So you have decided to start fly fishing. Congratulations! You are about to embark on a truly wonderful journey. But trying to choose your beginner fly fishing combo can be a daunting task. This article will discuss how to choose the right fly fishing combos so you can set out to catch those fish with confidence!

To make things real easy, I recommend two excellent fly fishing combos for beginners. One is The White River Fly Shop and Dogwood Canyon Fly Outfit for only $89.99. The other is The Redington Crosswater Outfit for just $129.99 (at the time of this writing).  Unbelievable value for the money, well matched and balanced for beginners and novice fishermen and women  and both come complete with everything you need to start fly fishing. Now it all boils down to rod length and weight. For more details on that very subject, please read on.

One of the first steps to start your flyfishing adventure, obviously, is selecting your first fly rod reel outfit. To be successful in fly fishing, it’s very important that you choose a fly fishing rod and reel combo that is well balanced; that all of the pieces work well together. When the right fly fishing rod, reel, fly line, leader and fly work well together, you have a balanced outfit.

The Fly Fishing Basics – Five Elements Of A Combo Outfit

Fly Fishing Rods

When making a decision on choosing your first fly fishing rod, there are three points to ponder. What is the length, action and weight of the fly rod?

Fly fishing rods come in various lengths. A general rule of thumb is to choose your fly rod length based on the fish you are after the most, the environment you will be fishing in most often as well as the usual conditions. In general, most beginner fly fishers will do well with a rod length of 8 foot 6 inches or 9 foot even.

Also, look for a rod with a medium to moderate fast action. This is a bit more forgiving and easier for the person who is just starting to fly fish.

Finally, select the proper weight – referring to the fly line weight of the fly rod. Some fly rods have a 4 weight, others a 5 or 6 and all the way up to 12 and 14 weight. Generally, a 5 or 6 weight fly fishing rod will serve most very well, especially if you’re fishing for fresh water fish. Going after Salmon, large mouth bass or pike? Buy an 8-10 weight fly rod. Finally, if your salt water fly fishing for big boys, take a look at a 12-14 weight rod. Read more about fly fishing rod reel combo outfits.

What Is The Fly Fishing Rod Made Of?

As you can imagine, fly fishing rods are made from all sorts of materials. The type of material the fly fishing rod is made of will also determine the cost. Fly rods can come in graphite, baron, fiberglass, graphite and bamboo.

Fiberglass is usually the least expensive and also, these days, not as popular because of the diameter it takes to make it work properly.

Bamboo on the other hand is at the other end of the scale. Bamboo fly rods more often than not are hand made beauties with high price tags attached. Worth every penny to those who own them but not a recommended rod for beginner fly fishing.

Graphite fly rods are the best bet for the beginner. The price is right too. These are very durable and light fly rods, come in 2 to 7 pieces and quite forgiving. My personal choice is a 2 piece fly rod for most situations. A 4 piece to 7 piece rod is handy for packing.

Fly Fishing Reels

The fly fishing reel is the next critical piece of equipment for you first fly rod reel combo. Keeping it simple, there are  single action reels, automatic reels and multiplier fly fishing reels. Just focus on getting a single action, basic cork and or disc drag reel for your first fly fishing outfit. Also look to make sure that you get the fly fishing reel ready-to-go with backing and fly line already on.

Fly Fishing Line

Here too, there are many choices of fly fishing line. There is line for dry fly fishing and fly line for wet fly fishing. You might see terms like, weight forward, tapered line, level and shooting. As mentioned before, the fishing situation and environment you are in will determine what the best line selection will be. For most beginner fly fishing students, a good bet will be a floating, WF or weight forward fly line. Remember to match the line with the fly rod weight. So if you buy a 6 wt fly rod, buy matching 6 weight line.

Fly Fishing Leader And Tippet

The fly leader attaches from the fly fishing line to the fly and is made of a mono filament material. Selecting the right leader will also depend upon the line you have. The fly fishing leader can come in various lengths, be knotted or not, straight or tapered. My personal choice is a tapered leader in a 9 foot length, knotted. But that works for my situation. Generally, it will work for most.

