A rod costs what now?!
Ahoy!
A few days ago my buddy John reached out with some questions about what to buy if you’re getting into fly fishing. There are a zillion of these blogs floating around the internet but since I told John I would write him an e-mail (and that e-mail ended up being kind of long) I thought I would just turn it into a blog. We’ve had a bunch of new clients lately who have been asking the same question so I thought it would be good to just put it in writing. John…here is that e-mail I promised you and never sent, typos and all.
I’m eventually going to break this blog into a three part series (we’ll start with #1 today):
Things you definitely need to own if you want to hook a fish fly style.
Things you don’t need right off the bat but can make your day a little more comfortable and stress free.
Stuff Youtube will make you think you need but you definitely don’t need. Not trying to call these guys out but….what?
A picture of Nick with a fly rod. Why? Because we didn’t feel like taking pictures of our actual rods and this one was already downloaded. You’re welcome.
Stuff you will definitely need:
A fly rod of some kind: This is the most common question I get ( as does every fly shop and outfitter in the world) and it’s a good one. If I only have a couple hundred bucks where should I start? The answer to this is both simple and too complicated. The correct answer is…well that depends on what kind of fishing you want to do. The reality, however, is that if you’re just getting into the sport you may not know whether you want to fish for trout, or bass, or blue gill or coy out of your neighbors decorative pond. You learn what kind of fish you want to pursue by fishing…and you need a rod to do that.
90% of the time what you want to start is a 9ft 5weight. That’s the industry’s answer and it’s my answer too, so i don’t want to hear it from any of your critics out there!
For anyone who is unfamiliar with lengths and rod weights, it’s fairly simple. The smaller the rod, the lighter the weight. A 2 weight is going to be great for small stream brook trout fishing. A 10 weight might be for pursuing big tarpon down in Florida. A 5wt is that sweet-spot right in the middle that allows you to fish for a broad range of species. So for any of our clients who have been asking or for my bud John…get yourself a 9ft 5wt.
Aside from that, I can’t tell you what rod specifically to buy. I’ve had good luck having beginners use the Orvis Clearwater series of products, although there is nothing wrong with the Encounter 5wt if that’s more in your price range. Fishercat owns a couple of those and they’re great for newbies and kids alike although make sure you check the warranty. There may be a difference between a Clearwater warranty and an Encounter warranty, which may make the extra $ worth it. We mostly use Orvis products but there are a number of great companies like Sage, Winston, Loomis and we’ve heard decent things about Wade Rods.
Ultimately, the best thing to do is support local and see if you can get these products through a local fly or tackle shop. If you’re in Baltimore, check out Tochterman’s and make sure they show you the full fly selection upstairs.
*There is always the chance that the fishing you do simply won’t be the right fit for a 5wt fly rod. Maybe you live on a small mountain stream (lucky) and will mostly fish that or you live near the ocean (also lucky) and will mostly fish there, in which case you’ll want a different first rod. Most of the time a 5wt is a great place to start, but sometimes it isn’t so ask the most knowledgeable person at your fly shop. Buy whatever will allow you to fish the most often, on the most convenient water*
A Reel: This is pretty simple. I don’t have a lot of recommendations for reels other than to make sure it matches your rod in terms of size. Reel seats are generally universal so you don’t necessarily have to match brands but just test it out and make sure it feels balanced in your hand. Reels generally come in ranges ( say 1-3 weight, 3-5 weight, etc) and could work on a couple of different rods. Just make sure that whatever reel you get is slated for the corresponding size of rod you’re buying.
My only recommendation on this is try to buy a metal reel. It doesn’t have to be super expensive but I have found that, for example, the Encounter reel (which is a composite material) just doesn’t perform as well as say the Clearwater or The Battenkill. Those are all affordable reels, but I wouldn’t purchase the encounter again, even for the kid’s classes I lead. The main reason is that i’m not opposed to using a 5 weight reel on multiple rods and rod weights, so you’ll get a little more life out of it. I think it’s worth a little more money (somewhere around $100-$150 bucks).
Spending just a little more on a reel will save you a lot of frustration down the line and I think it’s worth a small bit more. So before you buy a fly fishing package (rod, reel, line) check all of the separate pieces and see what the cost difference would be to upgrade your reel just a little. Again, ask
Fly Line: Also pretty simple. If you’re buying a 5 weight rod buy a 5 weight, floating line. People will try to tell you about overlining rods based on the rod’s action…yada, yada, yada…i’m bored just thinking about it. If you’re just starting, get yourself a mid to cheap floating fly line and match it to your rod and reel combo. The fly shop should have a good rec for this but make sure they spool your line for your. Don’t try to mount your own reel with backing and fly line, you’ll end up hating this sport forever. Make sure they do it or you at the store or if you’re ordering online see my following note:
When you order a reel online, say from Orvis, they will ask you what side you want it mounted on. Basically, they’re asking you what hand do you want to use to reel in your line. There is some controversy on this in the fly world but my suggestion is to get that thing mounted on your weak hand. Your dominant hand will be on the rod and your off hand handles the line, so if you’re a righty get your reel mounted so it reels in with your left hand. Again, if you’re confused, consult your fly shop or shoot us an e-mail at Info@fishercat.co. Just make sure if you’re ordering online that you’re requesting they put the line on your reel for you.
Leaders, Tippet and Flies and random accessories: Hoooo buddy, this e-mail is really dragging John, i’m sorry! Last section, we’re almost there. We’ll do it bullet form because I can see your eyes glazing over!
Leaders: This ends up being a matter of preference and species you’re chasing, but this is a good starting place. It really depends on the type of water you’re fishing and species, but that’s a whole book I have been meaning to write. Just make sure your leader has a loop (which almost all of them do) so that you can easily attach it to your fly line.
Tippet: You’re going to have to learn a knot, i’m sorry! Learn how to tie a surgeon’s knot so you can attach more tippet to the end of your leader. Get yourself spools in 1x-5x….that should cover most of your basic needs. Remember not to tie tippet sections to each other that are drastically different in size. Don’t tie 1x (which is very thick) to 5x (which is a lot thinner), instead try to only jump one size if possible, 3x-5x…. you’ll figure it out, I promise.
Flies: This is almost completely species specific but this is a good list from Tom Rosenbauer that might get you started for trout. Again, if you have specific questions shoot us an e-mail or ask your local fly shop. Buying flies from a local store is an unwritten rule as far as i’m concerned, at least until you learn to tie ( or become a guide and manage to lose ten flies in a tree in a single day) so find a fly shop and go there!
Random Accessories: Get yourself a net. Landing fish is a lot easier in a net and if you’re new to it you may not know that bass and bluegills have spikes that kinda hurt (well, now you know). Using a landing net puts a lot less stress on fish and allows you to release them easier. Also get a pair of small pliers or forceps for getting a hook out of a fish’s mouth when your fingers won’t do it. You may also want something to carry your gear around in and a fly box for your flies, but these are things that may fall into the next blog. You can easily improvise with a small box and that backpack you got free from a conference you didn’t want to go to.
I’m sure I missed something but my hand is starting to cramp and there is no way John will read all of this! We’ll get another edition of this blog out with some more clarifying pieces soon and tips on other products, like sling packs, waders, wading boots and what the hell a strike indicator is. Reach out to us via e-mail or DM us on instagram.
From Wild Places,
Nick