# Interested in Fly fishing



## Dialer

Those blasted bream!  I can't get what I want far enough out with my baitcaster. I think I can do it, but all fly fishing equipment is really expensive from what I've found. Do I really need a $600 fly rod?  Where can I get quality fly fishing equipment at a fair price???


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## lagrangedave

Phleuger starting set for about $69 will get you started.


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## FARMS100

*fly fishing outfit*

You find a good combo for 60-70 dollars ready to go fishing. They have good starting outfits at CABALIS and 
BASS PRO, in this price range.
Go get you one and get in the river.
AL----------HAVE A NICE DAY


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## Tentwing

Page 46 of the Cabelas spring 2017 catalog you will find their RLS combo rod ,reel,line,leader, and case $149.

The casting action on the RLS reminds me of my Sage SLT action. For this reason I have one as a 9 foot 6 weight  back up rod.

Also look at the  Redington Classic Trout rod best _modest_ price rod out there for my money.

Tentwing


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## NCHillbilly

Cabelas has some really good combos for under $100. You don't need an expensive outfit at all to catch fish.


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## Coenen

Dialer said:


> Those blasted bream!  I can't get what I want far enough out with my baitcaster. I think I can do it, but all fly fishing equipment is really expensive from what I've found. Do I really need a $600 fly rod?  Where can I get quality fly fishing equipment at a fair price???


If you're in Atlanta, check out The Fish Hawk. Haven't been there personally, but have heard good things. They'd be a solid resource to get you going in the right direction.


There's no need to break the bank on a first set-up, for sure. You can save that for your second.   Fly fishing is super fun, I don't do near enough of it, but it's always enjoyable when I do. It's one of the BEST ways to fish small water as far as I'm concerned.


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## Dean

*Combo*

Pick up a combo - rod/reel/flyline, you can find one reasonably priced with a internet search. 

I would consider a 5WT for an all around rod but 3WT are fun bream rods. You didn't mention what 'distance' you are trying to get that your baitcaster won't.......

Take a look at Temple Fork too....you should get a spool of tippet, flies, fly box, nippers.....

Just be forewarned, fly fishing can get additive....


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## OwlRNothing

Dialer said:


> Those blasted bream!  I can't get what I want far enough out with my baitcaster. I think I can do it, but all fly fishing equipment is really expensive from what I've found. Do I really need a $600 fly rod?  Where can I get quality fly fishing equipment at a fair price???



No, you absolutely do not need a $600 rod. No one does. That's not to say that $600 rods aren't nice, or that they don't cast well - they do, but they aren't necessary to catch fish, if that's actually the goal.  To some extent, you do get what you pay for.... but luckily with fly fishing gear, that's not always a do or die proposition. There are times that you can get a rod or reel or whatever that is just as sweet as anything twice the price - for 1/4th the cost. You just have to be patient and steer clear from the real junk out there. 

Cabela's LST 4 wt. rod casts as well as any high end St. Croix that I've ever owned, including their top of the line -  and it cost me $120 a few years ago on clearance. No, the reel seat isn't quite as fancy, but it's nice enough that the trout don't comment on it.  

I'm a big fan of Cabela's house brand rods. Bass Pro has some nice stuff too, but for some reason I seem to get more bang for the buck out of Cabela's. Even their mid level and lower stuff is good ( stay far away from "Wind River" rods or reels though - those are junk.) 

Cabela's sale page right now, they have a Redington Classic for $99. I didn't look at which rod weights though. Sometimes they have a wide variety and sometimes it's only 12 weights or whatever. As for reels, they have nothing on there tonight that isn't high end - but that an change week to week. Keep an eye out on the Bargain Barn fly fishing page and sooner or later there will be a good deal. ( They have a Prestige reel on there, but I have one and I'm not really impressed. You can do better for about the same amount of money.) 

Cabela's also frequently puts both glass and graphite rods on sale, so you can rig up without having to sell a kidney. 

