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Fly Poles Affordable VS Exspensive?

6K views 53 replies 37 participants last post by  Akuriko 
#1 ·
Hi, Im new to this forum i am curious what is a good starter pole for someone who wants to get into fly fishing? is affordable like $30 good like a wallmart special? or a combo from say basspro or cabelas? or do you recommend something different?

or is it better to dive in and spend $500 to $900 for a rod?

Thanks for your time

Akuriko
 
#28 ·
I want to thank everyone for the help, I do appreciate it very much. As it must be apparent I am new to fishing in general, and even newer so to fly fishing. I'm determined to learn, and I'm really trying to avoid getting a rod that will brake on the first day of use, as so many horror stories I have read in reviews of Rods on Amazon, Cabelas, etc. Being new and not indoctrinated to fishing terminology, I've learned what I know from videos, websites, my neighbor, my best friend and catalogs. Thank you for baring with me and offering me advice. I've learned more on this forum in so short of time then I have in an entire month of my neighbor attempting to teach me. Again thank you kindly.
 
#29 ·
My advice is don't buy anything. Take some casting classes, fishing classes and even a guided trip or two. That experience will make the decision much easier. You'll get some fishing experience, and you'll probably get to cast a variety of rods at different price points in the real world, not a parking lot. That way when you go to a shop, you might actually be able to tell the difference between an entry level rod made in a 2nd or 3rd world nation, or a top dollar rod made in a 1st world nation and decide for yourself if the price paid will fundamentally alter your fishing experience or enhance your capabilities on the water.
Take every opinion here with a grain of salt as the experience level is so varied. Some people may have been fishing for 25 years, but maybe putting in only 20 days on the water per year. Some folks may have been fishing for 5 years, but put in over 100 days on the water each year because they've gone completely batshit fucking crazy about hoodwinking fish every chance they make for themselves.
Ultimately every decision you make in regards to gear is a very personal one, and is as varied as anything else in this world; from taste in women to your opinions on politics. It is also an important one, as the dollar amount represents time you've invested to earn, and thus the investment must pay the dividends in a way that is not calculable by any scientific or mathematic measure.
Good luck in the future.
 
#30 ·
Akuriko, You'll soon see there is no right answer ever on any of the "what should I buy" threads. Part of the magic of fly fishing is the realization of what you might need based on what you got. From the rod to the reel to the line, the tippet, the fly, the cast, the mend, the strip...whatever

Most of us, except Old Man Jim, are always weighing these considerations first and foremost...

Need: a place with fish and time to fish it
Got: no place to fish and no time to fish it

The rod and style and so on, take your time, cheap gear means you can experiment more. This hobby can sustain that "what should I buy" excitement for decades, and hopefully the "what should I buy" becomes "what can i make or tie ..."
 
#33 ·
Akuriko, You'll soon see there is no right answer ever on any of the "what should I buy" threads. Part of the magic of fly fishing is the realization of what you might need based on what you got. From the rod to the reel to the line, the tippet, the fly, the cast, the mend, the strip...whatever

Most of us, except Old Man Jim, are always weighing these considerations first and foremost...

Need: a place with fish and time to fish it
Got: no place to fish and no time to fish it

The rod and style and so on, take your time, cheap gear means you can experiment more. This hobby can sustain that "what should I buy" excitement for decades, and hopefully the "what should I buy" becomes "what can i make or tie ..."
:p:p:p
 
#32 ·
Another vote here for NOT spending a lot. There are plenty of good outfits in between your Walmart specials and your high end $500+ setups.
Cabela's usually has some decent deals in the bargain cave section of their website. I bought a couple of their Stowaway rods for very specific fisheries and they've been great. The 6wt has turned out to be a rod I use on a regular basis for summer runs and cutts.
 
#35 ·
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#36 ·
spend whatever amount you believe you will have fun with and whatever is convenient for you i know alot of people would suggest not to and even i would say avoid it if you can but if you dont want to spend the time and wait for a rod to be shipped or you dont want to drive anywhere far or if you just dont want to spend alot of money go down to walmart get the walmart special if you want thats what i started off with and i had fun with that rod for like 8 years before it finally snapped in half i see it as do whatever you think will make you have a good time because that is what fly fishing is about having a good time
 
#37 ·
i agree on the echo solo rod. excellent beginner rod.

Here is link to the rod. http://www.echoflyfishing.com/html/rod_category_details.php?category_id=30&page_id=61&product_type=1

For Trout, I would get a 5 wt, but talk to your local fly shop. They can help you tremedously in choosing the proper beginner outfit.

Most important piece of this is to buy from your local fly shop. They have the knowledge to steer you in the right direction. My local dealer is Puget Sound Fly Shop. Excellent service from them. Here is link to dealers who carry Echo http://www.echoflyfishing.com/html/locator.php

On another note, I broke an Echo fly rod, my fault. They replaced the broken tip for approx $30.00 and had it shipped to me in Puyallup within 3 days.
 
#38 ·
Hi, Im new to this forum i am curious what is a good starter pole for someone who wants to get into fly fishing? is affordable like $30 good like a wallmart special? or a combo from say basspro or cabelas? or do you recommend something different?

or is it better to dive in and spend $500 to $900 for a rod?

