Fly fish combos info

[SargeRX8]

Hey all,

Ive been watching alot of fly fishing videos and I wanna get into it. I like to try new things all the time and this really got me interested but as expected, I have NO idea about anything to do with this stuff.

From what Ive read its best to go with a 5 or 6 weight rod and line which is heavier at the front or something. Ive got a fly rod at home but its been hacked up and stuffed into a spinning reel butt lol.

Ebay has a few kits from pfleuger and some other brands. I don't want to spend too much maybe $100 - $150 for a "everything you need" kit. If I don't like it, ill just pack it up and leave it for another time.

Any advice would be great.

[foolforjesus]

Fresh or saltwater species?

Depending on that will determine what rod class.

A 6 wt outfit would be good for general trout fishing, however you could go lighter if targeting stream trout etc.

If salt, depending on species, I would go 9-10 wt.

As for budget, I think you'll really struggle for $100-$150.

Might find something secondhand?!

[SargeRX8]

That's the thing I'm not yet sure what I want to target. My initial plans were to target fish in fresh water around streams, even get up into some dams and what not. Then I went to youtube and saw videos of guys tearing up the harbour with their fly fishing gear.

Where do the big costs come in? Last time I was over at tackleworld checking out fly fishing gear, any rod I touched had a price tag in excess of $500! When I checked eBay I found a bag of results. But because I know nothing about this stuff, there are alot of pre made combos which maybe have generic gear or what ever but they have everything setup to get you out there. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SALTWATER-FLY-FISHING-STARTER-COMBO-OUTFIT-rod-reel-line-backing-leader-fly-loop-/290676609820?pt=AU_FishingRods&hash=item43adad131c That one looked like a nice piece and it says its suitable for salt water.

Ive just been watching alot of videos on the net and on TV and really am keen to give this a try. It might be a short phase but I feel I must wet a fly line!

[Guest]

That's the thing I'm not yet sure what I want to target. My initial plans were to target fish in fresh water around streams, even get up into some dams and what not. Then I went to youtube and saw videos of guys tearing up the harbour with their fly fishing gear.

Where do the big costs come in? Last time I was over at tackleworld checking out fly fishing gear, any rod I touched had a price tag in excess of $500! When I checked eBay I found a bag of results. But because I know nothing about this stuff, there are alot of pre made combos which maybe have generic gear or what ever but they have everything setup to get you out there. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SALTWATER-FLY-FISHING-STARTER-COMBO-OUTFIT-rod-reel-line-backing-leader-fly-loop-/290676609820?pt=AU_FishingRods&hash=item43adad131c That one looked like a nice piece and it says its suitable for salt water.

Ive just been watching alot of videos on the net and on TV and really am keen to give this a try. It might be a short phase but I feel I must wet a fly line!

If you are considering doing the flyfishing thing you will be swamped with all the intracacies of this form of angling.

Read up on as much as you can and decide what species you wish to target and start with that.

There are so many outfits it is scary and the costs are in the same catagory.

I currently have a 5wt for trout..... 8wt for larger trout and small saltwater species....9wt for larger saltwater fish and a 12wt with 500 mts of 50lb backing and a 30foot shooting tungsten head for big gamefish and even marlin.

I am really just starting out but can cast pretty well and have caught plenty of trout and bass but am yet to score a saltwater fish...this will change soon I hope.

Good luck with is and my advice would be to find a friend who can teach you the basics of casting first and go from there.

I am thinking of getting a small social together for budding flycasters to get a bit of tuition from some of our more learned members

Regards Stewy

[abecedarian]

Go with a 6 wt rod to start with, they're probably the most versatile weight out there. Good for trout in dams, ok in streams and fine for bream and flatties etc.

There are a few places you can buy combos from that are decent. Peter Morse has a line of fly rods that are excellent by all reports and affordable. But what you have to realize with fly fishing is that to get a decent rod (not including the reel!) you're looking at about $800-1000. Some go up to as much as $2000. You can get ok ones cheaper but the quality really drops off when you go below about $300-400. Obviously there are exceptions, but not many.

If you want to go the cheaper option buy a secondhand rod. You can get good ones for not much money in good condition if you look hard enough.

Reels are less important and you can get away with a lot cheaper reel compared to rod unless you fishing for big game fish. Gillies make good large arbor reels with disc drag for about the $70 mark.

Casting lessons are useful and make life easier but it is possible to learn by yourself. I taught myself and so did most of the pros as well. My casting isn't brilliant, but certainly more than good enough for any fishing situation I'm in, and probably better than the majority of fly fisherman I see fishing when I'm in the zone.

Lessons are good, but a good rod will help your casting almost as much as professional lessons in my opinion.

[foolforjesus]

In my opinion, one exception to the "expensive" decent rod category is 'Greys".

They are made in the UK, a division of "Hardy' which is exceptional quality fishing gear.

I personally have an X-Flite 9.6 6wt rod, and have to say its the best fly rod I've owned. I have casted sage, etc rods, and from what I can tell, the Greys rod is as good as, if not better considering the price tag.

Check out: http://www.harrissportsmail.com

When I'm ready to get another rod, most likely for the salt, I will for sure be getting one of these rods.

I have caught many big Trout on my 6wt, and it performs beautifully, exceptional fast casting action.

[nickb111]

Swordfisherman a social would be great

[troutboy]

HEY sarge, a cheap flyrod is just that,You would be better served by finding a friend who already has some gear that you can borrow to see if flyfishing is really for you before you spend the required dollars for a decent outfit. As some have said it can be a very expensive passion and top shelf gear starts around the 500$ mark and only goes up from there.If you are determined to by your own gear I would suggest a saltwater friendly 6wt is where I would start. Freshwater specific rods will corrode very quickly when used in the salt if your rod and reel maintenance is not undertaken after every session. A saltwater 6wt is fine to use in the streams and lakes for trout and will serve you well until the bug bites hard and then a 2/3wt will be wanted for small streams and creeks , a 5 wt for the larger creeks and rivers and a 7/9wt for saltwater use, as you can tell there is always something else to buy , hence the $$$.There are not too many rods I can recommend in your current price range but if you can muster up a few more dollars a sage flight series would be a good starting point. I would recommend you stay away from fast action rods during the learning phase until you are casting well and a lesson from an accredited flyfishing instructor will pay for itself by learning the correct casting techniques before you learn too many bad habbits by teaching yourself. A weight forward line such as a rio gold or scientific anglers gpx taper will be the best line for you to learn with as they are both half a weight heavier than their rating and really load the rod well.If purely fishing the salt a reel with a sealed drag is required otherwise corrosion will set in very quickly destroying the reel. Hopefully Swordy can organise a casting day and you can try many different rods and find something that suits your casting style, I for one would be happy to offer any help needed and it would be good to meet some fellow flyfishers from fishraider.I guarantee once you have caught your first fish on fly there will be no going back. cheers Jamie