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3. Fly fishing newby needs advise!!!

Hi

PLease excuse my utter ignorance at the sport of fly fishing but I have just had a lesson in casting as my mate wants me to go fly fishing with him. This was my very first experience and I think it is going to take over from course fishing!

Anyway cut to the chase:

I want to buy a rod and reel but don't want anything I am going to have to throw in the bin in 12 months.

I am not rolling in money so I want an all rounder (I know that's a tall order!) and was thinking of a Grey's Platinum XD Rod size 7 and an Orvis Battenkill Large Arbour reel.

Would this be a good choice and what size of orvis battenkill would suit the rod??

I believe that the gear mentioned is good quality stuff and will last.

Please reply with constructive comments but please don't baffle me with science as I am extremely green to fly fishing.

Thanks in advance

Clive J... UK

Clive-

Firstly, you'll need to forgive my ignorance of UK fishing terms. Doing a bit of internet research has led me to the conclusion that "course fishing" in the UK would likely be for be for carp. You don't mention what you will be flyfishing for. Is it still carp? If so, my suspicion is that a 7 weight rod might be too light. On the other hand, if your quarry will be trout in rivers, a 7 weight rod would likely be heavier than ideal.

Basically, what I'm getting at is, you will probably need to be more specific as to where you will be fishing (rivers or lakes), and the kind and size of fish you will be pursuing, in order to get any useful advise.

As far as a Grays Platinum XD Rods are concerned, I have no specific knowledge, but assume it to be a quality rod, in that they seem to be made by (or associated with) Hardy reels.

As far as Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor reel is concerned, I actually have one on a 9 weight flyrod I use for salmon and steelhead, and can enthusiastically recommend it.

I can highly recommend the Battenkill reel, too. I don't know anything about the Grey's rod.

The best piece of advice you can be given about rod & reel selection is to buy it in a fly shop where you can try it out first. See how the reel feels on the rod and ask if they'll let you test-cast it in a lawn or parking lot outside their store. Most of the people who work in fly shops are pretty good at setting customers up with good rods and reels.

Just tell them what you'll be fishing for and they can generally help you through the rest.

Geez, Clive, that is a tall order! I agree with Roger--it's hard to offer much in the way of useful recommendations without some sense of the fly fishing you intend to pursue. Today, fly fishing extends from tiny brooks to the open ocean. I hope that's not the kind of "all-rounder" you're looking for, because an outfit with that kind of range doesn't exist. Let me take a wild stab at a few suggestions.

If you are looking for an all-round stream trout outfit, I'd recommend a 4- or 5- weight rod between 8'-9'. (The 8' rod would favor smaller waters and the 9' rod would be better on larger waters. An 8 1/2' rod would be something of a compromise between the two.)

If your trout fishing is likely to include reservoir fishing (as I suspect it might), you probably want to consider a 5- to 6-weight rod of 9'. If you intend to include salmon in the mix, then a 6- or 7-weight 9' rod is probably better; but you're starting to compromise the trout fishing performance and pleasure (and it might still be a little light for large salmon).

Trying to extend the all-round concept much beyond this (at least in terms of size of fish or size of waters) becomes unrealistic, and I wouldn't recommend it.

The rod model you mention is not a familiar one on this side of the pond, so the only advice I can offer is to avoid a very stiff, fast-action model. The tempo of such rods can be unforgiving (even unpleasant), and their advantages (primarily line speed and distance) are not great enough to warrant the extra cost. I'd recommend a more moderate action unless your fishing is skewed more toward the reservoir/salmon end of the spectrum.

I think that all of the Orvis Battenkill reels are especially fine reels for the money. (As they're made on your side, the prices might be even more favorable over there.) Personally, I'm most fond of the regular arbor Battenkill Bar Stock reels for trout fishing. But I'm a bit of a traditionalist with regard to my trout gear--a trait I share with many of your Brit brothers. Just recognize that the gain in retrieve rate achieved by a large arbor reel is almost always accompanied by a gain in weight and a loss of backing yardage. (The increased weight is more of a concern with a lighter/shorter trout rod, and the reduced backing is only an issue with long-running fish like salmon.) Each reel model has a recommended range of line weights. Use this information to match your reel to the selected rod and line.

With such scant information upon which to base recommendations, I have no idea if I've answered your questions satisfactorily. Don't hesitate to respond with more specific information if you have it. Advice is free, and we're full of it over here! :)

Best wishes,
Gonzo

PS--Of course, Jason is right about seeking the advice and assistance of a reputable shop. If they don't seem interested in letting you do all of the things he suggests, you might consider thanking them politely and trying another shop. I do find that going to a shop armed with a bit of basic information helps to make you more comfortable and less like a babe-in-the-woods. Hope we've given you a starting place.

if course (coarse?) fishing is what that lot used to do at Highgate Ponds in London, then yes, you're in for a treat!

having just been through this, i second Troutnut's advice about going to a fly fishing shop. get your mate to tell you which streams he thinks he'll take you to because it matters; the fly shop guy can take it from there.

the word you need to describe the feel of the rod is "action." a fast action is stiff and a slow action very soft. somewhere in the middle to the stiffer side might be a good place to start. i'm told that stiffer rods are easier for beginners to actually fish with. it was sure true in my case.

good luck--and tight lines!

Fly fishing can be done anywhere in rivers, ponds, and sea. It is a fun challenging sports which is enjoyed by everyone. It is an artificial method to catch fish. As a beginner of fly fishing you just need to spend more time on casting to improve your techniques. Fly rod, reel, Waders and other specialized equipment's are used in fly fishing.