fly rod / reel recomendation

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whitedog
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fly rod / reel recomendation

Post by whitedog »

There have been several recommendations on this board about good initial buys on that first flats rod and reel for flats fishing. Unfortunately, they are apparently on one of the old servers. Couldn't find anything with a search.

When I go to the pricey fly shop, they want to talk about a fast action for the flats. And then a slow action for bass. Well the smell of salty air is my motivation, but local streams are more accessable. Would appreciate any thoughts on this part of the selection process too.

Cheers
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Jetboy
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Good fly rod/reel combos...

Post by Jetboy »

Whitedog,
Keep in mind that a good reel is as important as the rod for saltwater. A good medium/fast 9ft 7 weight fly rod will land most fish swimming around our flats (not like we got bones here in Texas !). A good reel with a smooth disk drag is good enough, have seen some reasonably priced arbor reels out there too. Redington have some good combos as well as Cabelas or Bass Pro. Tight lines and remember it's all in the presentation !
DonC

Rod and Reel

Post by DonC »

I'm a big fan of Cabela's stuff. I own an SR2 reel 8 wt attatched to a Stowaway 7 peice rod. 7 to 8 wt around here is fine.
Most people drop their jaw when they hear 7 peice. I've never had a problem with it. When those folks cast the rod they can't believe its action. Its great to travel with because it breaks down into a 20" tube. The reel is alum. lgr arbor and has a carbon disk drag. Its been a good reel. The only thing I can say is if you don't clean it really good after the salt the small center screw that holds it all together may get stuck. I put a little lube on it and clean xtra carefull and have not had a problem with it since. It stands well aganist any of the expensive reels I've put my hands on. The biggest thing to remember about a reel is they only hold line.....I would say drag is the most important thing...even some of the pros say Drag is not as important......they say learning to fight and wear the fish down with the rod is the biggest factor....I believe this to be true as well. I try to cover myself as in all the aspects if I can. As with anything, you will always have a bit of give and take when making your decision.

Cabela's prices are cheap and you get a lot of bang for the buck. Reel is now about $160-$170 and Rod I think is about the same.

I've found that when your talking speed, it has a lot has to do with the fly line selection and the condition you keep it in.....

I also own a 5wt with a 7 peice rod as well.

If you get into fishing abroad it makes for easy packing.

My 2 cents

DC
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GoinCoastal
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Post by GoinCoastal »

I am putting my SW rig together right now. I noticed u r in Austin. Adam's Outlet, on the north-bound access road on I35 on the lower deck, has a ton of Redington reels at very nice prices. Be sure to inspect the reels closely. Some of his merchandise looks like it may be refurbished. Anyway, I picked up a new (but discontinued) Redington AS 7/8 reel for $80. He also has the large arbor RS2 reel for around $70. I knew I would need to spend my money on the rod but that I can't afford $500 or $300 for a rod. So I did some shopping around. I noticed that rods less than $100 are heavy and slow with really cheap hardware. And there isn't much between $100 and $150, however there are several options for really nice flyrods from $150-$225. Temple Fork Outfitters has $150 rod, Sage has the LE for $190, Orvis Clearwater is $198, Sage DS2 is $225, Cabela's FT Series is $225. And then there is Barry Evan's. Barry, a member on the board, makes custom rods. He came very very highly recommended. I ordered a rod from Barry at $170 (normally $160 but I upgraded the snake guides). I haven't rec'd it yet but I am really excited about it.

I am sure that I am going to be very happy with this rig. It will be a quality outfit and not too terribly expensive. And its gonna look sooooooooooo coooooooooooooooool too. All black rod, guides, thread with a gold finish reel. I know its gonna be sharp! I might not cast like Lefty or the WIZ, but, damn it, I'll look good with those collasping tailing loops.............

joe
whitedog
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Good input

Post by whitedog »

Thanks for the input so far. GoinCoastal, I didn't know about Adams. I found them in the phone book, but apparently too late in the day. I'll try them later.

Can anyone address this concept about action? Do I need a fast action for the coast, and a slower action for bass? If I start with one rod, which way would you go? That's given that I'm buying the rod for the coast but am more likely to use it around central Texas.
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fishin'
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Post by fishin' »

Nice set up Joe, I'm anxious to see the rod from Barry. Have seen many posts praising his work. Can never have too many flyrods you know. :shock: (I've got about 6 or 7 :roll: )
I have the same reel as Joe (Redington AS 7/8 ) with a St Croix Legend Ultra 9' 8wt rod. The rod is about $280 but performs to much higher standards. Got great reviews in the mags and lives up to all of them. I use the same rod in a 5wt for freshwater. Check 'em out, they're very sweet rods and have a lifetime warranty also.
Just as another option.
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Fly Rod/Reel

Post by FishDFly »

You do not need different actions (fast and slow) for salt and fresh. It's the fly that the fish are interested in, not the action of the rod.

