Beginner fly fishing

[ReeferMac]

My youngest is 13, and he's taken an interest in fishing. Has spinning and baitcasting reels, swaps between monofilament and braided line like he knows which to use when (I remember using a spool of 8 lb test from the local fish store growing up for like 3 years in a row?)

I was thinking a "beginner" fly fishing rig would make a good Christmas present. But man, that gear gets pricey.

If he shows an interest, I'm sure a 'decent' pole will arrive for his birthday, but... do they make a "25-dollar zebco" starter kit for fly fishing? OK, maybe not literally $24.99, but you know that cheesy closed-bail rod-n-reel combo Walmart and camp stores sell by the boatload? With a couple hooks, jigs and a bobber? Do they make those for fly fishing? Is there a better way to (AFFORDABLY) get one's feet wet with fly fishing?

Thanks for the advice!

 

- K

[RED333]

If you really want to spark glow, nothing like building your own rig. Yes they are a few dollars.

https://www.mudhole.com/kits-bundles/start-up-kits/New-Turn-key-Rod-Kits

[xsubsailor]

Go to Basspro's website and look at Fly Outfits and read the reviews for each. They come with rod, reel, line, line backing and leader. They have a couple of $99 dollar rigs that would serve your needs of him getting his feet wet. Normally, the people working that department know a little about the subject so they would be able to help you with things like what weight rig to get depending on what kind of fishing he will be doing. They also put them on sale frequently so you might want to wait until their Xmas sale but as I said, "read the reviews" Believe it or not but that's about the best place to get a descent quality rig for a reasonable price.  

 It's an addiction. First the fishing, then the fly tying. It's not a cheap hobby if you dive in too deep.

Edited November 27, 2020 by xsubsailor

[ReeferMac]

3 hours ago, xsubsailor said:

 It's an addiction. First the fishing, then the fly tying. It's not a cheap hobby if you dive in too deep.

LMAO - oh, I know... last year he got a table-top bandsaw for Christmas. Why? He wanted to start making his own crank baits!!!!

Thanks for the tips!

[MacGyver]

I’ve got an Orvis 5-weight and a 9-weight that I’ve had since I was a teenager.  There’s no telling how many fish those rods have caught in the streams and in the surf.

There are some great makers these days - more so than the late 80’s when I was getting into the sport.

But, I always have a soft spot for Orvis rods.

Temple Fork Outfitters puts together some decent kits for a beginner that won’t break the bank. Probably with all the Black Friday sales you can find a good 5-weight kit that’ll serve for a bunch of years. 

[DeepSouth]

Check the BPS black Friday ad and their clearance section. Might find something, but like said they aren't cheap.

[DeepSouth]

For light weight crappie fishing I've gone to trigger spin reels. Shakespeare Crappie Hunter combo in 8, 10 and 12 foot for $10 to 15. Zebco Crappie Fighter combo in 6.5, 8, 10 and 12 foot model for $10 to 15. Southbend 14 foot spinning rods for $11. Southbend trigger spin reels for $5. 

Sellers bring them to a local auction.