Getting Started.
- This topic has 48 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated Jan 9, 2009 at 10:57 pm by
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Grant – Nice Catch.
Looking back. The whole experience can be daunting. I lucked out and had college roommates to get me started. They grew up fishing in Montana, worked here in a fly shop and it was second nature to them. I traded work for my first rod and reel and didnt know the price til a couple of years afters. They kept me away from the fly shop because they had everything we needed.
If I was to walk into a fly shop blind and not knowing what I learned from them, I would have probably never tried it but would have paddled a whole lot more and would probably be one of those Chattooga Five Falls Canyon statistics. The knowledge of the setup of the rod coupled with casting, knots, then throw in entomology and reading the water which I was already in pretty good shape. Then to price it all out –
I’ve heard the Cabela’s Three Forks are decent outfits. I haven’t cast one myself. Bean has some decent entry level outfits as well.
This was my beginning outfit as well.
Most members of my family are competition bass fisherman and most have big expensive bass boats and fish finders and motors. However, they completely freak out when they see the prices of fly fishing gear, especially the reels. Most people think that a reel over $100 is top shelf but in fly fishing that is just a base price for an entry reel. Furthermore, in bass fishing, a top shelf rod like G. Loomis is uncommonly seen and again most of my relatives would probably beat someone up or laugh them off the water if they were fishing stuff like that. It really amazes me how much money is spent in fly fishing, especially saltwater! I have found that gear guys who switch over or dabble in fly fishing are often shocked at the initial investment.
I love Zebco and have caught 1000s of fish on Zebco, but I’ve never seen their under $20 fly outfit.
I bought one of the Marin Mountain Brook reels for my Dad and I have to say that it is a really decent reel for the money. I gave him an old St Croix and a line that I had and now he has a really good setup.
I am curious about their rods. Any experience with the Martins?
Made an undercover reconnaissance trip to the local Walmart today and was pleased to find out they don’t carry fly fishing gear or hamsters.
I’m sorry Mark… You did not have to subject yourself to that.
Going into Walmart to myself is like dragging a kid into the bank. Not fun. Hope you got a chainsaw, a twelve of beer and some condoms.
Lots of good info already posted in this thread. Warrenty is huge. The thing that is most difficult to predict regarding the question of a start up outfit is the comittment level of the buyer – Is the sport going to “take”?
If so, spending $250 on a 4pc outfit makes sence. Rather than wasting $100 on a cheap 2pc club first and then significantly more a few years later.
That being said, THE BEST 🙂 fly rod (taper, casting, feel in your hand, warrenty, fishing performace, etc) for $200 is the Orvis Clearwater II. It is a rod that will not need to be replaced as the angler get’s better and better with the craft.
Being a relative newcomer myself (to both flyfishing and this board), I’ll second the notion that a fly shop can be intimidating to a newby. After my first guided trip last Summer, I was very much overwhelmed when we got back to the shop, already addicted, and started looking at the pricing on the various combos that shop had.
I ended up visiting another fly shop on the way back home and found a deal on a Redington Crosswater outfit for a little under $100. I bought it not because of the guidance of that fly shop, it was more that the previous shop’s stuff started at several hundred bucks and I was amazed that I could get that one for such a “low” price. Since then, I’ve also picked up one of those Wal-Mart SA blister pack outfits that was being closed out for $20 to have as a backup and something to let any friend/family use, if needed. Ironically, I can cast that SA a whole lot better than the Crosswater.
After several months, and a lot of reading and research, I’m a whole lot more comfortable in a local fly shop these days. I’ve also since moved on to a Sage VT2 (thanks again, Joel!) and haven’t touched either the Redington or the SA since.
I’m just wondering from Joel and any others, what it is that makes a fly shop so intimidating to a newbie.
What is it that is done wrong in so many instances.
MSI’m just wondering from Joel and any others, what it is that makes a fly shop so intimidating to a newbie.
What is it that is done wrong in so many instances.
MSSpeaking for myself, I think a big part of it is that there’s just so much “stuff” in a good fly shop. Kind of like information overload, especially when you don’t have a clue what 99.9% of it is even for yet (now I’m down to not knowing what about 85% of it is for). The first few visits always felt awkward, just browsing around aimlessly. Should’ve asked for help, but where’s the fun in that. 🙂
I don’t think that’s necessarily related to fly shops and fly fishing, though. I remember when I first started dabbling in photography. Walking into a real photography shop was about the same. I’d imagine nearly any business specializing in a hobby or sport would be intimidating to someone just starting out.
Just my $0.02.
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