IMHO, if you're going to spend money on fly fishing when first starting out, spend it on the line. Period. That's the most important thing. Don't go bottom-of-the-barrel-cheap on the line. You don't have to buy the $100 stuff they're peddling now, but don't get the $30 stuff either. Buy name brand line in the $40-80 range and you'll be glad you did. Even a so-so rod can be made fishable with a decent line. 

The other benefit of going with a $100-200 rod from Cabela's ( or even a $50 one if you catch the Three Forks on sale) is that if you decide you hate fly fishing, you're not out $1000. Back in the day, you could sell used fly fishing gear and get back 80% of what you paid if it was in good shape - but now the internet ( and ebay and facebook) are full of used gear - some of it good stuff - and people expect the seller to give it away for nothin'. Sign of the times I guess. 

Anyway, fly fishing - like alot of other things - is only as expensive as you make it. Sort of.  Good luck.


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## OwlRNothing

I typed all this before seeing the other suggestions of Cabela's. You can tell, can't you? haha.


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## Uptonongood

Buying a $600 fly rod to cast farther is like buying a $200 hammer to build a better house.

My addition to what has already been posted is to take a few casting lessons from a certified fly casting instructor. You can't correct all of your casting errors by watching YouTube.  An instructor will see what needs fixing right away. 

 Then go out in the yard in the evenings and cast for "lawn trout" unless you are blessed with a pond or lake close by.  The lessons help, believe it.


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## centerpin fan

Uptonongood said:


> Buying a $600 fly rod to cast farther is like buying a $200 hammer to build a better house.



Of course, the top rods now are in the $800-$1,000 range. The $600 rods are in the "bargain bin".  




Uptonongood said:


> My addition to what has already been posted is to take a few casting lessons from a certified fly casting instructor. You can't correct all of your casting errors by watching YouTube.  An instructor will see what needs fixing right away.



Agreed.  It never ceases to amaze me what people will pay for top-of-the-line fly gear but won't pay for a casting lesson.  Nothing will help a beginner more than a lesson from a good instructor.


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## centerpin fan

OwlRNothing said:


> I'm a big fan of Cabela's house brand rods. Bass Pro has some nice stuff too, but for some reason I seem to get more bang for the buck out of Cabela's.



Agreed, however ... 

I was at the Acworth Cabela's last week.  I needed a new pair of waders, so I headed back to the fly shop.  Nobody was there -- _on a Saturday_.  So, I poked around on my own but couldn't find any waders in my size.  In addition, they seemed to have really cut down on the rods/reels/flies/gear on display.  I'm not sure if that is because of the pending merger with Bass Pro or just a general downturn in business.

Bass Pro, OTOH, usually has one or two guys manning the fort, especially on weekends.  There's an older guy named "Bob" who is especially knowledgeable.


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## Jimmy Harris

We would welcome you into the fly fishing community but I've got to tell you that if you're wanting a fly rod because you can't reach your target with a bait casting outfit, you're going to be sorely disappointed.


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## centerpin fan

Jimmy Harris said:


> ... if you're wanting a fly rod because you can't reach your target with a bait casting outfit, you're going to be sorely disappointed.



I missed that part.  Good point.


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## Dialer

Hmmmmm.....SOMEwhat discouraged. Just the words "Cabella's" and "Bass Pro Shops" sound expensive.  I will have to make do with me trusty Zebco 404 for now I suppose.


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## centerpin fan

Dialer said:


> Just the words "Cabella's" and "Bass Pro Shops" sound expensive.



You don't know what expensive is until you walk into a fly shop.  As the other guys have noted above, you can get decent outfits at both BP and C for under $150.


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## OwlRNothing

centerpin fan said:


> You don't know what expensive is until you walk into a fly shop.  As the other guys have noted above, you can get decent outfits at both BP and C for under $150.



