I've flyfished for almost 30 years, albeit very casually and mostly fished an ancient K-Mart 5wt or an Echo Carbon XL in 6wt for streamers...Finally replaced the 5wt with a Clearwater and was absolutely blown away. Feels as good or better than my old man's high end setups IMO. The Echo rod is great too...but my use case is pretty basic.
Well done. I have three of those and confirm they cast and fish great. I agree with all your assessments of each rod. They fill my needs pretty good. The Echo Carbon XL is a sweet rod I love. Several years of use now. The Orvis Clearwater is wonderful! My Echo lift in 3wt 7-6 is a new love. Another not mentioned but fits the budget range is the wonderful Redington Classic Trout. NOW THAT one really punches above its weight!
I have a Classic Trout 4 Wt. Really like that rod. I've always bought rods in about the $200 range. I'm considering spending a little more and getting the Orvis Recon. Friend has one and I liked it but I dunno. Part of me thinks "well if I'm gunna spend $600, may as well test out some $1000 rods and see how I like those." Seems like a dangerous path to go down though Edit: oh there is something I didn't like on the Recon - no hook keeper. I've always had one. Guess I'd get used to it.
Make sure the brand that you buy from offers replacement sections that you can purchase without sending your fly rod in. Other wise you will be without for several months if not longer.
The Greys rods are really good, they often have gone on sale too. Bought 3 different GR80’s for $199. They are made in same S. Korea factory that makes the Hardy rods (including award winning Zenith) and the higher end Douglas models like the Sky G. I also find the Fenwick Aetos on sale often, for less than $200, and I would take any of these over the Redingtons for sure. I also think the Fenwick HMG is good too. I have found that all these rods have tendency to have better components. The Maxcatch rods I have tried, the tip top guide will lose the chrome plating. Haven’t had that problem with the Orvis Clearwater or Moonshine rods.
The action of individual length & line weight rods "within each budget series" - by each different manufacturer - are going to vary with rods from other manufacturers - for example I really like my Orvis Clearwater 10ft 3wt as a euro rod, but when I wanted to buy a 10ft 5wt for my stillwater rod I decided to compare a TFO Pro-II with the Clearwater and really liked the extra backbone of the TFO after I cast both rods side by side at a local shop. The softer action Clearwater was good for my euro nymphing needs, but the TFO Pro better for my stillwater needs - both rods were at the same price point when I bought mine a couple of years ago. My point is - just because you like one manufacturer's budget rod series because of one rod - doesn't mean you shouldn't compare between rod makers if you the opportunity to do so. There is nothing like casting rods side by side to decide what fits you best. Just saying.
Douglas, and Scott are my go to rods, yes they all cast flies LOL, but when I started out I thought that till a buddy had Scott rod and he said try mine and I did a wow I found out that feel the line load and I could cast farther and with more accurate, JMO and the echo is very good rod for beginners and this JMO too if starting out but the best you can afford because I’ve found with good equipment you will enjoy fishing more and you not get discourage and quit believe me I’ve been there
Reddington 5 wt for $150. Heavier and does not cast quite as well but that rod is sturdy and fights fish well. The Reddington classic just as good if not better than the Clearwater.
I use a mojo bass st croix fly rod. It’s $180 and I really enjoy using it as a beginner. Comes with a 5 year warranty warranty. I also love the slight purple color on the rod also. If anyone has tried the rod or other at croix fly rods please reply and leave your opinion, I would appreciate to them.
My experience with broken rods replacement or repairs has been 6 months wait time from Marryat and Sage. It took Temple Fork less than one month. My experience has shown differently.
Great timing on this clip. I am down to 3 in my 9ft 5wt choice so appreciate the advice. Clearwater outfit, Echo Carbon XL with a Bravo LT reel to pair, or a Redington Field Kit Trout. Open to feedback from anyone on which way you’d go. Thanks
I was hoping you would talk about the echo lift...you kind of grazed over it and went to the echo techno......is the lift ok ? Appreciate your opinion.....
I own a 5wt-9 Echo Boost and a 3wt-10 Orvis Clear water, really can't complain, my next rod will be a 6wt-9 Orvis Recon. These rods are not as a nice as a Helios, but they're on par with my skill level!
What do you know about Allen fly rods and reels. They have the warranty and some of their rods provide additional tips. I think the reels are cast but appear to be of good quality. Finally, their prices are good, however I can't afford to to throw even small amounts of money away.
