# Beginner Outfit



## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

Either would be fine to learn with, but my opinion is the 8 will give you more versatility in the salt where the 6 is a bit of a specialty tool in that realm. Lessons are an excellent idea and can save you the headache of unlearning any bad habits you may pick up on your own. You might even see if it's possible to take lessons before you commit to your first rod.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Start with an 8wt...you'll have more reach on windy days.

What are you looking to spend?


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

100% agree that a lesson or 2 will help you avoid forming bad habits. Can only learn so much on YouTube. An in person instruction is always best. 8wt will get the most use.


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## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Don’t have a hard number in mind—likely under $200, but the cheaper the better. I wouldn’t dismiss a $100 combo. I understand you get what you pay for, but starting out I will throw it a handful of times at flood tides and low tide reds. I figure if I get hooked, I will invest in some quality gear once I am a little less of a novice.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Take a lesson before buying a rod and get a feel for what you characteristics you like, then buy a rod similar to them.
Don't overlook a higher quality used set up over a less expensive new one.

As said above, another vote for the 8wt here.


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## RG Air (Nov 10, 2015)

spend the money... take care of it.... sell it at a discount fairly quickly if you don't like it


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## Greg Allison (Mar 13, 2018)

8wt will be your best option, it will have more rods/combos to choose from. It will not be as easy to learn to cast on. I think getting a quality casting rod will make a bigger difference. And there are some options that are surprisingly nice casting in that budget range. 
On a side note when looking at kits make sure you get a proper line. Most kits come with a coldwater fly line, of some of the lower end stuff comes with a level fly line (not easy to cast). It will be tough to cast when it is hot outside. Cabales, and the Scientific Anglers frequency are good budget lines.


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## Greg Allison (Mar 13, 2018)

And check out LLBean they have some decent priced beginner combos


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## tx8er (Jun 3, 2016)

I don’t have a recommendation for any combo but can tell you DO NOT get the Orvis Encounter combo. It will not handle the salt and Orvis has a separate crappy warranty for the Encounter which they will disallow for any trace of saltwater usage.


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## prinjm6 (May 13, 2015)

Cast a Redington predator 8wt, when clients cant cast their $800+ Super fast rods I hand them the Predator/Grande/Summer Redfish combo and casting improves dramatically and dont need 7-8 false casts to hit a fish 30-40ft from the boat.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I like my Redington Predator 6wt. Its an excellent back up to my Sage ONE.

I also like my Orvis Clearwater 5wt. The 8wt may be worth a look.

I would recommend the OP keep an eye on the used market for something in 8wt.


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

Nothing wrong with starting out with a beginner set-up, The ones you mentioned will get the job done in the right hands. Practice practice practice....


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

TFO coming out with a 5 and 8 wt. outfit called NXT Black Label. They say these rods are used by fly fishing schools around the country. Comes with reel, line, and case.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

I fish the floods quite a bit and they are often accompanied by a stiff breeze. I would suggest the 8 over the 6 because it’ll let you cast more confidently on those windy days. Also, the water on the flats can often be warm and stagnant and playing a fish with a 6 on a hot day is a good way to wear him out beyond repair. 

As for a setup, the local fly shop here in Jax (Blackfly Outfitter) runs a deal on a nice combo every year during the “Flood Tide Festival.” You’ll usually get either a TFO or Reddington rod with a Reddinton reel that includes a Rio redfish line and backing, all for $250. It’s usually a really nice and well thought out combo that you’ll be able to grow into if you like it, or sell if you don’t. As a nice perk, they give you free casting lessons if you buy a rod from them so you’re killing two birds with one $250 stone.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

@redfish5 listen to all above. Get a lesson first. That way you'll see if you like it our not. Try LL Bean, and ebay. Your going for Redfish dont get a bream rod


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

If you buy a cheap outfit and it turns out to be crappy to boot you will throw in the towel. 

My advice is to read the many threads in the fly fishing section and that will give you a good indication of which setup is quality. Then look for a used one and you will be far better off.

Then of course there is the article called Yellowstone 8wt shootout - it tests a bunch of rods with experts giving their opinions. Some good, some not.

My suggestion is an 8wt and not a Cabela's.


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## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks for all of the advice... I am in Fernandina, just north of Jax. I looked and Black Fly has a few beginner classes coming up. Has anyone been to one of these through Black Fly, or am I better off just hiring someone for 1 on 1 a couple times?


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I would participate in the Black Fly classes if I were you. That's a well known shop in the FL fly community and I would take advantage of it myself if I lived up there.


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## manny2376 (Mar 15, 2007)

Bvk 8wt paired with Rio summer redfish and reel of your choice. 

