For a few years ago I bought a Wal Mart 5/6 weight rod/reel combo that I have set up for 6 wt (I thought it was a Scientific Anglers, but the Rod says Pfleuger and the reel is Shakspear) and I have tried teaching myself flycasting with horrible results. I finaly broke down and admitted its time to call in professional help, so next friday my Uncle and I are taking private fly casting lessons with a certified Fly Casting instructor.
So once that I have had proper instruction I want to start looking at a couple of new rod/reel combos for different purposes, and I am looking for some recomendations. Most important is a bass set-up. My Uncle and I are huge bass fishermen, and thats the primary interest for him and I (though I am looking to divide my time between warmwater and cold water stream/river). The size of our bass is not near as big as down south (the largest we have ever personally caught was close to 6 lbs) so I don’t think I will need a super heavy weight rod. We fish from a canoe. I am thinking to budget about $150 for the rod/reel, though I think I can stretch that to $200 if need be.
The next rod/reel combo I am interested in is for the above mentioned cold water stream/river pursuit I wish to undertake. Honestly, I have never fished a small cold water stream, let alone I have never fished for trout (except ice fishing once.) So I am starting with a blank slate here, not just in flycasting, but this type of fishing period. I am a very avid hiker of the White Mountain National Forest, and its my dream to fly fish some of the remote Wilderness streams and small rivers, some requiering over 5 miles of hiking to get to. So I would think I need a rod that is in three sections or more to make packing easier. I have no clue about which would be a good weight, length, etc. I assume the rod I have now will be acceptable until I can afford this better combo. The price range would be the same as above, $150 for the rod/reel with $200 if need be.
Lastly, would either of the above combos be able to serve doule duty for a bit larger river and going for trout in the 2+ lb range? Perhaps the Warm water rig? I ask only because I am also thinking of fishing the Connecticut River, which is larger and holds bigger fish than the smaller streams. This is not as important as meeting the other above needs, but if those combos above will not fill the need is there a third suggestion for a rod/reel combo?
Brian;
What line came with the combo? Sometimes they come with a level line and a weight forward may would serve you better.
Dudly is correct. You may find the 5/6 will be ok for the bass.
I just purchased a 6 pc. 8’ 4 wt. combo for $200.00. It breaks down into a very small package.
You may want to check some of the sponsors here to see what they have to offer in pack rods.
A big Welcome Aboard by the way.
NH,
Based on what you’ve said, the first rig that popped into my head, was the TFO 9’, 4 piece, 6 weight, Professional. They retail for $139. You could match it with an Okuma Sierra reel for around $39. The reel is just a bit heavy (not bad at all) and it has a great disc drag system that could be beneficial if you tie into a larger bass. The 6 weight rod is versatile enough to fish small streams with small flies or large water with big bass bugs and streamers. So, here’s the caviat; a person never knows whether they will like the way a rod performs for them until they cast it. So go to a pro-shop if you can and try as many combos as you can. Let the shop owner know your budget and I’m sure he will be able to match you up with a decent outfit. I personally have a TFO in a 9’ 4 weight and I love it.
One thing you will find our very quickly in fly fishing is you get what you pay for. A good 6 or 7wt rod will serve you well in both cold and warm water fishing. (remember the rod wt is determined by what fly you will be using, not the size of fish you are fishing for) One thing to consider is warranty. Make sure the rod you buy can be replaced when you fall in the river and it snaps. Taking lessons is the best thing in the world you could do. If you can find it, Lefty Kreh has a video on fly casting that is the best in the world. it’s worth every cent. As for brand of rod, I really like Temple Fork Outfitters. There are a lot of good rods out there and your instructor should be able to point you in the right direction.
Last year, at the Michigan Fish-In, I did a half hour casting presentation, trick casts and full line distance stuff. I used a combo from Wally-world that sold for $59.00 SA rod, reel, line, leader , backing and flies. All installed! These are fine tools and everyone thought I was running some fancy custom rod. To prove I wasn’t, I gave the rig to a lady who needed it at the end of my show.
The line was indeed a level line, but I switched it out for a Double Taper floating line (I figured the line might be a source of casting problems…that was before I realized I just plain needed help :lol: .)
The place man we are taking our casting lessons from owns a Fly Fishing shop. Perhaps while we are there I will do some window shopping .
Brian;
I’m also a great advocate of furled leaders and use them exclusivly. I was told that “Furled leaders are only needed by those that can’t cast!”. I translated it to mean they would improve my casting.
A 7’ furled leader made from 4# test Berkley “Transition” floroucarbon will turn over 5 - 6’ of tippet and sink like a rock to get the fly down deep. One made of 6/0 tying thread can be treated to float and used for dry’s.
I’m fortunate to have a certified casting instructor living close by and he has been a big help. I used to tell people that all the wind knots in my tippet were how I counted the fish I caught! Can’t do that any more!
If I were you, I would direct this question the professional casting instructor that you will be working with. His/her style, your style, and whomever he/she may be affiliated with will determine his/her answers. Discount the latter by about 2/3 and factor his/her advice into your equation.
