OK, so I'm getting too old for the motorbike, and after working I Canada last year where I did a day of guided fishing I got it into my head that I want to Fly Fish. I haven't picked up a fly rod, for 25 years. I bought a magazine in the airport last week and was totaly dumbfounded by the advance and choice in tackle.

so following advice from John today I'm going to book some casting lessons, but as there are a lot of fly fishers on this site what single combination of rod , reel , and line would you buy with a budget of say £400 ?( i'm rich - just sold a big Shimano Tiagra on e-bay ) I 'm thinking still waters trout preferably boat but also bank and want to keep it simple not become a tackle rat . Also any where 'oop t'north where i's a good place to get a deal... 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

If money is no object try the Hardy range! On a reasonable budget the Greys XF2 rods take some beating. You can get a combo deal with rod GX500 reel three lines for around £300

I have had a 100% rate fishing with the XF2 fishing mainly small well stocked lakes

If you ask ten fishermen which rod is best you will get ten answers! The best thing to do is either try before you buy or buy a decent package and sell it on if you can't get on with it.

the best advice is to go to a "good" tackle dealer in your area, a good one will not bullshi'ite you as they want you to go back to them, and meet them face to face tell them what you want to do and they will advise just some points to note though 1. expensive equipment is NOT always good equipment 2.when taking casting lessons, if the instructor is more concerned about distance get another instructor, gentle and accurate should be your motto.
Personaly I dont like wet fly fishing as you might as well be just using a spinner! wet fly fishermen bring in alot of money to the area though dry fly for wild brownies, no not the little girl type brownies, the fish type brownies would be a good goal to aim for, a good gentle on the water cast that lands exactly where you want it and temps the fish up to take the fly is the most satisfying feeling you can get when fishing or you can cast retrieve cast retrieve cast retrieve, you get the point.
By the way two of the most proliffic, ahem! fishermen? up here do not even use reels they use two rods one with a dry line tied to it and one with a wet line tied to it (on the butt) and about 6 flies for each and they can catch fish just about all day every day
At the beginning I said that going to a good dealer was the best advice it's not it's the second best advice THE best advice is to enjoy it (and use a ghilli)

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
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Thanks for the advice lads, I will book some time with an instructor before I even consider buying a rod and reel, and i think the bit about gentle and accurate rather than distance is spot on, Im more interested in plodding about in nature than flogging my right arm at around £300 for an outfit would leave me £100 towards tuition, so it's looking possible  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

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2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

My father in law has been Fly fishing for over 50 years, Martyn, only a short trip over to pendle if you ever wanted a go, I am sure he would be thrilled to take you on their resevoir for a go, it is regularly stocked with trout.

Here is my daughter practising her fly tieing!!

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

wow thats a good start!

Yes have the lessons first,

here is a great forum that will help you out..

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/

Greys are very good as previously suggested BUT you need to have ago at casting and then you can decide on the rod action you like. I prefer tip action for casting other prefer a full through action.

Enjoy JR  www.justgiving.com/toptobottomtractorrun
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Before offering advice you need to establish where you will be fishing - large reservoirs from the bank then a 9ft6in weight 7 or 8 would be about right conversely fishing a small Brook and an 8ft weight 4 would be the right tool.

As has been said get some lessons from a fully qualified instructor see here: http://www.aapgai.co.uk/

The most important thing is the rod and matching line - the reel is but a winch and unless you want "bling" can be had on e-bay or one of the fishing forums very cheaply http://www.flyforums.co.uk/.

When you are ready to buy a rod check out Chas Burns at : http://www.burnsbuiltrods.co.uk/

He has built me a couple of rods on LORHIC blanks and they are the business. You would be paying £5 -700 for an equivalent Loomis, Orvis, Sage or Hardy.

Good luck

Tenet

ps : and you all thought FL2 owners were obsessive  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

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Thats good offer from Taz, theres nothing like experience to help you and I'm sure some one would loan you some gear for the day and its more fun learning when thiers a chance of catching a fish and if you will be fishing local there is the local experience as well to help you along and as you say you have done it before all probably need is some one to stand nearby and give advice (elbow down, less power and not as tight with the wrist etc) fly fishers are generally a friendly bunch and are more than willing to help and explain things to a novice.

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
____________________________________________
55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

Thanks again for all the advice, and offers of help, and I now know where to go to sponge free flys Taz I went into Harrogate today and looked in the Orvis store, ( no intention of buying but a nice 1/2 hour playing) I was so intent on finding another shop I'd been told about that I managed to turn up a one way street head to head with a ploice van . One later I escaped without 3 points as the police lady said she was the only kind one on the shift, cynical old me thinks it was 1.50 and her shift ended at two. 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Oops indeed, or maybe she spotted your new title on the baseball hat and thought better of it

try "fly only "near shelley garden centre, oryou could have gone to the pickering game fair today,
free fly fishing on the river Holme in Huddersfield at lockwood bottom or cheap as chips fly fishing on the river at Copley, just down the road from you.
have a look at the trout in the town website and lastly have you thought about this layest trend of tenkara fishing?
there is probably a branch of the fly dressers guild near you, if not you could try our branch in sheffield/ Rotherham, they are an invaluable source of fishing contacts re tackle and water etc and lastly you could join Yorkshire game fishers or your local branch of Salmon and trout association, the south yorkshire branch has several miles of the upper Don for wild browns and grayling in various stretches from Holmfirth all the way down to Stocksbridge.
tight lines.

taztastic wrote:

Oops indeed, or maybe she spotted your new title on the baseball hat and thought better of it

 www.justgiving.com/toptobottomtractorrun
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taztastic wrote:

Oops indeed, or maybe she spotted your new title on the baseball hat and thought better of it

Well she wouldn't be worried with what's on mine

Tandemman wrote:

try "fly only "near shelley garden centre, :

top tip thanks I have Saturday breakfast at Shelley Garden Centre a couple of times a month ! I've looked them up and they do casting lessons on site on the old lodges behind the mill I'll have a wander in next time iI'm up in Emley. 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

To repeat what others have said..... Have a lesson or two before you buy anything, so you can try some different rods/rod actions. Decide what sort of fishing you will start with as this will influence length of rod and its line rating. As Tenet says for stocked lakes/resevoirs 9 to 10ft, #7 0r #8.
I have wasted money in the past by buying cheap but the vast majority of rods are produced cheaply in the far east and you can get good performance under a £100. Buy a well known brand like Hardy/Greys and you will get a warranty and the security of the name but will be paying for their marketing costs!
Like many fly fishers I started with still waters, graduated to chalk streams, then sea trout, then salmon..... Each requiring different rods, lines and reels... So it could be an expensive road you are about to start on! but an enjoyable one!
One last tip, avoid buying too many flies, you will only ever use a few..... I have hundreds of pounds worth to my cost..... Enjoy, JT
PS You are not far from Stocks Resevoir in the Forest of Bowland, I think there is a club based there and its a pretty spot Upgraded to an ex demo, 7 mth old, Rimini Red/Ebony Napoli Auto HSE on 28th Jan 2011, added roof rails, mudflaps and side strips.
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