This rod/line combo can shoot lasers with minimal false cast at 30-60” with your eyes closed. BVK’s can be had relatively cheap on the used market and the Rio line is under $100. This line is also available in a two tone which will help you visualize just how much line to carry outside your guides. 

If you’re tight on cash and don’t want to overspend, I would start here. Plus, you can easily move this rod later if you don't like it or want to move up into something nicer and recoup most of not all of your investment.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

The BF casting classes would be a great place to start. Those guys are all knowledgeable and I believe they have certified casting instructors running them. 

That said, one class is probably all you’ll need to learn the fundamentals. You’ll learn the basics of the cast in the class and then it’ll be up to you to go work on getting your stroke dialed in. From there it will come down to practice time on the lawn. Casting is similar to golf in that practice is best reserved for the driving range. Once your on the water sight fishing, you’ll generally only cast when you see fish and those moment are a precious few.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Totally subjective opinion but I really like the Echo rods. More so than a lot of other more expensive ones. 

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/echo-boost-salt-8wt.68374/


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## Sethsawyer (Apr 5, 2019)

Hook up with someone who Flyfishes and use his or her awesome gear. Great fly fishing community near you first coast fly fishers they offer monthly free casting clinics as long as you are a member. Bet you could find someone who would trade bow time with you.

http://fcff.org/


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## Guest (Jul 27, 2019)

redfish5 said:


> I am looking at getting my first fly combo. Starting out, I will just be throwing at flood tide fish. I was thinking of getting a 6 wt, but is an 8 wt easier to cast for a newbie? Thinking of getting something cheaper like the crosswater/orvis encounter/cabelas etc. to start with, and after a couple years possibly upgrade to a nicer outfit in the opposite wt I start with. I plan on taking a few lessons, but curious if generally speaking an 8 is easier to learn on than a 6–or vice versa?


First of all, nothing beats a few casting lessons. You might look for a fly fishing club in your area. Members are usually more than eager to teach people new to the sport. As far as gear goes, I agree with the previous posts, go with the 8 wt. You might look on local Craigslists or in the classified section of this forum for used outfits. Some fly fishers are constantly buying the "latest/greatest" gear and selling the slightly used gear at dimes on the dollar. This might be a great way to obtain decent gear at a fraction of the original cost. I'm always leary about recommending cheaper gear for starters. The gear is limited technically and you end up upgrading soon after. Redington, St. Croix are two rod mfgs. that come to mind as decent rods. I'm partial to Ross reels. although there are many out there that are great. You Tube is still a great way to get feedback on gear, casting, etc. Good luck, have fun, welcome!


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## Guest (Jul 27, 2019)

mike_parker said:


> First of all, nothing beats a few casting lessons. You might look for a fly fishing club in your area. Members are usually more than eager to teach people new to the sport. As far as gear goes, I agree with the previous posts, go with the 8 wt. You might look on local Craigslists or in the classified section of this forum for used outfits. Some fly fishers are constantly buying the "latest/greatest" gear and selling the slightly used gear at dimes on the dollar. This might be a great way to obtain decent gear at a fraction of the original cost. I'm always leary about recommending cheaper gear for starters. The gear is limited technically and you end up upgrading soon after. Redington, St. Croix are two rod mfgs. that come to mind as decent rods. I'm partial to Ross reels. although there are many out there that are great. You Tube is still a great way to get feedback on gear, casting, etc. Good luck, have fun, welcome!


One more thought! If you start with the 8wt. and wish to go lighter or heavier, go even [6 or 10wt.]. In my opinion, there's not enough difference from one line size to the next to justify the extra expense especially when you first start out. Just my 2 cents!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

mike_parker said:


> First of all, nothing beats a few casting lessons. You might look for a fly fishing club in your area. Members are usually more than eager to teach people new to the sport. As far as gear goes, I agree with the previous posts, go with the 8 wt. You might look on local Craigslists or in the classified section of this forum for used outfits. Some fly fishers are constantly buying the "latest/greatest" gear and selling the slightly used gear at dimes on the dollar. This might be a great way to obtain decent gear at a fraction of the original cost. I'm always leary about recommending cheaper gear for starters. The gear is limited technically and you end up upgrading soon after. Redington, St. Croix are two rod mfgs. that come to mind as decent rods. I'm partial to Ross reels. although there are many out there that are great. You Tube is still a great way to get feedback on gear, casting, etc. Good luck, have fun, welcome!


This is all great advice and Jax/Fernandina certainly has a big community of fly junkies. Also, as mentioned above, the First Coast Fly Fishers club is a good group of guys that have centuries of collective knowledge. Can’t go wrong sitting in on one of their meetings and chatting with some of the guys. 