I’ve seen guys cast an entire fly line with NO rod and/or only a butt section of a fly rod. The moral of that story: it ain’t the equiipment 99.9% of the time.
With all of that said, you could do BOTH jobs with a 6wt combo and a general purpose floating line. You could probably do both with a 5wt. I’d bet you could…if I were a betting kind of guy. My personal choice inside your stated budget would be an Elkhorn Nomad 5wt 9’ rod paired with an Okuma Cascade reel and a Scientific Anglers Mastery Series GPX WF5F or Elkhorn hi-floating WF5F (with 5wt rod…if 6wt, then 6wt lines).
This rod is $129. The reel is $39 or so. And the lines run about $50. That’s $220 and you will NEVER outgrow it and you’ve filled BOTH needs. As you expand your arsenal down the road, you can simply add more spools and lines to do different jobs (sink tips, etc.). Spools for that reel are about $10-20 each, and additional lines are always gonna be $10 either side of $50. The rod carries an unconditional lifetime warranty. So, if/when it breaks, you can send it in and get it fixed or replaced. For the type of fishing you are doing, a reel is just a place to store your line neatly. But the Okuma Cascade does have a decent drag system on it for a low-end reel that is more than sufficient to handle 6 lb bass and 5 lb trout.
Finally, take the $150-200 I just saved you (1 combo to do both jobs instead of 2) and donate it to Project Healing Waters or Casting For Recovery. Share the joy with someone who can use the help.
Brian,
My nephew started fly fishing last year and had the same basic fishing requirements as you have listed. He bought a Temple Forks NXT combo in a 5/6 wt 4 peice. It cost $175 and comes with decent line and a case. It’s hard to beat the lifetime warranty. I had a chance to cast it and I really liked it. My nephew swears by it. I have only seriously fly fished for 5 years but in that time I have broken 3 rods. The warranty is important!! You are starting a fly fishing journey that will most likely lead to more equipment as your needs change. I suggest to try to get as good as equipment as you can afford and hopefully will not out grow.
caribe
I don’t think anyone is steering you wrong here, but I have some suggestions for the hiking/fishing combo you mentioned wanting. I’ve hiked though a lot of the White Mountains although not fished them nearly as much as I’d like to in the future. I just did a backpacking/fishing trip in Baxter (in Maine) and was very glad to have a 4 piece rod for that trip, but we did all our fishing from canoes, so I wanted to have the added length of a 9’ rod. If we had been fishing the small streams in the park, or some small streams in the Whites I think a rod that long would have been more of an inconvenience than anything. Until quite recently my backpacking rod was a 6’6" Eagle Claw Featherlight, which while it is a 2 piece, was plenty short enough to strap to the side of my pack without sticking up too high and a good length for small stream fishing. It was recently replaced with a Heddon I refinished which is a very similar length and I gave it to the guy I usually go backpacking with. I know a few of the rivers up there are still pretty big miles from the trailhead (the East Branch Pemi jumps to mind), in which case maybe you’d want a longer multi-piece. But if small streams are your goal then it’s something to consider. You can get one from any number of places for less than $20. Any old reel and a 5wt line will work just fine, you could even use one from one of your other setups.
NH - I have a 5wt that I have caught a 30" Steelhead, a 31" carp, and numerous 3+ pound Bass. I have a hard time casting the biggest Bass bugs, but everything else works. I would agree with going for an 8’6" or 9’ rod and you can find them in 3- or 4-piece. TFO Pro series, Elkhorn, Cabelas, and Redington all make this size rod and all are reputable. If you go with the 5 or 6 wt, you will only need one rod. I would do that and go with a little more expensive reel. Orvis makes the Battenkill Bar Stock for $99 that has a very good drag. You won’t always need the drag, but it’s nice to know it’s there. Buy decent line Orvis, Rio SA are all good and go for $60. SA Mastery Headstart is $40 and made for beginners - design, not quality.
2 tips - Look for sales and specials on line with vendors and E-bay. Elkhorn had some scratched reels and I saved $50 and I found the BBS reel on E-bay, demo in the box for my 8wt, usually $130 for $75.
Secondly - After your lesson, cast every rod before you buy. Even if you have to buy a reel and load it with line and carry it with you to the shops. Everyone has a stroke that is different and after a few casts the rod will let you know.
Oh yeah, buy one of everything in the fly shop, because you will eventually. Did anyone mention the addictive side of this venture?
Brian,
J.C. is giving you some sound advice here. Nothing wrong with those outfits. That’s what I started with and they work just fine. My advice is that you don’t buy anything until after the casting instruction you have scheduled. You will probably be surprised just how good that combo of yours works.
A few days out now and I am getting excited. My Uncle came over today and we got his old fly rig set up again (he has not flyfished for many many years…and at that he never really flycasted, more like trolled trout ponds with it :lol: .) Anyways we are both ready and excited. We are going to head over to the fly shop early before our insruction time so we can browse around. No matter what set-up, rod, reel…whatever…the simple thought of :lol: not making little knots in the end of my leader, and being able to cast more than 12 feet, has me psyched for the possibilities to come!!!
Brian
P.S. I will be sure to let everyone know how the instruction turns out.
