SBecker
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,660
Sounds like you already have your mind made up. You really want an Orvis and just wanted confirmation from us. WHO BRAIN WASHED YOU!? JK
Sounds like you already have your mind made up. You really want an Orvis and just wanted confirmation from us. WHO BRAIN WASHED YOU!? JK
bassfever
New member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2012
- Messages
- 20
Being new to FF, i just know the Orvis name, seems like a quality store. Maybe i am brainwashed, not sure. Been in several Orvis stores. I just was suprised to see no one mentioned them, as i assumed them to be good. Power of advertising maybe?
In spinning and BC, i have several Bass Pro and Cabela set ups, like them all. I never could justify spending hundreds on a rod for myself... not to discredit those who do. I am just happy with what I'm used to.
I see myself getting maybe a 5wt and maybe a 6wt.
One for streams, one for lakes. Just thinking.
Probably will fish more for bass than trout
In spinning and BC, i have several Bass Pro and Cabela set ups, like them all. I never could justify spending hundreds on a rod for myself... not to discredit those who do. I am just happy with what I'm used to.
I see myself getting maybe a 5wt and maybe a 6wt.
One for streams, one for lakes. Just thinking.
Probably will fish more for bass than trout
paparise
Member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2011
- Messages
- 223
A 5wt will probably due you just fine. I fish streams and lakes and have landed nice size fish in both on my 5wt.
If you're going to get two I'd spread your WT farther than one point. You'll be able to land the same fish on a 5wt that you can on a 6wt but if you're going to fish for large carp or strippers you'll want an 8 or 9wt.
My advise would be to get a 5wt and call it a day. There are quality rods out there for $100 if you want to minimize your expendature because it doesn't stop at the rod and real.
If you're going to get two I'd spread your WT farther than one point. You'll be able to land the same fish on a 5wt that you can on a 6wt but if you're going to fish for large carp or strippers you'll want an 8 or 9wt.
My advise would be to get a 5wt and call it a day. There are quality rods out there for $100 if you want to minimize your expendature because it doesn't stop at the rod and real.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Redington Crosswater combo. The combo is like, $120.00 and the rod itself is worth all of it. If you don't have a reel, the one that comes w/ the combo is okay; it'll hold you over till you can get a better one.
untamed_spirit
Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2011
- Messages
- 31
Agree with SBecker. I own an LLBean Streamlight Ultra 8'6" 6 wt combo set and love it. Serves me well and if your not satisfied LLBean will take it back no questions asked.
gfen
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2007
- Messages
- 6,639
Alot of people use some very fancy mental gymnastics to justify purchases.
There's very little that's not OK. Whatever you pick will be fine until you decide its not.
Don't let others make your decisions for you.
goodfortune
Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2008
- Messages
- 281
Whatever you choose, cast before you buy. Even at your price range (< $200), you will have several solid options - pick the one that YOU like the best after the casting them.
PSUFishMenace
Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Messages
- 733
Big +1 for the cabela's Prestige setup. I've beaten the crap out of that rod for the past three years, even used it in saltwater twice and no issues. Only thing is the drag on the reel is just now starting to get a little sketchy, which I consider to be a very minor issue considering I've only had a few fish actually strong enough to test it.
I have the 7.5' 5-wt, works great for small streams and casts well with flies as big as #6 streamers. If you do a lot of nymphing on larger streams (40 ft wide and up) I would probably recommend a longer rod. The setup is good enough for just about everything else though. It can roll cast woolly buggers 30-40 ft if you would ever need to, and it has taken three years of abuse on tight brookie streams with barely a scratch. It is the only fly rod I own, and I don't plan on buying another until it breaks.
I have the 7.5' 5-wt, works great for small streams and casts well with flies as big as #6 streamers. If you do a lot of nymphing on larger streams (40 ft wide and up) I would probably recommend a longer rod. The setup is good enough for just about everything else though. It can roll cast woolly buggers 30-40 ft if you would ever need to, and it has taken three years of abuse on tight brookie streams with barely a scratch. It is the only fly rod I own, and I don't plan on buying another until it breaks.
bassfever
New member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2012
- Messages
- 20
Went to TCO in Reading planning to buy, but they were out of 5wt under $375.
Went to Cabelas and purchase Prestige set up. 9' rod. Guy helping suggested 9' to help with the larger bass flies. He seemed helpful- but I'm new.
Thanks for all your hhoughts.
TOM
Went to Cabelas and purchase Prestige set up. 9' rod. Guy helping suggested 9' to help with the larger bass flies. He seemed helpful- but I'm new.
Thanks for all your hhoughts.