Fly Fishing Flies

As you may imagine, there are thousands of fly fishing flies and  patterns available today. Fortunately, you will only need a few. Those will be selected based on the type of fish you will catch, time of the year, what hatches may be happening in your area and so forth. There are wet flies called nymphs, bead heads and wooly buggers. There are dry flies in attractor, terrestrial, midges, dry caddis and other patterns.

My personal favorite dry flies here in the Rocky Mountain area are, Adams or Parachute Adams, Mosquito, Red and Yellow Bellied Humpy’s, Flying Black Ants or Foam Black Ants, Elk Hair Caddis and my new favorite, The Madam X Parachute in yellow or olive color. These have all been great to have on hand when fly fishing for trout or white fish.

Your best bet would be to talk with the local fly fisherman and fly fisherwomen to see what patterns they recommend for your area. Try your local sporting goods store too. Chances are they not only know about the best flyfishing flies, they may share a nice fishing hole with you as well.

Hope this helps and can’t wait to hear your beginner fly fishing stories!

Best wishes,

Bradley L. Marlow

PS: I also have an article about the

Top 3 Cabela’s fly rods and reels review

Fly fishing and fly casting video showing how to get the line out of the water during fly casting.

Fly fishing news, products and information from around the blogosphere:

Fly Fishing Combos – The Redington Crosswater Outfit
I had been fly fishing for a while, but never owned my own rod. I got this in the 5 weight for my first rod, and it is a breeze to cast. The graphite construction makes it really light and easy to cast. I spent all day fly fishing the other day, slinging it back and forth, and didn’t feel a thing the next day. With included backing, fly line, and tapered leader, this thing is a steal at 130$. I love it.

The Right Fly Fishing Equipment – Fly Fishing Combos
The structure includes the artificial flies, the fly rod which throws the flies and the fly line. For an improved cast, the line needs to be a little heavier than other types of lines. Moreover, the fly fishing combos come in all sorts of outfits.

R And R Fly Fishing
It was a beautiful weekend for fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee. Temperatures topped out over 70 degrees.  Drew was pretty new to trout fly fishing and awe struck by the scenery. Drew landed about a half dozen trout by the end of the day and missed about three times that many. I rigged Drew with several dry and dropper combos, but most of the strikes came on the dry fly.

Fly Fishing School Instruction – Toronto Sportsmen’s Show
If you are not aware our Toronto Fly Fishing School has a new venue in 2009. This year we have partnered with the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to hold our 1 day beginner fly fishing schools.

Fly Fishing For Beginners: Fly Tying For Beginners
I know Ive neglected to cover much about fly tying and learning how to tie flies in the developement of this blog. But I do have a full time job and keeping regular posts that have some value to both the fly fishing beginner.

Technorati Tags: basics, beginner fly fishing, best, buy, combo, flies, fly, fly fishing combos, flyfishing, how to, information, kit, kits, leader, line, outfit, outfits, reel, rod, selecting, selection, weight

Climbing the seemingly never ending ladder to the ultimate fly fishing rod and reel combo, one would definitely want to include an Abel fly reel. Now we are moving from the basic starter fly fishing beginners to the more advanced expert anglers and an Abel fly fishing reel is hard to beat in terms of quality, precision and functionality.

Here is a quote from Steve Abel himself:

"All reels are machined from solid blocks of 6061-T prime grade aircraft quality aluminum. Our precision machinists maintain exacting tolerances, ensuring anglers a reel that performs flawlessly. Reels are meticulously anodized and hand-finished for a lifetime of corrosion resistance. The guts of our reels are our unique Stop-a-Sub drag system.

Most fish are lost at either the strike or the net. Our drag system has virtually no hesitation or stutter; so more fish are hooked and landed. It’s as smooth as silk for a very good reason; to improve your chances of landing the fish of a lifetime."

Abel Reels – Quality And Innovation Defined For Fly Fishing Reels

When buying fishing equipment for your fly fishing ventures, few can argue about the true quality and appeal of the Abel fly reel. This brand, introduced to the market by Steve Abel and Mel Krieger, offers their customers with so many wonderful aspects to this fine reel. What stands out among the most notable features with the brand’s reel is the amount of options you have. The options that this reel gives you make for greater inter-changeability and usefulness.

