first fly rod?

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big fish lite line
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first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:26 pm

any recommendations for a good quality fly rod for less than 100$
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by Rooscooter » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:42 pm

When you are under $100 your options are pretty limited.

A quick check at Cabela's found the TQR rod for $109 and up. I don't have any experience with this rod however Cabela's usually had decent quality stuff.

If you can go to about $200 there are a lot of other choices out there.

At Sierra Trading Post there is a Powell SSL for $99.00, a Powell TMX rod for $149 and a Gary Borger (made by Targus) for $179. I have Powell rods and love them. I don't have the TMX or the SSL models however I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Powell rod.

Echo and TFO both make rods that sell for under $200 that pretty good as well.

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RE:first fly rod?

Post by curado » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:56 pm

lamiglas 5wt 9ft 80 or 90 bucks. greats rods i have an older lamiglas im700 great on pinks and small silvers
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Lotech Joe
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by Lotech Joe » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:32 pm

I've heard really good things about Cabela's Traditions II fly rods. And, now they are on sale for 1/2 price.

http://s7y.us/u7p
Last edited by Anonymous on Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by langap » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:23 am

Yes- get a Cabelas outfit... they are often for sale for $40-$90 for a rod, reel line and backing. Get an 8.5'-9' rod, 5-7 wt. for all-around fishing. Brand is not as important as the feel of the rod- get a medium to med. fast action (these are a bit stiffer and I believe easier for beginners to cast).

If Cabelas is not accessible or not your thing, find a Pflueger or Martin combo kit at a sporting goods store or Walmart. These will top out at $100 for the spendy ones, quite often less.

Good luck.

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RE:first fly rod?

Post by SAPIplate » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:23 pm

I'd go with a Redington or TFO rod, any of the under $100 offerings (besides that awful Redington "Crosswater").And a Ross "FlyStart" reel with the apprpriate weight SA GPX Line. A 5 weight would be apporpriate for trout/small steelhead and salmon/panfish/etc. If you are strickly fishing for Salmon and Steelhead, get a 8 weight.
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by swedefish4life1 » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:39 pm

The $1,200#-o :-# SAGE 8 weight should cover most of your needs and your budget :cyclopsan :cheers: :colors:

On a more humble note:colors: :clown:

I fished a ok better then average (ST.CROIX fly rod) in Montana Flat head river it was a better then C=plus Rod and I belive in the $100 $$$ class?? :-$
Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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big fish lite line
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:02 pm

well I just bought myself a st. croix reign 9' 5wieght
I recently found out its really hard to find 4 wieght sinking line so i narrowed it to 5 wieghts. I had a choice between a redington for 100$ or the st. croix and after 15min of checking them out finally decided on the st. croix. I cant wait to try it out!
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by wolverine » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:59 pm

A 5 wt is a good choice for a first rod. A bit overgunned for some smaller fisheries and a bit undergunned for others. But it'll work for most everything (excluding kings). Have fun with it.
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by Dave » Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:22 am

I've had the same fly rod that my dad gave me when I was 5 years old, now almost 44 years old. It's a Fenwick and I have caught hundreds of very nice trout on it including Canada's Salmon Lake trophy trout back in the day before that pristine wild lake went commercial. Anyway, I'm a Fenwick guy for sure. My other 3 spinning rods are all Fenwick and perform flawlessly.

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RE:first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:25 am

dave I too really love fenwick rods. I use them for anything between halibut fishing and catching stocked trout. if they would have had a good fenwick fly rod i probably would have bought it.
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by fishing collector » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:35 pm

