeting and see if I enjoyed it. I'll admit I was a little intimidated walking in there at first, but they made me feel welcome. Big props!!! Thats the kind of attitude that helps to advance this sport. Unlike the elitist snob attitude I had experienced before.
Selecting your first rod is far more important that one might think. You have over fifty rods in your price range to choose from. Out of that fifty very few are the same. I was quite lucky to be involved with the Fish@Fly 9’ 5 weight test this year. I got to test drive 30+ rods from most all of the different manufactures. It was quite the eye opener. What I learned is not all rods are equal, even in the same price point. There were some great rods and some real dogs. There were some very light crisp dry fly rods and a few that would work in the salt. We looked at each rod for how it casts, fit and feel and finish. For some the finish (cosmetics) is as important as how it casts and for others cosmetics have nothing to do with it. I am a fit and feel kind of guy. A rod has to feel good in the hand. The cork has to feel right, the rod needs to be balanced and the flex or action needs to respond. If I was looking for a first rod I would look for a 9 ‘5 weight that has a mid range action. Not to fast but not to slow. I would look hard at the construction and cosmetics, making sure the rod has good cork, reel seat and guides. I would take a hard look at the warranty. You don’t want this first rod to be disposable. There are less-expensive rods out there that will last a life time with no need to upgrade. Shop and test drive is the key. If I remember right the Echo ended up number one. Good luck with your quest.
I bought a Reddington RS3 this summer as a beginner. Not sure why you do not like their rods and since they make more than one, not sure which specific rod you are taliking about? For me personally I did my online research and and looked at all the usually rods mentioned on this post. I am a value guy in anything I purchase. I want quality but past a certian price point you get a deminishing return on your investment. The local shops do not carry reddington so could not really compare, not the best situation. Anyway there were several good reports or tests on the RS3 and CPS rods (as well as the lower priced rods). In doing my search I found a great deal on the RS3 (comes with a tube unlike TFO) so I ordered it in a 5wt, I could return if I did not like. The very first cast I really liked it and has proved to be a very good rod for me. I liked it well enough to order another in a 3wt. I cast several rods including a TFO and like it just fine. I may have bout the TFO but the shop did not have one in stock and was going to order and it was going to be here in a week, after a month and no word I ordered the RS3??? I cast small dries to streamers with a nymph on the back even in wind and has proved to be very versitle. Being new to the sport my knowledge is limited, but I do not think I would catch any more fish with a $1000 rod. The RS3 has a nice finish, I like the color (not importment but nice), since it is owned by sage is headquartered in Washington and has a lifetime warranty. The only negitive is not being made in the US. So not trying to convert anyone, but you asked.
My neck-o-da woods. :beer2: Some folks in that shop are,, well... Yeah. There are some in that store that are very nice. Sounds like you discovered River City on Scholls. Great bunch of people in that shop. I can recommend another on the east side if you're interested. Jerry
I'll be in the city on Saturday, not far from their shop. I'll probably be forced to wander in just to visit. Another good ma and pa is Northwest Flyfishing Outfitters on Halsey.
Don't buy too cheap. I believe a person should 'grow into' their rod, rather than grow out of it too soon. You don't want your equipment holding you back. Besides, this rod on which you'll cut your teeth can later be used as a loaner and/or backup if (actually, when) you want to move up. In my opinion, if you don't need a multi-piece rod, the TFO Signature Series 1 rods are bonafide deals. Beautiful blanks, strong but forgiving actions, great warranty - all for $100 retail. Get one new - don't scrimp. It's a no brainer. Listen to me now and believe me later . . .
