Getting started fly fishing?

[Willie]

Have a buddy wants to teach me to fly fish. Would love to have my own gear. Any advice on a good set up to start with? Don't need top of the line, but don't want to buy junk either.

[True]

Willie,

One basic set-up that I would look at would be a 5 weight rod with a double taper 6 weight floating line (I use Sci Angler's). As for what type? Wow! You've just opened up a whole can of worms (sorry about that one). I would look at a graphite rod at FM or even Joe's or maybe check in the used tackle department here. Now as for a reel... I use an STH pop cassette reel that I have not had any problems with myself but I hear that some people have had problems with them splitting. Maybe a Pflueger reel would be a good starter. They've been around for a long time for a reason.

Hope this helps!

[monoman]

Go to countrysport, the flyfishing shop, or northwest flyfishing outfitters and ask. Buy a good USA made rod and have at it!

[monoman]

True
Why would you put a 6 on a 5 rod....today most rod companies spend lots of time on building rods that match the line weights. Thats why you buy a rod made in the USA, all of these manufactors match their rods up, with very few exceptions.
Good rod
good line
what ever reel (unless we are talking steelhead)

[ampersat]

bimart has a 5-6wt pflueger rod with a shakespeare reel, 6wt weight forward floating line, backing, a few tippets and a few flies for something like $40. i got mine through cabelas last year. sure, it's bottom of the line, but it's not too bad a set up for getting started, as long as your sticking with trout. if you're going for steelhead, go higher.

[Cutter]

Monoman- putting a 6wt line on a 5wt rod really helps in the casting department, especially nice for beginners. It loads the rod much easier. Most rod manufactures rate their rods on the conservative side.

Willie- Unless you have money to burn, go with a packaged deal, cortland, shakespear, ect. They run any where from $45 to $145 and is really all you will need to get started. Depending on what you are targeting would determine the rod weight. 5/6wt is pretty average for trout and bass fishing. 7,8,9 wt rods steelhead, 2,3,4 wt. pan fish. The best part about buying a packaged deal is everything will be matched for that rod.

If you have the money, just go to a fly shop and they will help you spend it.

[ 04-17-2002, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Cutter ]

[FallRiverGuy]

I use to buy the FM and BiMart stuff until I got tired of buying a new rod every time I broke one. Maybe it is just me, but I seem to have a proclivity breaking fly rods. For just over $100 you can by a Cortland or St. Croix with an unconditional life time warranty. These are also better built rods and will cast better than the lower end rods.

I will second getting a 5 Wt rod unless you are going to fish some larger rivers. For example fishing the Deschuted during the salmon fly hatch, a 6/7 wt would be better than a 5. A double tape line is nice because you can use both ends, but I think a weight forward line will be easier to learn with.

Just my $0.02.

[Ex-military]

The package deals are the way to go with beginner outfits...6 wt is about right...good trout/Bass rod, can be used for summer steelhead as well.
you want at least an 8 1/2 ft rod....double taper line is fine to start with since you can utlize both ends by just reversing the line....after some practice I would think about going to
a wt forward or rocket taper.....ability to cast longer when needed...go ahead and buy the premade "knotless" leaders....easier than tying your own when getting started. remember to put some dacron backing on the reel too...for when the big'un peels through the flyline you have more
line to fight with...

[Cohodependent]

Ok all of you fly guys, the hardware has been covered, now I want to hear what your go to fly's are. I know there are those who never go out with less than 200 flies in various size combinations, I am related to some of those, but if you were only allowed to carry 10 flies, what would they be?

[monoman]

Cutter
If the rod was built for a 5, that should be were you start. If you go to any of the Fly shops or good sporting stores that have Fly dept. they will let you try any rods they have. They will also help you pick a rod that will match what you would like to do with it. Rods made here in the states cost from $95. to $795. You may spend less for one made in China, but it will not match those made here!
Lines are not as simple as they use to be. They too now cost up to $70, but a good line is very important. Again, go where they know. A good store will have someone to help you get started fly fishing.