Keep your eyes open for good deals on ebay....Flies and line - rods and reels are always for sale on the site and you won't spend a bunch if you do your homework then you can save a bundle and get some quality gear. By spending $100 for a rod is only a start....you have a bunch more gear to get. Always get the best that you can afford and you won't go wrong. Being that this is your first rod, you can't tell a St Croix from a Sage or a fiberglass from a graphite. Just go out and have fun and as time goes on you will find gear that will help you catch more fish..... For right now stick with Nymphs and wet flies on an intermediate line and don't worry to much with dry flies and matching the hatch.... Go to a fly fishing shop and they will set you up with 10 flies that will work all the time and catch fish. Good luck to you...have fun and remember....Practice.... Practice ..... Practice.... Casting a fly isn't too hard unless you are using dry flies. So go out more and practice casting into a 3' circle, then after you get to the point that you can hit the same area the circle is in then try hitting a circle that is infront of you. You will have fun....Trolling flies is a easy way to go also. Take care, Steve

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big fish lite line
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:14 pm

Keep your eyes open for good deals on ebay....Flies and line - rods and reels are always for sale on the site and you won't spend a bunch if you do your homework then you can save a bundle and get some quality gear. By spending $100 for a rod is only a start....you have a bunch more gear to get. Always get the best that you can afford and you won't go wrong. Being that this is your first rod, you can't tell a St Croix from a Sage or a fiberglass from a graphite. Just go out and have fun and as time goes on you will find gear that will help you catch more fish..... For right now stick with Nymphs and wet flies on an intermediate line and don't worry to much with dry flies and matching the hatch.... Go to a fly fishing shop and they will set you up with 10 flies that will work all the time and catch fish. Good luck to you...have fun and remember....Practice.... Practice ..... Practice.... Casting a fly isn't too hard unless you are using dry flies. So go out more and practice casting into a 3' circle, then after you get to the point that you can hit the same area the circle is in then try hitting a circle that is infront of you. You will have fun....Trolling flies is a easy way to go also. Take care, Steve
geesh I'm not that much of a newb. its my first fly rod because I've been using my dads fly rods/gear since march. I also bought some new line yesterday cortland 444 full sink. for the time being I'm using a right hand retrieve real for left handed cause I can't reel with my right hand.
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by fishing collector » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:26 am

big fish lite line wrote:
Keep your eyes open for good deals on ebay....Flies and line - rods and reels are always for sale on the site and you won't spend a bunch if you do your homework then you can save a bundle and get some quality gear. By spending $100 for a rod is only a start....you have a bunch more gear to get. Always get the best that you can afford and you won't go wrong. Being that this is your first rod, you can't tell a St Croix from a Sage or a fiberglass from a graphite. Just go out and have fun and as time goes on you will find gear that will help you catch more fish..... For right now stick with Nymphs and wet flies on an intermediate line and don't worry to much with dry flies and matching the hatch.... Go to a fly fishing shop and they will set you up with 10 flies that will work all the time and catch fish. Good luck to you...have fun and remember....Practice.... Practice ..... Practice.... Casting a fly isn't too hard unless you are using dry flies. So go out more and practice casting into a 3' circle, then after you get to the point that you can hit the same area the circle is in then try hitting a circle that is infront of you. You will have fun....Trolling flies is a easy way to go also. Take care, Steve
geesh I'm not that much of a newb. its my first fly rod because I've been using my dads fly rods/gear since march. I also bought some new line yesterday cortland 444 full sink. for the time being I'm using a right hand retrieve real for left handed cause I can't reel with my right hand.
Oops! I thought that if you were looking for an inexpensive rod you were a newbie. I guess you were just looking for a good deal.... I still will say...watch on eBay for the best prices. Have fun this season, Steve :-)

Fly Fishing is the art of attaching a fake bug to a line and relying on the appropriate manipulation of the rod to deceive the fish into eating a sharp steel hook covered with feathers and fur.

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RE:first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:10 am

thanks steve

I just tried out the rod yesterday, I broke it in the best way I know I caught 5 rainbows between 13 and 17inches. the most exiting part of the trip was during the evening the trout were surface feeding and I switched top sinking line and a #8 adams. my first cast was a perfect cast that took my fly less than a foot from the reeds. I caught my biggest trout on a flyrod on that cast. the rod worked awsome!
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RE:first fly rod?

Post by big fish lite line » Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:07 am

heres the pic
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