new rod/reel time

[jscott]

hello folks, i am coming asking for some advice on a new rod/reel set up. currently i am using an old cortland 6wt 8.5' rod with a cortland reel. both are very low end models i got as an xmas gift when i was young, 12yr ago or so.

i am currently thinking about purchasing a new set up and was wondering what you folks would suggest for rod make/style, reel make/style and ofcourse weight/length of the rod.

- i will be doing all trout fishing with it
- i will be fishing small streams/creeks 10ft wide up to and including things like the BFB.
- i'd prefer to stay under the 300$ mark if that is possible for a nice set up.

i don't feel that i need the king of the hill sage rod etc but something that will work well, won't tire me out, and ofcourse will lay a fly down soft and precise.

i was checking out Cabelas.com and they have a combo there that i was debating. its a Sage Launch series rod and one of their Cabela's Prestige reels (buy the combo they include backing/line) for $265. i was debating the 8.5' 5wt rod = Cabela's Sage Launch/Cabela's Presitge Plus fly combo. i'd post a link but under 12 posts won't allow me.

thank you for the suggestions.

~J

 

[Burtbords149]

Sounds like this man needs a fairly soft rod to midflexing rod. When you buy a rod jscott, be sure to note its flex. There is a world of difference between a fast and slow action. For casting across the BFB a soft rod will get it done, and be handy on small creeks. But if you travel to a big river a few times a year soft rod will leave you short. I checked on Cabela's and it doesn't list the flex but Sage's website should.

Watch out with Cabela's low end reels. I bought a cahill outfit just to mess around with bass when the streams get too hot, and the reel's drag is either way to strong or barely there at all and makes a mess when stripping off line. It's your choice but I would say put more thought into the reel and line. Maybe try and get a demo to try out and see how you like it. Cabela's does have some good deals but like I said before, watch out for there low end reels, I hear the higher end Cabela's reels are made by Okuma. Good luck finding an outfit. Tight lines and tapered bodies.

 

[Corndog]

jscott,

Welcome aboard.

You will probably get many rod and reel recommendations, but here's the exact setup I would get.

I have it and love it.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_...rcatidsrc=&prodgroupid=109919&IsPostBack=true

It's a steal at $275.00 and it comes complete with line. All you gotta do is put a leader on it.

I live on the BFB, so if you would like to try out my setup let me know when you're going to be in the area and I'll meet you on the river.

Cdog

 

[onemorecast]

Sounds like this man needs a fairly soft rod to midflexing rod. When you buy a rod jscott, be sure to note its flex. There is a world of difference between a fast and slow action. For casting across the BFB a soft rod will get it done, and be handy on small creeks. But if you travel to a big river a few times a year soft rod will leave you short. I checked on Cabela's and it doesn't list the flex but Sage's website should.

The Sage Launch is not really a mid-flex rod. It's supposed to be medium-fast, but I think it's a bit faster. The Sage VT2 is slower than the Launch. I've owned both of these models. I like the VT2 better.

I just bought an Albright A-5 on a whim and I like it much better than my old Launch. It's a better rod and it was $158 on sale.

 

[fitat59]

Firstly, I would go with a 4 wt., since you already have a "serviceable" 6 wt.

I have been fly fishing Jersey streams 50 yrs., and a 4 wt will cover all situations.

Length is a matter of preference, but 8 to 9 ft would fit the bill, but buy a travel rod, you may need it someday.

Next I would go to e-bay and look for a rod well under a $150.

Suggestions would include an Albright A 5, a Powell Timax, or a St Croix Avid.

In my opinion, they are ALL better or comparable to a Sage, Loomis, or other "big name" low end rod,you will pay an extra $100 for the name.

It is difficult to find a modern rod that is not at least moderately fast, unless you go to a specialty rod.

Now for the reel I am most certainly predjudiced, because its my own.

Being disgusted with what the major companies are charging for premium equipment, I did what many of us dream about, went out and started my own company.

gforcefly.com

I hope I was of some help, and good luck.

 

[Agust]

First go to a local store. Shannons, Ramsey, Rays, Effingers all have outfits that are suitable. If you go to a local store you are more likely to get the right rod, instead of the cheapest rod on eBay or from Cabela's. Plus you can actually pick up the rods and see how they suit you.

