Would like to try fly fishing. Done most other kinds of fishing. Have nice pond nearby to try for starters. Pan fish and bass. Thinking a 5 wt beginners outfit. Maybe one of the Cabala or Redington packages. Like to keep it under $200 as this is a bit of an experiment for me. Suggestions appreciated. Glass? Length? Rod, reel, weight. Good package deal? Thanks.

A 5-wt seems a good place to start for pan fish and bass. Perhaps a Redington Classic Trout, when they are on sale. But you would do well to search and post questions at theflyfishingforum.
http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2978334

I am not from the northwest, but another forum I have found helpful in getting set up to get my kids started fly fishing is: http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/forums/classifieds.17/
Have picked up a couple of good used Cabelas and Redington outfits in their classifieds. If you post a WTB ad I am sure you will have several offers. Good luck and have fun!

A 5 wt rod is what is most recommended for an all around rod for trout fishing, and is the one I recommend also. You say panfish and BASS, the key word being bass. You do not say which type of bass but being in the Great Lakes area I would assume Smallmouths, but in any event Smallmouth and Largemouth both require larger flies than trout. Fly rods are selected based on the size of the flies you will cast as much as the size to the fish you seek. Bass want larger flies, much larger than trout.

I would recommend a 6 wt rod for a pond with bass in it (I normally use a 7wt in a farm pond with bass). You will want to cast streamers and larger popping type bugs for the bass and a 6 wt will serve you better. Note that a panfish is not very line shy and you can cast a small panfish fly on a 6 wt just fine, but the opposite is a little more difficult.

Instead of buying new, I'd suggest buying a better gently used rod. I've bought several St Croix rods for $125 or so off fleabay. A reel set you back $25-50. You be into a decent outfit for less than $200. I also agree with the 6 wt rod if bass are in the equation, especially if you plan to fish for them. If simply opportunity catching than a 5wt will work if your careful.

My advice has always been to place your importance on the line first, and then the rod and reel - in that order. You will only get frustrated learning how to fly cast with bad line. My choice for a good all around line that won't break the bank is double taper Cortland 444 in 5 or 6-weight. I happen to like 8.5-foot rods in glass and bamboo, but going that route could cost you money and tax your skills in finding a good rig. Having said that, go to a shop and look for a good mid line name brand graphite rod. I'm sure most all of them will work well these days. And for starters, don't get seduced by a sexy expensive reel. All they do is hold the line.

Once you've purchased a rod, only then will you discover which line it likes.

I'd agree. About a 9 ft 5 wt. If one has to buck wind frequently then a weight forward floating line. If one is after delicate presentations then a double taper floating line. Might get a sink tip line as well if one plans on fishing deeper ponds or lakes. Good luck,

Maybe, but he's looking for a starting point and you can go through a lot of expensive lines in that learning curve. I still think that a double taper 6-wt is a good place to begin. A 6-wt will better buck canyon and/or spring winds. After that, if you are still in the game, then play around with weight forwards and sinking lines. And also don't forget, it's not a sin to cast a 5-wt line on a 6-wt rod. You can make it work with a little practice.

Are the Great Lakes canyons anything like the Missouri Breaks?

Underlining is much harder for a beginner than overlining..

Sierra Trading Post often has good lines for a fraction of retail... I have gotten some incredible lines for cheap.

I guess I missed the punch line.

Have a bunch of rods, but last summer my step daughter and her son came out to fish.. Bringing their tods was overly expensive.. So we bought two Cabelas 9' 5wt. rod packages..on sale they were 50 bucks.. Usually they are about $90. They two of the nicest rods to cast I have.. Buying used is fine too, but this package was a great deal.

Thanks for all the good information. Have 3 Cabela shops in MI and I am now following their ads and checking EBay as well. Good fishing to all.

Being new to fly fishing, you might want to check out a local fly shop where you can get some advice and try casting a few rods, before you buy. A good shop can help you put together a rod, reel and line the right way. Maybe even give you a couple of casting lessons to help you get started.

I'd probably be more inclined to suggest a 9' 6wt rod instead of the 5wt. If you'll be throwing poppers for bass, the 6wt will make casting a little easier. You'll still be able to trout fish with the 6wt, if the need arises.

