fly tackle, any suggestions?

[bream"n"bass]

hey im 15 and i absolutely love fishing. i bought a cheapo fly rod and reel a little while ago costing me about $70 from ebay and it has gotten a bit ratty so i think i would like to buy a new one and have a good crack at the whole flyfishing thing. i would love to be able to get good fish on a regular basis and would like to invest about $400-$500 in a decent set up. would anyone be able to point me in the right directions of quality but affordable gear. thanks a heap

[wessel]

My advice would be to walk in to the local shop with the best and widest selection of fly fishing gear on the shelf.

Find a salesman and show him that you have $300 cash in your wallet that you want to spend on a rod / reel / line combo.

He will show you what he has got, and you decide what you would like. Push him gently on the price tag i.e. discount for cash. If something he/she shows you falls a bit outside of the $300 total budget, then you can add some money in to the pot. Just remember, you need to know what it is you want when you walk in to the store.
Fresh or salt water, or maybe both? (Saltwater reels need to be sturdier than a freshwater only reel)
What type of fishing are you planning and where? (What weight rod? What type of action etc)

Go for the best quality line you can afford / then go for a mid ranged rod and lastly, choose the cheapest reel that will do the trick. The reel only holds the line and has nothing to do with fighting most of the fish we catch. It is not often that a fish takes you in to your backing, unless you are targeting yellow fin tuna or marlin - but then you will need a hell of a lot more than 400 bucks to start off with.

Why did I say only use $300 dollars - with the money that is left over you can now buy flies to your heart's content. A man can never have enough flies, trust me

Have fun shopping

Wessel

[flyfisho]

Hi "BnB",
I see your at landsborough, mate don't waste your time getting one of Ebay or one of the major chain shops , go to Tie n Fly at buddina at the end of point cartwright drive , Gavin's shop is the only shop in queensland that sells fly gear only , he would have to be one of the most down to earth guy youve ever met , he started me off with flyfishing and I felt no pressure at all to buy expensive gear at all , but on top of this the advice from someone that actualy exclusivley fly fishes is extremly valuble. most people and including myself go in there to buy a bit of gear and to have a chat about technique and how the local area has been fishing with regard to fly. I don't work there but Gav is a mate , its just a shame to see people give up the sport due to the wrong advice, if anyone is honest enough to point you in the right direction with some of the best advice available its Gavin
check his site out
www.tienfly.com
I agree with wessel don't be bambozled by someone with to much stock.
or you can get info fro the Sunshine coast Saltwter Flyfishers association by emailing them at
scsaltwaterflyfishers@yahoo.com.au
Mate I hope this helps

[atlantic_salmon]

hey mate, what size/weight rod are you after, what species are you going to be chasing, have a good think about what you are going to be using it for before you hand over your bucks, there is nothing worse than being talked into buying a heap of crap, dont be afraid to bore the hell out of several tackle stores, if you have any questions dont be afraid to post them here, there are a good few people here who are willing to share years worth ofexperience...

[Sniper]

Hi BnB. Have to totally agree with flyfisho. Have bought all my Fly gear from Gav at Tie n Fly. Again, no pressure and an enormous wealth of knowledge. You tell him what type of fishing you want to do, and what budget you have and he'll give you the best advice with no bull. We're lucky living here on the Sunny Coast to be spoilt with a Tackle shop that only sells fly fishing equipement here. A great bloke and isn't one of those salesman who will intimidate you or take advantage of you because of your age. An no I don't work there either. Would love to but I wouldn't take any money home each week, cause it would stay in his shop. He's also a FFF acredited casting instructor. One of only a handful in Australia, and a world class guide. So he knows his stuff. If you ever want to go for a fish, let me know. I usually have a spot free in my boat most times.

Cheers

Billyboy