Hey guys,

I need help finding/buying a quality Fly rod/reel combo... Looking at a 4 piece 5wt rod of some kind that won't break the bank..

Dose cabelas or anyone else you know of carry a rod or rod/reel combo that is a decent package??

Is there a deal out there that is just too good to pass on.

You know one your really surprised by that is the best bang for the buck??

Would like to keep the cost at $100 or less... BUT, I know how that goes and can go higher..

Thanks guys for any help!

Bentley,

Yes, Cabela's cheap fly rods are a good value, modest price, and a lot of guys are impressed at how well they cast. The most important thing you can do is find a rod that just "feels" good to you. There are almost no bad graphite fly rods on the market today. You should be able to find one you like at every price point. This tends to be disputed only by those who feel the need to rationalize that the $500 - $700 they spent on a high end rod was really necessary in order to obtain superior performance. Only the ultra-elite casters are good enough to extract the performance potential of the most expensive fly rods, and even then, the additional incremental performance is very small relative to the large incremental cost. Use your money wisely and buy a good fly line. The Cortland 444 peach colored line is traditional and still a good performer and a pretty good value. Rumor has it that Hook & Hackle's house brand line is made by Cortland to the 444 formula at a little over half the cost, and anglers like them, but the rumor hasn't been substantiated.

If you're on a budget, cheap reels work just fine. If you're trout fishing, the main reason for a reel is because it tangles badly if you just stuff it in your pants pocket. The trout will never know how much you spent on the reel, and the reel will not effect your ability to cast well and make effective presentations of the fly.

Enjoy.

Sg

Bought an inexpensive 9' GL2 Loomis 5 wt. for Jr. and paired it with an Okuma reel from Outdoor Emporium. If I recall, the rod was around $100 and the reel about $75. Loaded it with a nice line I already had. It casts nicely, with it being just a tad heavier/slower than my expensive Sages....

Welcome to the Dark Side Bentley.

Bentley:

Salmo's right in that you don't need to buy a premium outfit to fish effectively, and I wouldn't discourage you from buying a low-end outfit strictly for performance reasons. That said, and although I personally haven't spent a ton of money on my outfits, there are some reasons I find very compelling for spending over the bare minimum. Whether or not you can relate to these reasons will likely depend on how much fishing you plan to do, what species you intend to chase, and how much value you place on the aesthetic aspects of the sport. I am by no means a high-end apologist, having personally never spent more than $400 on a rod/reel/line combo. I do have a few premium rods in my arsenal, but I have gotten each one of them on the cheap (eBay, Craigslist, consignment, etc.). With all that, here are my reasons for spending a bit above the minimum:

1. Warranties - Lower-end rods don't carry them, but most moderately-priced ones do. If you plan to do a lot of fishing, it is all but guaranteed that you will break your rod, and more than once at that. Even if you only fish once and have an accident on that one outing, you will still be out whatever you spent when the rod breaks. With a warranty, you only need to pay the shipping costs (about $25) to get your rod repaired or replaced. This is the best reason, in my mind, to spend a little more, especially if you plan on fishing more than a few times per year.

2. Performance - I think there is plenty of room for debate here, but personally, despite being less than an elite caster, I can definitely feel a difference between most low-end models and a middle tier rod. I think this probably has a lot to do with casting style, among other things, but I think it's a good idea to try a couple of different models to see if there really is a difference for you. If you do notice a big improvement in your casting with a more expensive rod, it will pay off big time in the long run if you do whatever is necessary to extend your budget in the short run. Again, the validity of this reasoning probably will depend on how much fishing you plan to do.

With reels, there is a clear difference between cheaper reels and more expensive models. There are variables involved here, too. As Salmo said, if all you ever catch on a given reel is small to moderately-sized trout, where you can simply strip the line back in with your hands, you will never appreciate the reasoning behind spending a bit more on a reel. However, I find that when fishing, things rarely go exactly according to plan, and sometimes the little "accidents" come in the form of much larger than expected fish. Landing the big ones almost always requires fighting them on the reel. A strong run from a big fish will often blow up a cheap drag system, or else the roughness of the drag action can cause the reel to backlash and come tight, thereby breaking off your fish of a lifetime. The first time something like this happens, you end up with a great fish story that is a lot of fun to tell. If it happens again, you will probably feel like a fool, which is not as much fun. In short, I recommend spending enough on a reel to get a quality drag. This is a much bigger issue when you know you are looking for big fish.

