Choosing Your First Fly Rod For Trout

Updated 6/2022

Are you new to fly fishing? Do you need some help with that first trout outfit? I will attempt to simplify it for you with this little write up.

The most versatile trout rod is no doubt a 9’ 5 weight fly rod. You will have a 9’ 5 wt. in your quiver for the rest of your life. There are a lot of rods to choose from and it can be very confusing. It is also very easy to get the wrong equipment, which makes learning a nightmare.

The biggest mistake beginners make is they think they will not benefit from better equipment. This is false. It is much easier to learn to cast, and cast more efficiently, the better a rod and line work together. You will also save some money down the road if you start out with good equipment, instead of constantly buying new equipment and doing little upgrades.

When choosing a rod you want an action that is easy to cast but still has enough power when conditions demand it. The action of a rod, or the taper, is where the major flex point of the rod is. The slower the rod is (flex point is closer to the cork) the easier a rod is to cast. The faster a rod is (flex point is closer to the tip) the harder a rod is to cast. These tapers range from Slow to Ultra Fast. In today's rods I generally like to start someone with a Medium Fast to Fast rod. Matched with the right line, a rod like this is very versatile. So with that said how do we know the action of the rod? Many rod companies list their tapers, in which not always are those tapers standard with the rest of the industry. Most anglers shake the rod and look at the flex point, this DOES NOT WORK on today's rods. A rod using a more efficient material may not flex much under its own weight, but may flex deep when a fly line is put on it. Really this is where finding someone that knows their stuff about fly rods pays off.

Once you find rods with the right type of action for you now it is time to know the difference between all the different price levels. The biggest factor in cost is how efficient the material to build the rod is, this is really how advanced the technology is. Generally the more advanced the technology in the material, the more expensive the rod. What does this material do? There are many great benefits to better materials used in a fly rod, but the biggest is ease of casting. The more efficient the material is, the more power, accuracy and most of all, the more feedback you get out of a rod. This all makes learning to cast easier.

Keep this in mind on rods, a decent low end rod today is around $99.99. If you go with the newest and best rod available you can spend as much as $1100.00. About every $200.00 you spend over that low end rod you will see a big technology difference that you can really feel. $50.00 jumps generally don’t gain you much.

Fly lines will make or break today's rods. Put the wrong fly line on a great rod and the rod will not cast very easy. Without getting deep into the hundreds of different tapers in lines available today, I will just say matching the right line to the right rod is huge. Trust in qualified, experienced fly shop staff to help you through this process.

Reels are important but should be the last part of a trout outfit that money is spent. Don’t get me wrong I believe in high quality reels. Good reels last longer and they are smoother, but the rod and line should be first priority. If you purchase a high quality rod and still have enough in the budget to get a really good reel then do so, you won’t be sorry.

Here are a few of our top picks for all around 9’ 5 weight 4 pieces fly rod outfits. Many of these we put together ourselves and have chosen these for their value to performance and ease of casting. Are there other rods/outfits, yes we sell thousands of different rods of which they all have their purpose and place. If you don’t see the rod or outfit you are looking for check with us, we probably have it and can help you with it.

Trav

Gorge Fly Shop's favorite 9' 5 weight outfits

Sage R8 Core 590-4 Trout Kit

G. Loomis Asquith 590-4 Outfit

Winston Air II 590-4 Outfit

G. loomis NRX+ LP 590-4 Outfit

G. Loomis IMX Pro 590-4 Outfit

Sage Foundation 590-4 Outfit (GFS Style)

Shop All GFS Select Kits...

Read More Gorge Fly Shop Buyer's Guides

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Tarpon Notes for Saltwater Fans

 I don’t consider myself any kind of expert, but I’m an addicted tarpon-on-a-fly angler. I’ve had some great training from guides and casting instructors in my fly fishing career. I’ve had some great advice from the folks at the Gorge Fly Shop for much of my equipment.

 Here’s my “two cents”:

1. I was using a G.Loomis NRX 10 weight on many of these juvenile tarpon, but I also throw my favorite tarpon rod-the G.Loomis NRX 11 weight most of the time, because you never know when a 70 (or 120) pounder is going to show, especially on the ocean side, in the Keys.


2. Purchase the best quality equipment that you can afford. If you cannot afford it right now, save your money and get what you really want. Otherwise, you end up getting it, anyway, in the long run, when you find out that the “less expensive” equipment didn’t get the job done. Then the other stuff sits in the closet or in your rod rack. I happen to be a Nautilus NV fan. I’ve never had an issue with a Nautilus reel, and the drags are very sufficient and easy to adjust. If you read much on line, you’ll find out that Nautilus reels have very little “start up inertia”, which is important to protecting your class tippet. Yes, you can buy reels with 50 lbs of drag, but you’ll snap your class tippet on tarpon if your drag is set too tightly. 12-15 lbs of drag is plenty to get an adult tarpon to the boat quickly so that you can revive it and let it avoid predation by sharks. This is also why you NEED to use class tippet, or something that you can break off, if a hammerhead or bull shark is chasing the beautiful tarpon that you just fooled with your fly. Nautilus NV reels (Nautilus has had the NV-G format for some time now, which will fit the NV frames. The NV-G spools, I feel, are a distinct improvement, in terms of retrieval rates, and I’ve upgraded many of my spools to the NV-G spool).


