Fly rod/reel suggestion

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Jun 2, 2019
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I'm looking for suggestion for a rod/reel for a newbie. I've never fly fished before. I usually fish for trout out west, im attending a wedding on lake superior in Wisconsin this summer, and I thought it would be fun to give it a whirl up there. I would be interested in used gear if anyone is looking to un load. Thanks in advance
 
My gf and I both got into Fly fishing this year, I got an Ovis Encounter 9' 5wt and she got a TFO pro with the same stats. I think they're both good rods (but as I'm also a newbie, take it with a grain of salt). We've both been catching fish on them, but the largest yet was a 2lb largemouth. She also caught a nice 13" crappie and we've been playing with the stocked rainbows in the Salt River. If you're looking to get into some bigger fish in the Great Lakes (I grew up on Lake Ontario), you might want to jump up in weight. But for a do everything/into combo, I think the Orvis is a good way to go (It's cheaper than the TFO)
 
What budget are you looking at? A Sage pulse or Foundation would be good rods. TFO and OVIS has some decent low price offerings. I would say a 9ft 4wt or 5wt would be the most useful.

Reel wise I would go with a Lamson Liquid. They are inexpensive but Lamson makes great reels. For 99% of trout fishing outwest the reel is basically used to hold line. Once you get into bigger fish or throwing streamers etc. then upgrade rod weight and invest in a reel.
 
Thank you for the suggestions. I would like to keep it in the $200 range to see how I like it
 
200 bucks might be a little light, a decent fly line is going to be about 90 bucks. That being said I’ve had clients show up with package deals they found at Cabelas or Sportsman’s that fished well enough.
I would think a 5or 6 weight would serve you well.
 
What budget are you looking at? A Sage pulse or Foundation would be good rods. TFO and OVIS has some decent low price offerings. I would say a 9ft 4wt or 5wt would be the most useful.

Reel wise I would go with a Lamson Liquid. They are inexpensive but Lamson makes great reels. For 99% of trout fishing outwest the reel is basically used to hold line. Once you get into bigger fish or throwing streamers etc. then upgrade rod weight and invest in a reel.
I will second the Lamson Liquid! Great reel made in the USA if I remember correctly.

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If you have a fly shop nearby I'd start there. A 5wt is a good multipurpose rod and line. Spend the most of the money on the rod and line. I really like my Fenwick Aetos 9' 5wt. Great rod for the money.
 
If you have a fly shop nearby I'd start there. A 5wt is a good multipurpose rod and line. Spend the most of the money on the rod and line. I really like my Fenwick Aetos 9' 5wt. Great rod for the money.

spend a few extra bucks get an aetos


Reel. Decent. and can upgrade if needed alter


Get a sci angler line Sierra trading post for $25 on sale

a bit more than $200. and you have a great outfit
 
I highly recommend Echo or Redington. I’ve been fly fishing all over the Sierra Nevada for 10 years, don’t let anyone tell you that you need a high dollar rod/reel to catch fish.

I fished with a $100 Redington starter outfit for 5 years and caught just as many fish as my buddy with the $700+ rods. I still don’t understand paying as much as you would for a rifle for a fancy stick.

Get an outfit from a reputable company and start fishing. Spend the extra money on SIMMS waders and some fly tying equipment.

Echo has a lifetime guarantee. Break it on a snagged log? Send it in and they will fix it or give you a new one.

Have fun and welcome to another addiction :)
 
My first setup was a budget friendly redington path 5 wt combo, I was fortunate enough to spend over 6 months in rocky mountain national park and every fish I caught when there was with that setup

Handled all my flies for small streams to high alpine lakes. even some larger streamers for some large brown trout. Its been five years and I still bring that setup with me every trip I take
 
I am also a beginner, but from my research TFO NXT is a great rod w/warranty, reel is okay and you get a case. It can be found for $160-200. I plan on buying one next month so I cant give real experience. Hope that helps some.
 
I would suggest looking into Orvis. When we got started we went to their free casting / 101 class (free) and you also get a bunch of coupons that really help to get a good setup for a reasonable price. I went with the Clearwater Rod & Reel for both my daughter and myself and have been very happy with them.
 
When I chose a fishing reel for myself, I read different articles and reviews about them to choose the best one. So, after reading the article about types of fishing reels here (www.seafishinghowto.com), I chose this model Shimano Socorro 8000F salt water spinning reel. Now I'm waiting for a vacation to try it out. I hope it doesn't disappoint me. Thus, I chose a suitable version of the reel for myself, so that fishing brought me pleasure. Besides, I liked this site, where I read the article because there is a guide with reliable information about fishing gear. This makes it much easier to choose what exactly you need.
 
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Lots of info here. Thank you for all the suggestions. I dont have a flyfishing shop around me only a basspro and they weren't very helpful when I stopped in before
 
Lots of info here. Thank you for all the suggestions. I dont have a flyfishing shop around me only a basspro and they weren't very helpful when I stopped in before
If you're near lake Michigan I imagine you should get the steel head runs in connecting waterways, which could lead to a bundle of fun.
 
I will be on the other side staying on the chequamegon bay.

The Brule River can offer some great fishing. The upper sections have resident brook trout and the lower sections get lake run brown trout and rainbows. Browns start running in July and the rainbows run in the fall. There are also resident browns and rainbows. Absolutely a beautiful river.
 
I just got back into fly fishing , and have targeted carp. It’s a blast, it’s like spot and stalk hunting really. I use TFO rods and Galvan reels, I am far from an expert but have caught some 32 inch carp on a 5 weight with out any issues. I have a couple older bamboo fly rods here that I really have no use for. If some one may be interested let me know. I have researched them a bit, and they are not high dollar collectibles, but seem to be in good shape for the most part. One has two tips and missing an eye or two on one section.
 
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