# Rod/Reel for Beginner



## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

I'm tired of watching my buddy catching steelhead like crazy and decided its time for me to get a fly rod. I'v been reading older posts on here and am wondering if I should go to a local shop like Rodmakers here in strongsville and pick up a combo or if I would be better off going through cabelas and getting their three forks combo that I have seen suggested. I don't want to spend more than $100 on everything including line, reel, and rod. Also, is 8wt good? I was reading on cabelas "rod suggestor" that 7-9 is good for steelhead, but I have noticed many of you use a lighter set-up. Thanks in advance for your help! I have no idea about fly fishing so anything helps!

Also, if anybody would want to take me out to show me some tips or tricks, I would be greatly appreciative. I just graduated from OSU and don't have a job yet, so I am free to go whenever. I fish the Rocky with little luck so far with my spinning set up. Thanks everyone!


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## flyman (Aug 9, 2007)

i have 7wt 9'6" cabelas sli med-fast action and it is just rite. had a chance to compare it side by side to redington crosswater 9' 8wt and i have to say that while my rod is softer, casting is more responsive and it is easier playing a fish. previously i had redington redfly 6wt and it was a tad to weak when playing a fish and tougher to cast past 70', especially with an indicator and two flies. also if you dont plan to use flies bigger than size 4, 7wt is go to rod. medium action is a good starter, afterwards you will feel what you like better, faster or slower rod. look online for good deals, or try gander mtn store in twinsburg or painesville.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

for rod wieght, a 9 is overkill you'll be working to hard. a 7-8wt over 9ft long is great for a beginner. as far as cabelas or a local shop, I recommend always starting local, if the fly shop is a good fly shop(IMO) when you explain your situation they will give you a good explanation of what you need, and try to match it to your price range. if they cant they will help you decide what you can get from cabelas. getting a setup for $100 will be difficult for most fly shops, if you made that $200 you really open up your choices and will be able to get somthing that will last many seasons and help you learn how to cast, there are alot of great kits on the market that most fly shops carry that are $160-200
once you get one post about the first steelhead you get on it, and then we will tell you your screwed, all the spin fishing stuff is going to collect dust


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## DrewJ (Apr 2, 2009)

If you can find one at Dick's, the Scientific Angler isn't a bad buy. I have had mine a few steelhead seasons and no problems. That is until the wife was rumaging around in the garage, knocked it over onto the garage door track and the garage door ate it up. So I had to buy a new rod. It will get you started


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

a cabelas 3 forks combo comes with everything you need for 80 bux plus shipping. they work pretty good in my opinion. a 7 or 8wt is what most use for steelhead. my buddies been using a 6wt lately while his 8wt is getting repaired and it seems to handle a steelie pretty well also tho.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

last time I was there, Anglersmail in Parma had a redington combo on sale for like $110 or something. decent deal.


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## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks guys! I ended up ordering the redington crosswater 8 wt, 2 piece. I did the online chat with a cabelas guy and he suggested the redington over the cabelas brand which surprised me. I ordered it from gander mountain because they had a sale of $15 off a purchase of $75 or more and I did the in-store pick up so I didn't have to pay delivery. Total was $90 which was the best price I could find on the web. 

If anybody would wanna go out when the river levels get lower and fishable let me know!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

glad ya found what you were looking for!


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

RStock521 said:


> Thanks guys! I ended up ordering the redington crosswater 8 wt, 2 piece. I did the online chat with a cabelas guy and he suggested the redington over the cabelas brand which surprised me. I ordered it from gander mountain because they had a sale of $15 off a purchase of $75 or more and I did the in-store pick up so I didn't have to pay delivery. Total was $90 which was the best price I could find on the web.
> 
> If anybody would wanna go out when the river levels get lower and fishable let me know!


I wanna go out! haha. I've got a TFO 9' 5wt 4 piece... it's my baby <3

Also, quick heads ups on the crosswater, because it was my first combo as well: The backing is good, the stock line is craaaaaaappppp. Seriously, I wore it out in about 10 days, it never did shoot very well at all. I recommend filling it up with orvis clearwater or some rio grande if you don't mind spending as much on line as you did on your combo haha. The line will make your life so much easier... the orange junk on the crosswater only shoots like, 10' at the best.

I filled my crosswater up with the clearwater line though, and it's been working great ever since... till I got my baby  now it's my loaner rod. Hoping to introduce a few friends to fly fishing. I can't imagine a better learning platform though  it's a good setup.

Good luck with your fish!

Oh, other heads up: the drag is not all that well sealed. If you fish in sub zero temps, and get your reel wet, don't expect a good drag start-up, because the reel's gonna start freezing up on you  Happened to me. But... it was like 14F out haha.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

Clayton said:


> I wanna go out! haha. I've got a TFO 9' 5wt 4 piece... it's my baby <3
> 
> Also, quick heads ups on the crosswater, because it was my first combo as well: The backing is good, the stock line is craaaaaaappppp. Seriously, I wore it out in about 10 days, it never did shoot very well at all. I recommend filling it up with orvis clearwater or some rio grande if you don't mind spending as much on line as you did on your combo haha. The line will make your life so much easier... the orange junk on the crosswater only shoots like, 10' at the best.
> 
> ...


hey clayton how do you like your tfo? I also got a 5wt 4pc tfo pro with a orvis reel. I use it for smallies and I like mine alot! I would recomend that rod to anyone. lifetime warranty also.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Patricio said:


> last time I was there, Anglersmail in Parma had a redington combo on sale for like $110 or something. decent deal.


That place is still around?


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## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

yah, I called them to see if they had an 8 wt crosswater in stock, but no luck


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Fishaholic69 said:


> hey clayton how do you like your tfo? I also got a 5wt 4pc tfo pro with a orvis reel. I use it for smallies and I like mine alot! I would recomend that rod to anyone. lifetime warranty also.


Amen. that thing casts like a DREAM, and will throw very nice loops with a lot less effort on my part. It also won't overload on long casts, and dampens very nicely 

I love it to pieces and you'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands  I'm planning on carping with it on campus this summer... we'll see how great that warranty really is


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