Beginners fly rod

[rickjames80]

Looking to get my 12yo daughter into fly fishing. Anyone have a suggestion on a shorter rod that won't break the bank?

 

[mlob1one]

For trout?

TFO is a good inexpensive option that'll still work well.

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[Wyobohunter]

I’d go with a 4wt 8’ 6” rod. I’d also suggest spending as much as you can stomach, especially if you don’t already have a 4wt. If she gets bored with it you’ll enjoy it. And if you buy a rod from a higher end company it’ll:
1- be easier to learn to cast on.
2- have a good warranty to if she breaks it you’ll get a free or super cheap replacement.

Otherwise, check this out.

5 Best Kids Fly Rods and Reels

Fly fishing can be a fun activity for the whole family. If you’re an avid fly angler, you probably can’t wait to get the little ones out on the water with you. Luckily, there are a few options when it comes to kids fly rods and reels. Kids fly fishing gear is somewhat limited, but there are a...

fishmasters.com

 

[rickjames80]

For trout?

TFO is a good inexpensive option that'll still work well.

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Yes, should have added that it will be for trout in smaller streams

 

[Ferrulewax]

I’ll echo the 8’6” 4wt. My first fly rod was a 9’ 6wt and it was too much rod for me. Any shorter and you loose some feeling and it’s a little more work to cast. I’d also suggest something with a moderate to mod-fast action. Orvis clearwater, redington classic trout, echo, tfo are all solid rods.

 

[mlob1one]

They've got a couple 3wt options, one is a 7'6" 2 piece, that would work great. It's fast, so you may want to add a line that is half a line heavy so your kid can get it to load well.

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[Dalen88]

i second the TFO rods, great rods, great prices and great warranty

 

[Catahoula]

I too run TFO rods. Good all around w/ great warranty.

 

[ben h]

All I've ever had are Sage, Orvis and Winston rods, which are pretty expensive. A few years ago I was fishing with my brother's friend and tried his rod for a bit, which was a Echo Ion and I liked it. I figured it was a $600-700 rod and looked it up online when we got back and it was $200 so I bought one for myself.

 

[bozeman]

Get a Redington package. I did this for my 14 yr old son. $110 on eBay. Glad I did, he used it a couple times and lost interest.

 

[lak2004]

I bought a china made maxcatch brand 3wt off eBay last year. It took 4 months to get but it is actually a nice casting rod. The reel is crappy, but still works. I think it was $80. It works just fine but it was one time where I didn't abide by the "buy once, cry once" mentality and will probably end up upgrading at some point.

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[rickjames80]

I’ll echo the 8’6” 4wt. My first fly rod was a 9’ 6wt and it was too much rod for me. Any shorter and you loose some feeling and it’s a little more work to cast. I’d also suggest something with a moderate to mod-fast action. Orvis clearwater, redington classic trout, echo, tfo are all solid rods.

This is my fear. She handles a spinning outfit great, so I was thinking something 8' or less. That may not be beneficial though.

 

[rickjames80]

They've got a couple 3wt options, one is a 7'6" 2 piece, that would work great. It's fast, so you may want to add a line that is half a line heavy so your kid can get it to load well.

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I will check that out

 

[def90]

Get one of those Orvis Encounter or Reddington rod and reel combo packs. I’ve been using my orvis for 8 years now and have contemplated getting a fancy new rod and reel but I catch a ton of fish with what I have so why spend the additional money?

 

[BowTrout]

Check out the Temple Fork Bug launcher. It’s a 2 piece 7’ 4/5 weight combo. It has a bit of a smaller handle that fits kids better. I got one for my 10 year old daughter for Christmas and it seems like a pretty decent set up that doesn’t cost too much.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

TFO, st croix, moonshine all make good rods that aren’t terribly expensive.

 

[Ferrulewax]

This is my fear. She handles a spinning outfit great, so I was thinking something 8' or less. That may not be beneficial though.

I think 8 foot would probably be fine- I wouldn't go much sorter though. A longer rod really adds very little weight- a significant part of the rod's weight will come from components which aren't going to change much on a longer rod. What a longer rod does do is creates a longer lever, and the flex of the rod acts like a longer spring- which makes it easier to cast, but also increases the force you have to apply to the rod- particularly as line weights get heavier. A longer rod is also going to help with mends and line management.

Heavier line weights also help to load the rod and provide "feel"- so somewhere in the middle of your trout line sizes would be preferable, IMO. The prior comment about putting a 4wt line on a 3 weight may be a good way to go- once she develops as a caster you can put a 3wt line on it for her. Otherwise I'd stick to a 4 or a 5wt. Any Lighter and she may have a hard time "feeling" the rod load- which can make it harder to develop technique as a beginner. Heavier and the rod gets unwieldy for smaller casters.

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I just bought a starter setup for my 12 you son last year and went with an Orvis Clearwater rod and a Lamson Liquid reel. Works really well for him.

 

[Softtail103]

He you go brother. This is the classified ads from our forum. Just like a scope don’t go cheap. Go used instead.

Classifieds

Check the classifieds rules for more info.

www.washingtonflyfishing.com

 

[ODB]

My first rod was a full-flex 5wt orvis Clearwater 7’9” from about 1992 or so? It’s still a great rod. Loads easy, lots of feel. Good value in those rods.

I’ve also got an 8’6” TLS Matrix 4wt and I just don’t like the length. That shorter rod fits my style of fishing much better.