Fly Fishing Bargains

 

Hi Guys

Do you prefer to find fly fishing bargains at a local fly shop or online? Personally, I haven't seen many great deals at fly shops. I dislike being overcharged for anything, and in today's world, you can often find products at lower prices online. Thanks to the internet, numerous bargains are available if you want to spend a little time searching for them. 

Let’s start with the two most essential accessories for fly fishing: the fly rod and reel. You can find a good deal on a fly rod that looks, feels, and casts like the expensive Sage or Orvis Helios fly rods, which cost thousands of dollars. The two fly rods I have used for years are the Streamflex and the Redington models. These rods are reasonably priced at around $200 to $300. While that might seem pricey to some, you're still getting a rod that emulates the characteristics of high-end fly rods available today.

When it comes to fly reels, I am a strong believer in small arbor fly reels versus large arbor fly reels. I'll explain the reasoning behind this statement in another post. Two of the best bargains for small arbor fly reels is the Piscifun Sword and the Gloomis Free Spool retreive fly reel. This reel had been discontinued by Gloomis why I don't know but the quailty is outstanding. I own four of this reels in the 3/4 wt. and use all of them on my four through six weight fly rods. That should tell you how impressed I am with this one fly reel. The only place you can buy the reel in on Ebay usaully at 150 bucks or less. New this fly reel once sold for over 300 bucks. The last Gloomis fly reel I bought on Ebay was a couple of years ago. My son uses all Gloomis reels and the Piscifun on his fly rods. I’m impressed with the lightweight design, smooth drag, and overall construction, of the Piscifun fly reel not to mention its attractive color scheme. At an affordable price of $50, this reel is a fantastic bargain. I know the Gloomis is pricey but the free spool retreive and the lightness and the small arbor is what sold me. 

Overall, the fly rod and reel are typically the most expensive components of fly fishing. This is why it's essential to research the best rods and reels that fit your budget, ensuring you’re not overpaying or undervaluing your purchase.

When it comes to fly lines and leaders, you can also save money with some research. My choices for affordable fly lines and leaders are the SF fly line and the Piscifun brand, which I have been using for the past four years. I have the Piscifun and SF fly lines spooled on my 2, 3, 4, and 5-weight fly rods. I’m particularly impressed the low memory and how quickly the lines loads, allowing for a smooth presentation without tangles. Both companies, SF and Piscifun, sell their leaders in six-packs in 7.5 ft and 9 ft lengths, ranging from 2X to 7X, at an excellent price of $10!

I save on tippet line by using 2lb, 4 lb, and 6 lb fishing line spools, either fluorocarbon or monofilament, which I purchase at Walmart. I never use the tippet end of any of the leaders I buy. I am a big believer in using tippet rings and small swivels. I use tippet rings when fishing for trout and swivels when fishing for bass and bluegill with surface poppers and dry flies. The swivel is a lifesaver for eliminating twists in the tippet line. My leaders last me two to three seasons because I only replace the tippet end of the leader using the tippet ring. I go through a lot of tippet lines in one season.

There are many places to purchase flies and poppers online and at fly shops. I never pay over 90 cents for a fly, including nymphs, streamers, and dry flies. The FlyShack is my go-to shop for all things flies. I've been dealing with this company for years and even have several of their stickers on my 10-foot Pelican boat. While everything else on this site is priced a bit high for me, their fly deals attract customers, which certainly caught my attention. All of my poppers are purchased from Breambugs, which stocks top-quality products. I have been using their poppers for years. The popper is the one item I’m willing to spend more on if they produce well. For small items like nippers and forceps, I use the Orvis brand. Sure, they cost a little more, but I need both items to withstand the test of time, and they certainly deliver. There’s nothing worse than trying to cut excess line from a clinch knot with cheap nippers or dealing with flimsy forceps when removing a fly from a fish's mouth.

In today's economy, it's crucial to be mindful of the prices we pay for anything, regardless of whether you are retired, married with children, or single. I hope today’s post can help anyone considering taking up fly fishing for the first time, or even those of us who have enjoyed the sport for years. 

I have roughly 50 days left until the start of my season this year. The best days for me to fish are Tuesdays and Thursdays, certainly not on weekends, I can't wait!!