This is a great topic!!!!

I am brand new to fly fishing but not new to rods. Coming from a Bass and Saltwater background I NEVER thought that a "more expensive" rod would help me catch fish until I put aside the old "Tru Value" fiberglass rod that was passed down through generations it seems.

When it came to bass fishing days when I started fishing local tournaments I was shocked to see how the "pro's" had sooooo many "high end" rods. Well I simply could not afford them. When I was asked if I would like to try my first partner's pro rig I jumped at the opportunity! Here is the catch...he stated I should use my reel with it to see the true difference. While I wasn't amazed I was actually surprised at how it cast. Was it night and day....no....but I wasn't experienced enough to notice

I am brand new to fly fishing. Our local shop had a Fly Fishing Expo, for lack of a better term, this weekend. There were manufacturer reps and there was a TON of rods to cast. I found that the $800 and up rods were nice but the $200 rod (as an example) felt better FOR ME! Am I missing out? Not sure. However I ended up picking up an Orvis 3wt that simply "felt" good in my hands. I don't cast well as I am new to this but the folks at the local shop did not steer me to something I might not notice in an $800 rod setup.

I am happy with my purchase and happy that there were folks that did NOT steer me towards something that would either break the bank or that I would not appreciate (for lack of a better term). Perhaps in the future I will be able to appreciate the differences in various fly rods but for now the rod I purchased I will be happy with!!!