Beginner fly outfit

[I.rar]

After seeing a couple fly fishing this afternoon, I've decided I want to give it another go. I had set my expectations too high when I tried it before, ended up disappointed and got rid of the gear. 

 

Now I have my eye on a couple outfits from cabelas but am curious what else it out there in the under $100 mark that isn't garbage. I plan on targeting panfish/cichlids and smaller bass. 

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabela-s-three-forks-prestige-reg-plus-fly-combo/2196555.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffly-fishing-rod-reel-combos%2F_%2FN-1102570

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/fishing/fly-fishing/fly-fishing-rod-reel-combos|/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/105571980/cabela-s-wind-river-combo/1342342.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffly-fishing-rod-reel-combos%2F_%2FN-1102570

[XpressJeff]

I am glad you asked this. Looking forward to responses.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Rather than a combo pick up an inexpensive reel but one you can buy spare cartridges for, a mod fast 5wt rod and don't spare the horses on a 5wt forward taper fly line. Tapered leader and tippet. 

[Further North]

What are you going to be fishing for...and given where you live, salt or fresh water?

 

Assuming bass...Do yourself a favor and go with an 8 wt., especially down there.  You're gonna need some big, wind resistant flies and you're not gonna throw those with a dainty 5 wt. built for trout.  Don't even think about going below a 7 wt.

 

Both those set-ups are fine (I'd go with the 2nd one)...but here's the deal: neither comes with a line designed to chuck big streamers whether you're fishing on top with big poppers or subsurface, bass flies tend to be big, tend to catch the wind and even experienced casters need help turning them over and delivering them on target.

 

Rio makes a line called the "Smallmouth Bass" line that is perfect for this...but it costs $75.  It's got a shorter, more powerful head designed to turn bass flies over and it works great...I've got one on my topwater rod.

 

I've got another Rio product - the "Outbound Short" in their "InTouch" series on my subsurface rod.  That's another $90.

 

Those lines make a huge difference in my ability to meet my own expectations and deliver casts far enough out, on target and not all fluffed-up.

 

If I had to pick one, it'd be the Smallmouth line as you can fish subsurface with a floating line...but not vice-versa.

 

If you stick with this, you'll find that you need at least one good topwater line and one for subsurface.  I have separate rigs for each as I don't want to spend 10 minutes re-rigging a fly rod with a different kind of line if I want to hit one piece of structure on top and below the surface.  You can save a bunch of that re-rigging time by having extra spools, but you still have to reel in, re-string and tie on the fly.

 

...but I'm not the best guy to talk to when it come to exercising restraint on gear...I've got 24 fly rods (Only 18 are rigged!) ready to rock at any given moment.

 

Don't even ask about regular gear rods...

 

One other thing: Casting with bass flies is not the same as it is with trout flies.  Where a trout fisherman wants a subtle as possible presentation where the fly kisses the water delicately and you need to manage the drift so there's no drag...you want a bass fly to hit the water like it fell off a six-story building and make about as much commotion as you can make on the way back to the boat.

 

Don't watch trout videos trying to figure out how to fly fish for bass...

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

He said panfish and maybe small bass that's why I suggested the 5 wt, but yes a bass dedicated rod calls for an 8 wt. 

[Further North]

I missed the panfish part - thanks.

 

Panfish are a hoot on a fly rod.  If that's the target, the 5 wt. is perfect.  Little foam spiders....

[I.rar]

Thanks guys. This will primarily be a "fun fishing" rod in the beginning and depending how I feel this time around, I may get something heavier. 

 

Smallish bass, pan fish and cichlids would be the target. I'm a light tackle junkie and have no issue feeling underpowered but where I would take this, it shouldn't be a problem. 

 

Im trying to spend up to $100 on a rod/reel/line combo. Not just on the line itself, lol. I don't want to end up with an ugly stick but I don't need a NRX either. Is my budget unrealistic? 

 

 

[Further North]

1 hour ago, I.rar said:

Smallish bass, pan fish and cichlids would be the target. I'm a light tackle junkie and have no issue feeling underpowered but where I would take this, it shouldn't be a problem. 

Here's the thing with fly rods, specific to being "underpowered": It's not the fish you need the power for, it's the fly.

 

This thing:

 

 

Takes some snot in the rod and in the line to deliver it.

 

This:

 

...doesn't.

 

You can throw that spider all day with a 5 wt.  Try that top fly with a 5 wt. and you'll be inventing new cuss words eleven minutes after you tie it on.

 

If you're after panfish and little bass, your budget is fine (get the 2nd set up though, it's better).  The lines that come with those rigs will be fine.

 

It's only after you get nuts about the subject and start trying to catch musky and big pike on a fly that your budget takes a beating...

 

 

...that fly is 11" long...

 

One more thing:

 

The real deal with fly fishing is practice casting.  Practice a lot.

 

Most nights, when the weather is decent up here in the frozen north, I'll spend at least fifteen minutes practice casting, and I've been at it for about 6 years.

 

The muscle memory you need for fly casting is a different critter from chucking gear and you need to train your body to do it via repetition.

 

I feel like my most productive routine is to "cast around the house".

 

I start in the driveway, and I work my way around the house with which ever rig I've picked for the night.  That way I get all wind angles, different kinds of obstacles, get to aim for different targets on each cast.  Most nights I cycle through two or three fly rigs, call it 6 wt., 8 wt. and 10 wt.

 

...but I'm nuts...and I like fly casting for its own sake.  A well thrown cast, even on the lawn, is like a welel hit tee shot on the golf course.  Makes you feel good, even if there's no fish in the grass.

 

PS: Wear sunglasses, and a hat when you fly fish, and when you practice.  And de-barb your hooks.  Sooner or later, you're gonna run a fly into the back of your head, or into your cheek.  It's not an "if", it's a "when'.  I don't care how careful, or how good you think you are...all it takes is gust of wind when you've started your forward cast with 60 ft. of line out....

 

PPS:  If a skinny li'l thing like this:

can catch that fish on a fly, you can catch more panfish than you can imagine...

[flyfisher]

If targeting solely panfish i would go even lighter myself.  4wt or even a 3wt will be like ultralight fishing and is a complete blast when a bass takes your foam spider