The Top 5 Fly Fishing Combos for Beginners in 2022
We can speak first-hand here at Rugged Man that it can be a bit daunting to think about getting started in fly fishing.
Stories of how hard it is to learn how to cast and do it well keep a lot of talented future fly fisherman from taking the leap.
Fly fishing rod and reel specs can also be a part of that confusion for a lot of anglers. There are so many fly fishing combos available on the market today, some newer and high-tech, and some good old-fashioned outfits.
Combine these considerations with a lot of terms and names to learn and understand, it is no wonder why a lot of fisherman won’t touch this amazing art form.
Today we’re going to take a look at some common questions and considerations surrounding the world of fly fishing and explore budget friendly options to help you test the waters with confidence that you can learn to be a good fly fisherman without breaking the bank.
Let’s take a look!
What Size Fly Rod is Best for Beginners?
The typical fly rod length is 9 feet. However, for beginners, 8’6” to 9’ is a good place to start. As far as weight, we suggest a 5-weight combo to get started. This combination of length and weight will equate to perfect size fly fishing combo for beginners to stay right in the middle as they build experience and confidence.
Longer length and heavier weight is something that you may become interested in after you have learned the basics, dragged a few stream fish in, and are ready to battle bigger quarry in bigger waters.
How Do I Choose a Beginner Fly Rod?
As a beginner fly fisherman, we suggest going with combos that are put together and designed with the proper weight and length balance to take the complications out of the equation so that you can learn how to fly fish without all of the calculations that can go along with serious fly fishing.
Reel weight, rod weight, rod action, line weight, and arbor size are all things to be considered once you have experience.
However, to get started, perhaps it is a good idea to make sure you are going to want to pursue this fine sport before getting into such minute details. Start with the basics and work your way up just like anything worthwhile.
If you are planning to travel or move around a lot in tight areas, consider one of the 4-piece models on our list today.
Most models do break down into 4 pieces, but confirm this before purchasing to make sure if that is important to you.
4-piece combos break down easy and small, and you will certainly appreciate that when it’s time to get on the move crawling over rocks or hiking in through a thicket.
Sage, Winston, G. Loomis, and Orvis are all high-end brands. Some of them offer beginners outfits, which is what we are suggesting today. However, there are other brands that will suit beginners just as well and you may be able to save a little money.
You may outgrow your more inexpensive choice, but at least you’ll know for sure whether you want to get that deep into the sport. You can always pass down your outgrown beginners outfit to a loved one who wants to get their feet wet.
What Does a Beginner Fly Fisherman Need?
The beauty of keeping it simple with a beginner’s fly fishing combo is that all you need is the combo and some flies! That is what’s important for us to convey in this article today. We’re trying to get you out on the water and in the game in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Some of the choices on our list today are sold in kits where everything you need is in a one stop shop location in a ready-made outfit. All of the others on our list will only require that you simply invest in some basic flies, which we know you’re going to do anyway, as that is part of the fun of fly fishing.
Ok! So now that we have uncovered some of the seemingly deep dark scary secrets to getting started in fly fishing and have shown you just how easy it can be, let’s get our lines in the water and check out The Best Fly Fishing Rod & Reel for Beginners in 2022!
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The 5 Best Fly Fishing Combos for Beginners in 2022
Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9' Fly Rod Outfit
This is where quality meets price.
Since 1856, Orvis has been making warm and handsome clothing and equipment with the outdoors in mind.
Experience unmatched performance and affordability all wrapped up in one package with the Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9' Fly Rod Outfit.
This affordable 5-weight fly rod is a great choice for bigger trout water and this particular outfit is great for beginning anglers.
Built for the hardcore angler, yet priced with accessibility and frugality in mind, the Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9' Fly Rod Outfit combines state-of-the-art rod design with smooth, crisp performance, packaged with a large arbor Encounter reel, weight-forward floating line, backing, and leader.
The Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9' Fly Rod Outfit is one of the best value-priced outfit of its kind, standing up to much higher-priced rigs.
FEATURES & SPECS:
The perfect outfit for younger anglers
4-piece
Smooth, crisp performance
Packaged with a large arbor Encounter reel, weight-forward floating line, backing, and leader
Imported
The new Clearwater Rod Series is a complete overhaul from the ground up by the Vermont rod designers.
Each rod is designed with a purpose-built profile and action to handle the fishing the rod would be traditionally used for.
Designed in Vermont for anglers worldwide, the Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Outfit is one of the best fly rods you can buy for the money, but at an affordable price. This kit will help keep a lot more travel money in your pocket.
The Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Outfit is a standard for western rivers and bigger eastern water. Not only does it have the length to reach out and control drifts and the power to reach far banks, but the line weight to handle big trout and light bass.
The Orvis Clearwater 5-Weight 9ft Fly Rod Outfit arrives with the line and backing already spooled on the reel so all you have to do is tie on a fly and you are ready to fish!