[Nate]

Ajames depends on what and where your fishing for flies and the weight of the rod depends on what your fishing for. I would suggest if you can borrow a rod to learn on and see if fly fishing is your thing then see the difference between the cheaper rods and the mid range stuff I think you'll notice a difference. I use Redington Fly rods and reels you can get the package deals reasonable priced from dealers or a little earlier you could have gotten a sportsman show "deal"

[Phish_on]

Elk hair caddis #10
Wooly worm (gray on black) #8
Adams #14
Adams #16
BWO #16
Stimulator #4
Clark's Stonefly #6
Grasshopper
Royal Coachman
Tiny black midge

It depends on where you're fishing. It's hard to pick just 10 ... and I tie my own for the most part so they don't really have names. That elk-hair caddis has become my "go-to" fly.

[Mojo]

Willie,
I can tell you right now, the best deal around is Cabela's Three Forks Graphite combo. It costs $59.99, but if you go to their online catalog, you can get it for 49.99. It casts very nicely. I suggest the 5wt. as a starter rod. It has everything you need to start except the flies.

For flies, I'd start out with a few Adams in #18, #16, #14. A handful of Elk-Hair Caddis in #14, #16. A few Hare's Ear nymphs, a few assorted Prince nymphs, and some Black Wolly Buggers.

Mojo

[Cutter]

Great list Phish_on, I would just add the golden ribbed hares ear nymph in a #16.

[santiamflyguy]

If you're interested, I am looking to sell my St. Croix 8'6" 5/6 weight with Cortland Rimfly reel and DT-5-F line. I paid around $150 for the outfit a few years ago, I'll sell it for $125 and throw in a few flies and leaders too :smile: . It'll get you off to a good start and it's a well balanced outfit.

email me at kinneys@carleton.edu

[PittsburghD]

Dry--Elk hair caddis 12-16, Coachman
Wet-- tied down caddis
Nymphs--prince nymph, wooly bugger, brassie, muddler minnow

or, dry= pretty and dark, nymph= bushy and buggy :grin:

___D

[PittsburghD]

Oh yeah, and terrestrials= ants, ants, ants.

[ampersat]

cabela's trout fly assortments. i think i ended up getting two boxes full of flies for less than a buck a fly (which is cheap). all the popular patterns for trout, both for stillwater and river fishing. when you get into flies, it's bewildering - like standing in the corkie and spin-n-glow aisle at fisherman's for the first time. go with preselected assortments and don't sweat about what's what. your buddy will select for you from what you have. maybe in a year of hardcore fly fishing, you'll have a preference for sizes and patterns.

[Willie]

Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!!!!

[Cohodependent]

Yes, thanks to all of you! Let me rephrase my earlier qiestion. If you were fishing for trout in a river, such as the Metolious, Deschutes, in the spring time, say around opening day, what Flies would you carry???

[AngleThis]

Unlike as with most types of fishing, there is a HUGE difference between fly fishing with top of the line gear, and anything less. I'll skimp a bit on my baitcasting gear, but once I learned to steelhead flyfish, I went right back out and boutght Limaglass and Sci fisherman...what a difference! Unfortunately, high quality fly rigs are mighty spendy, but I think you'll appreciate the results. Oh and I'd recommend 7 weight gear as if you hook a big wild second run buck, or a frisky chinook, you'll have a much better chance with it.

[garyk]

In that sub-$200 range, the packages sold by SAGE and Cortland are an excellant buy, and, or at least use to be, backed by a very solid warranty.

I sold a ton of these and had very few come back due to breakage, and can't remember anyone being dis-satisfied with the rod's performance.

For a while the 8wts. by Cortland, with their lifetime warranty, were popular with the rod-thrashing chum salmon flyfishers.

The English line on the SAGE kind of s*cked, but I think they've gone to another.

[Megabites]

Not to advertise for another fishing web site or anything but you may want to check out www.westfly.com. The site is very well done and has pictures of almost ever fly type made. It also has references to what flies to use where and when.

The rod setups that have been listed are good. My recommendation would be a 5 wt. rod with 6 wt. Forward or shooting taper line. The heavier line is easier to cast and also better in the wind. Going from casting to Fly fishing will be much easier when you can cast a bit farther. This line is also the easiest to learn the basic fly cast. Once your skills improve move to a double taper line so you can start doing roll casts. If you are going to spend money anywhere spend it on the line. Also take very good care of it. Nicks, heat and dirt will destroy a good line in a hurry. Good luck and remember fly fishing is an art and as with all arts it will not be perfected in a weekend or two.