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rod/reel advice for a newb

2K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  RobJon 
#1 ·
i looking for advice on buying a rod/reel for freshwater fishing in new england.

size?
weight?

things to look for?

since i am new to this i don't want to spend a ton of money but i still don't want a piece of junk that will just discourage me.
 
#4 ·
Well my suggestion would be a 9 foot 5 weight as an all round rod, something you could fish dryfly or hammer out a big weighted Zonker if need be. I would spend the bulk of the money on a good rod and line, the reel can be a cheap one with a clicker drag. You may want to try the classified ads on some of the forums or an online auction house like Ebay(I bought an Orvis trident TLS for $100 last week). You may want to check out your local flyshops as some take trades or sell on consignment.
 
#5 ·
For New England I don't really think that you will ever be outgunned with a nice medium action 4wt. Look into the the company Temple Fork Outfitters, they make some very nice rods for the money 150 dollars or so. As far as reel a cortland or something that will hold line is fine. Your money is best spent on getting a casting lesson from a FFF certified instructor.
 
#6 ·
Based upon a near lifetime of fly fishing (I'm 53 abd started fly fishing at age 5), which included teaching a few hundred folks how to fly fish, I'd recommend an
8'6" - 9' 5 or 6 wt rod. If you are only going to fish for trout, the 5 wt would get the nod, if you are also going to fish for smallmouth and largemouth bass, the 6 wt is a better choice because it cast bass flies better.

You should have no problem getting a good outfit (rod, reel, line, and backing) for $300.00 that will serve your needs for many years. Rod Companies like TFO, ECHO, G. Loomis, St, Croix, Lamiglass, Redington, and Scott all produce good casting rods for under $150.00, and some of them such as G. Loomis, Redington, and St. Croix have good casting, complete (rod, reel, backing, and line) outfits available for about $200.00.

The best thing you could do is go to the closest fly fishing shop (or fly fishing specialty store if you will), tell them what you are going to use it for and how much you can spend, and they will provide you with an outfit that will fit your needs and budget. The local store will also more than likely give you some casting instruction and in general be a very good source of information on casting, knots, flies, etc..

The second best thing you could do is contact one of this sites sponsors, tell them what you are going to use the outfit for, the amount you have to spend, and then they will be able to provide you with a good choice of equipment too. The reason this is the second best choice is unless the sponsor is close to you, you won't have the personalized casting and other help you may need.
 
#7 ·
(link removed - "this is no fun" please respect the membership agreement, thanks FORUM administration)

Does this look like a decent setup to get my feet wet? (pun intended)

I've already done the casting instruction thing. I had a guide, I'm "ok" at casting. Confidant enough to get out there and give it whirl.

Thanks for all your advice.
 
#8 ·
St Croix makes some excellent rods in all price ranges, including the low end. An 8'6 4 wt would be my recommendation for New England trout fishing. A 9 ft rod is too long for a lot of the more treed in streams. I use a 7'6 rod and I find that to be a good length, and I can't imagine using a 9 ft rod in a lot of places.

If you want a rod that's more versatile and that you can use for largemouth bass too, then go with a 5 wt.
 
#10 ·
If I could make a suggestion -

the images on those sites are easily included into messages. Just put the mouse over the image, right mouse to list "properties" and copy the address.

Then click on the
icon and paste the address into it to make it part of your post.

In fact that's how I just put the little icon in this thread!

That way we can look at the outfit and provide some feedback if you list a few details.
 
#12 ·
i guess i'm the odd one here, but i'd recommend a 3 wt. most of the fish are small enough and the rod can handle the occaisional larger fish. i second the motion on the st croix. consider a heritage. the're less than$100 for either a 3,4, or 5 wt,.and as good as anything at twice the price. they're located in springfield, ma.
 
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