The one thing I would warn you about is spending too much of a nice reel. Ross absolutely makes a beautiful product and it’s something you’ll have for years if you make the purchase. That said, for what we do here in NFL, the rod is far more important than the reel. A fancy reel is important when you’re worried about turning strong fish (ie Tarpon) or slowing down blistering runs (ie Bonefish) but we just don’t get that much of that here in Jax. Don’t get me wrong, feisty reds pull real hard, but it’s not the type of run that requires the greatest drag system in a fancy reel. Often times you’ll be able to land a red without ever touching your reel so for me, it’s 3rd place in the list of important purchases (#1: Rod, #2: Flyline, distant #3: Reel).


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## prinjm6 (May 13, 2015)

redfish5 said:


> Thanks for all of the advice... I am in Fernandina, just north of Jax. I looked and Black Fly has a few beginner classes coming up. Has anyone been to one of these through Black Fly, or am I better off just hiring someone for 1 on 1 a couple times?


I'm a local, I'll PM you my contact info and we can meet up and I'll bring a Sage Salt and the Predator combo I mentioned prior and let you cast them.


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## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

All great advice here. Casting lessons, fishing with locals, trading bow time, eight weight rod.

Starting out, the trick to buying a rod is getting one that is good enough quality to keep you enthused but not so expensive that when you do something dumb that beginners do that you hate yourself for it. It's up to you to determine where that line is.

When I got back into flyfishing after many years away, I got a toccoa tailwater 8 weight and caught a bunch of fish with it and enjoyed it. Right up until I tried to land a surprise tarpon by myself in the middle of the night. It was good enough to land a mess of snook, bass, peacocks, jacks, etc. and cost less than 100 dollars.

If you enjoy fly fishing you will upgrade regardless of what you start with. And you will start to buy more gear because that's what fly fishers do.


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## Coffeyonthefly (Mar 20, 2019)

Redfish5 I live in Fernandina as well. I have four different 7/8 wt setups if you want to try some out. 
Feel free to reach out. 
Danny 954-214-0564


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## Zaraspook (Aug 3, 2017)

Definitely an 8wt. Take the lessons at Black Fly and try to hook up with an experienced fly caster as well. Then, get the best outfit you can afford. There are plenty of very good rods out there that are in the $200-$300 dollar range. The reel must have a decent drag and be as light as possible. Mostly you will be making casts of 20-60ft. If you are serious about this then spend $300-500 on your complete outfit at least. If you buy junk then that is what you will be fishing with, or you will end up buying a more expensive outfit and pay twice. 

Most important advise I can give you is to hook up with an experienced fly fisherman who is willing to invest some time with you. There is a fly fishing club that meets once a month at Black Creek Outfitters in Jacksonville. I would attend and make it known that you are interested in learning to fly fish. There are older guys there that probably would be interested in paying it forward to someone that was passionate about learning.


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## Brick (Mar 28, 2019)

Agree on the 8wt, suggest 9 ft with a large arbor reel and a floating line. Most of the major mfr's have a good starter set, but plan to spend $200-$250 or it'll be too cheapo to really give yourself a fair chance. Orvis Clearwater was my starter (more than a few years ago) and I still use it occasionally when the weather or my aching shoulder requires.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

I’ll throw in with the suggestion that you should take the lesson first and then with the help of your instructor, select an outfit you like. While acknowledging the desire to keep your cash outlay low, don’t hold back too much. A little nicer outfit may make the most sense in the long run as you won’t feel like you have to replace it because it is deficient. 

The next suggestion is to dedicate some time to practice before you go fishing. Its a lot easier to keep your mind on good technique when you’re not thinking about fish. Then go fishing and stay with the fly rod exclusively for at least a few trips. That’ll probably get you well hooked.


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## Jared D (Mar 17, 2018)

I am also in Fernandina. I didn't realize there were so many Pirates on board here!
I have a few you can try as well. My first saltwater fly outfit was a TFO 8 wt (rod and reel) which is just sitting in a closet at this point. I have newer rods/ reels and never really use it, but it is a fantastic outfit. I can let you borrow for a while if you want to try it out a bit before making the plunge. 
If interested, PM me and I will be happy to send you my contact.


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## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Update... went down to Black Fly and picked up a TFO NXT combo. Price was right and it was hard to pass up. Hope to link up with a couple of the local guys to get some instruction.


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## ngarcia11892 (Apr 16, 2019)

I started out on TFO pro 2s on Redington behemoths and which ever fly line you chose, I like rio stuff but its pricey. I have motives and predators and have to say I love my motives, my predators are great too but are a much faster rod. if you're looking for budget id look at the bass pro models, I used them to start but you will out grow them fairly quickly. Still use the behemoths on all 9 of my set ups, can't go wrong with them.


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

Go with the 8wt for versatility, it’ll help in the wind and for heavier patterns


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## Greg Allison (Mar 13, 2018)

good luck!


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