3. Matching the line to the rod is important, to achieve proper loading. It’s not all an exact science. You NEED TO INVEST TIME, ENERGY, AND YOUR OWN EVALUATION. Many times, it’s best to use a 12 weight line on an 11 weight rod, etc. The Gorge Fly Shop can help you out with advice on this. “Fast action” rods: G.Loomis NRX, Helios 3D, Scott Meridian, etc., can handle “over-lining.” Over-lining can actually help many folks “feel the load”, and throw tighter loops, which is of the utmost important in saltwater fly angling. Not all of us are 6’ 2” with powerful forearms and wrists, so we cannot aerialize 60-65 feet of line, and shoot the remaining 30-40 feet of fly line. You need to be realistic in your own self-analysis, but you need to have “tight loops and high line speed”, i.e., correct rod tip path with double hauling. I practice fly casting year round; it’s like some folks going to the driving range and just working on their 7 iron, or their 3 iron. You practice the correct stroke, and develop the muscle memory. So when the tarpon show up, and the guide is asking for a 60’ cast at 11 o’clock, and “lead ‘em by 8 feet”, it’s an automatic thing. This is very important to getting a hook up, especially at a demanding tarpon venue, with sensitive and wary fish, such as the Florida Keys!


4. This, perhaps, should be number one: Spend some time throwing different rods. Everyone has their own casting stroke. I can throw a number of different rods and be happy. Personally, in the 11 weights, I love my G.Loomis NRX rods. In 8 through 10 weights, I like my G.Loomis NRX, but I also like the Helios 3D. I also have a Scott Meridian in 12 weight-a very light rod that is extremely powerful. Match those with a RIO Direct Core Stealth tip, or RIO Outbound short, or an SA Amplitude Tarpon line, and you’ll love it. You should be able to do a “quick cast”, from the “ready” position, to 60 feet, with one backcast, and have the fly turned over and the leader straight when the fly lands.


5. I tie most of my tarpon leaders, and I use RIO Hard Mono for the butt and sequential leader sections: 40-35-30-25-class (say, 20 lb). And RIO FluoroFlex Saltwater Tippet for the bite tippet, 50, 60, 80-whatever you prefer. Many guides will provide the leaders for you. In Costa Rica, I use 100 lb fluoro. Those Costa Rican tarpon don’t mind.


6. PRACTICE YOUR CASTING. I cannot emphasize this enough. Practice with a 12’ leader. If you are tying overhand knots in it, those are “casting knots”, not “wind knots.” YOU made them, with a tailing loop. Figure it out and correct it. On spooky fish, such as in the Keys, your guide will love you if you can turn over a fly on a 12 or 15 foot leader.


7. Hire a guide who is also a teacher, and who is an affable person. That person needs to be respectful, patient, be able to “correct your casting mistakes” in a diplomatic fashion, know the fish behavior on certain tides, wind directions, and be able to handle the boat appropriately. I am very pleased to be able to fish with a guide such as Joel Dickey, in the Keys, and guides such as Dion, Dubs, and Mark, at Turneffe Flats Resort. Henry Rodriguez and Pancho Xec at Pesca Maya resort on Ascension Bay. Cokie, with Avalon, in Cuba. On the other hand, your guide is working hard to get you into position to catch fish-perhaps “the fish of a lifetime.” So have some respect for his/her efforts, and prepare before you go on your trip. THAT MEANS PRACTICE YOUR CASTING! 

Have fun and ENJOY! There’s nothing like a big tarpon to tighten your blood knots!
Howard Stringert

Get Started in Fly Fishing - Chapter Two - Fly Rods

The look on your face when you get a new rod

The fun begins with your first purchase. You're ready to buy a fly rod. Most will experience one of three possible scenarios.

1) You find yourself in a large outdoor chain store with plenty of things to buy but no help to see you through a good decision.

2) You find yourself in a upscale fly shop where the sales staff proceeds to make you feel inferior and unworthy of the sport.

3) You come across a yard sale or hand me down rod that is always the best ever according to the previous owner. Trust me. Its rare to find any worth $$$ in a yard sale. I know because I look for them.

I didn't intend to start off this article sounding cynical but I bet if many of you would comment with your stories many of them would match one of these three descriptions.