Centerpin is right. That said, if you want to go cheaper, poke around thrift stores or check amazon. I mean, if you really want to get into fly fishing for about $100, it can be done. You just have to look a little harder, lower your expectations on the quality you're buying, and wait for the right sales, etc. Let me see if I can hook you up: 

Rod: $35  http://www.cabelas.com/product/WRIG...34095080&CQ_search=fly%2Brod&CQ_sort=priceLow

Reel: $40 http://www.basspro.com/White-River-Fly-Shop-Dogwood-Canyon-Disc-Drag-Fly-Reel/product/25189/


Line: $40 http://www.cabelas.com/product/barg...r-weight-forward-floating-fly-line/744418.uts

The only other thing you'll need is a leader ( or just use 8 lb. mono in a pinch ) and some flies. 

Now, I didn't check available line or rod weights and I've not used that reel, so YMMV - but hey, we were just looking for a cheap way into the thing right? You could even find a cheaper way if you're willing to fish tenkara and buy a rod off Amazon. Under $100 is entirely possible that way. 


Bingo. You're a fly fisherman.


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## Alan in GA

*RLS kits ......*



Tentwing said:


> Page 46 of the Cabelas spring 2017 catalog you will find their RLS combo rod ,reel,line,leader, and case $149.
> 
> The casting action on the RLS reminds me of my Sage SLT action. For this reason I have one as a 9 foot 6 weight  back up rod.
> 
> Also look at the  Redington Classic Trout rod best _modest_ price rod out there for my money.
> 
> Tentwing



I looked at the RLS kits for $149 and they look to be a great deal. Lifetime guarantee is a great guarantee, too! The real alone sells for $100+, comes in a rod tube, and between now and the 31st they throw in a free soft fly tackle pouch.
I was looking for a starter kit for my grandson (13 years old).


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## GLS

Lots of good choices on beginner's kits.  Here's what I bought my daughter for Christmas last year:
https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Base-Fl...8&qid=1495793501&sr=8-2&keywords=echo+fly+rod


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## Dialer

Picked up an outfit for $59 at Dicks in Gainesville. 9' rod, 5/6 reel. Whatever that means!


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## Dialer

After a few practice casts, I started practicing in the creek at the motorcycle resort. 3rd cast landed a nice bream!  What a BLAST!


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## Nicodemus

Fly fishing is like turkey hunting. It`s a disease that is incurable. A chance for a big redbelly on a 3wt will cause you to miss work.


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## NCHillbilly

Dialer said:


> Picked up an outfit for $59 at Dicks in Gainesville. 9' rod, 5/6 reel. Whatever that means!



5/6 means that it takes a 5 or 6 weight line.


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## scott30415

X2 on what Nicodemus said.


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## Water Swat

Nicodemus said:


> Fly fishing is like turkey hunting. It`s a disease that is incurable. A chance for a big redbelly on a 3wt will cause you to miss work.



ill have to send you a picture of the 3 weight a client built for me this past winter. It is a thing of beauty and has slap wore out the bream in the last few weeks.


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## Dialer

Finally got a chance to hit the pond yesterday, wasn't good at all. My line seemed to shoot too high and gathering up in just a pile a short distance from the bank. The flys won't float, but sink when I did get a fair cast.  Lost 2 flies on the power lines above and behind me. Guess I'm gonna need an instructor.  Anyone in mind?


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## centerpin fan

Orvis store in Buckhead offers free classes year-round:

http://www.orvis.com/s/atlanta-geor...-_-Tm-x-stores-ga-atlanta-x-x-_-orvis atlanta


River Through Atlanta:

http://riverthroughatlanta.com/instruction/fly-fishing-instruction-for-beginners-intermediates/


Atlanta Fly Fishing School in Cumming:

http://www.atlantaflyfishingschool.com/html/about_atlanta_fly_fishing_scho.html


Fly Box Outfitters in Kennesaw:

http://flyboxoutfitters.com/fly-fishing-school.html


Unicoi Oufitters in Helen:

http://unicoioutfitters.com/learn-to-fly-fish.shtml


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## centerpin fan

Dialer said:


> Finally got a chance to hit the pond yesterday, wasn't good at all.



If it's any consolation, all beginners are terrible casters.  (Many people who have been casting for years are terrible).  At least you're willing to get some instruction.


