A guide to picking your first fly rod
This is part 1 of my 2 part series of picking your first fly fishing combo.
The rod is the more important part of the beginning setup to me. It is the tool we are using to generate and transfer energy to the fly line, allowing us to cast. And if you can't cast, well you can't fish.
Before I suggest a rod, first we need to talk about some of the lingo of fly fishing. The terms we will talk about today are the line/rod weight and rod action.
It should be noted that I learned to cast on a 7.5 foot fiberglass rod and I can attest that it was a great tool to learn the basics on. I still would not suggest buying one for your first fly rod, as it can limit you on the water.
I will spoil my later post and suggest that it is generally best to get a combo that comes with everything you will need to get started fishing. I feel like these combo are the best bang for the buck as they come with a rod, reel, fly line, a leader, and in some cases a travel case. This allows the angler to start fishing immediately. The two combos I suggest are the Orvis Encounter and the Redington Crosswater.
The Encounter was my first combo, and it was a great tool for me to learn the basics on. It is also highly doubtful that you outgrow this combo for a couple years. So to me, you get more from the Orvis. I will have a separate review of the Encounter.
I've never cast the Crosswater but from what I have read, it is a great starter combo. It also comes in more options than the Encounter and comes with a slightly better travel case than the Encounter.
I have also heard good things about the combos from Bass Pro and Cabela's. These combos are a more affordable option to the two combos mentioned above. These rods are also available separate from the combo. So if you really want to drop money on a cool reel and get a lower end rod, you can do this, for whatever reason you would want to.
Generally I suggest beginners get The Orvis Encounter in a 9 foot 5 weight. This will allow you the most versatility on the water. However if you plan to mainly target bass, I would suggest the Encounter in either the 9 foot 7 weight or the 9 foot 8 weight.
At the end of the day it is different strokes for different folks. If you have the ability, I suggest going to a fly shop and trying out a bunch of rods. If you cannot do this, do a plethora of research about the options you are considering. There is no end all be all best rod for a beginner, but I think that it would be best suited for you to buy something that you can grow with. To me, it is a waste of money to buy a rod that you will grow out of inside of one season. This is why I suggest the Orvis Encounter. It is at a good price point for a beginner and allows you plenty of rod to grow into.
If you have any questions leave a comment down below. I will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Be sure to sign up for the email list so you never have to miss a blog post.
Good Luck and Tight Lines,
Josh
The rod is the more important part of the beginning setup to me. It is the tool we are using to generate and transfer energy to the fly line, allowing us to cast. And if you can't cast, well you can't fish.
Before I suggest a rod, first we need to talk about some of the lingo of fly fishing. The terms we will talk about today are the line/rod weight and rod action.
- Line/Rod Weight. This refers to the weight of the fly line. The higher the number means that the line will weight more. In general, you want to match the weight of the rod to the weight of the line. So on a 5 weight rod you would generally throw a 5 weight line.
- Rod Action. Rod action refers to how much the rod will bend during the casting motion. This would mean that a slow action rod would bend far more than a fast action rod. Some people suggest that a slow action rod is best for a beginner, but I somewhat disagree with this statement. Yes a slow action rod will allow the caster to better "feel" the rod load during the cast, but it also puts you at a disadvantage in some fishing situations. So my suggestion is to shoot for the middle ground of the two extremes and get a moderate or a moderate fast action rod.
It should be noted that I learned to cast on a 7.5 foot fiberglass rod and I can attest that it was a great tool to learn the basics on. I still would not suggest buying one for your first fly rod, as it can limit you on the water.
I will spoil my later post and suggest that it is generally best to get a combo that comes with everything you will need to get started fishing. I feel like these combo are the best bang for the buck as they come with a rod, reel, fly line, a leader, and in some cases a travel case. This allows the angler to start fishing immediately. The two combos I suggest are the Orvis Encounter and the Redington Crosswater.
The Encounter was my first combo, and it was a great tool for me to learn the basics on. It is also highly doubtful that you outgrow this combo for a couple years. So to me, you get more from the Orvis. I will have a separate review of the Encounter.
I've never cast the Crosswater but from what I have read, it is a great starter combo. It also comes in more options than the Encounter and comes with a slightly better travel case than the Encounter.
I have also heard good things about the combos from Bass Pro and Cabela's. These combos are a more affordable option to the two combos mentioned above. These rods are also available separate from the combo. So if you really want to drop money on a cool reel and get a lower end rod, you can do this, for whatever reason you would want to.
Generally I suggest beginners get The Orvis Encounter in a 9 foot 5 weight. This will allow you the most versatility on the water. However if you plan to mainly target bass, I would suggest the Encounter in either the 9 foot 7 weight or the 9 foot 8 weight.
At the end of the day it is different strokes for different folks. If you have the ability, I suggest going to a fly shop and trying out a bunch of rods. If you cannot do this, do a plethora of research about the options you are considering. There is no end all be all best rod for a beginner, but I think that it would be best suited for you to buy something that you can grow with. To me, it is a waste of money to buy a rod that you will grow out of inside of one season. This is why I suggest the Orvis Encounter. It is at a good price point for a beginner and allows you plenty of rod to grow into.
If you have any questions leave a comment down below. I will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Be sure to sign up for the email list so you never have to miss a blog post.
Good Luck and Tight Lines,
Josh
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