The best buy right now on rods are the Temple Forks, great rods for the money. For $150 you get a great saltwater rod. Damage it and you get a brand new one for $25, no questions asked. Check www.burfish.com. They have some great combos on sale. Do I like TFO? Yep, I have 3 of them. A lot of people bought them as back up rods and they have become their go to rods. Top seller for TFO is 4 piece 8 weight salt water. Redington makes some great rods as well.

Reels, if you can find some of the disontinued Redingtons, they are great reels. I will not confess as to how many I have, but they go from 3 to 10.
Another good reel for the money is the Tioga. Bullet proof.
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Barry
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Post by Barry »

WD
First off, thanks to Austin Joe (GoinCoastal) and fishin' for the kind words.
I agree with FDF when he says, “It's the fly that the fish are interested in, not the action of the rod.” However, you have to get the fly to them. Discounting casting abilities, the rod is the driving force in this equation, although fly lines and leaders also factor in. That said, my recommendation for a fly rod for TX coastal flats fishing (this will also make you a great Freshwater rod for Bass, Stripers, etc.) would be as follows, an 8’-6”’-9’ 8wgt rod/blank (preferably made in the US), 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 piece your choice. With the technology as it is today it no longer makes much of a difference unless you need a rod to breakdown into a short unit for travel.
IMHO, there isn’t a better buy on a reel than the #2, STH IM POP Cassette. They have a lifetime warranty, bullet proof finish, a good drag, use a cassette system instead of a spare spool (that alone will save you 40%-50% of the cost of the reel) and best of all, you can buy them for under $40.00 at this link. <a href=http://www.cortlandline.com/factorystore/im-pop.html>Cortland Factory Store</a>
I’ve got a stash of reels made by the big boys, but my go-to reel for the coast is the STH. One of the main reasons is, I don’t have to carry $400.00 worth of heavy spare spools in my Kayak with me. When the fishing conditions change, and I feel I need to go to another line, I just pop in a different cassette. I’ve been using mine on the coast for 5 or 6 years now with no problems.
Are there better reels on the market, sure. Will they cost you a lot more money, you bet.
Just do your homework and the math, and you’ll be able to put a good outfit together that will serve you well for a long time for a reasonable price.
Northpaw

Post by Northpaw »

Hope this doesnt sound like a cop out answer, but the same advice holds true for fly rods as does buying a kayak. TRY THEM FIRST!!!! Dont get too caught up in "action" other than to know which type suits your style. Generally a faster action rod throws a tighter loop in the right hands, making it more efficient in a wind for instance. The drawback with the faster action is that they are less forgiving..... you dont feel the rod "load" as easily leading to improperly timed casting strokes for a new fly fisherman, and ultimately frustration. Personally I use an All Star 8 wt Austin Series for my coastal ventures. It suits my style well. I will agree with some of the other posts here, The ST Croix rods are some of the sweetest I have ever thrown. The Cabelas stoway line are possibly the best value imaginable. I have a buddy with a $95.00 Cabelas Redbone Series 9 wt that is an absolute rocket launcher. If you can find one dont pass it up. If it were me, (which it was some 20+ years ago), make a modest investment in a sound outfit, then learn to use it. Swap rods with other fly rodders along the way for a few casts out on the flats. Sooner than not you will come across one that just seems to feel "right". With the graphite out there today it is seldom that you find a fly fisherman truly better than his equipment.
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Animal Chris
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Ditto on the TFO

Post by Animal Chris »

I have 2 8 wts and have a 10 wt on order. I have known Rick Pope, the Hookin Bull of TFO, for over 30 years and he's about a gooda' guy as you would ever want to meet. He stands behind his product and this year added Lefty Kreh to his staff. I'll take that as a vote of confidence. Tight Loops, AC
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JimD
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READ THE WIZZARD'S POST ON THE MAIN PAGE AREA

Post by JimD »

Bill put to gether a nice what you need to start flyfishing in the coast.

Read it since he had a lot of the others in his classes. See what you think.

If you can not find the article ask Clay where it is hidden. Friday at the north end meeting he told me that he is working on reorganizing the main page so that it is no longer a Tom work in progress.
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Post by NoBoat »

Those weren't my exact words.......but yes, we are working on reorganizing the site.
whitedog
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Thanks for all the advise

Post by whitedog »

Thanks for all the advise from everyone on a starter rig for the flats. I thought it was good input from everyone, and I considered all the input. Here's what I am buying.

For a reel, I went with GoinCoastal - sort of. I went to Adams Outlet, which I was not familiar with. I bought an Orvis Battenkill for $85. Orvis is known for reliable product, and the Battenkill has been around a long time. After I got home, I noticed it had some nicks on the back side. So i guess it was what's known as seconds. But any fish I catch on it will probably never know the difference.

For a rod, I went with Temple Forks Saltwater Series 8wt. As fly rods go, this one is cheap, yet so many people rave about it. After I try this combo for a while, I expect I will want to try something different. If I didn't go with your recommendation this time, I may want to the next tiem.

So thanks for the help. Maybe someday I can return the favor.

WD
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