by Mike Wilson, January 01, 2004

I love to fly fish but I refuse to spend large amounts of money in order to pursue my passion. I know people who would think nothing of buying a $500 fly rod, $200 reel and then drop $400 on a fishing guide. Not me!!!! I strive to get the performance I need from my gear but at a much lower price. Fly fishing should not be so cost prohibitive that it excludes people based purely on their disposable income.

In this article, I hope to expose you to some low cost but high performance fly rods that will last you for much of your fly fishing career. I also plan to give you a general overview of fly rod types, materials and function so let’s get started.

The world of fly fishing is in a good news/bad news situation right now. The high end rods and reels cost more then they ever have. However, the performance gap between the $500 high end rods and the $100 beginner rod is closing rapidly and we fly fisherman who are on a budget are the ones benefiting! While the high end rods have hit their performance peak until the next evolution in rod design surfaces, the lower end rod companies are putting out higher quality rods at better prices every year. The end result is that many of the entry level rods of today are equivalent to mid range rods 5 years ago. They caught fish then and they will catch fish now. You just don’t have to pay as much!!

Understanding Fly Rods: Fly rods come in many shapes and sizes. Understanding what each rod is designed to do and its strengths and weaknesses is very helpful to any fly fisherman. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a unique set of needs that fisherman in other parts of the United States do not. Our rivers tend to be large as do our lakes. Wind is almost always present and our fish are big and strong. This means we need to choose a rod that deals with all of these issues well. I like to recommend new anglers to purchase a 5 or 6wt rod in either a 8’6" or 9’ length. A 5 or 6 wt rod is a great trout rod and does well on both lakes and rivers. The longer length rods create more energy for casting and allow you to lift more line off the water. This combination of line wt. and length result in a rod that can handle wind, big fish and cast a longer distance when the need arises. By comparison, a person fishing back in the New England area would choose a 3 or 4 wt. rod in shorter lengths such as a 6 1/2 foot rod because their streams tend to be very dense with foliage and the trout tend to be around 12 inches or less. Different tools for different needs.

Common Rod Materials: Today, fly rods tend to come in either graphite, bamboo, fiberglass or a hybrid of graphite and fiberglass. Other materials such as Boron may be added to some rods but this is not very common so we will not discuss it at this time.

Fiberglass rods are more common in older rods although they are still made today and are regaining some popularity. Fiberglass is flexible and offers the fisherman a better feel for the fish during the initial strike and during the fight. It also is very durable and can take a certain amount of abuse before it breaks. The downside to a fiberglass rod is that the rod is bigger in diameter then a graphite rod of a similar line weight, it doesn’t generate as much power as a graphite rod and it weighs more. Ten years ago I would have recommended that a beginner find a fiberglass rod because graphite was so expensive but that has changed in recent years.

Graphite rods are the most common rod you will see on the water and in the stores today. It is lighter, stronger and generates more power then fiberglass does. The downside to graphite rods is that they break easier and traditionally have been more expensive. In my opinion, graphite generates the most energy with the least amount of effort of any of the rod materials and makes an excellent rod choice for a beginner.

Bamboo rods is where it all began. They are made out of bamboo strips and glued together. A high quality bamboo rod can be a true work of art and offers the ultimate in sensitivity for fighting fish. The downside to bamboo is that it is very fragile and requires some maintenance to keep it in good working order. Many new fly fisherman are given an old bamboo rod from somebody’s attic to get started and end up giving up in frustration. In most cases the rod was in need of repair or was too far gone to be used for successful fishing. I don’t recommend bamboo rods for beginners because of these characteristics.

Graphite Pricing: Earlier I mentioned that the price of graphite has fallen dramatically in recent years. I suppose that I should clarify this and say that the price of entry level graphite rods has come down considerably in recent years. The high end rods have continued to climb out of sight. Since we are only concerned about low cost, high quality rods we won’t venture into the high end rod market right away. In later articles I will discuss ways to obtain high end rods for considerably less then what you would pay buying one off the shelf.

So what makes up a good entry level rod? I feel that such things as rod action, craftsmanship and warranty are important. It may sound like an oxymoron to talk about cheap fly rods and quality in the same sentence but you will be surprised at some of the hidden gems on the market these days. Here are some of my favorite rods at different price levels.

