Fly Fishing

[I<3LrgMouthsOnMyPole]

ive been thinking about buying a fly rod for a while now and im wondering what kind i should get and dont have a lot of knowledge about fly fishing so if any of yall could help me out i would appreciate it.

[vagabond]

Not sure how much you're wanting to spend but Sage makes pretty nice rods that are good value for your money. They also come with a life time guarantee. It can add up so if you're not sure if you really want to do it or if money is of concern, you may want to start with a cheap combo - probably available for as little as $75.

Practice casting (hopefully with some direction of someone that knows how) in a baseball field.

I've had a few friends that spent around $600 to get a rod, reel and line and don't have the patience to get the casting down. That 's why I'd suggest getting something cheaper incase it isn't for you.

I've seen awesome deals at yard sales on rods, reels, tackle and waders. If you can luck into something like that, it may be the way to go.

[Bender]

I bought a combo deal at Cabela's a few years ago. Their Three Forks rod, a decent reel, backing, tippet, a few flies, etc. The nice thing was that there was an instrucional video that helped a lot with casting.
Also check with your local tackle shop, there may be a fly fishing club around that has an instructional day for new people. They had one here.
I got drustrated with it after only catching trees and gave it up after about 5 outings though. Gave my stuff to a friend.

[WTL]

Don't spend too much, you might find you don't like it. Besides, bass fishing doesn't require expensive fly rods - a lot of its topwater so you don't need the higher eschelon modulus graphite.

I would go with at least a 7-9 wt, at least 9 foot rod. The reel isn't so important, it just holds line.

Come to think of it, if you get a 7 wt, you can throw poppers for bluegill and build up some fish catching confidence early on.

[ToPwAt'R GuY]

Originally Posted by WTL

Don't spend too much, you might find you don't like it. Besides, bass fishing doesn't require expensive fly rods - a lot of its topwater so you don't need the higher eschelon modulus graphite.

I would go with at least a 7-9 wt, at least 9 foot rod. The reel isn't so important, it just holds line.

Come to think of it, if you get a 7 wt, you can throw poppers for bluegill and build up some fish catching confidence early on.

Your right on. I know a good number of people that bought expensive rods and hated it after they tried it. I personally use a 7 wt rod and have had good luck.

[I<3LrgMouthsOnMyPole]

Originally Posted by WTL

Don't spend too much, you might find you don't like it. Besides, bass fishing doesn't require expensive fly rods - a lot of its topwater so you don't need the higher eschelon modulus graphite.

I would go with at least a 7-9 wt, at least 9 foot rod. The reel isn't so important, it just holds line.

Come to think of it, if you get a 7 wt, you can throw poppers for bluegill and build up some fish catching confidence early on.

so can i get a 9 foot 7 wt fly rod at say walmart for cheap?

[ILfishinman]

i got a shakespear combo at walmart for $20 bout a yaer ago, come with line, leader, some flys, and tells you how to tie the knots too. btw its a 3 pc. 8 ft. rod

[FlyRod]

Originally Posted by I<3LrgMouthsOnMyPole

so can i get a 9 foot 7 wt fly rod at say walmart for cheap?

Don't do it!!! A cheap WalMart rig will do more to drive you away than encourage you. Far better to save up and do it right, and I don't mean spending your kid's college fund, .
Check out some of Cabela's combos. Also, you can call them and chat with someone on the staff that will guide you in the choice of "System weight" and other components.
You didn't mention, nor did any of my colleagues ask, what type of fish you will primarily target. Also important is the nature of the lakes/streams you normally fish. It would help greatly to know those things.
As a start, and if you plan to target large/smallmouth bass, nothing heavier than a 7-weight will probably do the trick. If you are likely to be fishing in heavy cover, on breezy saltwater bays or flats, you might consider an 8-weight. To be fair, I'd prefer a 7-weight with a tip action designed for driving heavier bugs, perhaps into a breeze.
If you know of places where one can get among some nice bluegill or similar species, an 8-weight would place you at a disadvantage, and even a 7-weight might be a bit tiring just to cast those cute little popping bugs and rubber spiders.
The Reel: This is the least critical component (unless you are battling huge critters, and you prob'ly won't be). In most cases the reel is little more than line storage. Still, you'll want one that has an adjustable drag and the possibility of using interchangeable spools (floating line/sinking or sinking tip line)
Line: This is critical and where you don't wanna skimp. For surface bugs, a floating, weight-forward or "Bass Taper" line is the standard. A sinking line, or, more likely (unless you are fishing really deep) a sinking tip line will be the SECOND line you save up for.
Leaders: This is also critical. Besides choosing the right leader length, material, and weight, you'll need to learn the "nail knot" or "needle knot" for attaching the leader to the main line, and other knots for adding/replacing "tippet" to the leader.
The fluorocarbon craze has invaded our world and many use fluoro leader for their flyfishing. This is great so long as you are using sinking flies, streamers, etc. However, it may just be that you'll want to experience the sheer thrill of enticing the wily bass to blow up on a big popper or deerhair bug. For that, you DO NOT use fluoro. Why? Well, fluoro sinks and thus hampers the desired high floatation of the surface bugs, and may even submerge the smaller and less-bouyant ones.
Rather than turn this into an encyclopedia, I'll close for now with this suggestion...Heed the first paragraph of this post.
And...PM me if you want to chat discuss this further BEFORE you spend money. Entering the rewarding world of flyfishing is a bit more complicated than our other methods, but is not to be feared...it's great! Like all methods and types of gear, it has it's time and place.

FlyRod