16, I would prefer 6wt rods for what u have in mind.. The 5s were on sale & we were only fish for trout.. 6's would better suit your needs I think.. In the modern style rods, I personally like a rod as close to full flex as I can get.. Many are as stiff as a telephone pole..No fun there.. My favorite rods area old Fenwick glass rods..My little 7.5' has been catching trout for almost 50 years.. It's 8' pal has lots of bass to its credit 👍 Best of luck.. I just found 3 fly rods I forgot I bought... They were on sale I guess🤓

Well, go you your nearest fly shop, and see about casting lessons first, it will save you both time, money and a lot of frustration. You have no bad habits to correct. Like a flinch, you can get one in 5 min and then spend the next 20 years correcting it. As for a rod, line, and reel. There are so many choices at every price point. The low-end stuff today is light years better than the top end stuff 40 years ago, and that is a fact. The line size has more to due with the size of fly you are going to fish than anything else, for example a rod/line set up that you would say cast # 20 Griffiths Gnats to spipping trout would be different that one you would use to cast 2/0 surf candy to strippers. For light Bass and Pan fish a 5 or 6 weight would due, thou I might lean to a 7 wt just so that I can cast a broader range of fly sizes will less physical effort. I will tell you this, it's a habit forming thing, you will end up with more than one rod or you will just find it not for you like a lot of people do, mostly because of casting issues, lessons are worth the expense and then some.

Good advice.

I just can't get into graphite rods. Not trying to be snotty but they all feel a lot alike to me. So I guess that one is pretty much just as good as the other. I do have a weakness for early pre-Browning Silaflex Medallion rods, pre-Garcia Conolon rods (the place where Russ Peak would later produce his wares), some early Phillipson glass, and all Powell glass rods. Don't get me going on bamboo - I can't afford to go there anymore!

To the OP this will probably get me some flak but I bought a friend a beginner package from LL Bean for about $120 in a 8 1/2ft 6 wt. It turned out to be a pretty nice little pkg. I think these packages are a good way to start and when you progress to a better outfit this will be a good rig to have as a backup , leave behind the truck seat for creeks of opportunity , or to loan to friends. To be honest I have an old spinning rig that started out like that and I've caught more fish on that thing than any of my better outfits. Why? It's always there.

Great advice per usual.

As a beginner I can attest to benefits of going up one line size, especially when trying to fight a breeze with a lighter rod.

The TFO signature II rod is a good one for the money, 5wt 9' will set you back $125

Pick up a used reel off of flea bay (for what you're looking at doing a reel is just a place to hold line and asside from the cheapest China junk anything should do) here's a few I found with a quick search
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CORTLAND-FLY-FISHING-REEL-5-6-WEIGHT/382066051747
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MARTIN-X2-CADDIS-CREEK-FLY-REELS-CC65-4-6-LINE-WT-/322515928699?hash=item4b1772867b:g:imcAAOSw~FJZF5mX
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PFLUEGER-ME...-GENTLY-USED-REAL-NICE-REEL/142382233744

Pick some new line from sierra trading post and do a search for one of their sale coupons because you can almost always find one for an additional 20-30% off.

There has been some good input here. Additonally, there have been a variety of suggestions, none of which appears wrong or bad. I will ad one thing. Someone above mentioned over-lining in passing. I think over-lining by one weight (5 wt line on 4 wt rod) really assists a beginner in getting the hang of things with no identifiable drawbacks whatsoever. I actually know several people I consider experts who do that any way. Good luck with whatever you decide. It is a very addicting hobby.

If you look at the old Powell rods you will see that Walton habitually marked them all with three consecutive line weights. Line weight for a given rod is not carved in stone. Crazy as it sounds, Wright & McGill used to sell a cheap 7.5-foot 6-wt yellow colored glass rod through Kmart for about 20/25-bucks that was a great little caster. You probably can still find them on eBay. Put on some Cortland 333 and any ol real you get your hands on and you are "off to the races!"

I am a designer in the fishing industry and a certified casting instructor. Fly fishing is s fun way to fish to fish for sure, but does require a bit more practice than conventional fishing methods. IMO a 5 star is a bit light, and in general light lines and rods are harder to cast. Remember for your targeted fish. It's very easy to cast a smaller fly with a heavier line than the reverse. I think someone said this earlier but it is very true. A good teacher can get doing basic casts fairly quickly, but to become comfortable casting will take practice on your part. Starting pond fishing is great and easier than moving water.
I would Ho no smaller than six and seven offers the ability to throw wind resistant poppers etc for bot large and smallmouth.i would by a bass bug taper, it will turn over better with bigger flies but still work with smaller flies as well. Entry level rods from Redington, TFO, St.Croix, canelas will sell do the job. Go to a local fly shop and get dome instruction, do not skimp on the line and have fun. Pm me if you have question...I'm happy to help. Goodshot