3. Aesthetic considerations - These considerations are, by far, the least important to me of those I am addressing, but they aren't without some measure of merit in my mind. I do as much fishing as I can, for many more reasons than catching fish. One of the most satisfying things I have gotten from all that fishing has been watching myself evolve into a better caster/presenter over the years. Many fly fishers will tell you that once you have caught a lot of fish, you start to place more value on how you go about catching them. Fishing the way you like to fish in as many situations as possible requires the ability to make consistent presentations from different angles and locations. Personally, I find it helps a great deal to get consistent performance from your rods and lines. I am generally more consistent with my higher-end rods than my low to mid-priced models.

Another aesthetic consideration (if a bit petty) is the feeling of pride I get from lining up my Winston or my Thomas and Thomas. These are both beautiful examples of quality crafstmanship, and it is a sincere pleasure just to own them. I suppose it's sort of like a fly fishing equivalent to a guitarist taking his American Standard Stratocaster or original Les Paul out of its case. Chances are he really couldn't afford it, but he made sacrifices to own something that symbolizes a pinnacle of excellence in his chosen pursuit. As I said earlier, I got both of these rods on smoking deals, and I would not have paid retail for either one of them. They were still pretty pricey (by my standards), but I am very comfortable in saying they were both solid investments in the hobby that means so much to me.

In conclusion, I think it's important to stress the fact that different anglers have different needs and preferences, and those differences (not price or status) should dictate the equipment he or she buys. I strongly encourage you to cast a few different rods, in various price ranges, before you make your purchase. You may find that one of the lower-priced models works great for you, and depending on how careful and lucky you are, you may get a lifetime of good use out of such a rod without breaking it. Still, in terms of real value added, I would suggest that warranties are the most compelling reason to invest a bit more than the minimum. Most major manufacturers offer at least one model at a moderate price point ($200-$350) that is guaranteed unconditionally. Personally, I think this would be your sweet spot. If you just can't go that high, I have heard good things about the performance (not so good about the quality) of the cheaper Cabelas models, and they should be a good place to start. If you decide to go that route but have really enjoyed casting a more expensive rod, keep an eye out on eBay, Craigslist, and fishing forums for great opportunities to get yourself into an upgrade down the road. That's the only way I have managed to do it.

Whatever you do, have a great time doing it, and may it result in frequent tight lines.

Bently,

I think Flea Flicker and SG summed it up pretty well. Cabellas has quite a range of inexpensive rods and expensive rods to choose from. It's probably would be worth it to you to cast a few before buying though.

You could buy a rod with out trying it out, and it just doesn't cast well for you. You could be disappointed and not pursue the sport. On the other hand you could buy a rod you just love and become a fly fishing fanatic. This goes for both expensive and inexpensive rods.

Further comments largely because my opinion is not aligned with Fleaflickr02's.

1. Warranties. The beauty of cheap rods is that they are imminently affordable, so you can be your own insurer. The costs of warranties are built into the price of rods that carry them. Fly rods never used to have warranties until they became so damn expensive that hardly anyone would buy the high end rods unless they had warranties, which naturally drove the already high prices up even further. I never make a rod purchasing decision based on whether it has a warranty or not. Obviously other people do. Just be aware that when you buy a warranted rod you are paying extra so that the warranty can be included. Warranties are not a freebee. I have several expensive bamboo fly rods. None of them came with warranties. No cane rod maker that I know of offers rod warranties. Graphite rods have warranties because they are made of relatively inexpensive materials and labor, yet are priced high. You'd think that if any rods would have warranties it would be bamboo rods that start at over $1,000 and go up, way up, from there.

2. Performance. There is a difference. Some cheap rods and some expensive rods cast like crap. However, in deference to price usually having some relation to value, most rods that cast like crap are very low end rods. Nonetheless, my prior statement that there are very few bad fly rods on the market today stands. There is so much competition for the sportsman's dollar that there just isn't much demand for crummy rods.

