First fly rod???

[Greg WIlburn]

Caught my first trout about 4 weeks ago, have been eating for years but never fished for'em. Floated from Tims ford dam down to Ferris creek, so I thought I'd get my stamp and fish for trout.......I'm HOOKED!.   I have been using a light spinning set up. But would like to do the fly fishing thing. Finally....the question. Any suggestions on what rod/reel/weight set up to get first ? I have never cast a fly before.


Thanks, in advance.
     
                          Greg
 

[Looper Flies]

First and foremost, welcome to a world of trouble.  I hope you are not yet married.

As far as a first rod, a 5wt is a great starter for all the area rivers (Caney, Elk, Duck, etc.)  I recommend any of the Orvis Streamline series or even a Redington Crosswater.  Ultimately, it all depends on how much $$ you want to spend.  Be prepared to spend at least $100 for a proper setup.  I do not recommend buying the Bass Pro brand or Cabela's brand as those don't really have a good service plan.  Meaning, if you break it, you have to buy a new one.  I personally didn't have the capital to buy replacement rods/reels when I started.  Quality is very important.  On the other hand, you don't have to break the bank to catch a fish.

When selecting line, and keeping a budget in mind, I've been really pleased with Cortland fly line -- great bang for the buck.  Look for a WF5F line (weight-forward/5wt/floating).

Finally, don't make any decisions until you cast the rod with the line.  Go see Ronnie or Leo at Cumberland Transit.  They will help you make a more educated decision.

Also, take a casting class if you don't already know how to cast.  This will take a lot of frustration out of learning.

[icthus]

Im a TFO kind of guy, they make good rods, the return on them if you break them is awesome, and last but not least they work with casting for recovery.  Cumberland Transit carries this brand and Ronnie or Leo have a good understanding of what works for beginners.  I would aree with Sam that I would stay away from Bass Pro rods, not because they are bad rods(that was my first), but if you are going to spend some jack at least have some kind of insurance plan with it.  Remember too, the most expensive rod is not always the best.

Blessings
Icthus

ps. never tell the wife what time you will be home: say later or after dark.  Trout on the Elk and Duck are tastey; the Caney however have some type of dirt taste to them.

[grumpy]

The FF'n industry is catching up with the times, every product out there has seen a price increase for 09
Great advice above, you don't have to break the bank, might miss a few lunches to get a good set up, do some research & by all means cast some rods, even a beginner can feel some difference in them.

Grumpy

[Gofisher]

Im a TFO kind of guy, they make good rods, the return on them if you break them is awesome, and last but not least they work with casting for recovery.  Cumberland Transit carries this brand and Ronnie or Leo have a good understanding of what works for beginners.  I would aree with Sam that I would stay away from Bass Pro rods, not because they are bad rods(that was my first), but if you are going to spend some jack at least have some kind of insurance plan with it.  Remember too, the most expensive rod is not always the best.

Blessings
Icthus

ps. never tell the wife what time you will be home: say later or after dark.  Trout on the Elk and Duck are tastey; the Caney however have some type of dirt taste to them.

WORD!