On my very limited budget, I purchased a Redington Redfly 2 from Cabela's on clearance and a Redington Pursuit from ReelFlyRod.com. I already had the Orvis Clearwater floating line and backing, so my rig was complete and I was ready to go.
On a side note, let me make this recommendation... If you can, buy locally! If you can't, go to ReelFlyRod.com. Todd, the owner, is great! He carries a great selection, including Redington. His customer service is top notch, and there some great options available when purchasing a reel. I opted to pass on having Todd spool my reel, deciding to use my Clearwater line instead. Probably should have gotten the line, as my Clearwater is already sinking at the tip with an unweighted woolly bugger tied on.
So why did I go with Redington? Simple... Best value on the market, hands down. The stuff is great quality, at very affordable prices. I picked up the Pursuit 4/5/6 reel. This is a great reel, with a sealed adjustable drag system and larger arbor, it matched my Redfly 2 5wt perfectly. My only regret is not getting the Surge reel instead. The Surge is all metal, while the Pursuit is a combination of graphite composite and aluminum. If function, it works very well, but I still prefer all metal construction. Eventually, this will become my smallmouth bass rig. I hope to pick up the Redington Drift reel to go with a Classic Trout 4wt rod.
Lesson learned: try before you buy, if possible.
I mentioned earlier the importance of finding a local shop... Here in WNY, I go to Oak Orchard Fly Shop. Outstanding service, great people, killer local fly selection... What more could you ask for? Nick, the manager, is always willing to share his knowledge of the local waters, recommend fly patterns that work, and even tell a story or two. Most of the flies in my flyboxes are from his shop.
Streamers and poppers:
Dry flies:
Sparse collection, I know, but why go out and buy a ton of flies I may never use? Another reason to find a local shop... You buy the flies you need, when you need them. Some may disagree, but when operating on a limited budget, this is the best way to get most out of your fly investment.
So I guess that's all I have to share regarding equipment (for now). I'm hoping to pick up a new rain coat and waders soon!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
No comments:
Post a Comment