Top products from r/flyfishing

Welcome to a lifelong addiction! I agree with a lot of people on here that buying a good book will help you out a lot. Likewise, spending some time casting before you hit the water will make for a lot less frustration. A good book will help you know how to cast right and what it feels like. I don't own it myself, but I've heard good things personally about this book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592288189

Now as to your equipment, whatever works best for you is what you should fish with, regardless of how cheap it is. That being said, there is a big difference between a professionally designed rod and a generic fly rod. If you can possibly afford to step it up a bit in your price range, you will set yourself up with equipment that will easily keep you both happy and challenged for 5-10 years. Here's my recommendation (just a recommendation, nothing more, nothing less):

Temple Fork Outfitters make professionally designed rods that, like most major brands, have a lifetime guarantee and you can always return it (or a piece of it) for a repair. They are able to offer a seriously nice rod for less because the manufacturing is done in China. The company and design is in the US. Basically, it's a great rod for a lot less because of where it's made. http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/

Ross reels are like the GMC of fly reels. Nothing fancy, but super dependable and you get everything you need to do the job. My first reel was a Ross (anyone remember the Cimarron?) and I keep it around because it's every bit as usable as when I bought it 12 years ago. They're seriously good reels.
http://www.rossreels.com/

As to the length, I strongly suggest something near a 9'. It gives you enough flex to "feel" a backcast so that you can establish a good cast early on. This way, you won't have to break bad habits later in your life. The standard weight for a beginner is 5. However, don't feel intimidated by a 3 or 4. If you're fishing for trout, these are all acceptable.

This was a bit longer than I expected, but I hope it is useful. PM if you have any questions that I can help with.

EDIT: Sorry, one last thing!

The less fished the water, the more likely you are to be successful on it. Spend a bit of time looking around your area on google maps or topos and find water that may be smaller, but is further from a road. Any time water is visible from a road, you can almost guarantee it has been fished earlier in the day before you. Finding somewhere remote will give you some positive feedback on fishing and keep you from getting frustrated early on.

Ok, I'll shut up now.

I can't speak for the CZN, but I've fished the Cortland Competition 10'6" 3wt for the past two years and love it. Your added length is crucial for reaching spots while still tight lining (and staying in direct contact with your fly(s) at all times as best you can), and also tippet protection (looking at you Syndicate w your glorious rods).

As /u/pwigglez mentioned, also very important in the game is your leader set up. Done properly, this will play a huge role in your presentation and success.
(Hint-your reel and fly line (outside of euro-specific lines, which are awesome) don't mean much in this game)

And IMHO, if you're serious about going after some successful nymphing, Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniels is an absolute must read. I'm prob on my 4th time through (currently re-reading it) and should be your starting point for your approach and rig set up.

Best of luck and keep asking questions--there are a ton of awesome nymphing guys on here that I've learned a ton from on this sub!

/u/Independent is on the right track, as usual - that site is a goldmine. Be sure to check out not only the patterns, but also his blog posts. He's been less active in recent years, but that doesn't diminish the quality of the information in the older posts in the least.

Which book did you buy? If you don't already have it, snag a copy of The Best Flies for Carp by Jay Zimmerman - it's full of great stuff. And although I'm not much of an Orvis fan in general, I have to admit that the Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing for Carp is really good. Kirk Deeter is the real deal. If you're looking for tying instructions for those, it's easy enough to find most of them - but InTheRiffle has a nice playlist of excellent patterns. FlyGeek and a few other custom tiers also have carp-specific patterns.

Finally, if you want to kick it old-school and read about where fly fishing for carp really got started, track down an old copy of Carp on the Fly by Barry Reynolds and Brad Befus. It's still relevant!

If you haven't rage quit at least a dozen times on the first half-dozen trips, you aren't trying hard enough. Occasionally they'll be easy, but very rarely. Most of the time they're really hard to fool, and often harder yet to land.

Good luck! Come back and post your fish, K?

Where do you live? CT?


Fly fishing has a pretty serious learning curve, from my experience. I assume being avid fisherman, you are pretty comfortable working a lure such as a Rapala? The very fist type of fly I would suggest you try is streamers. It's very straight forward and you can work the streamer like a standard lure. Buy some wooly buggers in various colors and stick to them for a while.


Secondly, catching fish in february isn't easy. If we're simply discussing chance of success, I would suggest you focus your fishing efforts in April/May/June when the water temps help fish activity.


