I'm about ready to go back to nightcrawlers.

[troutinturnie 0]

Great thread! As a new fly fisherman I have to constantly ask myself is the stuff I am buying really any different then the cheaper product. Reading this thread is going to save me a lot of money right off the hop!

 

Again I am a huge fan of this site and appreciate all the help!

[WildandClear 0]

I'm a senior in high school and I have been fly fishing since I was eleven. No one else in my family fly fished (seems like everyone only spin fishes in northern Minnesota) and had to start out cheap. My first rod: a good ole 6 wt wal-mart special. This rod was heavy has hell and didn't have much for action, but I learned how to throw tight loops right away. I absolutely slayed bluegills, crappies, and bass on it. Boy did I upgrade when I found some cheap Royal Wulff line at a tackle store.

Then I moved to Montana when I was twelve I managed to get a 4 wt redington crosswater set up for $99. Damn did I feel like a pro. I learned how to go after trout on this rod and I caught tons. I remember one of the first real hatches I encountered was a caddis hatch on a small spring creek near my house. I was able to lay that elk hair caddis down where I wanted to every time with perfect presentation and caught 10+ fish that day. Did I need some ultra fine presentation ghost line? No. Would it have been nice? Hell yes.

Fast forward to 2012, I go to Alaska for rainbows and sockeyes. I only had a 5 wt redington red fly 2 for dollies and small trout. I needed something bigger so what do I do? I go to sportsmen's warehouse, find an 8 wt crosswater outfit, and head out to the Kenai. I limited out on big sockeyes every day for 4 days and the rod did great. The crosswater reel was slightly underpowered so I spent the 60 bucks on an okuma SLV because the guy at the fly shop recommended it. That did the trick. Hell I almost landed a king that was still in the river. If I had an 9 wt I would have gotten him.

 

I've acquired a few more rods and reels but I've never spent for than $250 on a set up. I for one will likely never spend more than $300 on a rod, and no more than $200 on a reel. Fly tying materials? I'm a hunter so I'd rather harvest my own. Fly fishing is my obsession and I love gear, but I'd rather save the money for fishing in awesome destinations. Bottom line is, you don't need to spend much to fly fish.

[mikechell 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

[WildandClear 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

Hard to believe right? But yes, I have bought almost all of that. That wal mart fly rod was a gift because it was so cheap. My first "real" rod I got after painting an entire barn and picking who knows how many rocks out of a hay field. After that I've tried to get the best rods I can for the money. As for the Alaska trip, my dad wanted to go salmon fishing and he wanted to take me with. Oh dang I hope that doesn't make me look spoiled rotten. I've had a job or done ranch work every year since middle school, so I've had the money for it. I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass but I don't see why it is unbelievable.

[mikechell 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

Hard to believe right? But yes, I have bought almost all of that. That wal mart fly rod was a gift because it was so cheap. My first "real" rod I got after painting an entire barn and picking who knows how many rocks out of a hay field. After that I've tried to get the best rods I can for the money. As for the Alaska trip, my dad wanted to go salmon fishing and he wanted to take me with. Oh dang I hope that doesn't make me look spoiled rotten. I've had a job or done ranch work every year since middle school, so I've had the money for it. I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass but I don't see why it is unbelievable.

Not "unbelievable" ... but your first line is right ... "Hard to believe ..." I teach at the vocational level, and I get so few young people with a good work ethic. Glad to hear you have that. I wasn't trying to be a doubter, but experience has jaded me a bit. It's excellent to know there are still hard working kids in this country.

My hat's off to you.

[Christopher K 0]

I don't doubt wildandclear, I'm in highschool as well and own a custom spey rod, 5wt, two 8 wts, and a tonne of gear stuff too, just takes some work

[JSzymczyk 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

 

I was going to say the same thing, but as I'm usually a smart-ass and was in a generally poor mood, I abstained... I guess times really are a-changin'. Like wildandclear, I worked at one thing or another when I was a kid (about a thousand years ago, in the 80s) but it took me joining the service and 15 years to make it to Alaska, because I got stationed there--- and even then it turned out to be the WRONG Alaska! LOL.

 

So for wildandclear and christopherk, don't lose the willingness to keep working- more power to ya'.

[WildandClear 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

Hard to believe right? But yes, I have bought almost all of that. That wal mart fly rod was a gift because it was so cheap. My first "real" rod I got after painting an entire barn and picking who knows how many rocks out of a hay field. After that I've tried to get the best rods I can for the money. As for the Alaska trip, my dad wanted to go salmon fishing and he wanted to take me with. Oh dang I hope that doesn't make me look spoiled rotten. I've had a job or done ranch work every year since middle school, so I've had the money for it. I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass but I don't see why it is unbelievable.

Not "unbelievable" ... but your first line is right ... "Hard to believe ..." I teach at the vocational level, and I get so few young people with a good work ethic. Glad to hear you have that. I wasn't trying to be a doubter, but experience has jaded me a bit. It's excellent to know there are still hard working kids in this country.

My hat's off to you.

Yeah I understand. I am rather disappointed in my generation sometimes. I really hate being lumped in with them.

[WildandClear 0]

I don't doubt wildandclear, I'm in highschool as well and own a custom spey rod, 5wt, two 8 wts, and a tonne of gear stuff too, just takes some work

You're lucky man I would love a spey or switch rod. A switch will probably be my next rod, but I'm not sure when that will come around. I'm definitely not going to go custom but I would definitely like to build my own rod. If not I think I'd try the Redington Dually.

[Christopher K 0]

I got lucky with that one really, I know the builder and he gave it to me at just over cost so long as I have him a plug on some other forums.

[swellcat 0]

I'm all for new and expensive fly fishing gear. People buy it and then sell it to me for a 1/10 of the cost in their yard sale . . .

. . . do a little research and make smart choices . . .

 

 

There is a lot of fun to be had on vintage gear: new-and-exorbitant isn't the only option.

 

Get ahold of a fiberglass Fenwick from 40 to 50 years ago; you may find that it has aged well, indeed.

 

---

[FlyTyer15 0]

Come from a rich family, WildandClear? Drug dealer? You've done all of that, bought all of that and your still in high school?

Hard to believe right? But yes, I have bought almost all of that. That wal mart fly rod was a gift because it was so cheap. My first "real" rod I got after painting an entire barn and picking who knows how many rocks out of a hay field. After that I've tried to get the best rods I can for the money. As for the Alaska trip, my dad wanted to go salmon fishing and he wanted to take me with. Oh dang I hope that doesn't make me look spoiled rotten. I've had a job or done ranch work every year since middle school, so I've had the money for it. I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass but I don't see why it is unbelievable.

Not "unbelievable" ... but your first line is right ... "Hard to believe ..." I teach at the vocational level, and I get so few young people with a good work ethic. Glad to hear you have that. I wasn't trying to be a doubter, but experience has jaded me a bit. It's excellent to know there are still hard working kids in this country.

My hat's off to you.

Yeah I understand. I am rather disappointed in my generation sometimes. I really hate being lumped in with them.

Ya on the bus from school today some of the loud grade 9's we talking about drugs and all of their "yolo swag" and i thought " I fear that these people can be in charge of the country in twenty years. I really hate the younger generations some days.

[pat lipsette 0]

This is the reason the local fly shops are going out of business We have a local Orvis shop near here and the cheapest rod they have is almost 150.00 I asked the manager why they didn't have a less expensive rod for people just starting His reply Orvis tells us what we can sell This is why some people just starting out don't start This has been a sore spot for years Thanks for letting me sound off PatL