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Best Fly Fishing Combo for Beginners
Fly fishing can be an excellent experience for anglers, but it requires a lot of patience and skill, as well as a good fly fishing combo to get you started. As the name implies, a fly fishing combo is a bundle that combines essential fly fishing gear like a reel, rod, fly line, line backing and other accessories.
With so many different fly rod combos available on the market, it can be difficult for the novice angler to pick out the right one. This article will provide you, the beginner, with information on choosing a good quality rod, reel and, line combo.
Benefits of a Fly Fishing Combo When You’re Just Starting
There are several benefits to buying a combo when you’re a beginner angler.
- It’s cost-effective: Buying anything in bulk leads to massive savings as opposed to purchasing the items separately, and the same can be said of fly fishing combos. On average, we have found that you can save as much as 20% or more off the original price when buying the components individually.
- It provides optimal action: The best part about fly rod combos is that they’re designed to optimize the action between the rod, reel, and line, as each component is dependent on each other taking the guesswork out of trying to match individual components that compliment each other. It’s really hard to beat the utility and convenience of a combo
- It’s easy to use: Fly fishing combos are really great for beginners because you’ll find that each set comes with the reel already spooled, with a well-balanced action between rod and reel, so that the rod doesn’t feel too flexible or rigid when you hold it. This means that you can just start using the rod as soon as you open the package. No need to ask or wait for someone to balance or spool it for you.
- It’s convenient: Due to the fact that a fly fishing combo comes with the gear already optimized for use, you can start working on improving your skills immediately without having to worry about the setup. Many combo rods come divided into 4 parts for convenience of portability and are easy to assemble.
What to Look for When Buying a Beginner Fly Rod Combo
Rod Types
The three types of fishing rods that you have to choose from are namely, fast action, medium, and slow action rods, and each has its pros and cons for beginners. However, seasoned anglers often recommend that new anglers go with slow action rods because they’re easier to control on the water and they make it easier for you to make accurate casts. On the other hand, medium action rods are pretty decent for beginners as well, because they’re easy to learn on and they’re the most versatile option.
Rod Length
For beginners, it is recommended to stick to an 8 ½ to 9-foot rod length when fishing for the fair sized game, or go for a smaller length if fishing for tiny fish like panfish. A 9-foot rod is a good length for general-purpose fishing unless you know for certain you will need a shorter or longer rod.
Budget
Fly fishing rod combos come in a diverse range of prices, so it’s important to start with a budget and stick to it. Try not to get too carried away once you start shopping around. For a high-end fly rod combo, you’re looking at spending about $700, while a mid-range combo with decent gear can cost you anywhere between $150 and $400. Although enticing, be aware of cheap fly rod combos. They usually contain below-par quality gear whose performance will probably frustrate you.
Real Types
Single action reels and automatic fly reels are the two types of reels to choose from; The latter is more suited to beginners, but it can be a bit too heavy for certain rod types, while the former is easy to use and is less likely to tangle in comparison.
Extras
While most combos these days come with ‘extras’ to attract more buyers, most of them are auxiliary items that you can easily buy when you need them. Do not base your purchasing decision on the extras, but rather on the quality of the essential elements, the reel, rod, and line. If you do consider some extras as an absolute necessity, then look for the combo package that has them.
Warranty
Look for a combo package with a warranty. This feature shows the manufacturer’s confidence in the product they’re selling and commitment to you, the customer.
A List of Our Favorite Beginner Fly Fishing Combos
The 9-ft slow action Graphite rod inside this Wild Water combo comes in 4 sections. It has a grip-friendly cork handle and a stainless steel hook keeper that makes it easy to store. Also included in the package are stainless steel single foot guides, Silicon Carbide stripper guides that have stainless steel frames, a machined aluminum reel seat, a fixed reel hood and a 5/6 die-cast aluminum fly reel.
This beginner fly rod combo can be used in both freshwater and saltwater conditions, and the package also comes with nine flies to start with, as well as Reference Guide with easy to follow instructions on how to put everything to use, including some beneficial fly fishing tips.
The Monofilament leader is excellent to use when fishing for trout, crappies, bluegill and small bass, and the line nipper tool will come in handy when your line or leader needs cleaning, while the retractable zinger can be attached to your vest or coat to hang items like the line nipper tool or forceps. Lastly, the combo comes with its 32-inch case that is both durable and zippered, making it easy for you to carry everything around.
