Pflueger Fly Kit

Hi everyone,

I have had my eye on this starter fly rod combo

http://www.amazon.com/Pflueger-Fly-Kit-8-Feet-0-Inch/dp/B0036XE3K6

I am wondering if anyone here has tried this one out or has any recommendations on good starter fly rods.

Thanks,

I just bought a similar rod from Bass Pro Shops. I decided to try out fly fishing, and the pfleuger fly kit has worked decently well up to this point. I haven't had any big issues, but my starter reel doesn't have an adjustable drag which is kind of annoying, especially since the drag seems to be loosening. Definitely go ahead and try it if you are new and not sure if you will be serious. If you have fly fished before, it probably won't be the best rod and reel combo you've used.

Good luck!

Hi Thanks for replying to my question.

I had a feeling that the starter reel and the pre-spooled (Level) line would be something that would need replacing/upgrading. Did you replace the line or upgrade the reel?

Also what sort of line did you use? The pre-spooled level or a weight forward floating?

Even at the low low price of $39.99 if you factor in the cost of purchasing new line and a new reel plus an assortment of flies the cost to start fly fishing is more like $100 to $150 dollars.

For that kind of investment I could buy a really sweet bait casting or spinning combo.

I have stuck with the pre-spooled level fly line thus far, but that is partially because I don't have much experience fly fishing to know the different functions of each. The level line seems fine to me, it is just the reel that has started to become an issue. My package was a little different than yours, however. My friend got a similar kit, but his had a reel with an adjustable drag which is nice. I will probably upgrade soon, so it may just be worth it to but a nicer setup (mainly the reel like I said)

I think your friend must have this one:

http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/products/products.php?p=36

Which I guess is what I am looking for in a starter fly rod.

I think you can pick up another better pflueger reel rather inexpensively if you shop around. On another board I read about some guy saying they found some on ebay used for about $10.

my first fly rod was pflueger rod.8ft 6wt rod that i still use. even though i made my own fly rod using st croix and g loomis blanks. pflueger rod is really nice for price and quality. i recomend it . you probably want to get better reel after seeing if you like it or not. but i would get a 8wt or 9 wt line 1st. if your going for bass. even though my pfluger is 6wt i use 9 wt with no problem. i use rio mainstream wf9f line($40). even though i have a fly rod never went fishing for trouts just bass and stripers . if you are getting the rod let me know i ll send you a plug that i use for bass. tight lines

Make sure you know what you will be using the pole for. I find that you don't need big fly rods here in Mass because of the area. Most streams here have you with about a max of 15-20' of line out (this is after floating the line). If you intend to use it on open water like lakes, then a heavy rod like this is perfect. An 8 weight rod is large enough for some surf casting! But for rivers I would recommend you getting a smaller weight rod for more control. I am a huge fly fisherman and I have 4 different combos depending on what I am doing. Good Luck

Thanks na337 & markinsturbridge,

I think I am putting the Pflueger Medalist combo on my wish list. With that said I am somewhat concerned about the amount maintenance involved in fly fishing...unspooling the line, washing it and drying it after every trip seems like a lot of work. We'll see.

Also all the waters that I fish make fly fishing difficult. If it is not the overhanging trees, its the dog walkers, baby walkers and curious bystanders who make safe fishing frustrating.

I guess that is why all the serious fishermen have boats.

lol.. You definetely have been led down the darkside of fly fishing. I don't wipe my lines every time, unless I'm fishing in oil waters (Worcester). Fly fishing once you start is much more addictive then anything else, if for some reason you don't catch something (your fishing with bugs which is a true fish diet) then you find yourself perfecting a roll cast or something. If you are really interested I have taen many of people out to try the hobby. Feel free to send me a private message if your interested.

Thanks for offer Mark. I will set my set sights on next spring as work and life are starting to infringe on my fishing time.

Hi Markinsturbrige,

I was re-reading this thread and I have a new question...do you think a 9ft fly rod is too big for fishing in eastern mass?

The Medalist combo is what I am interested in getting but the rod is a 9 footer. I am a shore fisherman mostly so I am concerned that using a 9ft rod might be difficult to master given the terrain I fish.

I tried out an eagle claw 7ft fly rod at Dick's but that was just the rod..no reel, line, etc.

What do you think?

