Best/Recommended Intermeditate Outfit?

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

Newbie gets to move up due to Sweetie pie wantin’ to learn. Ourselves and another couple that fly fish are going to Rudioso for fly casting lessons. Marsha will need her own outfit, right (here all board memebers answer, RIGHT, Loudly!)? Therefore I will need to upgrade my Genesis starter kit. I am looking at $325-425or total rod/reel cost. I am also a Cabelas’ guy but could change for right reasons. Need your input, PLEASE!

Option 1: FT-905, 9’ 5wt rod; LSR reel, $425
Option 2: Sage 590Fi, 9’ 5wt rod; LSR reel, $430
Option 3: Scott A2 A29059’ 5wt rod; LSR reel, $365
Option 4: St. Croix Legend Ultra 9’ 5wt rod; CSR reel, $360

All above include SA Mastery GPX line and backing.

Thanks for your input!!!

Thanks and Gig’em
Mark Fairchild

2

Another option:
TFO TICR 9’ 4-piece 5 weight,
Orvis Battenkill Barstock III
SA Mastery Series GPX
$358.95

TFO & SA are both sponsors here.

Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.

Lotech Joe

3

Dear Mark,

I don’t think you could go wrong with any of the combinations you listed. I will say that I own an older, before IPC, St. Croix 9 foot 4 piece 5 weight that I absolutely love. For the money, I couldn’t find a rod I liked as much.

Test cast as many as you can before you buy. The reel is more a matter of personal preference as far as style and drag, etc. On a 5 weight it’s not as big of a deal as it would be if you were talking about a heavier line weight or a salt water duty reel.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

4

Another vote for the TFO TiCr. I’ve got 'em in 4, 5, 6, and 8 weights and for the dollar spent they can’t be beat. TFO’s warranty is a thing of beauty as well. I broke a guide on my 4 weight within a week of buying it, the warranty card was still somewhere in the mail and TFO is local for me so I e-mailed them and they had me bring it by and fitted a new section while I waited.

5

Cabelas’ does have a TFO combo in the Lefty Kreh model w/ CSR reel. These are four piece rods and I have only ever used a two piece. What is the advantage or not of four vs two? As a newbie I do need y’alls input, THANKS!

Thanks and Gig’em
Mark Fairchild

6

Dear Mark,

As far as I am concerned their are no disadvantages to 4 piece rods. I’ve pretty much sold off all of my 2 piece rods in favor or 4 or more piece rods. The big advantage is that they are more portable and easier to fly with if that ever becomes a consideration for you.

If flying on a fishing trip isn’t in your future the 2 piece models generally are a little less expensive than the 4 piece versions.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

7

You are going to buy an outfit before you ‘learn’? Not smart. They will have lots of things to learn on. If they don’t, lol, don’t go!
A few times, when we had the school out here, somone would show up with a new rig. Almost always was a poor choice as he ‘learned’ how to cast.

[This message has been edited by J Castwell (edited 11 July 2006).]

8

Another vote for purchasing after the classes. You may find that you like on of the rods available during the classes, assuming they provide them.

Of the rods you mentioned, I really, really, like the Sage FLi. But another rod not to be overlooked is the Sage Launch. Those are my preferences, but all the ones mentioned are good rods.

And by the way, I really don’t think there is such a thing as a beginner, intermediate, or advanced setup, which are labels marketing folks often assign based on cost of the rod. There are plenty of anglers with 4 decades of experience that fish $80 rods, or 6 months of experience that do well with $600 rods. The best rod for you is the one you are comfortable with.

9

Tailingloop is right. You could put a WonderRod with an old auto reel and level line in J.C.s hand and he would thread a needle at 60 yards. Put a Palakona a Kusse reel and 444 WF in a newbies hand and they will probably yank an ear off on the first cast. IMO

10

mark ; j.c. is right , do not purchase till after you go to class . i did a lot of research through this site ( product reviews ) , manufacturers’ web sites ,etc. then i phoned the instructor and asked him to please bring the particular rods i was interested in . after casting at the class i made my choice . keith

11

Albright rod
Orvis Battenkill reel
S.A “Trout” line

12

I am another in favor of taking your instructions before you purchase.
I recently purchased a 5Wt 9ft 4 piece Sage Launch and a Tioga reel.I spooled it with SA Mastery GPX.

I casted many of rods,and with my lack of knowledge I just could not tell much of a difference.
I now can tell subtle differences.
The FLi series Sage didn’t really cast much different from the launch then or now to Me. I think all together I have about $400.00 tied up in my outfit.
I have had some people I know who are knowledgeable fly fisherman cast my Launch rod and they are amazed at the quality and smoothness of the Launch rod.
To each their own is what I say.
The only other thing I can say is try to purchase from a local fly shop.The little bit of extra money you will spend is well worth it.
Good luck in you decision.

Rich

Work is getting in the way of my fishin habit!!

13

I will dissent with the folks who say don’t buy.

As Jim said, I’ve seen folks show up to classes with equipment that, well, they should re-consider using. However, typically it’s been very old equipment given to them by Grandpa Joe or bought for $5 at the corner yard sale. Any of those setups you mentioned will serve you well, and you can grow in to them.

You can’t practice or learn how to cast if you don’t have a rod and reel outfit. Not all classes will have gear for you/students to use. And, who is to know if the equipment they have is something that you will like or fits you?

