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[Apennock]

For anyone who is interested in shopping vicariously through me; it's time for a new rod and possibly I new reel while I'm at it. 

I've had the same low end rod and reel that I got with a fly fishing class for about 12 years, largely because I never fly fished.  This season I took it up in earnest and I'm hooked and never going back.  The bad news is that last weekend, while I was camping with my daughter, one of us stepped on the rod in question. 

So now it's time for a new rod and I thought maybe time to upgrade my reel while I'm at it.  What are everyone's recommendations?  My only caveat is that, as I mentioned, I'm married and just took up fly fishing so I would like to get something on the cheaper end of the spectrum as I'm in hot water for how much I've spent this season as it is. 

Thanks for any help!

[DanL]

Always exciting to get new gear but more info re: intended application and target species will help a lot for recommendations...

[bobby b]

^^^ Ditto

What is your 'spouse friendly' budget?  There are a lot of good new rods out there for not too much $$. TFO, St. Croix, Dragonfly to name a few.

If you are looking for a good all rounder as far as weight goes then I would suggest a 5wt. This will handle trout, and is a blast on Pinks ....coming soon.

What size reel do you have....and what weight line is on it. This would be a factor in determining a suitable rod. Line is somewhat expensive...so if ya only want to buy a rod then try and match it up closely to the reel and line that you currently own.

HTH

 

[MetalAndFeathers]

TFO pro II and signature series II are both good quality rods for the low budget

[Apennock]

Sorry about the lack of detail.  My old setup was a 9 ft 6 wt which I liked for it's versatility.  I fish for trout mostly in small lakes but was hoping to get out on a couple of rivers this season.  That being said, I'm open to changing the setup I use.  I was thinking a 5 weight might be nice for the sake of a softer rod (I'm still losing fish due to setting like a bait fisherman) and at the same time I thought now that I've improved my casting a 7 wt might be nice to be able to throw more line. 

[tom lam]

I just picked up a Fenwick Aetos, 10' 4 weight. They have it in 5 weight as well.

Check it out.

Tom

[RalphH]

You should be able to easily meet your needs within the $100 to $200 envelope with a bit of wiggle room at the top. Add Echo to the list of rods to check out.

I'd say a #5 will serve you well for lake and stream fishing for trout however that's a bit light for salmon, even pinks.

[clarkii]

Doing streams I'd avoid 10 footers, unless you wish to czech nymph the extra length is not required on a river.

However 9 footers do work.  Id suggest you peek at an echo carbon xl

[RalphH]

That extra foot can be both a blessing and a curse. Some streams it's handy for lifting the line and fly above the brush behind you. It is also great for mending. On narrow forested rivers the extra swing needed can cause troubles with catching your fly in the branches. Then the extra length helps with a roll cast! But longer rods are heavier and you may notice it at the end of the day.

[Animal Chin]

I don't have a lot of experience with fly rods.. so I went with the suggestion given to me by the late Ron Hjorth at Sea Run and quite like it.

10' Redington Voyant and Sage 2250 5 weight.

I was questioning the 10 vs 9' rod as well but glad I went with the 10', but I primarily float tube and fish for pinks off the beach with the rod. And while I like the Sage reel, and have never used the Lamson 3 pack myself, if I was to do it again I think I would go with the Lamson. Extra spools are half the price of reels and can add up quick once you buy extra lines .. so it's great that you can get a package with extra spools from Lamson for what my Sage reel costs alone.

[FlyFishin Magician]

Sorry about the lack of detail.  My old setup was a 9 ft 6 wt which I liked for it's versatility.  I fish for trout mostly in small lakes but was hoping to get out on a couple of rivers this season.  That being said, I'm open to changing the setup I use.  I was thinking a 5 weight might be nice for the sake of a softer rod (I'm still losing fish due to setting like a bait fisherman) and at the same time I thought now that I've improved my casting a 7 wt might be nice to be able to throw more line.

Just a quick pointer here.  The rod's "action" (fast vs. slow) is independent of its weight (5 vs. 6 wt).  Match the weight to the target species (e.g. 5 - 6 wt for interior trout, or 8 wt for salmon), then go for the action that you prefer (fast/medium/slow).  Yes, the action will have an affect on setting the hook.  However, the action will also depend on your casting style and comfort.  Personally, I prefer a more "medium" action for trout rods, and "fast" action for salmon rods.

Bye the way, I can cast my 5 wt rods the same distance as my 8 wt rods.  It's all about the rod's "action" and your casting style.  Once you get it right, the rod does 95% of the work.

Good luck and have fun!

[GRS1550]

Check out a Daiwa IM6 or maybe they are using a 7 generation now.
Good rod for the money...
Rob

[blackskull]

Also have a look at the Echo Base series.  It's my backup 8wt.  Excellent price point at low $100.  Excellent warranty.  Performs well.