# Suggest a LOW COST Combo for Me Please...



## Nalajr (May 1, 2014)

Hey all,

I've been reading and looking at all sorts of gear for the last several days. I think I'm more confused now than when I started. I don't know what makes a good rod and what is junk. I've also been told that any rod/reel combo would do fine as long as I replace the line with high quality stuff.

I've been looking at rigs that are anywhere from $25 to $150. I'd rather not spend $150 just to see if I like fly fishing if you know what I mean. So, would you do me a favor and suggest some combos that would be a good fit for me where I could learn to cast and handle the gear properly? If I have to buy the rod, reel, line and stuff separately I will, but I'd rather get it all in a decent package.

Thanks for your help and time.

Nalajr


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## Worm Drowner (Sep 9, 2010)

When I started about 10 years ago, my first combo was $250. The thing is, if you decide it's not for you, you can usually get a decent price selling good quality gear.

Orvis has a reasonable combo (Encounter) for $159

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_...d=758&group_id=759&cat_id=5978&subcat_id=7309

I actually stated my wife out with the 5 wt. It's a decent combination.


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## flyakker (May 27, 2014)

I got my 2nd set up from Bass Pro. It is $139 for rod, reel, line, and tippet. You can get 10% off your purchase if you take the free casting class. They have 5 and 8 wt. I had a 5, that I spent over $400 on at Ifly. It has been great for me. A guy that had over 70 years of fly fishing under his belt recommended it to me. Oh, it includes hard case, too. Made by Reddington. I got the 8 wt 9 foot rod. It can be used as a cross over. The reel is carbon, so you don't have to worry about rust in the saltwater, and it is great for fresh water bass, too. I don't yet know much about what weight to use for what, nor the difference. I go by what I was told. But, it fits perfectly into your budget plan. I will take it to the hill country with my 5 wt when I go trout fishing this winter. Good luck on your beginnings! I hope you get as addicted as I have, and all these fine folks have! Hope the advice helps you narrow it down. I'm realtively new, but a friend that has been fly fishing since he was a kid (30 years of ff'ing under his belt) liked the set up.


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## Erichugh22 (Mar 31, 2014)

I started out with a 99$ combo from bass pro, an 8wt. I caught a few trout under the lights and even a Spanish mackeral from the jetties. I ended up breaking that one and switched to a redington cross water combo I think it was for around 150$. It worked out decent and I ended up breaking that one too. I learned to double hall really fast and the cheap rods didn't like that very much. I broke my first 2 or 3 rods just casting them. My next rod was a tfo breast cancer edition 8wt and that rod has lasted me two years, still use it sometimes now, I put a white river osprey reel on it and that reel has held up great too for being only like 50$, that set up cost right around 200$. My advice would be to start with a bass pro brand combo because they will let you return it if you break it and then all you have to do is pay the difference to get a little better setup.


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## Nalajr (May 1, 2014)

Thanks guys. I've looked at the Cabelas combos and they have a nice one that is $139. I also saw an ORVIS for $159 that is also supposed to be good. A few on Ebay like Reddington and others that I don't know the names of right off hand, are similarly priced.

Can you all tell me if all of those outfits would basically be the same in quality? They are all priced the same, or near it so I would think that the feel, materials, craftsmanship and so on would be very similar.

I did have a couple people tell me that if everything else being equal, go with the ORVIS because they have a 100% return policy even if you break the rod they will replace it for the life of the rod. That does sound like a bonus. I don't know what others have a policy like that, you mentioned the Bass Pro has a deal like that, so I would have that kind of stuff in mind too when I decide what to eventually buy.

Thanks all.

Nalajr


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