Allen Der Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 I've been trying to get into fly fishing for nearly a decade but getting married, having kids and other hobbies have put fly fishing on the back burner. I have a few cheap combos I picked up along the way as well as a Mojo Bass rod and some others from my grandfather. I put them into a spreadsheet in hopes that someone could point me to the best rods to learn with. The ones highlighted in yellow are from my grandfather and I assume the 2,3,4 WT are for trout or panfish. I'm also looking for recommendations for a beginner lesson near the NW suburbs. Any help would be appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 Obviously, I'm not familiar with all the rods listed but the two that I am very familiar with, the TFO 6 wt. and the Fenwick 5 wt. would be excellent to start with, the slight nod going to the TFO 6wt. I would save those 2 and 3 weight rods until later on as really light weight rods can be more difficult when battling any wind. Just my opinion and I'm sure others will have different thoughts. Any decent fly shop should have competent instructors but don't hesitate to start viewing any of the hundreds of Youtube videos out there for a lot good tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjtroester Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 yeh, the tfo is a good medium action rod and woud be easier to get onto than some. timothy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 From what I’ve read and found to be the case, a slower action rod like a medium action compared to a fast or medium fast would make it easier to feel the rod load. Feeling the rod load is essential in making a good cast. I have not used any of the rods on the list but Rob and Timothy know their stuff so the TFO would probably be the way to go. I would also add that If the 5 wt RLS or Cascade are mediums also, you may want to see how they feel in your hand and see if there is a difference in how well you can feel the line load the rod. Not all medium action rods feel the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Der Posted September 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 Thank you for the responses. The Okuma is by far the cheapest outfit. I bought it for $60ish dollars on amazon a long time ago. The RLS seems to have a moderate tip but I'm no expert in fly rods The TFO seems like it could be the one. I believe it has Rio bass line on it as well. How long does fly line usually last? I would estimate it is at least 4 years old but hasn't been used in those years either. What type of flies would you throw on this rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben K. Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 Another vote for the TFO. The bass line should be fine. I would also spend some time with one of the 8 or 7 weights. The heavier line will make it easier to feel how the rod loads. It’s also nice to have some extra power for big smallmouth in faster rivers. The 6w Tfo should toss medium to light clouser minnows or wooly buggers, anything foam or buggy, and medium to smaller streamers just fine. Anything without a ton of lead or the really big articulated meaty flys would be fine. Check out some Lefty Kreh casting videos on YouTube. His concepts stuck with me, are simple, and apply well to streamer fishing and more aggressive casting. I would be happy to show you some stuff in person if you wanted to get on the water sometime. I’m up by Volo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 I agree with Ben in all regards. I would inspect the fly line carefully for any small micro cracks, then I would clean it with warm soapy water like Dawn dishwashing detergent. After wiping it down really well I would probably consider applying some floatant to the last 10 feet of line before use. If you watch enough fly casting videos, you will probably find somebody that you can relate to and find it easier to implement what they are saying or imitate their style. It's interesting that Ben found Lefty's style of casting as something that stuck with him. A good friend of mine who is an excellent caster once said that the only person who can cast like Lefty is Lefty, ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Der Posted September 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 1 hour ago, Ben K. said: Another vote for the TFO. The bass line should be fine. I would also spend some time with one of the 8 or 7 weights. The heavier line will make it easier to feel how the rod loads. It’s also nice to have some extra power for big smallmouth in faster rivers. The 6w Tfo should toss medium to light clouser minnows or wooly buggers, anything foam or buggy, and medium to smaller streamers just fine. Anything without a ton of lead or the really big articulated meaty flys would be fine. Check out some Lefty Kreh casting videos on YouTube. His concepts stuck with me, are simple, and apply well to streamer fishing and more aggressive casting. I would be happy to show you some stuff in person if you wanted to get on the water sometime. I’m up by Volo. thanks for the offer. I'll PM you and try to meet up sometime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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