There are very few "bad" rods any more. But there is a huge variety of actions from one manufacturer to the next. Try a few different ones before you buy. By that I mean actually string them up and cast them, preferably over water but even in the parking lot will help. Wiggling in the show room only tells you so much, and rods behave differently when you get line on them. Also when casting them do not try for "hero" casts. If you buy a rod that feels best in the 30-60 foot range, then you will not enjoy most fishing situations of 10-30 feet. Too often folks judge a rod by how far they can cast, when in reality they seldom need to cast far while fishing.

If you buy an "outfit" consider that they often come with lousy lines. You may be better off buying a good rod and good line and then a less expensive reel.

 

[Pete]

jscott:
I did some shopping for a moderately priced reel last week-end.
My thoughts, as well and some of the other members recommendations, are at http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBullet...leaders-tippets/t14944-inexpensive-reels.html

Like Agust suggested, get the best line you can afford...
Then select a decent rod, and finally select the reel to fit what's left in your budget.

fitat59:
Your reels are in the same price range as the ones I looked at. Are there any retail outlets, in northern NJ, where I could have examined one? If your website has a distributor's list, I couldn't find it.

 

[eddavidson9]

As i always do, I'd suggest at least taking a look at an LLBean outfit. Reasonably priced and unconditional satisfaction guarantee. How can you go wrong?

 

[trout48]

I dont know if you are interested but I have a sage ds 7ft 6 in 4wt 2 piece and a ross co1 with box and spare spring also line and backing with a cordura case. I switched to bamboo I can let you have it for 225.00 and you pay shipping from outside of Philly or if you are near enough you can pick it up. I am right off the blue route. Nick

 

[fitat59]

Pete, the only way I can keep my competitive edge and sell this reel for $99
is to eliminate ALL overhead.

I am willing to send you and other regulars on this forum this reel for examination, if you like it, pay for it, otherwise send it back.

You have to take risks in business, but I have always found fly fishermen to be pretty honest individuals.

 

[jscott]

thank you folks for all the replies. there were suggestions and ideas in there that i had not even considered or thought about which i am glad you all brought up.

- it was mentioned that i have a servicable 6wt 8.5' pole and thus i should consider a "travel" rod. this is true i do have a servicable one that works no problem and that will remain even after buying a new one. i like this idea.

- i was mentioned to buy the best line possible. see, eureka, hadn't even thought about this. amazing how i was going to overlook it.

- i wonder if 7.5' long rod is too short. what do you folks think for things like BFB or the west canda or something like that. i was thinking about getting 4wt line with it.

what im thinking so far:
Albright A-5 7'6"length 4wt rod, some wulff triangle taper line 4wt (probably orange as i like to see my line), with an orvis battenkill bar stock reel.

prices i found online:
Albright A-5 7'6" 4wt rod - $140 from their website
Wulff Triple taper line - 60$
battenkill bs II reel for 3-5wt line - 98$
total - 300$

not bad, bit more then i was hoping but still under my 300$ limit. i'd rather pay for some quality now then have to buy again in a couple years cuz i don't like the performance or something breaks.

i guess 2 questions remain in my mind:

1 - is the 7'6" length 4wt rod a good choice. i could go with the 5wt 8'6" rod instead.
2 - if i buy all pieces (reel/line) i gotta take it to a place to put it together for me, suggestions or anyone here willing to lend a hand putting the line together?

thanks for the imput everyone
~Jared

 

[Pete]

...1 - is the 7'6" length 4wt rod a good choice. i could go with the 5wt 8'6" rod instead.

Rod length is a personal choice, based on your style and preferences. I used 7' to 7.5' rods for years, but currently prefer 8' to 9'.

Since you currently have an 8.5' rod, you should "try before you buy', before you make a final decision. Most reputable shops are set-up for this.

2 - if i buy all pieces (reel/line) i gotta take it to a place to put it together for me, suggestions or anyone here willing to lend a hand putting the line together?

If you buy the reel and line in the same place, a good shop should be willing to put it together for you. Many shops will even provide free backing, when they sell a reel w/line.

If you're buying online or mail-order:
You'll just have use your best judgment about rod length, action, and how well you'll adjust.

As to putting it together"

• Reel to backing - Arbor knot
  Backing to line - Albright Special or nail knot
  Line to leader butt - Nail knot, or get one of those new-fangled "end loop" kits.