Pros
- The combo is super affordable
- The rod and reel are both outstanding quality for the price
- The reel almost never gets tangled
- The 9ft slow action rod is quite flexible and easy to use
- The Rod comes with an easy to handle cork grip
- The carrying case is zippered and durable
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- The spool flange can be smoother
In addition to the rod, reel, and line, this Plusinno fly fishing combo features several lures and hooks as well as four sinkers. The fishing pole is constructed from a durable combination of fiberglass and carbon fiber materials, with hooded reel seats that are not only made from stainless steel but are corrosion resistant with a comfortable EVA fore grip. The pole boasts medium power, and its closed length design makes it easy to move around, and it has aluminum oxide guide inserts as well that make it ideal for sea and boat fishing.
While Plusinno’s combos have different rod lengths for you to choose from, it is recommended for beginners to start with their 8.86 ft rod, whose closed length is 43cm x 16.93 inch.
The reel, on the other hand, has a deep aluminum spool, an interchangeable handle that works for both left and right handed anglers and a super S-curve oscillation system that makes for great line winding
Pros
- The rod is well made and durable
- The pole is compact and highly portable and easy to store
- Versatile enough to use on boat and sea angling
- The medium action rod has nice sensitivity
- Excellent quality
- Smooth casting
- Amazing value for money
- Great customer service
- Limited warranty
Cons
- Some negative reviews pertaining to the telescopic functionality not retracting
This Piscifun combo comes with a 9-foot rod that’s divided into 4 pieces for ease of storage and portability. The color-coded alignment makes it easy to assemble, even for a beginner. The slow action power of the rod and its size makes it ideal for novice anglers. The cork handle makes it easy to grip and cast accurately.
The fly reel is a premium quality aluminum alloy and comes with a pre-spooled line and timesaving leader and a mid arbor reel with a smooth drag. Other features include 2/4 dozen of 3 different fly patterns, which you can keep in the provided fly box and convenient stainless steel line cutter. The combo also comes with accessories like a fly box with a lanyard, ¾ dozen of 3 different fly patterns and portable stainless steel line clippers, as well as a durable case to hold everything.
Pros
- This combo comes with a limited lifetime warranty
- The rod is divided into 4 parts to make for ease of carrying and assembly
- Amazing quality
- Nice design and flat back finish
- The whole combo is highly portable
- Slow action and lightweight rod
- Pre-spooled line
Cons
- There’s nothing to complain about with this combo; it’s great for beginners
If you’re looking for a ready to use combo with a pre-rigged rod and all the essentials you’ll need once on the water, then this combo is for you. It comes complete with a Crosswater Fly rod and reel, RIO Mainstream fly line, line-backing, a tapered leader, and a case to conveniently store and carry the rod and reel.
The rod offers medium action power, and it’s conveniently designed with alignment dots to make the setup even easier. The reel seat is made from anodized aluminum, and you can easily convert it from a right to a left-hand retriever depending on your preferences, and the combo is also backed by a 1-year warranty, which is a big plus.
Pros
- Good value for money
- The rod comes pre-rigged by pros so you can instantly use it from out of the box
- The reel is made from super durable anodized aluminum
- It offers smooth casting
- Convenient store and carry case for the rod and reel
- Rod is conveniently designed for ease of setup and use with alignment dots
- It comes with a 1-year warranty
Cons
- Nothing to complain about here
This combo comes with a massive 12-foot slow action rod that’s divided into 9 easy to assemble pieces. Its IM8 graphite design and its western style 10-inch cork grip make it a very sturdy and long lasting piece of equipment, which can take you from beginner to pro. Also featured in this combo are a rod sock and case in which to store the rod, plenty of line storage, a 30m spool with clear monofilament tippet, a knot tying tool, and a zinger. There’s also a handy floating fly box, which is waterproof and can hold up to 372 flies, and a highly visible 10.5-inch Tenkara line.
Pros
- The entire combo is very lightweight and easy to carry
- It comes with a well-made and high quality 12 ft slow action rod
- Good quality and highly visible Tenkara line that casts smooth
- Floating fly box with more than 300 flies!
- The western style 10-inch cork grip handles beautifully
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- The instruction manual is not very clear on how to assemble
In a Nutshell…
Apart from catching fish, enjoying a seamless angling experience is what keeps most anglers coming back for more, and there’s no better way to do so than with good quality gear that won’t let you down.
As a novice fly angler, you should start out with a fly fishing combo that comes with a superb quality rod, reel, and line. These are the essential tools that you’ll need to enjoy your fishing outings. Any extras not included with the package, but considered ‘nice to have’ can always be purchased later. For peace of mine always check for the warranty, as it shows the manufacturer’s commitment to the customer experience.
When starting your adventure into fly fishing, start out in fast currents. Faster water makes it easier for novice anglers to catch fish. The fish are usually under pressure to catch the fly before it drifts further away. Fish in slow water can be quite picky and avoid latching onto the fly.
And with that, we leave you with this quote from Arnold Gingrich:
“A trout is a moment of beauty known only to those who seek it.”