Dunno about the path, but I really like my classic trout. had it about 5 years. I have it in a 4wt. Have beat the hell out of it too. Been a great rod for the price. I did have to glue the end cap of the reel seat back on, but no big deal.
I have a lot of budget rods I. I personally think $1,000 rods are a waste of money. Today’s $200 rods are as better than flagship rods I grew up with 20 years ago. I like my reddingtons but dealing with customer see is a nightmare. I picked up an echo and am amazed by their service. 90 percent of fly fishermen can’t cast good enough to notice the advantage of a 1k rod. 90 percent of fishermen don’t fish enough for a 1k rod to make sense. Although like with anything budget you have to do a little research on the specific one you want to buy where if you pick up a rod over $500 it is pretty much guaranteed to be a great rod
Another benefit of name brand rods, even at the low end, is that they have good resale value if you decide you want to move up. Nobody wants to buy off brands used.
My next rod will be a TFO Axion II. Really light and it has some good throwing power for being really light. I got a Sage Foundation and that thing is smooth and strong as well 🤔 Idk man it's hard to tell.
They missed the mark if they are considered great performance rods but look like kids toys. If they just made them look a little better they would be called high value mid priced rods. I hate the look of most of those kit rods
Fly fishing snobs wouldn’t be caught dead with one, but I’ve tried them and they’re quite good for the money. Terrific if you’re just starting out or need a backup. The Nano in particular punches far above its weight.
Costco is bad place to go and buy fly rod! You end up with fly rod, extra microwave, rotisserie chicken, new TV and Polish sausage in food court. Total: 739.65$
@@FlyFishFood obviously not. As someone who waited months for all four $1,000 Sage rods to get back to me in warranty, 2 orvis rods where I go in and buy a section, I love just walking into Costco returns with ability to say it broke and they give me my. Money The vid showed 5 brands, I was just giving another option,
I stopped watching because you put the fly on the mark in the first 3 minutes. I want a rod designed by people who fish first, and work is necessary to keep fishing. And fish where I fish. I’m fortunate to have a fly shop in my area partnered with a manufacturer with these attitudes and the payoff is a memorable day of gear performance when the fish don’t bite. Pardon the interruption, now back to your video.
@@joerob3449I’ve never felt better in my life. But I see “reading comprehension “ is not one of your strong points, but I believe it’s the second sentence that is giving you the most trouble. It very simply means, I want equipment from companies who share my interests and are designing/developing gear to exceed those needs. Also , they are in business to keep doing what they love. This is usually found in the company’s mission statement. Hopefully, now you are not so clouded. Now I did let the video keep playing in the background and there are about 2 more items that should have been covered on budget rods/kits, but wasn’t. Your local fly shop or builder could help you there. Tight lines!
Budget rods Moonshine Rod Co. Lifetime warranty, extra tip section. Great rods. Budget schmudget, Hardy Ultralite LL 3wt 10'8" with Hardy Ultraclick reel. Awesome!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm new to fly fishing and bought an Orvis Clearwater 3wt and love it. I built my 5wt.
I've flyfished for almost 30 years, albeit very casually and mostly fished an ancient K-Mart 5wt or an Echo Carbon XL in 6wt for streamers...Finally replaced the 5wt with a Clearwater and was absolutely blown away. Feels as good or better than my old man's high end setups IMO. The Echo rod is great too...but my use case is pretty basic.
Well done. I have three of those and confirm they cast and fish great. I agree with all your assessments of each rod. They fill my needs pretty good. The Echo Carbon XL is a sweet rod I love. Several years of use now. The Orvis Clearwater is wonderful! My Echo lift in 3wt 7-6 is a new love. Another not mentioned but fits the budget range is the wonderful Redington Classic Trout. NOW THAT one really punches above its weight!
I have a Classic Trout 4 Wt. Really like that rod. I've always bought rods in about the $200 range. I'm considering spending a little more and getting the Orvis Recon. Friend has one and I liked it but I dunno. Part of me thinks "well if I'm gunna spend $600, may as well test out some $1000 rods and see how I like those." Seems like a dangerous path to go down though
Edit: oh there is something I didn't like on the Recon - no hook keeper. I've always had one. Guess I'd get used to it.
Video doesn’t start until 4:49
Buddy is just yapping away
Make sure the brand that you buy from offers replacement sections that you can purchase without sending your fly rod in. Other wise you will be without for several months if not longer.