After catching some things on buggers, I would try nymphing and dry flies. A great book on nymphing is Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniel


Lastly, if you are still struggling, find someone to bring you out and work with you. I'm too far from CT to assist, but you can hire a guide or maybe someone on this board lives up there and would take you out and help.


Best of luck! Would love to see an update to this when you finally do land some fish!

Which streams/rivers did you try? The water in North Idaho hasn't been bad lately, a few rivers are still running higher than normal but the water clarity has been good. I would read this. Its a pretty good read about what to do when there is nothing obvious. I agree with the other guys though streamers are a great way to catch fish, especially large ones. Personally I like to swing streamers after I've gone through a good spot with dries.

It, of course, depends on your style of fishing as well as budget. I’ve had a great time fishing the Eagle Claw Featherlite in the 3/4wt with a DT line in small streams on the North Shore of Lake Superior and the driftless region. Though it is limited in the variety of water it can fish it’s an extremely inexpensive rod that over performs and I don’t have to worry about babying. For a more lower-medium priced and all-around rod a St. Croix mojo trout or a few of the rods from Echo (ION XL, Carbon XL, and their Base) might be better choice as they are longer and thus more versatile. I haven’t specifically fished either but I have the St. Croix mojo bass for smallmouth in the Mississippi and absolutely love it, it’s light and shoots line like a cannon! With its accolades I can’t imagine the mojo trout to be anything but great; there are also lots of options for lots of applications. To speak on Echo’s I’ve handled their base model in the shop and it was a bit heavy for my tastes; however, I have their ION reel and am a big fan. For an upper-medium tier rod I have a Sage Foundation in a 4wt. While a bit higher priced than the others it performs phenomenally. It is very light weight but can still handle bigger flys than you might expect a 4wt to as well as delicately present dry flys with laser accuracy. At the shop I was within a few inches of hitting a bumble bee at 40-ft and that’s what sold me on it.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-Featherlight-Weight-Yellow/dp/B00019NAOS

https://stcroixrods.com/products/mojo-trout

https://echoflyfishing.com/single-hand-rods-2019/

http://t15440-s23596.mozu.com/product/freshwater/foundation-freshwater

Wild Waters on Amazon has great starter kits. Rod, reel, fly line, rod case, even flys.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Water-Fishing-Complete-Starter/dp/B001IAHX6A/ref=sr_1_4?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1542169559&sr=1-4&keywords=fly+fishing+rod

​

https://www.amazon.com/stores/node/13180987011?_encoding=UTF8&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Wild%20Water&ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_lg_web_13180987011

Got something similar for my girl. Excellent quality. Definitely in your budget.

You don't need a name-brand product to have a great time on the water. Save the money.

Tight lines and good luck!

Here's my two cents. While I agree with others on Orvis Clearwater being a good starter, what is most valuable in terms of bang for buck, etc., I recommend being very basic for your first set up. If you end up liking it, this will be your backup gear as some day down the road, you are going to buy way better gear than what everyone is mentioning here. My first combo was this: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Water-Fly-Fishing-Complete/dp/B001IAHX6A/ref=lp_2603723011_1_1?srs=2603723011&ie=UTF8&qid=1496980622&sr=8-1

I still use it on occasion and have like 4 other rods/reels now. I have a Cabelas LSi as my "good rod" and a Ross Cimarron as my reel. I recommend going basic for your first combo and finding out if you like the sport. If you do, you'll want to get something better than an entry combo anyway.

The Prestige one you linked looks like it would probably get you started and has some of the other tools you would have to buy as well. Just a pack of some sort, forceps, nippers, and floatant (all things I consider must haves) will set you back $40. Some of the other included stuff looks pretty shitty but on the whole, seems like a good deal to me. If Cabelas makes the rod, it should be part of their warranty program as well.

