Fly Fishing - Quality brands?

[buckchaser]

I'm looking to seriously invest myself into fly fishing. For the past few years I have dabbled using a friend's backup rod, but want to purchase my own systems. I'm looking to buy a 5 weight rod for bass & trout and an 8 weight rod for pike.

Any suggestions for manufacturers/models of rods & reels that are quality without being "elite level expensive" would be appreciated!

[mosquito]

Do you want a 2 or 4 piece rod? Travel Rod?

Islander is my dream reel but unless you can pick up a used one expensive!

Amazon.ca had the Okuma SLV on sale last week, I picked up a second one at that price and it might still be on sale. In the 8/9 size it is good Large Arbor reel for the 8wt, not sure how the lighter reels are I just use a light clicker reel there (Scientific Angler, Fenwick...) as drags aren't important and it just needs to hold line.

G.Loomis and St Croix would be the best rods I have used but others can be good depending on what you want, I sold my G.L. to get a travel rod an 8wt March Brown Hidden Stream or Legacy are the ones I would recommend. They will fit in a suitcase and aren't more expensive than the airplane tickets.

If you can get a nice bamboo rod, there are some made in Ontario but I have lost the name of the guy that made mine, there are also some good custom rod builders. For the lighter rod the Eagle Claw makes a travel one you can swap between a spinning rod and fly rod if you want flexibility on a trip.


Alot depends on how much and what for.

A good general rule, regardless of name that has worked for me since hooking a fish larger than expected and watching guides come off... if it says "Made in China" leave it in the store.


Once you know what you want Kijiji, on OOD, on http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/f...hp?showforum=7, sales at the stores, sales on Amazon.ca etc. can get you a deal if you have the patience, know what and how much and have a bit of luck sometimes.

[4weight]

You can get some really nice outfits from Sail. Just watch their site for deals.

[GoldenLakePete]

I had my good fly rod/reel stolen a few years ago. I'm retired now and on just the CPP pension so I bought an 8'6' Berkley 7 weight rod/reel combo on sale at Canadian Tire for $10. I've been using it for 5 years now and have no complaints. I've caught some decent sized pike and bass on it.

[DDT]

check out Bass Pro, Cabelas, Sail, they have combo outfits that may save you some $.

[thunderbelly]

Grindstone Angling in Waterdown carries some really nice equipment. Reasonable prices and a local shop. If you are going to invest some good money, I would avoid a box store, and negotiate a casting lesson into the purchase.

[GrouseWhisperer]

Truth is, entry-level gear (ie, Bass Pro house brand) is better than what most mid-level gear was when I started fly fishing 25-ish years ago, and at a fraction of the cost too. Problem is, if you don't have a little input from someone who knows what they're talking about, you may end-up with something that is more frustrating than rewarding. Like any sporting gear, shopping by the price tag alone is a terrible idea. You haven't mentioned what your budget is, but I would pick one size/application and start there...worry about the other one at a later date.

Assuming for a moment that budget is tight...and you want something half-decent, a St. Croix "Avid" series rod and an Okuma SLV reel is about as affordable as "name brand" fly gear can be. (Talking your 5wt. set-up) Rod should be under $300 and the reel @ or under $100. Budget about $75 for a decent WF fly line and backing. St. Croix now has 2 rod lines beneath the Avid (which used to be their entry level rod) the "Imperial" and the "Rio Santo". Either would be decent choices for trout fishing in close quarters. As you go down in price, you often lose a little "speed" in the rod...meaning (among other things) long distance casting/beating the wind will get a little tougher.

Spending a ton doesn't guarantee you get superb gear, but going bottom shelf can certainly present some challenges. The 5wt. I used most is a brand I bet nobody on this site even knows (=cheap) but hanging under it is a snazzy Danielsson reel. I currently fish only with Danielsson or Islander reels, but started with a Scientific Anglers System 2. The rods range from no-name cheapo things to Lamiglas, Loop, St. Croix (Avid and Legend Elite) and Sage.

Not sure if that helped or hindered, but feel free to PM me if you'd care to chat.

[Rodbender]

I'm looking to seriously invest myself into fly fishing. For the past few years I have dabbled using a friend's backup rod, but want to purchase my own systems. I'm looking to buy a 5 weight rod for bass & trout and an 8 weight rod for pike.

Any suggestions for manufacturers/models of rods & reels that are quality without being "elite level expensive" would be appreciated!

If your not in a big hurry I'll take some pictures of my gear and post them in the classifieds(this weekend) I have a 5/6 weight and a 8 weight few different reels for both

[kcirroc]

I have an 8 weight Fenwick I've had for 10 plus years and I've never had an issue with it they r very well built affordable rods usually run 100 - 120$

[Labceh]

Hi!

First post on this website for me.

All of the advice above is pretty good, and greatly depends on your budget and where you fish. Personally, I always find the best deals in discontinued series of rods. I was able to get some killer deals when Sage discontinued their VXP series not too long ago for example. If shops still have it kicking around, it's a great rod for medium sized rivers. However, if you're fishing in lakes, larger rivers, or tend to use a heavy rig I'd look for a rod that has a little more "oomph."

I want to emphasize the last sentence. The type of rod you are looking for is also very important. Will you be throwing little dry flies where presentation is key? Or, will you be tossing large weighed flies? Do you need a fast action to throw out to 60 feet? Or, do you need the accuracy at say 30 feet? These are really important questions that you need to answer. Don't forget to consider switch and spey rods as they are fantastic to own.

I've heard great things of Echo and TFO though I've only ever casted them a few times. Don't be fooled, they are not great for budget rods, but great rods period. In terms of higher end options G.Loomis, Sage, and Orvis are well respected brands and they provide a wide range of options.

As a word of advice, you should be looking to invest approximately half of your budget into the reel. It may seem excessive at first but a quality reel not only last longer, but helps you get more fish in the net. The drag system is incredibly important especially on outfits that target bigger species such as pike.

I hope this helps,