Choosing Fly Rods

Fly rods are the most important place to start when choosing your fly fishing equipment. They are all designed for a certain type of fishing. There are many brands like Echo, Sage, Cortland, Helios, and others to choose from. Plus you will need to decide if you want bamboo or fiber graphite.

Once you choose one you are still going to need the following items. You will need a fly reel some fly line waders wading boots artificial flies fishing vests and other gear. You will also find out that you need to have a pair of polarized sunglasses and other apparel.

I have chosen a few of the most popular fly fishing items of each category from Amazon and put them in my Fly Shop for your convenience. I recommend shopping with Amazon because of their great selection, low prices and secure transactions.

Before diving into what type of fly rod to get I should point out that it is important for the reel and fly line to be balanced with it. Since choosing all of this stuff can be overwhelming you may want to consider a complete kit to get started. You could get a completed set for under $200 like this one pictured below. This one is $159.99 and would be perfect for a someone just getting started.

What size and type of fish do you normally fish for?

If it is trout and they are typically in the 20” and smaller range you should be looking for a 5wt fly rod. If you are finding smaller fish you should move down to a 3wt or 4wt. If you are angling for bigger trout or salmon you should be around 7wt. So start at a 5wt for average and move up or down in weight as you define the size you are fishing for.

Will you be traveling with it on an airplane or backpack?

If so, you may want to purchase a 3-piece or 4-piece and case to make it easier for travel. If not, you may want to consider a 2-piece. An average length will be 9’. Anglers will go smaller, to 6’ when they typically find themselves in an area with lots of bushes and trees and they have less area for casting. They will go longer when they have more open area for casting.

Do you prefer a carbon graphite fiber or bamboo construction?

This usually comes down to a personal preference. You will pay more for bamboo, but for some they want a hand crafted fly rod.

What is your price range?

You can spend less than $100 and you can spend well over $1,000 also. Most manufacturers build gear at several price points to target every type of buyer. Most are sold in the middle price range.

If you are a beginner you will soon recognize that there is still a lot of gear to purchase. You should look at your overall budget to determine how much is available for this piece of equipment. You may even consider buying a combination kit that would come with a reel and fly line also like the one pictured above.

Everyone has a financial comfort zone and you need to stay within yours. Remember quality will last many years. You should be able to purchase a really good piece of equipment in the $300- $500 range.

Your local Fly Shop owner can help you pick the right gear for you based on your skill level and all above criteria.

Now that you have all of this information it is time to pick one out. You can start with my link with Amazon, I have several to choose from and they offer even more, just click on any image once your on the site. Go to my Fly Shop.

Here are a few more options of where to purchase

Cabela's Buyer's Guides is a complete on-line store that you can purchase any fishing supplies, apparel and things for the cabin. Click on the fly rod picture below to see Cabela's many options for this and other fly fishing gear. The Sage rod pictured retails for $300.00.

Sage's Flight Rods improve your casting. The smooth action allows you to precisely feel the rod load and unload with each cast. it's like having a casting instructor there to perfect your timing. Put this advantage to use on the water, and your casts will benefit from better power transfer and efficiency. The improved feel is the result of Sage's continuing advancements to their proprietary G5 technology, which will have you casting with confidence.

Sierra Trading Post: Save 35-70% on Outdoor Gear and Apparel. This is an on line store that has some fly fishing equipment and apparel but there is limited selection. If you were on a limited budget this would be a good place to look.
Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters This is a complete on-line store as well like Cabela's and is well known in the fly fishing industry. Click on their link to see what equipment is available from them. Their pricing will be comparable to Cabela's.

Various Fly Shops and Bait Shops would be a great place to go to talk to someone face to face that is knowledgeable of the area and can make recommendations that would fit your budget.