TOM
pcray1231
Well-known member
The truth is all companies make some good stuff and some duds. And how much we like rods is often opinion, a rod I may hate someone else loves.
FWIW, I've casted sticks that aren't much above $100 from Cortland and TFO, and liked them both. In fact, a $100 Cortland GRX is one of my favorites in my arsenal, despite owning rods up to $1000. I've heard good things about Redington's in those price ranges as well, but have no personal experience. I also own an Allen CTS, which retails for around $160. I don't really like it, I won it in a raffle and it's too slow for my tastes, but that's often GOOD for a beginner, and there's nothing wrong with it's quality. In fact, I might be willing to sell it for around your price range, PM me if interested. It is a 5 wt, but I think it's 8.5 feet instead of 9, will have to double check.
My dad has a very cheap Cabela's rod that is just terrible, IMO, but that doesn't mean Cabela's can't have a nice rod, just that model is a broomstick.
Orvis wasn't mentioned because it's getting out of your price range. As would Loomis, Sage, and others in that class. If you had asked for the best rods period, those are the names you'd get a lot of, but expect to pay close to $300 for the rod alone, without a reel or line.
For a reel, unless you plan on pursuing steelhead/striper sized fish, don't concern yourself with the drag, they'll all be fine. And don't concern yourself with the size of the arbor. It's just a line holder. The important thing is the weight, it has to balance the rod well, so that the balance point is on or just forward of the handle. But you should weigh it with fly line on, as that adds some weight. It also should not bind up if you get a little sand or grit in it.
Don't forget fly line in your budget calculations. They ain't cheap. They run from $30 up to $100. Get either a WF or DT floating line to match the weight rating of the rod, that's pretty standard for most purposes. If you're going to fish deep lakes and such then you could look at a sinking line.
Everything else is pretty cheap. Leaders, tippet, flies, etc. Might cost a lot in the long term, but they're consumable items, you replace them a lot, and over time, tend to build up a collection. Like lures and sinkers when spinning.
FWIW, I've casted sticks that aren't much above $100 from Cortland and TFO, and liked them both. In fact, a $100 Cortland GRX is one of my favorites in my arsenal, despite owning rods up to $1000. I've heard good things about Redington's in those price ranges as well, but have no personal experience. I also own an Allen CTS, which retails for around $160. I don't really like it, I won it in a raffle and it's too slow for my tastes, but that's often GOOD for a beginner, and there's nothing wrong with it's quality. In fact, I might be willing to sell it for around your price range, PM me if interested. It is a 5 wt, but I think it's 8.5 feet instead of 9, will have to double check.
My dad has a very cheap Cabela's rod that is just terrible, IMO, but that doesn't mean Cabela's can't have a nice rod, just that model is a broomstick.
Orvis wasn't mentioned because it's getting out of your price range. As would Loomis, Sage, and others in that class. If you had asked for the best rods period, those are the names you'd get a lot of, but expect to pay close to $300 for the rod alone, without a reel or line.
For a reel, unless you plan on pursuing steelhead/striper sized fish, don't concern yourself with the drag, they'll all be fine. And don't concern yourself with the size of the arbor. It's just a line holder. The important thing is the weight, it has to balance the rod well, so that the balance point is on or just forward of the handle. But you should weigh it with fly line on, as that adds some weight. It also should not bind up if you get a little sand or grit in it.
Don't forget fly line in your budget calculations. They ain't cheap. They run from $30 up to $100. Get either a WF or DT floating line to match the weight rating of the rod, that's pretty standard for most purposes. If you're going to fish deep lakes and such then you could look at a sinking line.
Everything else is pretty cheap. Leaders, tippet, flies, etc. Might cost a lot in the long term, but they're consumable items, you replace them a lot, and over time, tend to build up a collection. Like lures and sinkers when spinning.
SBecker
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,660
You have just been Pcrayed
Swattie87
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 3, 2011
- Messages
- 5,822
Hah! That's great.
SBecker
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,660
I use it in real life.
pcray1231
Well-known member
Sweet.
Foxgap239
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2011
- Messages
- 2,101
Hold on just one minute............did PCray wife's hijack his account again? One word posts, never happen in the real PCray world! :roll: :roll:
SBecker
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,660
Only people that understand it are the Paff guys though. Lol
pcray1231
Well-known member
No, that was me. All publicity is good publicity! 
SBecker
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,660
Really? Think PSU, would have a thing to say about that. Lol
T
Toofish
Member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Messages
- 82
Sooo my batman rod will catch fish?? I have a 4wt 9ft Orvis that I enjoy. Good luck!!
Sean
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
No because bamboo is an ASIAN stick! Your Batman rod was probably made in, uh...yeah nevermind. It'll work.