Many of the fly reel products are swappable, and meet all of the standard fittings from one fly rod to the next. For example, if you happen to have a fly rod from Abel and wish to switch reels from the Abel Super 8 fly reel with large arbor, from the Super series to the Big Game series reel, you can easily do so. In fact, it will only be a quick switch. There are many different styles of reel available today, ranging from matte non-reflective finish to the elegant black high gloss coral. If you happen to be a little more distinctive in your style choices, this reel also comes in platinum, gold or specialty anodized finishes as well.

A truly great feature of this reel is the innovative arm. This arm moves the center of gravity slightly off the reel seat for a more balanced feel. With the Abel fly reels and its arm engaged, you would notice a considerable amount of stress reduction and a better level of comfort. The new arm is a wonderful addition to any fly fishing setup and will allow for a more relaxed cast and reel-in movement. The arm and the fly reel combo are very light and durable, making the rod an easier tool to maneuver and carry around.

It does not matter if you happen to be left handed or right handed with the Abel fly reel, as it is completely convertible to accommodate both styles for all fishermen. When you face the situation where you are a left-handed cast, and the reel is set to right hand all have to do is flip the reel around and you are set to go. You can be sure you are buying quality when you buy an Abel reel. Look for a reputable dealer near you or find an Abel Reels Deal online (there are many reputable sellers on ebaY, amazon and of course, Cabela’s and see why people are raving about this product. Abel and the fine products that they produce are sure to fill all of your fly fishing needs and will always do it in style.

Author: Mike Singh

Check out this video of a guy from Field and Stream running a test, who hooks up his Abel 10 Saltwater fly reel to a motorcycle!

Fly Fishing News and Products: From around the blogs and the internet

Find Discount Fly Fishing Gear and Closeout Fly Rod And Reel Combos
Get protective fly rod cases and travel fly rods with deep discounts.

Outdoor News: Abel Fly Reels & Project Healing Waters
The Abel Super 5N trout reel will be anodized in a deep blue finish, with a gold drag knob, and red aluminum handle to correspond with the symbolic colors of the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing logo.

Bass Pro Fly Fishing Delivers
Outcast Fish Cat Float tube less than $200? This thing is better than my home recliner!

Abel Fly Rod Reel Company
While at the Fly Fishing Show a couple of weeks ago I had the chance to stop by the Abel Fly Reels booth and spoke with Jeff.

Overlining Fly Line
I just put my 9 wt line on my 8wt rod to try it out in my backyard today and I found that I could cast almost the full length of the fly line 100/120′. I am thinking of permanently using this over-lining technique.

Fly Fishing For Carp
Fighting big Carp on a fly rod especially the first couple of runs, is similar to fighting someone standing there with a hand on the end of your rod trying to jerk it out of your hand. I have seen many bait fishers lose their rod. 

Your Number One Fly Fishing Tool
Fly rods are assigned a weight that has nothing to do with its actual weight. The given weight is the number that best illustrate a fly line that will correctly load the fly rod cast forward and backward.

Technorati Tags: 5, 8, abel fly reels, best fly reel, big, big game, fishing, fly, game, NXT, quality, reel, review, reviews, series, super, test, video

If you’re looking for a Temple Fork Outfitters fly rod, you’re in good hands. I’ve managed to track down three excellent options when buying your new or used TFO fly fishing rod.

Of course with any fly fishing rod or rod and reel combo series, there exist several choices. The first decision you need to make is the length of the pole and line weight of the Temple Fork Outfitters fly rod. For help, I have a detailed fly fishing rod & reel article that will walk you through the process.

Put together a fly rod review for you. Next, I found this little article that discusses the various parts of a fly fishing rod. Good information to know. Plus, there is a video just a little down the page with Lefty Kreh on fly casting. Fantastic!

The Temple Fork Fly Rod – A Review

In most of this line, you will find that Lefty Kreh was the designer of these nice fly fishing rods. As expected, most can be found in various lengths from 6′ 0" on up to the very popular 9′ 0" size, 2-weight up to 10-weight and in 2pc or 4pc models.

