# Thinkin' About Taking Up Fly Fishing - Which Combo?



## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

Well I've been watching too much of the Walker's Cay Chronicles on the Hell's Bay website and now, even more so than before, I kind of want to take up fly fishing.

I'm a "beginner" (I've fly fished in freshwater ponds and stuff but that was a LONG time ago) and will probably only break out the fly rod on occasion and seasonally. Therefore, I don't want to spend very much, if I actually break down and get one.

Here are the two I'm considering:

Redington - http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_90948_175001003_175000000_175001000_175-1-3#reviews

TFO - http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_96767_175001003_175000000_175001000_175-1-3

I'm looking for something that can handle good sized snook and reds. Maybe even small tarpon...

Help would be appreciated! And tips, too!


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

I'll let you borrow my series one to learn with. It's a great starter rod, and when you make the leap to getting your own you can skip this weird stage where you are not sure about it, lol.


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## beyondhelp (Nov 6, 2008)

^ this is a fantastic offer. I have been taking free casting lessons for 6 or 7 months. I have a Redington 9wt 2 piece (the redfly2 combo) and I really like it. But, I just got my dad a TFO Lefty Kreh series IM6 and really really like the way it feels. I'm already considering replacing the Redington even though I've not caught anything on it yet. I completely agree with everyone's recommendation to try before you buy. (Hard to do if you don't have any casting experience) Once you learn to feel what the rod is doing you'll know what you like and dislike.


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## Michael (Jul 22, 2009)

I suggest casting the TFO Ticr at your local fly shop. I love mine and the warranty is the best in the biz!


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

When I wanted to get into it, I picked up one of those $100 White River combo's from BPS.

I've caught snook, tarpon, peacock bass, largemouth bass, mayan cichlid, tilapia, mangrove snapper, pesky baracudas on it and it help up great.
The only thing that didn't hold up was the fly line. 

I'm still using the white river fly rod, but with a hobbs creek reel now.
Feels pretty good, only tried it out on big pea's though.


I'm looking into buying a new combo.
I want a TFO rod, and I don't know what reel yet. 
My next combo will be a 9wt instead of 8 though.
For reds, bones, snook, juve tarpon.


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## Michael (Jul 22, 2009)

I've got a Tibor Riptide on my 10wt and love it. For an 8 or 9 wt I use the Abel 3n (an oldie but goodie) For your application the Tibor Everglades might be the ticket. I've seen Cabelas mark them down on sale. Ebay can also hold a bargain or two if you are patient. The 3n is one of my all time favorite reels. I have 3 of them.


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## cal1320 (Jun 6, 2007)

I have the Pro and the TICR X in 8 wt. The pro is a very capable rod. I would check your local fly shop and see what they have. If funds are tight you might consider BPS for this.http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...0200355_175001003_175000000_175001000_175-1-3
The Pro rod alone is $160. This gives you everything else (Reel, line, leader)for another $20. It's good enough to get you started.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> I've got a Tibor Riptide on my 10wt and love it. For an 8 or 9 wt I use the Abel 3n (an oldie but goodie) For your application the Tibor Everglades might be the ticket. I've seen Cabelas mark them down on sale. Ebay can also hold a bargain or two if you are patient. The 3n is one of my all time favorite reels. I have 3 of them.



I would love a Tibor Everglades. I just can't spend that money right now.
Trying to save up for a new skiff. 
I probably won't need it till spring or summer anyway when the redfish fishing heats up.
So I should have it by then.


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## aaronshore (Aug 24, 2007)

The Tibor Back Country wide CL will stop bonefish and is a few hundred less. I know from experience....LOL


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## Alonzo_Sotillo (Oct 9, 2009)

Aside from the Tibor.. Look at Colton reels they make an awesome reel with an incredible amount of drag power! And never needs maintenance, also cost a lot less than a Tibor since Colton is factory direct.. www.coltonfly.com they make rods as well!