Many people here are giving you great resources for learning to do the mechanics of flyfishing but I would say that the streamside guide by art flick is one of the best books for a new flyfisherman to understand the culture and the humbling nature of the sport. It's a very quick read that is something like 40 years old. Things have changed a lot but a lot has stayed the same. It is a timeless book that will help you organize the flurry of information that will be coming your way. The Book

I just got into fly fishing this spring/summer as well; N.E. Iowa trout streams for me. Most of the information that I found encouraged buying a kit from fly fishing companies such as st. croix or reddington. Most of these companies have starting rod/reel kits around $150. 5 weight rods are considered to be the best all around rods, but depending on what type of fish you will be targeting it might be worth considering something different. Personally, I just didn't have $150 that I felt comfortable dropping on a hobby that I might not like. Also, there are the other costs such as buying tippet and leader materials, flies, maybe a net, etc. With that in mind I found a Pflueger fly kit with almost everything I needed. While it might not be as high of quality as a reddington/st croix, for $40 it has been a great introduction to fly fishing for me.

Redington Crosswater combo ($132 with Prime)

If he likes smallmouth and catches them in his favorite creeks then get the 6wt. If he prefers trout then get the 9' 5wt option. This rod in a 6wt will also work for pond/lake fishing for bass. If he went to a bigger river then he would do fine with it as well, whether wading or in a boat.

He will also need a leader and some tippet. For $8.61 you can get him an individual leader, or for $16 you can get him the three pack. For tippet, if you get him the 8 pound leader then you should get him the 8 pound tippet for $7.57.

For leader longevity he will want tippet rings for $11.72. This will allow him to use his leaders for much longer rather than needing to re-buy leaders sooner. I know we're outside of your budget at this point past the leader, but if you can swing it then all of these things will provide what he needs outside of flies. Maybe someone else is getting him presents and could supplement the rest. Sometimes fly rod combos will come with leaders, but I didn't see it mentioned on the Crosswater combo. You'll notice I tailored it more to bass. If you find out he's more of a trout guy, then read on.

For $10.78 you can get a 3-pack of 9' 4x leaders. He can fish small streamers and nymphs with these, but would want a thinner leader for dry flies. For creeks he will probably fish small streamers and nymphs most of the time anyways, so this is a good choice (in my opinion). You'll still want the tippet rings listed above to make the leader purchase last a long time. For tippet, a spool of 4x tippet material for $11.43. The tippet prices seem high to me so you might want to dig around some more for options.

Other doodads to consider would be nippers and a zinger, hemostats, and a net. Teeth are a substitute for nippers, but biting through fishing line does wear your teeth. Hemostats aren't as necessary if he pinches the barbs on his hooks. You can get away with not using a net, but it is easier on the fish and the fisherman to use one.

Hopefully this helps and points you in the right direction. If you have questions just send me a message.

If you're getting into trout fishing, the best advice I can offer is to be patient and give yourself time. When I was learning to fly fishing, I went fishing thirteen times before I caught a trout. (Of course, I grew up in southeastern New Hampshire, which is pretty lousy fishing to begin with.)

Two great resources for beginners are Sheridan Anderson's comic book Curtis Creek Manifesto and Tom's awesome Orvis Fly Fishing Learning Center, which offers both text and video instruction.

I️ have one of these:

Allen Cottonwood Fishing Rod & Gear Bag, Olive https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MK16O3O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8fLbAb8SXG37N

I️ keep it in my house unless I’m on a trip, but it could easily be kept in my trunk. I️ like it because it’s not huge, so it forces me to keep my rods, reels, spools, leaders, tippet, fly boxes, tools, etc. organized between outings. I really love it.

So, I travel to NW Arkansas for work quite a bit and just got into fly fishing recently. There's a great fly shop in Fayetteville called McLellan's and they pointed me to the Beaver Lake tail waters. I also bought this book off them and I would definitely recommend it. Hope this helps!

Surprised no one suggested a net. Not sure what species you're targeting, but it it's trout you should really scoop up a rubber/rubberized net. This net is crazy durable and way better than other nets in the same price range.

If you're targeting bass/saltwater fish, you're probably fine without one. Trout are giant babies compared to most other fish, and can die if you handle them wrong. I'd skim an article about trout handling too, if you know the main do's and don'ts you should be fine.

Polarized shades are nice to have too, they help you see your fly on the water and fish in the river if the water's clear. You could grab some cheap ones at wally world, but I think dropping $50 on a pair of sunclouds is worth it. Go for copper/brown lenses, they're the most versatile. Even if you don't stick with fly fishing, they're nice to have.

I think the best instructional books for a beginner are either the Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide or the LL Bean Ultimate Book of Fly-Fishing. For fun reads, you can't go wrong with any of John Gierach's books. Trout Bum would be a good starting point.