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## Georgia Hard Hunter

you are headed in the right direction, getting instruction now as apposed to self teaching will save you from picking up bad habits that are much harder to fix later


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## centerpin fan

Georgia Hard Hunter said:


> you are headed in the right direction, getting instruction now as apposed to self teaching will save you from picking up bad habits that are much harder to fix later



Agreed.

I've never been able to understand why so many people struggle on their own rather than getting lessons.  Fly casting is not intuitive.  

Granted, I live in Atlanta and have access to great instruction and well-stocked fly shops.  Not everyone is that fortunate, however.  Still, many people won't even watch a video.

I was poking around on YouTube recently and watched a couple of videos by "newbie" fly fisherman.  Both were very poor casters (even by beginners' standards), didn't know how to retrieve line, etc.  You'd think that somebody who'd go to the trouble of making a fly fishing video would have watched some videos beforehand.  

I just hate to see new guys struggle.


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## Coenen

centerpin fan said:


> Fly casting is not intuitive.


Truer words we n'er spoken. Not only is it NOT intuitive, relative to spin fishing, most of it is counter-intuitive!

Watch some videos for sure. I'll see if I can dig up the ones I watched to get me going, when I'm not at work. Practice, off the water. Use your yard if you have sufficient space, or find an open field to use. Set up some basic targets, and practice. Start relatively close, and just focus on making good casts. You'll get some funny looks from passers-by, but good off the water practice sessions will have a huge effect on the quality of your on the water experience.

I'm still admittedly a novice, but the biggest things I have issues with are: 
The notion that distance matters. Long or short, a good cast is a good cast, and a bad cast is a bad cast. Good casts are better.
Getting beyond the notion that more muscle will equal greater line speed. A good cast won't feel anything but good, if you feel like you're really trying to muscle it, things are most likely going wrong.
Aborting bad casts. You know when the wheels are coming off. One more false cast isn't going to fix it. Trying to go Superhero on that last forward cast isn't going to fix it. Just let it drop and go again. Good Cast > Bad Cast.
Keeping my motion on an even plane.
Timing. Timing, timing, timing. This one is probably the easiest to fix. You don't have to be cool; steal a glance at that back cast before you make your forward stroke.

There are plenty of guys here who've probably forgotten more than I know, so PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

Good luck!


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## centerpin fan

Coenen said:


> Not only is it NOT intuitive, relative to spin fishing, most of it is counter-intuitive!



I don't think most people realize this, so I just want to reiterate.  That short, snappy, "wristy" cast we all learn with spinning/casting gear will mess you up when you start fly casting.




Coenen said:


> Watch some videos for sure.



I think I've posted this before, but here it is again.  I think personal instruction is better than watching a video, but videos are very useful.  Here's Joan Wulff, one of the best casters ever:

https://winstonrods.com/videos/instructional-videos/


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## fishndoc

I'm gonna disagree somewhat on the idea that fly casting is not intuitive.  Once you accept the fact that you are not slinging a weighted lure as in spin casting, but instead you are _casting the weighted line_, it does become more natural and intuitive. 

I do agree that less muscle equals a better cast.  When I'm flubbing my casts, or teaching a beginner, I recommend trying to cast the line with the least effort and arm motion you can.  Less effort and less muscle and better timing equals a tighter loop and longer cast.

Also, the casting trainers with a short graphite "rod" and yarn for line can really help a beginner get the feel for casting the line instead of a lure.  They weren't around when I started, but I did get one for my wife when she took up FF, and it really seemed to help her.


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## Dialer

Got to the Hooch in Helen fairly early Sunday morning.  Wind was a steady breeze at my back, and Man!  I had a BLAST!  I was casting like a pro with a lot of on-lookers.  It's VERY easy standing in the middle of the river with no trees and the wind helping....The fly I was using was very cheap and worn out, and refused to float, but I just kept casting for the practice, but never caught anything.   I tried 2 "heavily stocked" streams including the Hooch, using power bait, worms, and crickets on my 202, and nothing.  The fish simply were not there, ANYWHERE!   (Unicoi, Helen, and Hiawassee).  Very frustrating!


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