$25-50 Lots of rods in this category and also lots of junk. Beware of what you buy and shop selectively. Try to avoid plastic reel seats and watch for rods that flop around like a wet noodle when you wiggle them. I recently just completed a survey of the rods in this price range and here are some of my favorites. They are listed in no particular order.

Pflueger Purist- Not a bad rod. A little soft so it would not be a good rod for big fish but would make a decent rod for learning how to cast. I did not like the plastic reel seat and hardware but for being one of the cheapest rods I surveyed, it wasn’t bad. I would suggest checking out the Pflueger Supreme as a better alternative and a significant leap in quality for about $25 more.

Crystal River Cahill- A nice rod for the money. A step up in quality from the Pflueger with nice guide wraps and good action. These rods are very popular with anglers and are available in complete starter packages or sold by themselves.

Okuma Sierra- A minor step up from the Pfluegar rod. Still retains the plastic reel seat but a little better quality. Again, the difference between a so-so rod and a really nice rod can be as little as $5 so really research your rods before you decide to buy.

Shakespeare Intrepid- A decent rod for the money. Good guide wraps, okay reel seat and good action. A real close call between this rod and the Crystal River Cahill for my second favorite rod.

W. W. Griggs- These rods are head and shoulders above everyone else in this price range. Real wooden reel seats, black metal hardware, customized cork grip, excellent wrap job and nice guides. Highly recommended. I purchased a 4 piece travel rod for myself I was so impressed by them. Your biggest challenge may be finding them. I bought mine at the Sportsmen’s Warehouse in Spokane.

$50-150: You have a lot more options in this price range. Rods tend to be of better quality graphite, better quality guides and better craftsmanship. Here are some of my favorites.

Cortland CL series- Every now and then a company comes out with a rod that performs better then its price suggests. The W.W. Griggs was an example of that in the above group. In this group you have four really strong contenders. The Cortland CL is one of these. This rod casts very well, features good craftsmanship, a nice reel seat, a shaped cork handle and a great backbone for fighting fish. This is a rod that can compete with rods almost twice its price. It retails for about $150. Cortland does offer some less expensive, entry level rods for about $90 but I haven’t had a chance to test them yet.

St. Croix Pro and Imperial Series- St. Croix was one of the first companies to really go against the grain of the fly fishing industry and offer high quality rods with good warranties for 1/3 to ½ the price of the big names. Their rods offer excellent construction, good back bones, excellent fit and finish and a life time replacement warranty should you break the rod for any reason. That says a lot to me about their commitment to their customers. Their entry level rod begins at about $90. Their Imperial Series rods offer better performance, fit and finish yet still retail for less then $150. Excellent rods.

Reddington Rods- Another company in the same vein as St. Croix. Excellent product at a reduced price with 90% of the features of the big name fly rods. This is a favorite brand with many fly fisherman who are looking for a second rod and they have a tremendous reputation. Their entry level rod retails for under $100.

Fenwick- Fenwick used to dominate the fly rod market in the 70’s. Somewhere along the way they missed the jump to graphite and found themselves left behind by the market. They struggled to regain their top dog status but newer companies like Sage, Loomis and Orvis captured the market share they once owned. Since then Fenwick has been reduced to the minor leagues. In recent years they have released a new line of rods that is a significant improvement over the rods from their dark years but they still haven’t emerged completely from their struggles. Their rods offer good performance for a reasonable price but the market is full of other rods that are the equal in performance. Take them for a test drive and see what you think.

Orvis- Silver Label- Orvis is a company that even most non fly fisherman will recognize. They have built their reputation on providing excellent gear and outstanding service. Their Silver Label rods are one of the best buys in the fly fishing market place today.

There are a lot of rods out there today but these are the ones that I have tried and have been impressed with. The key to selecting a fly rod is to find one that is well balanced and doesn’t cause excessive fatigue from casting. If you are new to the sport, take a fly fishing buddy with you when you go shopping for your rod. They can help point out the positives and negatives of each rod. The fly rod is probably the most important piece of equipment you will own during your fly fishing career so make sure you get the best rod you can comfortably afford when you are shopping.

Next issue we will discuss low cost, high performance fly reels followed by a field test of the W.W. Griggs fly rod I recommend in this article. Now get out from in front of the computer and go fishing!!

Mike