Rod Wrangling

Fishing columnist Eric Sharp says your first fly rod should cost $200 or less. Spend the rest of your money, he suggests, on two or three trips instead of a $500 rod. While it is true that “$50 to $60 today will buy rods that are better than those for which we paid $200 when carbon fiber first came on the market about 30 years ago,” you can often find some very nice used rods at your local fly shop that are superior to and lower in price than new “budget” rods. And for those that have the money, some of the more expensive rods will make your first experience that much more enjoyable.
The number one rule: Cast a rod — with a line that has a leader on it — before you buy. If it is your first rod, spend your first $100 on a lesson or two so that you know what you are casting.