Too Many Choices

Too Many Choices

Lets start with import or USA built.We can discuss this subject from many different angles - here's the facts

USA Built 

Pros - The best fly rods are built in USA. All USA built fly rods are hand crafted. Most if not all USA built rods come with some kind of lifetime warranty. Most have good resale value.
Cons - Expensive! Cost of USA manufacturing, research and development, advanced materials technology that makes these rods the best come at a high price.
Summary - If you become passionate about fly fishing you will own USA built fly rods. What comes with these rods is a sense of pride. Hard to have that feeling for something imported from an overseas factory. I have had the pleasure of visiting many USA rod manufacturer facilities. I like knowing that the hands that built my rods also are as passionate about fishing as I am. Its a feeling you cannot put a price on.

Imported fly rods

Pros - Value per dollar. Good entry level options. Some have lifetime warranty (although you may end up with a different rod than what you started with). Also some very good quality rods for much less than USA built price.
Cons - Hard to tell good from bad. Here today and gone tomorrow.
Summary - There is some really good import rods on the market and they catch fish just like a USA built rods. But the import business tends to flood the market and makes it hard to sift through whats Great, Good, OK or just plain cheap rods. Resale value of imports is weak and often times you can't give them away. I also notice that many come with catchy names to help sell them but not a good description of what the action is, so often you find someone purchased a rod only to find out it is a poor fit for their casting ability or the fishing they are doing.

Premium Picks - 

Sage One

Winston BIIIx

G.Loomis NRX Lite Presentation

All of these rods are beautiful and powerful tools for fishing. Each has great power coupled with very intuitive feeling that will help any angler progress down the path of good casting. Excellent resale value and the industry leading warranty service also add to their value. I should note here that rods like these hold their place in history for years to come.

Mid Line Winners - 

G. Loomis Pro4x

Winston Nexus

Echo 3

Sage ACCEL

These models range in price from about $300 to $595. Winston, G. Loomis and Sage are built in USA. All have lifetime warranty. All of these rods offer excellent performance and value. They could go with you on a lifetime of fishing and you would enjoy them for years to come.

Entry Level Values - Imports

Redington Classic Trout

Echo Solo

Redington Crosswater

Classic Trout and Solo offer lifetime warranty. One year on the Crosswater. I am real fond of the Classic Trout. Its a moderate action easy to cast really good trout rod for the price. The Echo Solo is also a good choice and at $119 with lifetime warranty its hard to beat.

Outfit Options

An outfit is an easy way to get Rod, Reel and Line all in one purchase. 

Sage Approach Outfits

Redington Minnow 
Made for Kids-Loved by Adults

Redington Topo Outfit - Complete ready to fish

Echo Solo Outfit - Great Value

Two Hand (Spey) Rod Choices

No reason one has to start out with a single hand fly rod. If you live in steelhead country just go ahead and jump to a two hand. I've seen too many beginners get a single hand 8wt only to come back in a month and say I want a two hand rod. I think two hand casting is harder to learn on your own but with a good instructor like Tom Larimer of Jeff Hickman you will soon be on your way to fishing success! Learning single hand casting first is not a prerequisite. The rods I choose are all pretty moderate action and not only do they fit beginners well they are also a great action for skagit style two hand casting.

Winston Boron III TH

G.Loomis Pro4x

Sage ACCEL Two Hand

Redington Dually

Echo Dec Hogan II

Sum it up

A popular quote around the fly shop is "if you don't want to buy a more expensive rod than don't cast a more expensive rod." Even a person just starting out with some basic casting skills can feel the difference from these different levels of rods. That doesn't mean they catch more fish, they just cast better and make you feel like a hero. I know plenty of anglers that catch plenty of fish on $89 Crosswater rods. This works on the premise that if you want to catch fish you will use what you got! Spending more on a rod doesn't guarantee you more fish. What I can almost certainly guarantee is if you embrace to sport of fly fishing you will own premium USA built fly rods. It's inevitable!

The way I weigh the options is in one of three choices - 

Buy Top Shelf- You work hard for your money and when you have time off you deserve to enjoy it. Great pride comes with the best rods and you find yourself taking great pride in your fishing. Long after your gone when your grand kids find your fly rod hidden among your treasures they'll know how much it meant to you by the way you took care of it.

Buy middle of the road knowing that you'll get a great rod you can own a lifetime or maybe it will be the first and last rod you buy. I know anglers that only fish their home waters. They usually will fish a dry fly if fish are raising and if not they switch to a nymph rig. One rod can do both methods therefore they only need one rod. They only fish a few days a year and enjoy it as much as anyone. Some of today's mid line rods are a recent yesterdays premium rod.

Buy cheap now knowing that you'll upgrade in the future - Its nice to have a cheapy around for yard casting or letting your buddy or kid have a swing...Hard to hand over your several hundred dollar investment and watch a novice thrash it.

Don't fret over making a wrong choice. There are no wrong choices just future choices and Gorge Fly Shop will be here to help you make that choice whether you buy one or a hundred rods. 

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"