It's all a process, and we cant answer everything for you.

Try a free class on the basics. Bring your rod and reel to the class, ask them questions about it. They'll help you out.
http://www.orvis.com/flyfishing101

Try watching some videos to shed some light on how best to approach things. http://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/video-lessons

Try asking a flyshop near that river what to throw. They'll know whats working so you can stop asking yourself if the flies are correct. They'll be able to answer a lot of things.

Try a book or two about everything else.

Easy reading: https://amzn.com/0936608064

Detailed reading: https://amzn.com/0385308167

You don't need $300 to get into fly fishing.

• Rod $26
  
  
• Reel $19
  
  
• Backing $9
  
  
• Fly line $8
  
  
• Leader $9
  
  
• Tippet $5
  
  
• Handful of flies: $10
  
  That's $86 USD, and you have everything you need to start.
  
  YouTube videos are free, but the Orvis Fly Fishing Video Lessons are even better, and cover everything from first day on the water, up to advanced fly fishing techniques.

George Daniel is the master. I was fortunate to take a class with him a few years ago. His book Dynamic Nymphing is probably the best book on the subject.

I use one of these, specifically the SLV 56, and it's awesome. I've cast thousands of times with it and caught hundreds of fish, and it's like new. Plus, it's right at your budget!

If you're in the St. Louis area, the Meramec river is where it's at. A great book that you might look into is the Flyfisher's Guide to Missouri and Arkansas it has a lot of great detail broken into zones within Missouri.

In the US. The grip doesnt fit well in my hand and I do want to make a little more commitment.

My current rod: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0031HECBM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498715280&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=eagle+claw+featherlight+fly+rod&dpPl=1&dpID=21Zik7S5zYL&ref=plSrch

The upgrade: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00VS0JZWK/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1_1_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Anything by Ted Leeson, especially The Habit of Rivers and Inventing Montana. For my money, the best writer of the bunch.

The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing. Small book, 240 tips on every aspect. It's a great book to have on your bed table, glove box, bathroom, etc. when you just want to read a few pages at a time.
http://www.amazon.ca/The-Little-Red-Book-Fishing/dp/1602399816/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332948274&sr=8-1

Barry Reynolds Carp on the Fly The OG carp bible

The Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing for Carp: Tips and Tricks for the Determined Angler

Dan Frasier's new book The Orvis Beginner's Guide to Carp Flies: 101 Patterns & How and When to Use Them

You're also going to have better shots at carp on foot, rather than in a boat anyways.

And you do realize that John Montana Bartlett does 90% of his fishing on the Big C, as in the Columbia river, right? Thats PNW

I don't have that case but I have an Allen one I bought from Amazon that I like which is half the cost.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MK16O3O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought this combo from Wild Water for my beginner setup, and it did the job. I learned how to cast and caught quite a few fish. I've since upgraded, but I keep it around as a backup.

It may not have the backbone for throwing big bass flies, but I think they offer a 7/8 wt starter combo as well. For $94 it served me pretty well. The fly line is decent. The reel isn't great, but that's the least important part for a new fly fisher anyway. It holds line and has a functioning drag, and you don't need much more than that.

Curtis Creek Manifesto is an excellent beginner's guide.

Frabill Steelhead net i think weighs around 10-11 oz. Pretty light for its size.

Thanks. Is this the rod. I can't figure out if it's a 3/4 or a 4/5:

Eagle Claw Featherlight 3/4 Line Weight Fly Rod, 2 Piece (Yellow, 6-Feet 6-Inch), 4/5 weight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00019NAOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_y4a1xbGHJ6R9D

This book helped me out a lot when I first started. Covers a broad range of topics, a good primer.

https://www.amazon.com/L-L-Bean-Ultimate-Book-Fishing/dp/159228891X

There's never been a better time to get fairly priced rods small enough for youngsters to get started.

Probably the first one most people would mention is this Featherstick. It's been around for awhile and lot of folks had their introduction on that rod because it's short, light, and inexpensive. It's basically just a thinner, more flexible regular pond rod.

The next step up are generic Asian factory rods from the internet. There's about a thousand companies all selling basically the same product, so it's your choice. Again, anything under 3wt will usually be available in lengths under 7', and these brands will usually be under 75$. Search around mass internet markets like eBay and Amazon and you'll find what you're looking for.