Orvis Clearwater is $249
Yeah, we waffled on whether to include that because it's above the target I stated in the beginning but it's too good to exclude. Thanks!
Go for the Clearwater outfit and have the reel as well.
The Greys rods are really good, they often have gone on sale too. Bought 3 different GR80’s for $199. They are made in same S. Korea factory that makes the Hardy rods (including award winning Zenith) and the higher end Douglas models like the Sky G. I also find the Fenwick Aetos on sale often, for less than $200, and I would take any of these over the Redingtons for sure. I also think the Fenwick HMG is good too. I have found that all these rods have tendency to have better components. The Maxcatch rods I have tried, the tip top guide will lose the chrome plating. Haven’t had that problem with the Orvis Clearwater or Moonshine rods.
The action of individual length & line weight rods "within each budget series" - by each different manufacturer - are going to vary with rods from other manufacturers - for example I really like my Orvis Clearwater 10ft 3wt as a euro rod, but when I wanted to buy a 10ft 5wt for my stillwater rod I decided to compare a TFO Pro-II with the Clearwater and really liked the extra backbone of the TFO after I cast both rods side by side at a local shop. The softer action Clearwater was good for my euro nymphing needs, but the TFO Pro better for my stillwater needs - both rods were at the same price point when I bought mine a couple of years ago. My point is - just because you like one manufacturer's budget rod series because of one rod - doesn't mean you shouldn't compare between rod makers if you the opportunity to do so. There is nothing like casting rods side by side to decide what fits you best. Just saying.
Douglas, and Scott are my go to rods, yes they all cast flies LOL, but when I started out I thought that till a buddy had Scott rod and he said try mine and I did a wow I found out that feel the line load and I could cast farther and with more accurate, JMO and the echo is very good rod for beginners and this JMO too if starting out but the best you can afford because I’ve found with good equipment you will enjoy fishing more and you not get discourage and quit believe me I’ve been there
Great point!
@@FlyFishFood thank you
Reddington 5 wt for $150. Heavier and does not cast quite as well but that rod is sturdy and fights fish well. The Reddington classic just as good if not better than the Clearwater.
I use a mojo bass st croix fly rod. It’s $180 and I really enjoy using it as a beginner. Comes with a 5 year warranty warranty. I also love the slight purple color on the rod also. If anyone has tried the rod or other at croix fly rods please reply and leave your opinion, I would appreciate to them.
Does it cast better an expensive rod over a cheap rod if you dont have the skill to cast it well in the first place?
I’ve broken my Redington 8’ 3wt three times. Shipping and $25.00 later I got my rod back.
My experience with broken rods replacement or repairs has been 6 months wait time from Marryat and Sage. It took Temple Fork less than one month. My experience has shown differently.
I just got my first fly rod last year it was an Echo Lift fly rod I was wondering if you could do budget fly reels next?
Absolutely!
Great timing on this clip. I am down to 3 in my 9ft 5wt choice so appreciate the advice. Clearwater outfit, Echo Carbon XL with a Bravo LT reel to pair, or a Redington Field Kit Trout. Open to feedback from anyone on which way you’d go. Thanks
The Clearwater outfit is the best selling one of those you list. Just looking at numbers.... :)
I was hoping you would talk about the echo lift...you kind of grazed over it and went to the echo techno......is the lift ok ? Appreciate your opinion.....
How does TFO rods compare to the ones you reviewed?
I’m a big fan of TFO iv never had a problem with all mine!
I second the TFO comment already stated. Great quality.. I have 3. One of which i used on King Salmon in AK. Great rods.
TFO makes great rods! In hindsight, the TFO Pro III should have been on this list....
I own a 5wt-9 Echo Boost and a 3wt-10 Orvis Clear water, really can't complain, my next rod will be a 6wt-9 Orvis Recon. These rods are not as a nice as a Helios, but they're on par with my skill level!
Here to say the Douglas Era is 100% worth every penny of a $500 rod. I love mine.
What do you know about Allen fly rods and reels. They have the warranty and some of their rods provide additional tips. I think the reels are cast but appear to be of good quality. Finally, their prices are good, however I can't afford to to throw even small amounts of money away.
Echo is maybe a better quality rod overall. Better warranty too.
How do you think the path compares to the classic trout from Redington?
Dunno about the path, but I really like my classic trout. had it about 5 years. I have it in a 4wt. Have beat the hell out of it too. Been a great rod for the price. I did have to glue the end cap of the reel seat back on, but no big deal.