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## Green_Hornet (Nov 1, 2008)

You didn't say what size you were looking at so I will add that for what you said you might be targeting an 8wt is a popular size for all those fish. That said, I have the TFO in 4wt and love it. I have it set up for freshwater work. If you think you might use yours for both fresh and saltwater I would lean towards a 6wt. Not too heavy in the ponds and a blast in the river on trout and jacks for sure.


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## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

Got me a great deal on a TFO rod and Hobbs Creek reel with line and backing in 8wt. Gonna try 'er out in ML Saturday. I'll post pics when I can .

Thanks all!


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## Green_Hornet (Nov 1, 2008)

That should do the trick!
Welcome to the Dark Side


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## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

Here she is:


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Hey Murphy, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I highly highly suggest you go exchange that reel for something better.

I have a witness (forum member HilRod) where I hooked a snook that was at the very least 30 inches in a freshwater canal, and when it went for the first initial run, about 3 to 4 seconds into it, the spool decided it wanted to jump off the reel, and it landed in the canal.

While I had a beast freshie snook on the end of my line.
I handed my rod to Frank to hold the fish off while I tried to fish the spool out which was already into the backing.
I somehow managed to shimmy it up the ledge carefully with the line till I grabbed it and put it back on to continue fighting the fish.
To only have it fray right through my 20lb flouro tippet minutes after. 

I went to Bass Pro with Frank and exchanged it for a Reddington reel which was only $20 more, and has a better drag, and best part about it, it doesn't have the quick release spool that quickly releases itself into a canal when a big fish is on.


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## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

> Hey Murphy, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I highly highly suggest you go exchange that reel for something better.
> 
> I have a witness (forum member HilRod) where I hooked a snook that was at the very least 30 inches in a freshwater canal, and when it went for the first initial run, about 3 to 4 seconds into it, the spool decided it wanted to jump off the reel, and it landed in the canal.
> 
> ...


It came as an outfit . I'd have to return the whole thing which would make it cost WAY more. I'll see how it does. Hopefully it holds up!

Thanks for the heads up, though!


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> > Hey Murphy, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I highly highly suggest you go exchange that reel for something better.
> >
> > I have a witness (forum member HilRod) where I hooked a snook that was at the very least 30 inches in a freshwater canal, and when it went for the first initial run, about 3 to 4 seconds into it, the spool decided it wanted to jump off the reel, and it landed in the canal.
> >
> ...



That really doesn't matter.
Just take it in and say its not working right.

I bought my rod in an outfit and the tip snapped.
I just took it over and they just told me to get a new one off the rod rack that wasn't part of a kit. 

But that's fine, I'm just trying to look out for you.
Before you lose a fish that you really work hard for over something so silly as a $40 reel.


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## rkmurphy (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks, man.

So you think if I brought it back, they would let me swap out JUST the reel for a different model?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

This thread is so much fun to read... 
My first combo was a Shakespeare.
As were the next 5. All destroyed, all my fault.
At 30 bucks per combo no big deal.
My last cheapo was destroyed by a 15 lb plus permit
that hit a white clouser intended for a school of blue runner.
I'd never seen side plates explode off a reel before.
and the spool attempted to fit through the first three eyes of the rod
while rotating at a speed approaching mach.
After the detonation occured, I was picking plastic bits
out of the bilge for a month. Start cheap RK.
It's not "if"you're going to break things, it's how many!


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> This thread is so much fun to read...
> My first combo was a Shakespeare.
> As were the next 5. All destroyed, all my fault.
> At 30 bucks per combo no big deal.
> ...



That's fine if you don't mind losing a fish that you work so hard for over 20 dollar difference in a reel.

I know the reel I have now, the spool will not fly off. 

The hobbs creek reel is fine if it's going to be used for bass only.
I used mine on bass and big peacock bass and it did great.
But once a real fish got a hold of it, it was a complete different ball game. 