FEATURES & SPECS:
Includes Orvis rod, reel, fly line, backing, leader, rod case and reel pouch
Clearwater Fly Rod
Blanks are black chrome with white accents
Quick rod identifier on the blank
Chrome snake and stripping guide with a ceramic insert
Full black nickel aluminum reel seats
Rods with fighting butts have composite tips for durability
Comes with gray rod tube
25-Year Guarantee
Designed in Vermont
Imported
Whether you're a beginner angler or you're looking for a new fly fishing rod, the Wild Water Fly Fishing Combo Starter Package w/ Freshwater Flies will get you tossin' flies in no time.
This complete fly fishing combo kit features a 4-piece fly fishing rod, a durable fly reel preinstalled with backing, a floating fly line and tapered leader, a durable waterproof fly box with common fly patterns, & other accessories.
The Wild Water company focuses exclusively on affordable, easy-to-use fly fishing starter packages for all species of fish. They offer everything you need to start fly fishing. Every component in every package is designed and tested to ensure it performs flawlessly.
Wild Water offers a library of free information and a friendly US based customer support team to answer all questions you may have about fly fishing.
This package is best suited for large trout, pike, stripers, redfish, salmon, bonefish, bass, medium to large streams, ponds, lakes and saltwater.
FEATURES & SPECS:
FLY ROD: 7/8 weight, 9', 4 Piece, medium-fast action, IM8 graphite. Has machined aluminum reel seat with double lock rings, 7” long, Western style cork handle with compressed cork accent rings, 2” extension butt, two stainless steel stripper guides with silicon carbide rings, stainless single foot guides and tip top. Each section is 28.75” long. Rod weight is 5.7 ounces.
ROD CASE: 32” hard tube rod case with, reel pouch and side storage pouch with zipper. The case will hold rod, reel, fly box and all the accessories. Case has a carry strap and hang ring. Rod Bag: 4-section cloth rod bag with ties. Fly rod is placed in the bag before storing in the tube for the best protection.
FLY REEL: 95mm diameter spool, die cast aluminum, adjustable disc drag. Comes preinstalled with chartreuse, WF8-F, weight forward 8, floating fly line, 30# orange backing and 9’ 0X tapered monofilament leader. All Wild Water fly reels are easily changed from left to right hand retrieve. Reel will come in left hand retrieve.
FLY BOX: Waterproof & Floats, 5.25" x 3.5" x 1.25", holds up to 372 flies.
FLIES: 5 flies total; size 10, black wooly bugger (qty.2); size 2, red and white deceiver (qty. 2); size 2, green deer hair frog popper (qty. 1)
SPARE LEADER: 9’ 0X tapered monofilament leader, qty. 1
ACCESSORIES: retractable reel (qty. 1), line nipper with nail knot tying tool and hook eye cleaner (qty. 1) and printed instruction manual.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Wild Water has English speaking, USA customer service and product support. We design our own products. We fly fish with our own products. We are always happy to answer any questions about your order. We can answer any technical questions about your product or fix any issue you may from our USA headquarters.
The all new Redington Minnow Crosswater Fly Fishing Combo Kit Outfit was designed and tuned to meet the needs of younger anglers.
With its shorter rod length and a medium action, the Redington Minnow Crosswater Fly Fishing Combo Kit Outfit allows for easy casting and enjoyable days on the water.
Far Bank is an integrated manufacturer and distributor of fly fishing products, including fishing rods, fly reels, fly lines, leaders, tippets and performance outdoor apparel.
Search Amazon for a complete list of Redington, Rio, and Sage products to outfit your favorite fly fisher.
FEATURES & SPECS:
8’ Rod
5-Weight
4 piece
Easy casting medium action
Shorter rod length makes it easy for young anglers to handle
Alignment dots for easy rod setup
Combo Includes: Minnow rod, Crosswater reel pre-spooled with Rio mainstream wf fly line, and cordura rod tube
Limited 1 year Warranty
When it comes to gently testing the waters without breaking the bank, the Zebco Martin Caddis Creek Fly Fishing Combo is about as good as it gets.
The idea that you can get started in fly fishing with a combo that rings in at about $30, and from a classic name like Zebco, is kind of a steal.
Get in the game with the Zebco Martin Caddis Creek Fly Fishing Combo. This durable fly fishing combo features a single-action reel, plus 9' rod that's great for panfish and trout.
FEATURES & SPECS:
Martin 5/6 rin-control fly reel
9' length
2-piece rod
Metal click drag with on/off control
Durable aluminum frame
Changeable right- or left-hand retrieve
Durable fiberglass rod
Push-button release
“Choosing to become a fly-fisher, or at least committing to being a fly-only angler, makes me feel like I’m washing away the grime from my fishing tackle to reveal the beauty of what lies beneath.”
— Fennel Hudson
See? That wasn’t so bad after all.
We hope that today’s article helped you in taking the very first step in exploring the downright fun that fly fishing has to offer the curious angler.
One thing that nobody can say about fly fishing is that it is boring, far from it. Fly fishing keeps you active all day long and makes a true cat and mouse game out of angling. It is also an art form, a craft.
There are plenty of streams, rivers and lakes that are cut off to any other type of fishing than fly fishing. This is your opportunity to explore these waterways see what they have to offer.
So, grab one of these combos or kits and get out there and get those lines popping. Do anything you can to spend quality time in the great outdoors.
Keep your lines tight, enjoy honing the craft, and remain Rugged!
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