The current best selling model for this fly rod is the Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Signature 9 foot 5 weight 2 Piece Fly Rod

• For the most part, you can count on the following for these fly fishing rods
• An excellent life-time warranty
• Small draw back – usually does not come with a case
• IM6 Graphite
• Smooth progressive tapers for fast loading
• Matte black aluminum reel seats and double uplocking rings
• Over-sized stripping guides
• The finish is translucent green
• Signature One series has AA grade cork handles
• Signature series designed by Lefty Kreh

Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Professional Series Fly Rods and Combos

If you want to take a step up, conside buying a Lefty Kreh Professional Serieis in a fly fishing combo.

One of the better and well matched Temple Fork Outfits can be found at Cabela’s. It is the Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Professional Series/Cabela’s RLS Fly Combo

You can find it by quick navigation: in the Rods and Rod & Reel Combos > Temple Fork Outfitters section.

• Medium fast for fast action rod for smooth fly casting
• Available in a 2 weight to 8 weight 
• Some of these will include a rod case (others just the rod sock so look for yours or this model #: TF06906P*
• Premiun cork handles
• Paired with a Cabelas RLS Rapid Landing System Reel with large arbor design for a fast retreive
• RLS reel is light weight machined aluminum and black. Converts from left to right retrieve
• Comes with Scientific Anglers Mastery GPX fly line and Cabela’s backing (but not apparently pre-spooled)

A Review from a Cabela’s customer who bought this TFO rod reel combo:

Best Combo, December 30, 2008

"This is my second TFO rod and first Cabelas reel, and together, the two create one heck of a combo for the price. I purchased the TFO Professional 9′ 6 wt rod/reel combo for both large trout waters and bass. So far, this combo has performed flawlessly! If you are a beginner or even a professional guide, this combo is for you."

One last Temple Fork Combo is the NXT. Take a look – it’s a really great value for a combo fly rod reel set up

Parts Of A Fly Fishing Rod

Fly fishing is absolutely never complete without a fly fishing rod. A rod has several specifications and parts as well so before you decide on taking a splash for the fish you just can’t wait to get your dry fly in to, be sure you have an idea what your rod is really made of.

First, the rod blank. Although fly rods have different shapes and sizes; some are longer, heavier or more colorful than the others, the different parts of a rod doesn’t change at all. The important part of the rod is referred to the rod blank. It is the central shaft of the rod and it’s where everything, where the rest of the rod is attached. Rod blanks is also called the tip and then the heavy section is called the butt. Generally, blanks are made of graphite but there are still other materials that can be used.

Next is the reel seat. This is located at the butt of the rod. The purpose of this is for the fly reel; the rings found on this part are meant to lock the reel and the foot in place. The material used for reel seats can be either graphite or metal. Then we have the rod handle. This is located just right above the reel seat. This part of the rod also varies in different sizes and shapes. You can find different materials for this one. For more expensive rods, the usual material used on this part is made of rubber. But for the usual cases, (rods that are less expensive) cork is the more common material.

And lastly, the rod guides. These are attached to the rod blank. The purpose is to ‘guide’ the fly line through them. As always, this part of the fly fishing rod varies in shapes too. You’ll also notice that the first guide is identical to the ones found on conventional fishing rods. What they are referred to as well is stripping guides. For the rest of the rod, the wire used is thin and it’s usually addressed as snake guides. The last guide found at the tip of the rod is called the tip top.

Author: Shareen Aguilar

Watch this video. Here is the great Lefty Kreh sharing his wealth of fly fishing knowledge. Here, Lefty discusses fly casting principle number one at a conference. Most excellent. Enjoy!

Overstock And Discount Fly Rod Cases & Fly Rod Combos
I always make a quick check here when looking for sales and overstock closout fly fishing gear. They have [...]

Temple Fork Outfitters TiCr X?
In an ideal world I would have enough money to buy the Sage ZXL that I want, but the reality is that in the current economic downturn the $670 for [...]

Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Professional Series
The Finesse series is made of IM6 graphite with skillfully placed stainless steel snake guides, a cork handle and fine.

Casting for Recovery Receives Support from Temple Fork Flyrods
At the Fly Fishing Retailer show in September in Denver, CO, Rick Pope of Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO), presented TFO spokesperson and CFR volunteer Wanda Tylor with a check.