And I'm not saying not to start off cheap.
I have started off cheap, and broken about 6 fly rods.
But none ever broke because a fish was too much for it.
It was always boneheaded things that I did that broke a rod tip, snapped a rod in half (don't ask).

Murphy has a bad ass skiff, and will be putting the rod to the test with real fish in saltwater.
Not pond hopping for bass.
I'm not saying to go out and get a $300 reel.
There's just a few reels that are a bit more money and will be far better. 

BPS has a Loomis reel for $100.
It's a $60 difference. 
Capt. Jerry Appling at BPS said he will never own a reel with that quick release spool for that same reason. 
He doesn't trust it from flying off when a fish takes a lot of drag out. 

For now, I got the Reddington reel that was only $20 more, and the spool doesn't come off.
It has a disc drag, and feels much better quality.

For starters, it will be good.
But always remember, it's better to buy once, than have to buy multiple times.
You'll end up spending the same money in the long run, or more.

You probably could have done better with a cheap $50 combo from Sports Authority if you wanted something cheap to break.
I'm sure you spent over $100, you might as well get something that can handle a fish. 

Take it for what it is, my opinion.
It's worth nothing.
I'm just speaking from my experiences.
Maybe for you, that Hobbs Creek will work wonders.
But for me, it didn't.

That was my biggest freshwater snook, maybe even the biggest snook I would have caught, and I lost it.
Also the biggest fish I would have landed on fly.
If I wouldn't have had to worry about fishing the spool out of the canal, I could have worked harder and landing the fish without it slowly fraying through my 20lb tippet.
It all was happening so fast, but still felt like forever.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

;D


> I have started off cheap, and broken about 6 fly rods.





> My first combo was a Shakespeare.
> As were the next 5. All destroyed, all my fault


 ;D

Not bad Str8, same number as I destroyed.
It took that many before I knew what I was doing.
Stepped on rods, stepped on reels, back cast that hit an outrigger
second hand too high on the rod when fighting a fish,
cast that stopped suddenly due to a tree behind me.
It took 6 outfits, mixed and matched depending on which parts survived.
After that permit detonated the reel, then was the time for a worthwhile setup.
Before that, I was spending most of my time making rookie mistakes.
The outfit purchased after the permit has lasted over 18 years.
But those first 6 were nothing but rookie fodder, part of the cost of learning.


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

My first rod was a Shakespear also! Maybe a 6-8wt with a plastic reel. Built a whole rose garden for my Ma to pay for it. Good fun. Caught tons of fish with it too. Bought at Sears for $40 some 15 years ago. Doesn't even compair to what I am using now, but still felt like a lot of the starter rods today.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

> Maybe a 6-8wt with a plastic reel


Yep, those were the ones.
No drags, no backing, just fly line direct to the arbor.
No taper line with a small instruction booklet
and a pack of 5 or 6 cheap flies.
I had a rock pile southeast of Ceasars Creek
that had a resident population of lookdowns, blue runners
barjack, grey snapper and an occasional  mackerel,
in crystal clear water about 10 foot deep.
Ideal for learning how to cast and retrieve flies.
Majority of the fish were less than 2 lbs.
So finger drag and palming the spool were easy to figure out.
Being able to see the interest of the fish taught the proper action
to impart to the fly. The constant action kept my interest.
That I think, is the most important part, finding a place
to learn that even a klutz like me can still catch fish.
By the time that permit showed up, that last combo had been
around almost a year. I'd even taken a few peanut dolphin on it.
So I was ready to move up to a quality setup.
I can still see that permit coming up from under the blue runners
and inhaling that clouser. I was so shocked that all I did was stand
and watch the disaster unfold. Still makes me grin all these years later.
It's not the catching that's important, it's the surprises that stick in your memory.
Those are what last through the years.


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## kbuch312 (Feb 17, 2007)

For anyone interested, the Tioga reels by Teton, are great quality for reasonable price.
The size 10 was good enough for a 75 lb. tarpon a few years back.
Check them out.

kevin


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