fly fishing

Posted by: Jake28

fly fishing - 04/12/10 04:01 PM

hello,

im looking to get into fly fishing and eventually ill probably incorporate it into my backpacking trips. here is the setup i am currently looking at:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...&hasJS=true

i like it because its cheap and it comes with everything. i currently own a cabelas spinning rod/reel combo and a cabelas baitcaster rod/reel combo and really like both of them. the two models i already own are more high end in their department compared with this setup but im still interested.

anyone otu there with a decent amount of knowledge in fly fishing gear wanna help me out. am i making a big mistake buying this setup? pros and cons...

also if i do decide to go with this setup which one should i go with, as they offer different lengths etc.

thanks
Posted by: balzaccom

Re: fly fishing - 04/12/10 08:17 PM

It's a reasonable deal of you want a cheap outfit---but you will be paying for, and getting, a few things you will probably never use. I'd strongly recommend finding a local fly fishing shop and casting a few rods, taking a lesson or two and getting a sense of what will work for the water you fish. That will affect what kind of flies, lines and even casting you will need.

Where do you live? What kinds of fishing are you hoping to do with this outfit?
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: fly fishing - 04/12/10 09:12 PM

Jake,
Balzaccom Is sort of a purist and probably bought his gear a long time ago when money was no object. I have some extremely fine fly gear and it makes a big difference to me how it feels and handles and of course whether its the right tool for the job. On the other hand I loved my new fiberglass rod when I was ten and I loved each new rod as they developed and I also loved my dads old Sears and Roebucks bamboo rod, each was different, but they all work, they all catch fish. My suggestion is that you consider making your own custom rod. Its not too hard, you just have to be careful and take your time.
Anyway I bought a kit and made 4 wt 8.5 foot rod with a shape that I liked in the cork and a beautiful reel seat. On a fly rod the rod blank itself of course is the most important single item, but the handle is the most personalised part, what sets rods apart and the reel seat is about the only chance to get really fancy. A lot of the cost of a fine rod is the beautiful rare mineral wood used in the real seat and the trimming of the real seat. Putting the eyes on a rod is more mathematical than anything. You just tie them on at the right places, wrap with pretty thread, put on a turner, that constantly rotates slowly, and you paint epoxy over the threads and it will level perfectly. So yes you need a rod turner.
Jim smile
Posted by: phat

Re: fly fishing - 04/12/10 10:30 PM

I'd agree with balzac that there may be some stuff in there you ain't gonna use much - I'd buy one of cabela's 7 piece rods with a reel and line, then fina a local fly shop where you can buy a few tippets, and fill a few old film canisters full of flies. I don't use a fancy rod bag, I stuff my reel in
with my clothes in my pack, and I carry the rod in a homemade
tube made from light builtin vac pipe cut to the lenght of my
rod with one end glued on and one end duct taped on. I take a small multitool with scissors and pliers when fishing. I don't
take a net or anything else like that - at least not backpacking, but I'm not usually looking to catch enormous fish.

Most importanly, practice somewhere local before backpacking with it smile

if you have local trout, great, otherwise, perch, blugills, crappie, etc. all work real fine on a lightweight fly rod with a nice nymph on the end of a floating line, although they won't often come to a dry.

Now bear in mind, what kind of fish are you expecting. I take much different full out hardcore flyfishing gear if I'm into big water in places I'm not backpacking, hunting big fish (let's say, Bow river downstream of calgary..) but those aren't your backpacking trout smile



Posted by: mosquito

Re: fly fishing - 04/14/10 07:54 AM

Try Tenkara.com.
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: fly fishing - 04/15/10 01:04 AM

I'm not putting down tenkara rods, but they are functionally the same as a cane pole. I've caught a lot of fish with cane poles, but its not "fly fishing".
Jim
Posted by: mosquito

Re: fly fishing - 04/15/10 07:39 AM

I don't think the 1st fly fisherman had a reel.
Posted by: balzaccom

Re: fly fishing - 04/15/10 09:28 AM

The first fly fisherman used a horse hair line. 'nuff said.

And me a purist? grin. Not really, more of a minimalist. I made my own fly rod, too, although I wouldn't recommened that for someone who has never fished...just because there are too many decision to make, and you won't have the background to make them correctly.

I would also suggest looking into the tubes they make to protect fluorescent light bulbs--they make a very lightweight tube for your fly rod!


there's a section on our website about fishing--it might help
Posted by: mosquito

Re: fly fishing - 04/15/10 07:58 PM

balzaccom,
Neat website. I really enjoyed it, esp you and your wife's outlook on the outdoors. Thanks for making your ideas and thoughts available to others.
Posted by: balzaccom

Re: fly fishing - 04/16/10 12:24 AM

Thanks! We keep trying to add stuff...but the only way to do that is to take more trips!

Darn!
Posted by: Jake28

Re: fly fishing - 04/16/10 09:27 AM

most of my fly fishing will be in nothern MN. ill probably be fishing some rivers and some lakes. im not looking for monster fish just a new hobby (or atleast a new version of one of my favorite hobbies).

i see a lot of you think that there are many items i wouldnt use from that package i posted. which items are these? is there any chance id use these items if backpacking werent involved? i will probably do more fly fishing without backpacking
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: fly fishing - 04/16/10 04:45 PM

Jake
Have you ever seen a "full flyfishing Vest"? smile I'll bet your dad or uncle had a huge vest full of stuff. You will fill all 27 pockets with spare stuff, you can always find a place for something, why I bet my fishing vest weighs 5 pounds (maybe more blush)
I mean I have about 6 boxes full of flys, metal boxes with rows and rows of flies, and thats only 10% of my flies.
Posted by: jasonklass

Re: fly fishing - 04/16/10 09:36 PM

I would look at the Stowaway Rods. I have a 3 wt. and a 5 wt. and they're unbelievably good for the price. If you want to go ultralight, a Tenkara Iwana is what I carry on 99% of my backpacking trips. Tenkara is absolutely NOT cane pole fishing or dapping. It is real fly fishing and in many ways much better for fly fishing on backpacking trips than convention Western Fly rods.