One of many websites featuring useful fishing knots Fishing Knots
~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless you're getting a VERY GOOD deal online, consider buying from a local "brick and mortar" shop.
When I was shopping for my reel last week, I found that the price difference was only a couple of bucks on some models, and no different on others. Since I didn't have to pay an additional shipping charge, and got a TU member's discount, I actually paid less than if I'd used (for instance) Cabelas, or ordered directly from the manufacturer. I had the benefit of examining and testing the merchandise, as well as being to ask questions, discuss the product, and get advice.

 

[Corndog]

jscott,

One thing to remember while shopping around is that not all rods and reels will be balanced when put together.

I'm sure this rod is going to be your main rod for years to come, so you will want it to be balanced. What I mean by balanced is, when you hold the rod handle where you like to hold it while fishing, with the reel attached, it should feel balanced in your hand. Not tip or butt heavy.

That's why I recommended the Orvis setup that I did. It's balanced. But, with Orvis, if you don't like the feel of it you can return it and get your money back.

If you're going to piece it together, I would recommend that you buy the rod first, then take it with you to get a reel. This way you can put the reel on your rod and see if you like the feel of it. Fly line and backing line have very little weight so they will only slightly change the feel. Or buy both the rod and reel from the same store so you can try them out together.

What ever you do, don't let the salesman in the store convince you to get a particular rod and reel even if they don't feel right to you. Many a salesman thinks he knows what's best for you. I've made that mistake in the past.

Happy hunting,
Cdog

 

[onemorecast]

• Reel to backing - Arbor knot
  Backing to line - Albright Special or nail knot
  Line to leader butt - Nail knot, or get one of those new-fangled "end loop" kits.

One of many websites featuring useful fishing knots Fishing Knots

Pete - a lot of the newer lines (including the Wulff Triangle Taper and the Rio Selective Trout II lines I recently bought) come with built in loops for line to leader connections.

jscott - It's easier than it seems to load the line and backing on the reel yourself (if you buy it all online). The tricky part is the amount of backing. Some people eyeball it, others go by the charts. Some good advice I got here a few months back was to put the line on the reel backwards, then fill it with backing. Take it all off and put it all back on, this time with knots.

P.S. If you do it yourself, save your backing and fly line spools - they come in handy for later use.

 

[jscott]

my apologies for bumping my same thread over and over but i keep coming up with great questions to ask.

1- i went and tried out a bunch of rods at ramsey's today. guy let me take them outside and put different weight lines in them and give them a shot. i came out liking a Temple Fork Professional Lefty Kreh series rod. now it was a bit more stiff then my current rod which felt a bit strange but boy was it a ton easier to cast.

- my problem becomes that i wanted a bit shorter rod for the smaller streams. i already have an 8'6 however the Fork i tried today was 8'0 and was a great size however they only make an 8'0 that is 4wt. so, is it problematic to put 5wt line on a 4wt rod? will it get hung up or not work correctly? now i put some 5wt on the rod and went out and casted with it and it was completely fine and effortless but 5minutes of practice casting isn't a large knowledge base.

2 - i looked at a ton of lines. i like to be able to see my line in the water easily so i think i'll stick with an yellow/orange colour. i was going to get the wulff triangle orange but when they opened the package it wasn't that nice burnt/creamsicle orange colour...it was floresant hunter orange which is just disturbing to look at. im bumbed about that. so many seem to be olive or camo or something you can't see, im sure that has its benefits but i guess i like seeing mine. are scientific angler lines ok? they had an orange line with white tip which was nice. multi colours is kinda weird on my eyes but im sure its not too bad.

thanks again,

~J

anyone fishing this sunday morning? Corn u heading up there early?

 

[AKSkim]

Not tip or butt heavy.

Happy hunting,
Cdog

Your MOMMA.... makes me want to get rid of all my flies , buy a lead weighted treble hook and spinning reel then go snagging....

 

[Pete]

my apologies for bumping my same thread over and over but i keep coming up with great questions to ask.
..... so, is it problematic to put 5wt line on a 4wt rod? will it get hung up or not work correctly? now i put some 5wt on the rod and went out and casted with it and it was completely fine and effortless but 5minutes of practice casting isn't a large knowledge base......

The line weight is based on the first 30 feet of line.

Slightly oversimplified:

• Choosing the size, for which the rod is rated, will cover the broadest range of situations.
  
  If you'll be making mostly SHORT casts (well under 30 feet), using one line size heavier than rated may actually be an advantage. Your rod will "load" better with less line in the air.
  
  Conversely, if you will only be making extraordinarily LONG casts, a line rated one size "light" is less likely to overload the rod.