You can get the Echo Micro Practice Rod at the eBay Fly Shop... Click Here

Well good reviews do work, I ordered this last night from the full creel shop on ebay... $45 bucks with shipping to Canada.. blah, why not! Give me something to do in the house! My wife is gonna go bonkers!

I always wondered where mouse flies originated.

My son's and I have been using this for about 5 months now. They have actually worn out the original yarn portion of the line. Had my wife get some yarn from the local store, back in business.
Has it helped me?... don't really know. It has with my son's, especially the youngest who practices every day with it. When he does use his real fly rod, there is a significant improvement in his cast. He actually has better form than I do. Not that I had any in the first place.
Regardless it is fun and we all enjoy using/practicing with it.

I too bought this and I don't know what I think.

1) It can't really be used inside. When my box finally arrived after about a month of wait time from ordering, I tried to start swinging the thing inside and the yarn/rope is too heavy to use indoors.

Hit anything in your backcast and its gone. AS was the case when the rod edge came in contact with something on the table.

So I took it down to my basement. Which also wasn't big enough or tall enough should I say, so I sat down as the original reviewer said... This was fine for a while but its not great for practice. After all, we don't practice our golf swing from sitting down if there isn't enough room to make a full swing.

FInally took it outside which was fine but outside I can cast real line and a real rod...

Anyways, for the cost.. fine its nicely made, and looks fun.. But is it practical or useful? I would have to say, its going to spend more time in my closet then getting used.

Lindmar, I've had somewhat the same experience - freaked out my wife when she thought for sure I'd break some priceless artifact (would that I should be so lucky!). However, since I bought it to teach her to fly cast, not sure the idea hasn't backfired on me.

I do feel, however, that aside from finding enough clear space and height to really use it, it does really help in exaggerating the senses that tell you when you've got the rhythm right. I notice, for example, that you can really feel the "tug" that occurs when you've fully loaded the rod on the back cast and should begin the forward cast.

Now, if I only had a 6,000 sq.ft. McMansion with a bowling alley to practice it in . . .

I have one, and I think it's useful. My cat likes it too!
Les

I have the top half of several fishing rods. I tried it with yarn, was pretty
good, then I chopped an old 8 wt floater I had laying around, and wow
did it get interesting quickly. I'm not allowed to use it in the house any
more because the cat, the pit bull and the pomeranian were climbing
the funiture chasing it.

Ah, but I came on to say, heck yaa,
practise casting ... after a while it becomes
virtually effortless, more accurate, faster and more distance
when needed.

I, too, bought one for my wife; so that she could work inside in the Winter on her casting. We have a high posted loft over a large garage and it's ideal for using this practice rod.

She uses it almost daily and I can see a real difference in her casting after only 2 weeks. The truth is, I use it probably more than she does; twice a day - on my way to the car/work and on my from the car/home.

I think it's a great product.