Path is a perfect into rod👌
The biggest risk with budget rods is quality control. If you're gonna buy one, make sure it's backed by a good warranty.
Thanks for this video, Curtis. It would be wonderful if you could produce a similar video about Euro rods.
Yep, that's on the plan!
Does your assessments hold for 10' Euro Nymphing rods?
We're working on a Euro rod video here soonish.
I have a lot of budget rods I. I personally think $1,000 rods are a waste of money. Today’s $200 rods are as better than flagship rods I grew up with 20 years ago. I like my reddingtons but dealing with customer see is a nightmare. I picked up an echo and am amazed by their service. 90 percent of fly fishermen can’t cast good enough to notice the advantage of a 1k rod. 90 percent of fishermen don’t fish enough for a 1k rod to make sense. Although like with anything budget you have to do a little research on the specific one you want to buy where if you pick up a rod over $500 it is pretty much guaranteed to be a great rod
@@joshuabennett7334 78% of statistics are made up.
Yeah my fredmeyer first ever fly rod broke on the 3rd fish
Another benefit of name brand rods, even at the low end, is that they have good resale value if you decide you want to move up. Nobody wants to buy off brands used.
Good point!
the greatest rod Redington ever put out, in my opinion, was the CPS
The Redington RS3 was really good too, of course that was back when they were made by a reputable factory.
Graphite or Bamboo?
Graphite would be our choice....
My next rod will be a TFO Axion II. Really light and it has some good throwing power for being really light. I got a Sage Foundation and that thing is smooth and strong as well 🤔 Idk man it's hard to tell.
They missed the mark if they are considered great performance rods but look like kids toys. If they just made them look a little better they would be called high value mid priced rods. I hate the look of most of those kit rods
But which one of these is your top choice in the budget range?
The Clearwater, although a bit higher than $200, would be a great choice.
Iv seen so many ppl like max catch.
Fly fishing snobs wouldn’t be caught dead with one, but I’ve tried them and they’re quite good for the money. Terrific if you’re just starting out or need a backup. The Nano in particular punches far above its weight.
Maxcatch $40, casts every bit as good as my Redington, Sage, St. Croix, Orvis. I will never buy an overpriced name brand rod again 😮
Is $100 overpriced?
1991 wants its shirt back 😅
Yes!!!!!
Orvis clearwater is hands down the best budget fly rod on the market.
Wetfly at Costco is a complete set and 240 online. Cheaper on store
Do they teach you how to use it there?
Costco is bad place to go and buy fly rod! You end up with fly rod, extra microwave, rotisserie chicken, new TV and Polish sausage in food court. Total: 739.65$
@@FlyFishFood obviously not. As someone who waited months for all four $1,000 Sage rods to get back to me in warranty, 2 orvis rods where I go in and buy a section, I love just walking into Costco returns with ability to say it broke and they give me my. Money
The vid showed 5 brands, I was just giving another option,
@@FlyFishFoodno but they have hotdogs...😅
I stopped watching because you put the fly on the mark in the first 3 minutes. I want a rod designed by people who fish first, and work is necessary to keep fishing. And fish where I fish. I’m fortunate to have a fly shop in my area partnered with a manufacturer with these attitudes and the payoff is a memorable day of gear performance when the fish don’t bite. Pardon the interruption, now back to your video.
What the heck are you babbling about lol been 6 months so hopefully your doing better now 😂😂
@@joerob3449I’ve never felt better in my life. But I see “reading comprehension “ is not one of your strong points, but I believe it’s the second sentence that is giving you the most trouble. It very simply means, I want equipment from companies who share my interests and are designing/developing gear to exceed those needs. Also , they are in business to keep doing what they love. This is usually found in the company’s mission statement. Hopefully, now you are not so clouded. Now I did let the video keep playing in the background and there are about 2 more items that should have been covered on budget rods/kits, but wasn’t. Your local fly shop or builder could help you there. Tight lines!
Lost me on the intro. Not interested.
@@vwsadventures3039 thanks for the comment. Every little bit helps.
Budget rods Moonshine Rod Co. Lifetime warranty, extra tip section. Great rods.
Budget schmudget, Hardy Ultralite LL 3wt 10'8" with Hardy Ultraclick reel. Awesome!
Have they done anything to improve the recovery speed?
@@FlyFishFood moonshine or hardy?
I just got my first fly rod last year it was an Echo Lift fly rod I was wondering if you could do budget fly reels next?
Great idea! We've also got that on the list!