I think that is is great that you are trying flyfishing. I absolutely love it. Like said before, it is just a series of progressions...cast...catch...try this cast...try this type of water. There is always something to do and it is just so easy to get lost in what you are doing...it is another great way of enjoying the outdoors. It is very expensive if you want it to be. It is very cheap if you want it to be. You could spend $300 on a new casting rod or you could spend $40 on an ugly stick. Do the bass care? What I would offer for advice is to get the best rod you can afford and don't worry so much about the reel. Unless you are going after big pike or stripers or big salt water fish, you can just palm the reel. Think of the reel as a fancy doodad for holding the line. I think a good 6 wt. is a great all around rod to start with. Another option is to look on craigslist for something used fr cheap money.

Don't psyche yourself out. I was more stressed learning how to cast a baitcaster than I was learning how to cast a fly rod.

Have fun.

Charlie

Thanks for the encouragement Charliep

My Zerog is a 9', 4wt pole and I love it for lakes and decent size streams. I was also re-reading this post this am for some reason, how is your casting going? A nice little trick is remember 4 speeds, slow off the water faster as you reach your stopping point, then fast to slow on the return of your arm, this will help keep tight loops when fishing lakes...

Gear review: Scientific Anglers Fly-Fishing Starter Kits

I recently purchased a Scientific Anglers Fly-Fishing Starter Kit (Panfish) from Cabellas.com. Scientific Anglers has four different starter kits that they sell: the Panfish kit, the Trout kit, the Bass kit and the Saltwater kit.

The Panfish and Trout kits are exactly the same except for the packaging and the included starter flies. A nine foot, four-piece 5/6-weight graphite fly rod and Scientific Anglers WF-6-F fly line on a Concept 2 fly reel with a 9 foot tapered trout leader.

The freshwater Bass and the Saltwater kits are exactly the same except for the packaging and the included starter flies. A nine foot, four-piece 7/8-weight graphite fly rod with a full wells grip and Scientific Anglers WF-8-F fly line on a Concept 2 fly reel with a 9 foot tapered leader.

Here is a link to Scientific Anglers to compare the kits: http://buy.scientificanglers.com/fly-fishing-outfits.html

As of this writing Cabellas is selling the panfish kit for about 40% off which is why I purchased it.

If you are curious about fly fishing or are in the market for a new 5/6 weight ready to fish fly rod the Cabellas deal is a must buy. The preloaded concept 2 fly reel alone is worth the price of the whole combo.

The four piece rod has a good medium action to it, not too stiff but not too slow. The snake guides are metal and well finished to the rod. The cork grip is comfortable. The reel seat is plastic with metal grips for the reel foot.

I find the concept 2 reel to be remarkable: its looks and feels sturdy and it is simple and easy to use. Some may find the reel to be a little heavy but it does balance out well with the nine foot length of the rod. Unlike some other starter combos the reel has a full length weight forward fly line. Out of the box the reel is set up for a left hand retrieve. Scientific Anglers states that the reel is: "'No Tools Needed' easy-change from right- to left-hand retrieve". However, there are no instructions on how to change over from left to right hand retrieve included with the kit. I searched on-line for the instructions but they are not available.

I had some difficulty casting using the 9' tapered trout leader. I shortened the leader and was able to make better casts.

I have caught about half a dozen bluegills with this setup so it is effective at catching fish. Landing a fish with a 9' leader on a 9' rod is a challenge as the knot between the floating line and the leader tends to stick in the guides.

The included flies are species effective. You get a size 10 San Juan worm, a size 16 scud and a size 12 dry fly with a green body and white hackles ( I don't know the name of this one). The San Juan worm is a real fish catcher but it only lasted about four fish before I lost the worm part of the fly.

The DVD that came with the combo is rather dated. The first program on the disc was produced in 2001 and is more of a commercial then a how to on fly fishing. The white balance seemed off to me so most of the sunlit outdoor scenes where difficult to watch. Also the sound quality on some of the pontoon fishing segments was low.

The second program has higher production values. The while balance was good and the sound was good. In general the presentation of the subject was more focused then the first program. however there is a flaw in the menu of the second program the "Bonus pike fishing" menu item is listed before two of the main menu items even though the Bonus pike fishing segment plays at the end of the video sequence.

Since the DVD was included with the kit I can't complain...however if I had bought the DVD alone expecting it to demonstrate fly fishing basics in a meaningful way...I'd probably return it for a refund.

Don't discard the box that the kit comes with as it has a plastic handle and is useful for transporting the rod to the location you wish to fish. Just be sure to keep the box dry. Use some common sense and avoid setting up the rod and reel at the waters edge.

All in all I am very happy with this purchase and I look forward to using this setup for years to come.