Fly Fishing Rod Help? Salmon And Trout?!
So I found this combo and was wondering if it’sa good rod to help me start fly fishing for steelhead, brown trout, brook trout and salmon. Im fishing the credit river which feeds into lake ontario. 

Picking The Right Fly Fishing Rod and Reel For Your Needs
If you tend to fish several different types of areas for many kinds of fish you may also struggle to find a single fly fishing rod and reel combo that accommodates all of your needs.

Technorati Tags: buy, casting, combo, combos, discount, fishing, fly, kreh, lefty, new, outfit, parts, review, rods, signature, temple fork outfitters fly rod, tfo, used, video

If you’re searching for Cabela’s fly rods and reels you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to give you my top Three Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo deals for beginners to intermediate level anglers.

As you undoubtedly know, Cabela’s carries their own line of fly fishing rod and reel combos in addition to just about everything else under the sun. I am an admitted Cabela’s "junkie". Not once have they let me down. However, I have been know to cheat from time to time, looking for discount Cabelas fly fishing gear. Nothing the matter with trying to save a buck – especially these days.

Don’t get me wrong, each of these three Top Cabela’s fly rods and reels are very reasonable for the price and worth every penny For more detailed information on the selection process and things to consider when buying your fly fishing rod reel combo, check out the article.

Otherwise, here we go. PS: To make thigs easy, you will see all of the Cabelas fly fishing combinations and gear here, then just look up each one as interested – under the heading fly fishing rods and rod and reel combos / Cabela’s.

Cabela’s Fly Rod And Reel Combo #1 – The Genesis Outfit This baby is loaded! You really can’t go wrong with the Genesis combo. The only minor issue some might have is that it doesn’t have a large arbor reel. However, die cast aluminum and disc drag with easy conversion from left to right retreival will definitely do the trick. Plus look at all the other "fly fishing goodies"

• Graphite composite rod with medium fast action – great for beginners
• Nice cork handle
• Double chrome snake guides (sweet)
• Included fly fishing rod and reel case
• Comes in 4wt, 5wt and 6wt with 24 flies for trout fishing
• Or, the 8wt size will come with 8 poppers for bass fishing
• You get forceps, leader straightener, fly floatant, a split shot assortment, nippers and 2 tapered leaders

Cabela’s Fly Rod And Reel Combo #2 – The Three Forks Outfit Easily paired with your choice of Ross, Prestige, Three Forks or Cahill reel, this fly fishing combo is terrific. For the beginner on a budget, take a look at the Cabela’s Three Forks / Cahill Fly Combo with Fly Line. Can’t beat it!

• Moderate action on the 7′6" 3wt and 8′ 0" 5wt models
• 2 and 4 pc rod models
• 7′ 6" up to 9′ 0" lengths and 3wt up to 8 wt line options
• Cahil reel easily converts from right to left retreive
• Ross Flystart reel has self lubricating drag system with " offset gear-to-gear disc-drag engagement"
• Moderate / fast action on all the other sizes
• Injection mold graphite for a durable rod
• Weight forward fly line (W-F) and backing
• Potential small drawback is that it doesn’t come pre spooled. No big deal for most.
• Double foot snake guides

Cabella’s Fly Rod And Reel Combo #3 – The Wind River Outfit I live in the Wind River Mountain Range, so it pains me a little to put this one in at #3. Still, it is a great rod & reel combo.

• Moderate to fast action, IM6 Graphite rod (more forgiving fly casts)
• Ready to go – just tie on the bug of your choice and get to it
• Minor draw back for some – spooled for left hand retrieval but does convert
• Nice Large Arbor reel
• Comes in your choice of 7′ 6", 8′, 8′ 6 " and 9′ lengths
• Choice of 2 piece or 4 piece fly rod
• Great for beginners

Well. I hope that bit of information will aid you in the buying process. Either way, can’t go wrong. Here’s a great article about choosing a bigginer fly fishing rig. Then, that video about reels just below. Enjoy and please send me your pictures of those fish you caught.

Best wishes and happy fly fishing

Bradley Marlow

Beginners Fly Fishing Tip: Choosing Your First Fly Fishing Outfit

To get the proper start in fly fishing you need to start with a balenced fly fishing outfit. The fly rod, fly reel and fly line need to be matched to the type of fly fishing that you will be doing. Choosing your first fly rod and reel is very important. You need to have a balanced fly-fishing outfit, for example the fly rod and fly line need to be the same weight, #5 weight fly rod and a #5 weight fly line.

