George,

You may have answered this question in the past, but I am going to plead ignorance in advance, and ask it again.

I would like to give fly fishing for Bluegill a try. I am willing to invest the time to learn and practice the casting techniques. I am also willing to buy some reasonably priced fly fishing gear to get started. What do you recommend?

Dwight, I’ll ask Nate to chime in on this because he won a Temple Fork Outfitters combo 5-6 wt combo set at the PB Conference silent auction, and ask him his opinion.
Maybe JWHAP will also chime in for fly gear and instructional flycasting DVD.

If I was just starting out, that is what I would I would purchase.
9 ft, 4 piece 5-6 wt fly rod - lifetime no-fault guaarantee.
Reel with backing, fly line and leader with travel case.
Tie on a Cabelas of BPS “bream bug” or popper and go fish.

I recommend the 5-6 instead of 4-5 wt for versatility.

Under $200.00 if IRC …. Good value IMO

http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/outfits/nxt.html

Justin won the set up from the show, because I purchased that same set up a couple weeks before the show and absolutely loved it! I called up temple fork and they directed me to burfish.com They shipped that set up out to me ASAP and were great to deal with. I ordered on friday and had the setup to me on monday (I gave them a few extra bucks, cause I was heading to the trout pond monday evening)

We both love those set ups!

I'm no where near george on the flyfishing stuff, but I just wonder if a 6-7 weight gives more options. You're going to end up landing more than just bluegill on it.

a 5 wt is the universal rod. i like a three weight for bg.

Sunil is right. You don't want to lose that 10 lb. bass because you went with a light setup.

Ultimately you will have more fun starting out with the 5-6 w rod. Just get started and then start buying additional items to fuel your addiction.

Dwight will need the Mini-Mag for his 10 pounder...
Watch out Cecil..!

BTW, the mini-mag TFW rod for ponds is not listed as a model on the burfish website, or at least wasn't listed back in August.

I called Brandon at TFO(sp?) and he was very helpful. I was getting one as a gift for my brother, but didn't get the order off in time before his birthday; so I just didn't get him anything. I do intend to get one though.

I checked my flyrod and it's 6-7. Whenever I check a 4-5 or 5-6, they just seem too flimsy for me.

not to detract at all from the quality i'm sure the TFO rigs have, you can go cheaper and still get a great pond rod...i bought the wife one of those 5wt Cabela's combo kits w/ reel, rod and reel case and of course instructional DVD for 99.99 or whatever it was. my philosophy (and that of my wallet) is to thrash around a cheaper rig while learning.

I also got the Cabela's sweet water combo, and it has served me well, but I never became a fanatic.

The TFO rod is not that expensive, of course you do have to outfit it with the reel, line, backing, and such.

that was it....the sweet water combo.

it came w/ line and backing.

The TFO combo has rod, reel, line, leader, and travel case...
Plus a lifetime no-fault guarantee.
Go ahead and thrash around and bust it - they will replace a tip or whole rod for $25.00 handling and shipping.

Buy quality - cry once....
Buy cheap - cry twice.... ...

Your advice is sage, george1.

If I end up getting one for my brother, I'll have to check it out first, and then my brother might not get it!

If the price I remember in my head was the combo, then it is extremely reasonable.

We, both JHAP and I, got the Indian Point Fly Fishing Outfit at Bass Pro Shop. Nice starter setup with a 5 piece 8'6" rod, reel with 5# line and carry case for about $90.

We also got the "Lessons with Lefty" DVD. It covers all of the basic "how-to's".

What helped me the most though, was the lessons from George and Brandon at the Pond Boss conference. I think I had been trying to "throw the line" as I always seemed to end up with a puddle of line at my feet.

It is so much fun when you actually get the fly to go where you want to be!! I like fly fishing sooo much!! -- Thanks again George and Brandon --

My Christmas gift?!?! JHAP, you watching this thread?

Having only one fly rod is like having only one golf club – ‘ya want a driver or a putter?
Sunil if you are a 6 wt guy, check out the TFO Axiom ….. it’s the sweetest 6 wt ever and I own three 6 wts …. I know – I’m a nut...

Also a 5wt, and a Mini-Mag, plus a 9, 10, and 12 wt striper and salt water rods, all custom made on Sage RPLX blanks.
Made all my rods before TFO came along with high quality, affordable fly rods…

Like I say- I’m a nut...

i hear you george. you get what you pay for. i forgot the originator of the question here too (dwight). but for us non nuts or those less obsessed w/ over engineering (not a slam dwight, but quite the compliment), or those that want to simply try the art of fly fishing without it causing a short payment on the mortgage, a "cheap" cabelas or BPS fly rod fits the bill and the wallet. i was surprised at the quality of the cabelas rod i bought for DWIED, and i realize my bar aint all that high.

if you cant drive a pinto, you cant drive a caddy.

trying to cover you here JHAP

In my case, and probably others, since my grandkids broke my 1st cheap outfit, I will go with a 4 or 5 wt. My reasoning is this: if it is for your pond, as with mine, BG are almost getting to sampling size, LMB fingerlings in Aug, HSB fingerlings in Sept. Use it for a few months, then progress to a stronger one(I need something that will hold up to whatever nails my $gill pseudo fly when I tie it on. Is that a good reason to have more than 1 size flykit?

