Ed,

The only way to fly is to fish with whatever makes you happy. I fished with a $15 fly rod for years, and hundreds of steelhead could not have cared less. Whatever rod helps you properly present the bait or lure is tool enough for the task. Remember, a real craftsman never blames his tools for the result of his work.

My experience is that there is so much good tackle in the marketplace now that it is hard to make a wrong choice. It hasn't always been so.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.