Equipment Suggestions for a Beginner

[wildboar6768]

Can someone out there give a begginer some equipment advice? I normally fish small streams like Paint Creek in Rochester or the Clam River in Wexford county. I would like to try something different than my current micro-light spinning outfit. :D

[kingsalmon32]

If you want a good rod and reel that is good for paint. I would go with the cabela's three fork combo.(7'6" 3wt )
This comob come with a rod sock, line, backing, tapered leader, and reel, All you need is water and flies. And ur set

[JStarbrite]

My suggestion is to spend enough to buy something that you won't just throw away when you fall in love with fly fishing and buy another outfit. My first rod was a red start (Reddington), has a lifetime unconditional guarantee, And I still use it as a back- up rod or to loan to a freind who wants to try fly fishing. Too many of these starter kits are just toys and will be discarded as soon as you are proffecint enough to realize it's junk. Practice with a borowed rod and invest in something that you like.

[kingsalmon32]

I am No begginer. When i 1st casted this rod it was like picking up a feather. Buddy you don't have to sink ur diamond ring into a fly rod. My cabelas three forks has a great cast and takes stream and creek trpout very well. I am not fishing for a million dollars. I don't need every bell and whistle. apparently u do

[wildboar6768]

I don't mind spending a little cash to get a quality piece of equipment. I can tell you however, that when I went into the Orvis shop in Rochester I was a little more than overwhelmed with sticker shock! I sure Orvis is a quality product, but I jont don't have enough fly fishing opportunity to justify it to the wife.;)

[JStarbrite]

Kingsalmon

Sorry you misinterpreted my post. I was not trying to knock your suggestion. I am hip to Cabelas rods, I own one myself and am very pleased with it. Casts terrific, has the guarantee and was a bargain compared to other brands. My post was directed to the beginner (he says so in his post) to beware of beginning "kits" at bargain prices that are nothing but broomsticks. I agree, you don't have to spend a fortune on your first outfit. My Reddington cost about $100. Might sound like a lot to a beginner, but I have replaced this rod no less than 3 times at no cost. I guess the underlining message is to get a rod with an unconditional guarantee, especially if you are just starting out.

Wildboar

Do you have a friend that can loan you a rod to practice with ? Ideally, you should cast a rod before you buy it and a little experience will help. It's not as hard as it looks. I'm sure after a summer of fly fishing, you'll be looking for excuses to justify to the wife why you need another rod!

[Jason]

Wildboar,

I just bought a Cabelas Three forks rod/ prestege reel combo. Normally the combo is like $80 I got it on sale for $50. The reel itself sells for $50. (and the reel is worth it) The combo works great. Don't drop $500 into a rod and reel like some suggest, find out if you like it first, plus I can gaurantee you , with a $500 combo you WON"T catch 10 times more fish, than a $50 combo, maybe you can brag more, or show off but thats about the extent of it! My point is that the reel is good, you can always upgrade your rod, Start off with a cabela's then work your way up if you feel its worth it.

[kingsalmon32]

I am sorry for misenterpriting your post.

[wildboar6768]

What about Cabela's Stowaway Combo (5 piece) with the Cahill II reel? I was looking through the catalog and wondering if there were any drawbacks to a travel system like that. Besides that and some flies, what else do I need before I hit the water.

[Jason]

Wildboar- I have just started out recently also. My best advice is to get a good book or two on begining fly fishing. I found a couple at the library. Very helpful if your just starting out. Also if you actually go to the Cabelas store in Dundee they will show you the rods before you buy them. I know I looked at the Cahill II reel and it is far inferior to the prestege reel. The drag is very "jerky" but if your only fishing for small trout and panfish maybe you don't even need a drag. But if thats the case you could just buy a reel with no drag on it and then have more to spend on a better rod. The people there are helpful and knowledgeable. They can help you get set up at a decent price they can also recomend flies etc. You can also try a local fly fishing shop but I know when I went to one here in Lansing they were very knowledgeable but tried to get you to buy the $300 g-lomis rod or what ever and then seem to talk down to you when you say you only want to spend a little or that you don't know anything. Best bet: go to Cabelas or Bass proshops, get advice. my cabelas combo came with bookets on flyfishing they also have lots of books you could buy. Read all you can, best way get a start if you don't have someone to teach you and remember you don't need to spend a fortune to get started. Also the book called "Flyfishers guide to Michigan" by Jim bedford is priceless. it has almost every single river listed in michigan and how and were to fish those rivers. They have it a Meijers for $19.95. Hope this helps. This web site in general is a wealth of information also.:D

[wildboar6768]

Does anyone have an opinion on the Hobbs Creek outfit from Bass Pro Shop? Also, what type of flies should I get to start with and will i need any other equipment before I hit the water?:confused:

[JStarbrite]

You will need rod, reel, fly line, leader and tippet. This should be purchased all at once as they all are matched to the outfit you buy. A reasonable salesperson should help you, but you need to tell him what and where you plan to fish (the most).