I was using my TFO rod at LL2 and just landed a 4 lb catfish. Steelman landed his big ole catfish at the same time and we were going to take a pic together (showcasing our flyrods and catfish) when my catfish went crazy, snapped his tail and broke the tip off of my new rod.

I sent the rod and $25 to TFO and they replaced it with no questions asked.

Selection of fly rods and line sizes is very subjective, and dependant upon the experience factor of the angler.
A 5-wt fly rod is the “standard” as someone mentioned, for the beginner or the expert.
The beginner WallyWorld or Cabelas combo is a slow to moderate action whereas the advanced caster would likely choose a medium fast action.
That is likely the reason Sunil feels 5 wt to be “squishy”.

Fly lines become even more subjective, and are based on the weight in grains of the “belly” or first 30 feet of the fly line – gets more complicated when interjecting double taper lines vs. weight forward lines.
I believe a 5-6 rod to be a 5 wt with a 6 wt line – Sunil’s choice of a 6-7 wt is because he is an intermediate or advanced fly caster and a 6 wt loads easier with the 7 wt line.

Many “bream” fishermen prefer 2-4 wt rods but they wouldn’t last long in our LMB and HSB Ponds.

This confusion is causing forward thinking manufacturers to grade their fly rods in “range of grains”, and the reason for the popularity of “combo” rigs for the beginner or advanced fly fisherman..

BassPro, Cabelas, and others area are solving this problem by putting together their own combo sets as TFO is doing, which are also available at the big box stores for the beginner as well a advance fly fishermen.
Probably more info than you wanted to know… IMHO – FWIW ...

Dwight, you still with us? ...

George,

Yes I am soaking it all in. I am in the middle of month end processing business-wise, so I may be a little silent for the next couple days.

OK, so more info since I know you are an "all tackle" guy.
You, Shorty and DD1 could open a tackle shop.

Fly tackle is less confusing to a beginner than conventional gear.
Think how confusing closed face spinning reels, open face spinning reels and rods that run from 5 ft ultra-lite to 8ft pitchin' sticks and lure weights from 1/32 - 1/8, 1/4 - 3/8, 3/8 -5/8...etc...etc, with medium, medium fast and fast action rods.

Line sizes from sewing machine thread to rope size with nylon mono, fluorocarbon, gsp.... etc.

It's easier to teach someone to fly cast than to cast a level wind reel.
Confusing to the beginner huh?

First thing to remember in fly-casting - you are not casting a fly/lure/plug.... you are casting the fly line and the fly goes along for the ride. The 30 ft. belly determines the weight classification.

Fly rods are rated by grains instead of ounces -
For example a five weight fly line 30 ft belly weighs 140 grains, a six weight 160 grains, 8 wt belly 210 grains… etc....

The advantage of this type fishing tackle is that you can leave a fly "in the strike zone" longer than with a lure or jig, and pick up and lay the fly on the nose of a rising fish without having to reel in and re-cast.....

I be gone now....

George,

I am getting really interested now! I will report in later. Thanks.

It looks like this thread has become member of my bookmarks. Thanks for the info George.

Are you mocking my fly casting DIED???


Good stuff George.

George,

What is your opinion on this one?

Anglernorth kit

Dwight, I am not familiar with this fly combo product, but the “AnglerNorth” program for beginner fly casters are impressive. There are a lot of good products on the market these days and I am sure this is one of the best.

My only comment on the 5-6 wt rod beginner combo is that a 5wt line comes with the set. That tells me that this rod has slow to medium action (parabolic bend), and what I know about you is that you will need more versatility in a faster action rod (mid - tip flex)

I recently caught and landed a 5# LMB fishing with a small BG fly on a med-fast action 5wt rod, that would have broken a “squishy” 5wt. In the words of a conventional gear fisherman – your rod needs more “backbone”.

Also with some sort of replacement guarantee.

Knowing you as a forum friend, I don’t believe you will stay in the beginner class but for a very short time...

George

George,

I ordered the 5/6 outfit that you originally recommended.

I hope that I get plenty of time to practice before the water on the pond turns hard.

George,

I bought "The New Fly Fishing Basics" DVD from Bennett-Watt HD Productions.

Even though it is no longer "new" in the date sense, it has a lot of great information.

Have you ever viewed it? Oh, I suppose you directed it.

I'm a Lefty Kreh sorta "old geezer" guy.
There a lot of good instructioanal DVD's available

Dwight, knowing what I know about you - you'll soon be
directing" and giving private lessons...

George,

You over estimate my ability to learn something new!

By the way, I am quite impressed with the TFO outfit that you recommended. Thanks!

I am not going to tie a fly on until I have mastered (in my own mind) the basic casting techniques. With winter so near, I will be practicing on the ice and doubt a fly would not be very effective anyway.

Hey George,

Can you make me one of these at the next conference?

What is that fly supposed to imitate?

Is that a hummingbird?

What eats hummingbirds?

NP

When pigs can fly ....

Would this this kind of great info on flyrods be something to save in archives? I'm not ready to buy one right now, but would like to have this available later. For some reason, my searchs don't pull up what I'm looking for very well. Probably user error..du