Thanks for your time

Akuriko
Akuriko, to keep this a simple lesson, remember this: "IM-6." That's a type of graphite that came into widespread use shortly after graphite rods were introduced in 1975. It's usually fast, fairly crisp, not smooth. It's used for many graphite rods and rod blanks to this day. It's inexpensive and makes for a utilitarian rod that will work just fine for a beginner. You can buy used rods from the Classifieds here, and on eBay every day. For less than $100, you can buy a useable, reliable starter rod, that you can use as a backup when you learn about and buy better rods.

The second thing to learn is to call them rods, not poles. A pole costs a few dollars, and is generally bought from a display bucket in front of a country crossroad store.
 
#45 ·
Akuriko,

That Reddington CT can't be beat for value and performance. There are threads on here extolling its virtues and when and where it's been on sale. And that price probably doesn't include a reel, but that's OK.

You need one rod to begin fly fishing. If you decide you enjoy the sport, then for the rest of your life you will always need "just one more" fly rod. And that's OK too.

Sg
 
#47 ·
Truthfully, you could probably stuff the line in your pocket and be just fine, for most fishing the reel just holds the line. If you get the Redington Classic Trout just put a post in the classifieds that you're looking for a reel to go with it and I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies.
 
#48 ·
ok, the other rods i was looking was possibily was the reddington topo,voyant,persuit,cross water. cabelas cahill or wind river was a option as well. the orvis clear water or streamline. or the echo 1, or the bass pro hobbs creek, or dog wood canyon. Doing research and reading reviews on em right now. ok once i buy the rod, if it doesnt come with reel i will look into the classified ads here. :) thanks for the advice.
 
#49 ·
Buy what you can afford. Even if it is a "Walmart" special. I started flyfishing in college, when I had no money. My first rod was a 29.99 combo from Walmart and I have not looked back. I fished that rod for well over a year, before it was replaced with a slightly better piece of garbage- a rod I bought from Sports Authority for $75.00.

Now, 13 years later, I can afford the best gear on the market and guess what the most expensive rod I own cost me? I believe it was $225 (TFO BVK). I pair that rod with a $150 reel (Lamson Konica). The other rods I use often were about $ 170 ( Echo Carbon) and $140 ( TFO Pro). The most expensive line I own cost me $50.

If you are a fisherman, you will catch fish no matter the price of the gear you buy. I fish a good amount, probably 50-75 times a year. Today, I decided to wake up at 4 am and make the 3+ hour drive over the Taylor River. The fishing was good and there were a bunch of fisherman on the water because of the holiday weekend. Many had ultra expensive gear and I will humbly say I outfished the bulk of them, budget rod and all.

Now I am not against buying expensive gear. It is even necessary in some cases. However, if you are chasing freshwater fish, buy what you can afford when it comes to gear. Trust me, to get good at this sport, you'll more than pay for the good fish you eventually catch. However, what a lot of new folks don't understand is that it is going to cost you time on the water, not dollars. Well, time and gas money!

Good luck!
 
#50 ·
Thanks, i read reviews on crystal river, i call em the walmart special, i am worried if i go that low for $20 to $30 then it will break asap. i wanted a quality one, i also was affraid for the same reason as the basspro dogwood canyon and the hobbs creek, same with the cabelas cahill or 3 rivers. just have my own fears, when it comes to spin cast reels i understand those allot better. but i want a challange as well as try something new. again thank you for the advice. :)
 
#51 ·
Akuriko,

Although there are very few bad fly rods on the market these days, please remember and take this to heart, the vast majority of existing bad rods occur at the lower price points where you seem to be shopping. There might be cheaper alternatives like the Walmart Special, and it's not that it is so much more likely to break, but rather that it's more likely to just be a crappy rod in terms of casting action. Given this consideration, and I've personally given many low end rods the in store wiggle and shake test, I can't help but believe your best bet is the Reddington CT. That rod has been given "best buy" reviews several times here on WFF. Other Reddington rod models have their fans and detractors, so buying one of them is likely to be more of a gamble than the CT. My thought is, why take the chance?

Regarding reel selection, a 9' or 8 1/2' graphite fly rod is very light, so buy as light a fly reel and you can. Don't worry about getting a high quality disc drag that can stop a semi truck. You don't need that on a trout reel. You just need something to prevent spool over-run. The best quality simple trout reel that I know of is the discontinued Ross Colorado that can sometimes be found on Ebay for around $100. Any reel for less than $100 other than a Pflueger Medalist is probably a temporary investment, rather than a lifetime one. The problem with Medalists is that they are kinda' heavy on light trout rods IMO.

Good luck in your quest to get geared up.

Sg
 
#52 ·
I know that a trout reel is just for holding the line. But I have a cheap 3wt reel that I have been using for over four years now. It's a 3/4 Martin reel. Paid $29.95 for it. It's been through thick and thin and many fish in these four years. I give it a good lube job at the start of the season. It's like a Timex watch, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking/spinning.
 
#54 ·
Thanks again for the advice, i wanted to say my brands i am looking at is Reddington, Sage and RL Winston for the other fact of lifetime warrenty, plus i am surprised and learned that the difference between say 12 weight and 3 weight depending on rod series from manufactures is a 1/4 ounce to 1 ounce difference in weight, so i learned something new. :)
 
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