Fly fishing equipment..

[def90]

Used to fly fish a lot when I was younger as a kid back in Minnesota however we would fish on lakes for Sunfish using poppers, not trout. Was a ton of fun.

I would like to get into some fishing here in Colorado but haven't looked at gear in years. What is a good value rod and reel that is going to do the job, last for years and not break the bank? I know you can sink some serious money into fly gear if you want. Also what type/length of rod do you suggest for the smaller creeks/rivers we have in the front range?

[funkymonkey1111]

that's as open ended a question as "what type of gun should I get?" I think a general all around Colorado rod is a 9' 4wt. of course, you have to determine what flex you want. for super small streams, folks will use a 0 to 2 wt-.

you need to define what you mean by "value."

[def90]

that's as open ended a question as "what type of gun should I get?" I think a general all around Colorado rod is a 9' 4wt. of course, you have to determine what flex you want. for super small streams, folks will use a 0 to 2 wt-.

you need to define what you mean by "value."

I know it's a tough question.. as far as value goes.. I've read that you can spend $600-$700 on a rod.. not one of those. I seriously haven't looked at this stuff in a decade, want something not from Walmart.. Should $100 or so for a rod/reel get me into something decent or should I expect to pay more?

I've got a Red Fly Redington 9' #5/6 2 piece rod that a friend gave me when I moved here in 2000 but I broke it during a move.

[hatidua]

Rods:

2-3wt: Boulder Creek, Clear Creek, Etc. Really 80% of the fish in CO are perfectly suited to a 3wt rod.
4-5wt: Dream Stream, Grey Reef, Miracle Mile, Blue River, the 20% of fish not covered by a 3wt, it'd be great if there were more 30" fish swimming around, but we all catch plenty of sub-12" fish in this state.

TFO (Temple Fork Outfitters) is probably the go-to budget rod these days although they have steadily upped prices from what I've heard.
Reddington/Sage (same company) each has entry level rods, as do Loomis and Orvis.

Try to cast before buying if at all possible. There is no such thing as a "best rod", only the best rod for your casting style.

In terms of reels, unless you plan on going after 30" fish on 7X tippet, a reel for fish under 5#s is primarily a line storage device and I'd not spend over $100 on a reel unless you simply like the look of a fancy reel. The best bang for the buck if you can find one is the now-discontinued "White River Classic" that BassPro sold for a spell. It's an all metal click/pawl reel that you could drive over with a car and it'd still work just fine. Search eBay and you can usually find them for about $50 in great shape.

Most of the larger rod companies offer a lifetime warranty (Sage/Reddington/Loomis/Scott/Winston/Orvis/TFO) and the cost of having that lifetime warranty is accounted for in the price you initially pay for a rod. A fly rod, no matter the rod, isn't worth close to the $800 the top rods are now selling for. However, if I snap one, I know I can get it replaced relatively easily, hence the price tag (still not justified in my opinion but that's what the top of the line rods sell for now).

The shorter the rod (8' vs 9'), the faster the perceived action will be - all else being equal, or in lay terms, it will seem stiffer. Additionally, it'd be good to take your most oft visited fishing hole into consideration: if it's a thin body of water with considerable brush/tree's, a faster shorter rod can prevent a lot of frustration, whereas a slow-moving river that involves a lot of nymphing can make a longer rod a welcome tool.

Swing by RMA on Arapahoe and they'll let you cast rods until you are sick of casting rods. Only through trying a bunch of weights/actions/lengths will you get a good feel for what direction is appropriate for you. If for some reason they are closed, or if the endless road construction on Arapahoe becomes too much of a hassle, send me a PM and I'll let you cast all the rods you want in North Boulder Park.

[newracer]

I agree with the 9' 4wt as a very good all around rod, that is what I usually fish with. I have a St. Croix 4 piece rod that wasn't terribly expensive and it works fine. I usually fish with a GLoomis that was a little more but not much.

[3beansalad]

The Sportsmans Expo this weekend might be a great learning tool. Casting ponds and manufacturers reps.

[funkymonkey1111]

here's an orvis package for $159


http://www.royalgorgeanglers.com/fly...outfit/dp/6509

[meatman]

I've got a Red Fly Redington 9' #5/6 2 piece rod that a friend gave me when I moved here in 2000 but I broke it during a move.

You may be able to send it back to Redinton. I broke mine about 10 year ago and they sent me a brand new one. I'm not sure if their customer service still works that way.

[Ah Pook]

McGuckins has selection of fly gear also. The staff has always been able to answer my questions.

There is a lot of good info posted here.

Most of my fly gear is pre '70s (flys and line excluded).

A 9' Allcocks bamboo 5-6wt for big water. Slapped a Pflueger Sal-Trout ($15 ebay) on it. For small water with tight spaces, I use a 6 1/2' glass Wright McGill Featherlight 3wt. The reel on this one is an Ocean City #36.

I probably have a 2-3 other reels with different line on them. Another dozen are sitting on the shelf. Most are Pflueger, Martin, Bronson...off Ebay or junk shops. Usually all they need is a cleaning and lube. Doubt any of them cost more than $20. I buy line backing by the spool and



I like to handle rods before purchasing. Switching to bamboo took some time as the motion is slower than glass. The two piece 9' are great until you have to pack them through brush. For local streams, a 3wt is fine.

I usually don't carry a lot of flies. A selection of what the fish should be biting on is enough. Every fly shop worth their salt will have a list, on their website, of what the fish are taking.



Waders, boots, vests is a whole 'nuther story.

[CapLock]

My wifes uncle makes custom bamboo fly rods. He says they have a life time guarantee. He guarantees if you break one of his rods he will take your life. LOL I forget the amount of hours into each one but they sure are pretty. Too expensive for me even with the family discount.