As a former Rio guy, about 5 years ago I basically moved all my single hand lines to SA. RIO just wasn’t holding up like they used to. For freshwater applications I’ve been really happy with their amplitude lineup.
I just s looked at a Fenwick the other day at Sportsman’s Warehouse that was under $250.00.
I didn’t even know fenwick made fly rods. I’ve never considered them a fly fishing company. Maybe it’s a regional thing but I thought they just made spinning rods for crappie fishing.
The Fenwick Aetos 6wt is a great rod. Not sure what they are now, but I got mine for around $130 pre covid.
Sounds like it’s been a great value for you. For several years the only thing I had was a st croix imperial 5/6, I think I got it in 1999 and it’s all I had until ~ 2018 or so. I had some cheap reel make by a company called “Argus” and some cheap line. I caught a bunch of fish with that thing over the years.
Another bonus to TFO rods is that if you break a section of the rod, you don't need to mess around with warranty forms, packing stuff up, paying postage, you just go on their website, order the replacement part and you're done.
Same with orvis, as long as it is one of the newer generation rods (h3, new recon/clearwater, h4). Just do the warranty and they will send you the part in the mail.
Now to wal mart and try one of the 30 dollar ones that comes with a reel.
I bought my first two fly rod/reel combos from Wal Mart when I first started. Caught a lot of trout with them. Big trout on the quality waters of the San Juan.
I grew up fishing on the San Juan. One of these days I’ll make a trip back.I bought my first two fly rod/reel combos from Wal Mart when I first started. Caught a lot of trout with them. Big trout on the quality waters of the San Juan.
Yep, me too, and lots of southern CO mountain creeks. Still live here but haven’t fished the Quality waters in about 15 years. Why? I have no idea why.
Last time I fished there, I boomed a guide for a day long float trip for me and my dad for his birthday, that was like ~ 2002.
There were a couple of posts on flyfishing forums talking about the short life of Rio lines.
I've switched all my lines out to SA and Airflo at this point. That Rio flats pro was a 130.00 line, it wasn't rubbing on the reel or anything and like I said, we weren't even fishing over coral, just sand, seagrass and then whatever is there in the mangrove backcountry areas, probably just mud. That line had like little pieces missing from it and cuts in it. I've also seen a Rio Elite grand that lost all the the coating off the loop so it was just basically braid in that part and that was after a weekend of fishing in fresh water.
When one of the kids or adults in the family wants to start fly fishing, we get one of the moderate fast Reddington 6 weight 9’, 4 piece all in one kits and throw the cheap fly line away and replace it with Scientific Anglers Mastery floating weight forward trout line. 5 weight rod is great for wet and dry flies, but 6 weight helps get a woolybuger or other streamer out there. With the 6 weight rod, dropping to 5 weight on the line can speed it up for aggressive casting in windy conditions or longer distances. With the same 6 wt rod, going up to 7 wt line casts streamers better. If the person really gets into it and wants a smaller or larger rod, a 4 weight pairs well with 6 weight and a dedicated 8 weight streamer rod can round out the top end.
If the wind never blows a 3 wt paired with 5 wt general purpose and 7 wt small streamer rod would be hard to beat. In windy states, starting off with a fast action rod isn’t the worst thing someone can do.
So much depends on a person’s preferences and casting style it’s hard to know what you’ll like in a year. It’s like picking a first rifle.
