Time to get my own

[arkus]

So im new to fly fishing and I need some help. My dad has let me borrow his sage rods from the 80's the past couple weeks and I absolutely love them. However I cant imagine if I ever broke one or damaged one because they mean alot to him so its time to get my own. Im thinking i want a 5 weight kind of as an all around set up. So if you can give me a good suggestion for a 5 weight to both nymph and dry fly that would be great thank you a lot.

 

[MoscaPescador]

What kind of budget do you have. Are you just looking for a rod or a whole outfit?

 

[mcnerney]

I'd recommend going into a local fly shop and casting a few different rods to find one that feels right in your hands.

 

[fishiowa]

Do you recall what model rod you borrowed from your dad and loved? That may give an idea on what type action you liked.

 

[Eddie O'Neill]

There are so many options. Try before you buy, you don't want to make an expensive mistake.

 

[jessezm]

I also love older Sage rods. I have a 9.5 ft Sage RPL+ in a 5wt that was given to me 13 years ago by my cousin, and it is still the rod I fish the most. great for streamer fishing, dry fly fishing, and nymphing alike. So lately I have been wondering what would happen if I broke it, and I did an ebay search. You can find yourself a used RPL in good shape for $150-$250, and this is what I would recommend for you. This are just timeless, incredible all around rods (though a little faster action than what I need for the fishing I'm doing now: small trophy streams for big fish). Just my 2 cents!

 

[arkus]

Do you recall what model rod you borrowed from your dad and loved? That may give an idea on what type action you liked.

Yes The one I use the most is a sage 6 weight 690 RP 9'0'' I tried my Friends echo 5 weight 9'0'' last night and loved it not sure what exact model but it was nice. Also i need a reel on it but im trying to stay away from redington combos. I have about $500 bucks right now from work and graduation so thats pretty much my budget. Im not specifically looking for a sage just a good rod.

 

[glcaddis]

I bought a couple of Beulah Classic single hand rods recently, a 3 wt and an 8 wt. Both are very nice rods. They have the 5 or 6 wt rods you may want. At $290 you get a lot of rod for the money.

 

[gutterpunk]

i have an Echo3 and they are really nice rods. but if i were you I'd look for a used Sage XP or ZXL (XP is faster, ZXL is more delicate). Either can be had for about $300, and you can get a great reel for less $200. The precursor to the ZXL was the SLT (which can also be found on the big auction site--that rod is now a bit of a legend).

 

[MoscaPescador]

I'd recommend going into a local fly shop and casting a few different rods to find one that feels right in your hands.

I'm with Larry on this. Just be upfront with the salesguy on what you want and what your budget is. If he is doing his job, he will limit you to just a few rods to try.

When it comes to budget, invest most of your money in the rod, a quality line second, then reel third. Rod casts line. The line with your input, loads the rod. In most cases, the reel holds the line.

Dennis

PS: I'm not saying that you should get a cheap reel. Get something with the quality that you want.

 

[mcnerney]

+1 for what Dennis is saying about a trout reel. In most all "trout" fishing a reel is just there to hold your line, so there isn't any real need to go and buy an expensive reel especially when just starting out. As Dennis said, spend your money on getting a really good fly rod, something you will treasure for the next few decades. You can always upgrade the reel at a later date.

 

[moucheur2003]

There are a lot of good-quality medium-price rods on the market right now, but there are a lot of mediocre ones too. The 2013 Yellowstone Angler 5 weight shootout recommends the 9' 5 wt Mystic Reaper as a "best buy" at $199. I haven't tested that one myself, but it would definitely be on my short list based on their recommendation. I would also look at what high-quality value brands like Redington, TFO and Echo are currently offering. Then I would compare them to the Orvis Clearwater, which I have tested and is another surprisingly nice rod for about $200.

Ultimately it all comes down to what feels best in your hand. The more of those you can find locally and actually try, the better. If you can't try a lot of them, at least find a fly shop where the sales guy knows his stuff and isn't just talking through his hat.

You should be able to add a line and reel for $150 or less. I agree with the others who say you don't need a fancy reel for trout fishing, but you do want one sturdy enough to survive a couple of drops onto the rocks.