As for flies, I'd wait until the last minute then buy at a shop close to where you are fishing. Just ask "what's hatching" and they will fix you up. Generic standbys for Michigan for me would be woolly bugger in black, copper and chartreuse, Adams , pheasant tail and hares ear nymphs in different sizes. Zonkers also will catch a variety of species in a variety of circumstances.

Another important item you will need when fishing cold water is waiters. My preference is stocking foot with felt bottom boots. I have neoprene, but am considering trying one of those breathable types when it gets warmer as the price has gone way down.

If you are optimistic, buy a net.

You can never have enough fly boxes!

A fishing vest is the greatest invention since the flush toilet. Have not used a tackle box since buying one.

Once you get said vest, you will invariably stuff it with every type of gadget that someone says you need. To me it's part of the fun. My fishing vest looks like a life vest, but if I fall in over my head, I will sink due to all the crap stowed inside.

Remember, unless you are the type that has to do so, you don't have to rush out and buy everything at once. get what you need, do some fishing, preferably with someone who already is equipped, and buy what you need (or want).

Almost forgot. A good pair of polarized sunglasses to cut the glare and protect your eyes. A wide brim hat helps with the glare and prevents a fly embedded in your ear.

[JStarbrite]

Agreed. 3-4 weight is like a compact car. It will get you around town efficiently, and park in tight spaces, but it won't tow no 3 ton trailers, and will have a hard time towing anything. 10-12 weight is like a Mack truck. They will tow anything, but hard to get around. 5-6 weight is like a quarter ton pick up truck. Gets around about anywhere and can pull a load.

If all you are going to do is drive in the city, a compact is just fine.

If all you are going to do is pull big loads, get a Mack truck.

Pick up trucks are the most versatile.

[Rich M]

First buy a book that has all the formulas - rod and line weight for the type of fishing you'll do most, leader size and taper that matches the flies you'll use for your type of fishing, tippet test and the knots you'll need to know to connect all this together, and finally what flies should work for the type of fish you'll be after. Then you can read about casting form and techniques. Any book that caters to beginning fly fishing will have all this info. It is probably available on the web somewhere too.



That said here is my opinion on gear. I am self taught and started out with the cheapest combo I could find ($30 for everything). And guess what - I caught fish with it - lots of fish - panfish, bass and trout. I now have many quality fly rods and reels but I still use my old cheapy once in a while. And from learning with a less than perfect set up I can cast a mile with better more refined equipment. But then I could usually cast far enough to catch fish with my first rig. I sincerely belive when I was first starting out I wouldn't have been able to utilize the refinements of a quality rod. It takes experience to be able to appreciate the subtleties of good casting.



And here's another observation - unless your fishing for steelhead or bonefish you DON'T need a high quality reel! The reel is nothing more than a place to store your line. The only important feature is whether or not it makes your rod feel balanced. A $15 Martin reel is all you'll need for the trout in the Paint.



As others have said a 5/6 wt rod should be fine for your type of fishing. Make sure and get weight forward floating line - it's easier to cast. Cortland makes good inexpensive fly line. A 7' leader is easier to "turn the fly over" with than 9'. 6x test is good for around a size 10 fly. Get 6x tippet to tie to your leader, then when you switch flies you won't be making your leader shorter and shorter ruining it's taper.



Adams is IMHO the best all around dry fly. Make sure and get some fly floatant to help keep 'em floating. Terrestrials like foam ants and hoppers are good drys for mid summer. Partridge and orange is an excellent wet fly for subsurface fishing. Blacknosed dace and wooly bugger are excellent streamers for fishing deeper.



Last tip - get a couple small poppers and foam spiders and head to the nearest pond. You'll catch more panfish and bass than you can shake a stick at! It's a good way to practice your casting, hook setting and landing. Best of all you'll be catching fish that don't care if your fly slapped the water or missed the mark you were aiming at. Fishing for trout can be tough (they can be picky) and casting in a narrow brushy stream with a fairly swift current (like the Paint) is not a good place to start. You'll need a solid grasp of the basics to be successful under those conditions.



Remember to have fun, that's why your out there. Good luck.