The weight and length of the fly rod will be printed on the rod just above the handle, it might read: 9′-5 weight or l08-5 (108 inches for a 5 weight). It depends on the coding that the rod manufacture uses. The weight of the fly line will be printed on the fly line box, a 5 weight could be shown as: WF-5-F, which would be a (Weight Forward), (#5 weight), (Floating fly line). (A Fly Fishing Tip) You can "code" mark one end of the fly line with black waterproof marking pen. For example, if you have a 5-weight line just make 5 short marks around the fly line _ _ _ _ _. If you have a weight 7 make one long line and two shorts ____ _ _ and so on.

On Weight Forward lines mark the "reel end" if the fly line so you don’t get confused which end of the line goes on the fly line backing. The weight numbers of the fly rod and fly line will go up or down depending on the type and size of flies, fish, and types of waters that the angler is fishing. The common weight range is #3 thru #12.

A 10-weight fly rod and line will cast large salt-water flies but is much too heavy for casting small trout flies. A 5-weight balanced outfit will work nicely for a #14 trout fly but will not cast a 3/0 tarpon fly. Purchase a good quality brand name fly reel to match your fly rod and line so the complete outfit is balanced. I would also suggest opting for a good quality weight forward (WF) dry fly line, it will last you for years.

Also have the sales clerk put the fly line and approximately 50 yards of 20 lb. fly line backing on the fly reel for you. Some sporting goods stores and fly shops may offer a fly-fishing starter package; rod, reel and fly line. This may be a way to go but first, shop around.

The next question, what should I pay for my starter outfit? Good question, but remember you get what you pay for, and you owe it to yourself to have the best you can afford. In the sport of fly fishing, quality equipment will reward you in the years ahead. Ask the sales clerks for information about the fly rods they carry, also ask to cast the different brands and sizes of rods.

Get other people’s opinions, be sure to look at all the popular brands, and make your decision on what feels good to you. Fly-fishing is a never-ending learning experience, so enjoy and good fishing.

Here is an excellent video from a fly fishing series, that discusses the basics of fly fishing reels, ie., Large Arbor, spool and more.

Beginners Fly Fishing Information: Fly Fishing Instruction From tying knots and proper fly casting techniques, this will teach you exactly what you need to know to get started in fly fishing.

The Fish of a Thousand Lifetimes – Steelhead Glory! Fish & Fly
"English Pete" gets lucky on the Hoh River in Washing State, USA and ends up catching what is probably the largest Steelhead ever landed on a fly. Read his incredible story inside in his own words and illustrated with pictures.

First Fly Casts On The River…Ever
I had carefully superglued the braided loop to the fly line exactly to the Hardy instructions, slipped on the plastic tube and put it in boiling water to make it shrink. Hat on, glasses to prevent me losing an eye, first cast….maybe

The North American Fly Fishing Forum
This is my first year for fly fishing and I have no idea what to get. I have my rod, reel and other line, but that is it. I would like to know what I need to have a good day on the water and not get.

Fly Fishing Will Ruin Your Life
From then on, it seems like I ve been led around by the fly rod. Every fisherman (or woman) has a creation story. It might be the one good thing that an abusive, errant father bestowed on his son before fading into the night. Fishing will make you a lonely old misanthrope whose equity includes a beater truck, a slumping trailer near a body of water, several cases of beer, a small garden out back and whole rooms overflowing with rods, reels and lines.

Fly Fishing Classic: Cabelas Order This Week
I will be putting a Cabelas order in the later this week. Any one who is interested in adding to the order and splitting the shipping cost let me know ASAP. Enjoy and good fishing.

Oregon fly fishing guide, Stan Stanton Fly fishing tips and tutorials

By Stanley Stanton Published: 1/9/2008

Technorati Tags: beginners, cabela's fly rods and reels, cabelas, case, combos, fishing, fly, fly-fishing, genesis, intermediate, outfit, picks, reel, review, reviews, rod, three forks, tips, wind river