Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Ry the fly guy]

I am looking for a new outfit for small trout either a 4wt or a 5wt I have a maximum budget of $400 and I am open to all brands but prefer North American made rods.
-Thanks!

[HOOK]

Amundson
Echo
Redington

Then pair it with a Pflueger, Amundson, or any other cheaper reel. Reels for 5wt and down basically just hold line and don't need to have a crazy drag


There is more options but those are the top ones I can think of at the moment

[clarkii]

Look at a st croix avid, sweet rods made in the states for less then $300.

I then suggest you pair it with an orvis battenkill or a redington drift. Both reels are around $100 and have click systems.  As it is a 4 wt a disc drag is not needed.

If you find the Avid a little much (might be once rod, reel and line get in the picture) I suggest you look at an imperial  at around $240.

Note the 4 piece models run close to the prices, take $30 off for a 2 piece.

[HOOK]

Look at a st croix avid, sweet rods made in the states for less then $300.

I then suggest you pair it with an orvis battenkill or a redington drift. Both reels are around $100 and have click systems.  As it is a 4 wt a disc drag is not needed.

If you find the Avid a little much (might be once rod, reel and line get in the picture) I suggest you look at an imperial  at around $240.

Note the 4 piece models run close to the prices, take $30 off for a 2 piece.

two major things to not cheap out on are the ROD and the LINE

buy the best rod you can afford, then a cheap line holder (reel) that isn't total crap, then choose a good fly line for your setup (don't forgot your backing)


$400 is a pretty slim budget for a fly rod setup of decent quality however that doesnt meant it isn't doable. Go check out the Dragonfly rods at Army & Navy as well. Amundson also has complete setups for sale there that are around $200

I did suggest Echo however that puts you in the rod price range of $200 + just for the rod which may be pushing it.

I used to fish an 8wt Dragonfly for years and landed many salmon on it  I also had bought one of those Amundson setups for Pinks awhile back but didn't favor the rods action so I sold it.

[clarkii]

Idk, I seem to cheap out on stuff and it works pretty good!

course I wait for sales on my lines and get them for almost half price.

Another note on the St. Croix rods, if you can find a used one they have a sweet warranty for non-original owners. http://stcroixrods.com/service-warranty/service-warranty-policies/

"cheaping out" on a rod can mean different things to different people, but there are lots of good rods on the market for under $300.  Unfortunately you want an american made rod, which makes that en devour a little tough. 

[RalphH]

Echo Carbon Rods are on sale through the weekend for less than $150 at Berry's Bait &Tackle in Richmond. The also have some Kamloops reels on sale around that price. That will leave you $100+ for a line, leader, some flies etc. There is other stuff for around that price range available so there are lots of options.

http://www.berrysbait.com/products.aspx

[dflyer]

I have a Temple Fork Outfitter 4 wt and love it.   Should be in that price range.

[RalphH]

Redington and Temple Fork set the standard for low cost quality rods. Dragon Fly Fenwick etc are worth a look as well.