Looks like a good course :thumb: Personally fishing streams it's good to be alone but it is nice to have somone that can teach you the basics. It's like anything, start with the fundimentals and get them down or else when it's game on, you'll be just another monkey hoeing cabbage.

You'll enjoy the journey if you get out and fish. good luck.

250

That will work for a good starter combo. I will tell you this, if you decide you like it and move up to a nicer rod and reel, it will blow you away. You will never pick up the first one again, I swing Winston rods with Galvan reels. My go to set up is a winston Boron 5 WT with a Galvan T5 reel. It doesn't feel like swinging a fly rod, it's feel more like an extension of your arm. The action on that rig is out of this world.

http://www.winstonrods.com/category/rods/

http://www.galvanflyreels.com/index....-Arbor-Series/

How much coin did you spend on the combo? How long have you been fly fishing?
Also do I need any other gear when first starting? ie waders, net.

Fly fishing 25 years. I paid around $800 for the rod and reel and yes, I would get waders. I like waist waders made by Dan Bailey. https://www.dan-bailey.com/Via/index.jsp

Whatever you buy, get something breathable.

Most of the time I don't use a net and you should look into a fly fishing vest. I like Simms, but that isn't something you need right out of the gate.

http://www.simmsfishing.com/

If you are going to step up on one nice peice of gear right out of the gate, make it the fly rod. I would rather have a nice rod and a walmart reel than the other way around. Like I said before, action and feel is everything. It's so much easier to cast with a rod with nice action. Skimp on everything but the rod if you have to.

Bwana obviously has lots of great experience and advice. You can't go wrong following it.

I'm another data point.

I started with a flyrod when I was 9 or 10 and I haven't looked back. Grew up in St. Louis, but had relatives in southern IL. Mostly panfish then. Got into trout when I was a teenager, and my mom was glad when I got my drivers license because I could take myself to the Maramec and Montauk, etc.

Went to college in Rolla, MO, just a short blip from several great fishing areas. Had an extremely small fly-tying business while in college.

Lived in Nebraska for 14 years after college, with a heavy dose of bass fishing with a flyrod. My job took my all around the world, too, so I was able to wet a line on many coasts. Salt water is oh so fun to fish.


All that is to say that I'm by no means an expert, but I've done my share of fishing.


Fly-fishing can tend to have a high-dollar following, and like golf or home fitness can attract men who don't end up pursuing the hobby after their initial (speedy) purchases.

Thusly, you can find some really great deals on the used market. Rods that have barely been flexed. Waders seldom used, etc. Check craigslist, and the bulletin board at your local flyshop.


There are advantages to high dollar equipment, but if you can't cast the cheap rods, you can't cast the spendy ones.

Don't confuse expensive equipment with skill. Skill is attainable. You can do it. Read up. Ask friends and experts for help.

You should easily be able to outfit yourself stem to stern for $200 with very basic equipment. Likewise you can spend 10x that with better.

If you're set on buying new, I'd go with a cheap starter set from a reputable place. When I was growing up, you never found Orvis dipping into the low-end market, but nowadays, almost all of the high end brands also have low-end models. They're cheap, but the fundamentals never change.

You haven't really said what you'll be fishing for, but that will guide your equipment as well.

Several flyfishermen here, so I'm sure we can all chime in as you have questions.

It's not as hard as it looks. Look for any local fly shops and almost every one will offer some sort of casting lesson. Once you learn how to manipulate the line, it's easy to make all kinds of casts.

I rarely use a normal full cast. Most of my casting is roll casts or little flip casts.

Rolla eh? So I assume you hit up the Current pretty often. I love that river.

Edit: Duh, you mentioned Montauk in your post.

Agreed. I don’t know about the areas you guys are fishing but around here unless you’re in a boat there isn’t normally enough room around you for a full cast.

Look at some Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO) rods. They are right in your price range and they are quality rods. They also come with a complete no fault warranty, so if you break your rod for whatever reason you just send it in with $25 for shipping and they fix or give you a new rod.

Also, you don't need much for a reel when you start out. For the most part, unless you are working for large ocean fish, the reel just acts as a line holder. You'll end up playing most fish with your hands by stripping in line.

Spend your money on a good fly line. It should cost around $60. Scientific Anglers and Rio lines are both good.

As for rods, TFO is a good brand. Mde overseas though if that matters to you. I have two of them.

^ This.
I like the TFO Rods. I have one for a backup/loaner/messy creek fishing Rod. They are well built and cast nice. St Croix has a similar program for the no fault warranty. I usually seem to break a rod once a year (car door or stupid friends), and the no fault or upgrade deal is very nice. Plus I like St. Croix Rods.

Often Sierra Trading Post has blowout deals on Fly Rods.

Crappie are biting in small lakes here in SE Kansas .. medium size tho ....

I'm just getting into fly fishing too, I looked for a conversation just like this about 2-3 weeks ago, but didn't start one up then when I didn't see one.


I have most of the gear taken care of now. The rod came from the guy I am going with, he is letting me use the one he used to use since he just got a new one, so that cost is avoided for now.

I got some waders from bass pro on gift cards I got for Christmas. Ended up with white river stocking foot waders and white river wading boots as well. More than I would have spent, but I had an assload of giftcards anyhow.

Instead of a vest I got one of those orvis sling packs. From hunting I always disliked vests and lots of pockets in front of me, so I went for the sling pack so I could easily get the bulk behind me.

I've only used the rod once in the back yard, but the casting didn't feel as awkwards as I thought it would. It is a lot easier to understand what I heard of in videos once I could feel the weight of the line from the rod. I also figured out how easily leaders break since I broke it several times just in the back yard when it twisted around dormant grass stems.

We are set for going to Bennett on opening weekend, looking forward to it.

Yup, seen a few guys out hitting them.