With reels, Fleaflickr02 is correct. Reel quality tends to be directly proportional to price. The important thing for a novice to know is that cheap crummy reels work really well, and most last a long time. I know. I use Hardys, which are expensive and over-priced for almost all my steelhead fishing because I like them, and they will last beyond my lifetime. However, I have caught plenty of steelhead on cheap trout fly reels with no problems. I've also had two cheap reels blow up when I hooked steelhead. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. But I've never had a cheap reel wear out or malfunction when trout fishing, and most of my trout reels are cheap. I can personally recommend the old Cortland Rimfly ($15 new in 1974) and the Berkley 556 graphite and plastic reels ($20 new in 1980). These reels are still in service and function as new. They can be found from time to time on Ebay. Those two reels have also landed steelhead and salmon, sometimes intentionally and sometimes coincidentally.

3. Aesthetics. Aesthetics are personal. When aesthetics matter to me I fish a bamboo rod. They are beautiful works of art and have a feel that plastic rods never duplicate. IMO there is no such thing as a beautiful graphite fly rod, altho it's true that expensive ones are generally finished nicer than cheap ones, but that's about as far as it goes.

Another reason I recommend that novices consider buying cheap rods and reels is that it's simply impossible for the novice to know in advance what their tastes will be as they gain experience in fly fishing. And as experience is gained, new preferences will emerge, and those will likely shift over time. The upshot is that anyone who stays with fly fishing for any length of time is going to end up with a closet full of rods anyway. The small price laid out for some gear to gain experience with will be irrelevant in 2 or 3 years and you begin branching out and looking to add some new gear to your repertoire.

Sg

You might take a look at Albright tackle, they have a range of rods and often have close-outs on sale.

I don't know much about fly gear but the Atlantic Salmon guide I fished with last year was impressed with the 8 WT five piece rod and reel that ran me about $150, and he used Loomis gear.

Albright list their gear at higher MSRP, then discounts it, since they sell direct on the Internet.

I haven't needed to use their warranty yet, and the close-out 8 wt I bought did not carry a warranty.

It did the job on several Alaskan Silvers to 10-12 pounds after my New Brunswick trip.

OK, Bentley, by now you should have a pretty firm grasp on the concept that all fly fishers do not agree on all things, and gear is just the tip of the iceberg.

My opinions, like anyone's are based on experience, and as I have new experiences, I develop new opinions. Basically, my theories on fishing gear align with the way I buy everything, which is with enough emphasis on quality to ensure solid, consistent performance, but no so much as to break the bank or look like Mr. Jones.

Have fun developing your own opinions, whatever gear you choose.

All I can add is from an equipment value standpoint, we've never had it so good.

One rod you might want to check out if you make it to Cabelas is the Redington CT (Classic Trout). Not quite within your budget but worth looking at in my opinion.

Good luck in your search.

Going to chime in and give my two cents. Im a local guide and i also moonlight in the retail side of things. Depending on what your price range really is, there are many combos that will work from $150 to $450 for rod, line, reel. Best thing to do is figure out what you like to cast. I teach casting classes on occasion, and not to trash cabelas stuff, (i have plenty of it), but most guys would be better off spending the extra $60.00 on a decent reddington outfit. If your going to buy a fly rod make it an investment, but make it something that works. For my single handers, 5 thru 8 wt for the service i run the reddingtion crosswaters there $70 rods but lined up right they can be just as good as anything else on the market in the medium price range for a low end rod. To give you an example of why i am not impressed with cabelas on there combo rods, somebody came in with one and no one could cast it. Reason being was the person in the shop down there that put it together put the fly line on backwards. Even after the error was corrected the guy still had a heck of a time casting that rod oh yeah and when it came time to setting up his leader to flyline the line was so cheap that any knot that was put on it either broke or stripped the fly line clean. If this was a once in a blue moon situation i wouldnt have mentioned it but it happens usually about once a week. I really dont care where you buy your rod but go to a place that will let you test it out somewhere, not every rod is suited for everybody. Also look into your local shops that specialize in fly stuff, were not all that expensive, and pretty much all of us have casted every rod or close to every rod on the market and have a pretty good idea of what works the best for your casting style even if you dont have one yet. It doesnt have to cost you an arm and a leg to get into bug chucking but at least make it enjoyable with a rod that you can cast effectively and you can enjoy your fishing more instead of being frusterated with you casting. One last tidbit if your going to skimp anwhere be it in this order, reel, rod, line. You can make a $60 rod cast like a $300 rod with the right line on it.

Here ya go, a Powell combo 4 pc. 9' 5wt, with reel, travel tube, and (I'm pretty sure) line for $129.95

Powell Combo