Crazy to think that even 15 years ago a lot of these options didn't even exist.

I love my Okuma SLV 56. The drag system is incredible for the price. I've used reels 5 times the cost, and really don't notice a large difference. Also, depending on where you fish, you will very rarely actually utilize the drag.

I'm a big fan of the Okuma SLV reel. Available through Amazon. I have the SLV-89 paired to my Access 9 wt.

My very first thought on reading the title, before even reading the text was Eagle Claw Featherlight 2pc It gets good reviews. I know a couple guys have those as backup boat rods and loaners for kids. The only reason I've never picked one up for myself, is I already have backups to my backups, and I don't use a 5/6wt very often. If they would offer that rod in a 8'-9' 4wt, I'd own one. Unfortunately, their 3/4wt is only 6'6", and since I already have a pair of 7'6" 4wts, I don't see the need. But, in terms of a low cost setup, that 5/6 wt Eagle Claw featherlight, a cheap reel and a good quality Rio or Sci Anglers line ought to get the job done.

Yes, but I love this thing: https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-Featherlight-Weight-Yellow/dp/B00019NAOS?th=1

You'll look cooler.

It seriously takes a lot of tying practice to make them not bulky - Use smaller thread, less thread wraps and all together, less material.

You'll see your patterns get simpler and simpler, tapers getting better, taking less time, etc.

If you're in the mood for some deep research and stuff, get George Daniels "Dynamic Nymphing" book - It's not all about that euro, it covers everything. Especially weight.

Buy this book, it's worth every penny.

http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Nymphing-Tactics-Techniques-Around/dp/0811707415

I've got all sorts, as I tie my own. I do use a 11' 3-wt., but you can "high stick" nymph with any length of rod. I know there have been posts in the past on Euro-nymphing, and so, just search.

If you really want to know more, this book by George Daniel is a classic. He also has some videos on YouTube.

http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishing-Completely-Revised-Updated-Illustrations/dp/1592288189 This book is a phenomenal resource for all things fly-fishing

Pick up the Curtis Creek Manifesto.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Curtis-Creek-Manifesto-Illustrated-Paraphernalia/dp/0936608064

I have this. I like it alot. It holds 4, 4 piece 9ft or shorter rods, 7 reels or spools, and has tons of pockets for everything else.


Allen Cottonwood Fishing Rod & Gear Bag, Olive https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MK16O3O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oQIbAb8Z2YYQN

http://www.amazon.com/Curtis-Creek-Manifesto-Illustrated-Paraphernalia/dp/0936608064/ref=sr_1_72?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331140933&sr=1-72

A few things I have on my list (being fairly new myself)

http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Guide-Prospecting-Trout-Revised/dp/1599211475/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323023476&sr=8-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Guide-Reading-Trout-Streams/dp/1558219331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323023530&sr=1-1

Not sure your location but this may cover more than New England. This is my go to book for bug identification and what flies will imitate them. https://www.amazon.com/Hatch-Guide-New-England-Streams/dp/1571882103/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500243946&sr=8-1&keywords=new+england+hatches

There are loads of bugs out there in many sizes. It is important that you pick up on the little things when you are out and about. Once you get the right one while fishing the day is a breeze. It can be a tad frustrating at the beginning, but you'll get the hang of it. In the off season read this!

No a pflueger 5/6 wt from amazon! I got it for 40 bucks! Didn’t wanna get to deep too quick with the gear

https://www.amazon.com/Pflueger-PFYKIT2-Fly-Kit-ft/dp/B0036XE3K6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=fly+rod+reel+combo+pflueger&qid=1566508583&s=gateway&sr=8-4

catchcam net

frabil

For taking pictures you can net the fish remove the hook and keep the fish in the water while you dig your camera out. Less stress for the fish and you!

I was bored and decided to practice my Google fu. From what I could find Jed Hollan used to (perhaps he still does, although I doubt it since The Little Red Flyshop, of which he used to manage, has since closed down) publish a flyfishing report every two weeks. It seems he was mainly a fly fishing journalist, and he wrote a lot for Arkansas Fly Fishers magazine. You can see one of his reports featured in this issue if you are looking to read him, specifically (the link is to the download of the pdf).

I am wondering, however, if you might have gotten mixed up and you are really looking for The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing? Welp, I suppose I'm done now...Back to being bored again, aha. Tight lines, my friend.