Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing BassPro or Cabelas - better bang for you buck fly rod package

If you are getting back into the game and you have never realy had a good quality rod, and just want something of decent quality for your dollar.

1) Basspro or Cabelas (both have packages)
2) Which one and why

Use - Pond panfish, and possibly some trout fishing

Name which line and ~cost and why if you can verbalize it
If the you want to get fancy and there is cause to say
- that one solution does't fit both then say the ideal pond / pan fish rig is x or y with these characteristics
and a nice rainbow trout creek outfit would be one of these types with these characteristics.

Thanks in advance.

no fisherman I guess

Dang really.

Oh I forgot budget is up too 200

This For a combo

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Fly-Fishing/Fly-Fishing-Rod-Reel-Combos|/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/105571980/Cabelas-RLS-Fly-Outfits/1155090.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffishing-fly-fishing-fly-fishing-rod-reel-combos%2F_%2FN-1102570%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105571980%3Fpcrid%3D21340299738%26WTz_l%3DPPC&WTz_l=PPC%

That is not what I would consider Really good quality rod. But for a beginner should be satisfied.

Spend $300 and can be at the lower end of a good quality outfit.


For $200 or so can buy a god quality TFO rod andanotherr $80 a decent reel. Line around $45 .

I didn't think it would run that much, what would be a really good rod

you can buy a fly rod reel outfit at Walmart for $60. that might meet your needs too. what do consider a quality outfit?

remember TFO rods have a lifetime warranty if broken as do most upper end rods. cheaper rods do not.

Because those "store" brands might be made by anybody, I think I'd go with a known name outfit like Reddington. For a genuine Made in USA (right here in Utah, actually) line of wonderful rods and reels, check out ALLEN FISHING.

Edit to add: their Deal of the Week is a steal of a deal. Add a good but inexpensive reel such as an Okuma and you'd still be under your $200 limit. Get the 9-foot 5-weight for the fishing you described. Jump on this. Really.

^^^ That looks like a nice rod/package for the $$$. Good call Rocky.

The combo that ribka posted also looks nice.


The 9' 5wt is a fine choice but for an all around starter outfit a 6wt is also worthy of consideration. It adds a tad bit more flexibility in the size of flies you can cast, a tad bit more feel/feedback when learning to cast, and it's more forgiving in windy conditions.

The reason I'm going there is panfish size poppers or small streamers for bass in ponds. If was it more trout fishing than pond fishing I'd say go with the 5wt but you won't go wrong with either choice and the differences are minor.

Both will serve the purpose and most importantly catch fish.

There was a Fly Fishing Expo here just last weekend, and the Allen booth/products got stunning reviews. Lots of the locals here drive up to the factory to try various rods, and I don't think anybody yet has left without one. Or three.

No argument with the #5 versus #6 comments, either. Hell, I treat my #7 outfit as my "all-rounder."

I'm not a big fan of "packages", I like to put parts together.

Within the OP's $200 budget, I'd probably look at a Cabela's 6 piece pack rod combo, 8'6" 5-weight.

If I was doing it myself, an 8'6" 5 weight rod would be high on my list, but for a reel I'd shop around for a Pflueger Medalist 1493. I'd go with a Scientific Anglers WF 5 weight floater and pick up a 100 yard spool of Cabela's 30 pound backing.

Once you know what you're doing, you can fish effectively with pretty nearly anything, ideal or otherwise. its definitely harder to get your initial start when you have no skill or knowledge and you're fighting with crap tackle. To me, bargain fly gear for a beginner is like a $30 rimfire scope "'cause it's just a .22." I believe in putting my money into the things I use most whether their use causes them to be perceived as toys vs serious or not.

Tom

LL Bean make high quality packages for cheap, and they have outstanding guarantee's on all the products they sell, keep that in mind.

Yep forgot about llbean.

Thanks.

I'm an orvis fan. They have combos, rod, real, line and backing, their streamline I believe is in their price range. I've never used one of those though. My current go to set up is a helios 5wt rod with a battenkill reel. I know it sounds expensive but is you sre diligent you can find right nice deals at Orvis snd their customer service can't be beat.

After years of fishing with my old fenwick glass rod I bought a newer fenwick hml rod a off ebay and a orvis bbs iii reel for about $150. It a 2 piece but it is really a nice rig for what you describe it's a. 8 1/2 ft 6 wt

You might also look at some of the beginner lines out there. I have used one from ll Bean for some time . It is a nice line but a bit shorter than std. Really messes up those 90 ft casts into the wind but other than that it seems to work fine.

I wouldn't buy one of those package deals. You will get a lot more bang for your buck by purchasing used gear off of Ebay.

If I were you I would buy something like this Sage Discovery 9' #5 2 piece

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINT-SAGE-G..._DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53f86a88ec

or this Sage Launch 9' #5 4 piece

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sage-Launch..._DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19dbfc10b9

and this lamson reel

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321119276259?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I have a bunch of pricey fly fishing gear and I have to tell you this Sage and Lamson entry level stuff is way better than it has any right to be. I have 2 of the Discovery 9' #8 rods that I got off Ebay that I use to fish for Coho. I didn't want to take $600 fly rods out to get beaten up in the boat, so now the fancy rods sit in the closet and the cheaper stuff gets all the action. You should be able to gear up for $200-$250 including a decent flyline.