So, summarizing, you’ve done an admirable job in identifying great rod/reel outfits that would be good all-around outfits for most folks. Besides, for many one of the fun things about fly fishing is buying new stuff. Guaranteed that whatever you buy, if you get in to this, within the next few years you will be wanting to buy more or additional equipment for various conditons.

Somone recommended the Sage Launch as an alternative to the FLi. The Launch is a little more flex than the FLi, and many intermediate folks not interested in distance seem to prefer that action.

Also, get a 4 piece for the travel flexibility it provides. There is very little difference nowadays in casting performance between the middle to upper quality 2 piece and 4 piece rods.

I don’t want to make this any more challenging or difficult for you, but if you are considering the FLi and the Launch, consider their Redington cousins, the CPS and the RS3, respectively. Some knowledgable friends consider them a better value than the comparable Sage models.

You really can’t lose with the selections you picked.

With a 5 weight, don’t get hung up on the reel. Be a little thrify on the reel, and spend the $$ on the rod and the line. DOn’t overlook the importance of the line; the line can be a HUGE factor in the performance of a rod.

I wouldn’t buy a Cabela’s reel; not that they don’t provide good value, but it will likely be discontinued in a year or two, and you won’t be able to buy parts or extra spools. Voice of experience here. Ross is a manufacturer that offers great value reels up and down the cost spectrum.

Good luck on your journey, and congratulations that your sweetie pie wants to also travel that road with you.

14

Jonezee,

Not dissin’ Castwell, but . . .

threading a needle with Wonderod, level line, at 60 YARDS!?!? Heck, with that setup, even Steve Rajeff might have a tough go at 60 feet!

But, I get your drift. It’s not as much about the equipment as it is the operator of the equipment.

With that said, I do believe a person should buy the best equipment they can afford, and not let their equipment hold back their progress as they advance. It’s tough enough learning the skills without your gear affecting the improvement or advancement.

15

I was going to hit jonzee on that 60 yard thing as well, Glad someone else picked it up.

I LOVE my Sage Launch. For me and my casting stroke it’s an absolute cannon. At about $200 with a $60 Cabelas Prestige Plus and another $50 to $60 in line… well if you carry the 3 and divide by naught…(ciphering here folks, give me a minute) Youre coming in under $350. Of course I do sort of have to agree… Buy after the class… And after you’ve cast several of them.

These are the idle thoughts that posses a man’s mind when he’s not able to fish.

16

But, Satchel, if the person is truly a Newbie, casting several different rods during one or several classes won’t make much of a difference. Why can’t a person buy a car before they learn to drive, and use that car while learning to drive? In my experience it’s not very common for a class or instructor to have much of a variety for the student to get a feel for what’s available. Look at all the equipment listed and being considered; man, I’m a gear head, and I don’t even have half of that stuff. And, it sure wouldn’t be equipment that I would make available to beginning students. That’s another group of rod and lines . . .

The equipment listed by MarkF would fit just fine, Newbie or not. Buy and enjoy and grow in to it.

17

So let’s say that mark goes out and buys a stick shift car before he gets his drivers license, the finds out he doesn’t have enough strength in his left leg to push in the clutch…

Let’s say mark goes out and spends $350 on a moderately fast action rod and all the trimmings before this class, then finds out after that he just doesn’t have the casting stroke for a faster action rod, or slower action as the case may be.

I say take the class and learn a decent stroke. Then go out and use the stroke you learn in class to find a rod with an action you are confortable with and can cast a decent loop/distance with.

I don’t want to see a guy spend that kind of money for a rod based on anyones word of mouth recommendation, then find out he can’t cast it worth a hoot and take a beating on trying to trade or sell it.

18

Y’all are GREAT! I fall into the thinking of the latter posters. In far West Texas, where I live, getting to cast several different rods is possible, but so is alien abductioin. No to be flip, but the resources are not here to do lots of fly stuff if you do not own the equipment. As you can see I was using Cabelas’ as reference 'cuz I can only shop for this stuff on the net, no stores w/ fly stuff for 350 miles. I have a friend that recommended Sage as very good and I have been leaning that way. Y’alls input is very important and I am considering all of it carefully.

Reels: I have seen it both ways, can you not get about a $75 job that will do the trick and not spend $150-225, I am not experienced enough that all mine do is hold the fly line?

Thanks and Gig’em
Mark Fairchild

19

Of course… You can even buy a Ross for under $100. The Flywater series is a decent little disc drag reel for about $90 or so. But for that you can also buy a Presige Plus and a spare spool… I can be real tight when I want, but I also like to have nice stuff. I have both Cabelas and Ross reels. I honestly can’t tell the hundred or more dollars worth of difference on 99% of the trout, or other species I catch. But the Ross sure is smooth when I’m playing with it buy the truck…

One good point about buying Sage. If the particular rod you buy doesn’t “fit” your casting stroke/style, A Sage might be easier to sell/trade, and get better return than some other brand.

These are the idle thoughts that posses a man’s mind when he’s not able to fish.

20

A lot of 'People" will give and charge for casting lessons with no investment in equipment other than their own fishing gear.
When we had the school, we had a dozen 9ft. 6wt. G. Loomis GL-3’s, matching reels and lines. A full set of identical outfits. Also several additional (also about a dozen) 9ft. 6wt’s, from other companies to try after the class was over, and they had learned how to cast.