Considering a second rod/reel

I currently own the TFO NXT in the 5/6 wt. I got it from Sierra Trading Post for $100. I love it.

Is the TFO NXT Series 2 they have for $140 a good choice for my first time Redfish or Speckled Trout fishing?
Is the Orvis Encounter 8 wt combo worth the $30 price increase over the NXT?

Thanks gents!

Hey Kurt, either one will be great. I'd just go for it with an 8 weight rod and reel.

Have fun!

One thing I would consider is the warranty. I know TFO has a lifetime warranty on all their rods. I don't believe the encounter series gets the same warranty as Orvis's other rods; although Orvis does have some solid customer service.

orvis have 25 years warranty.
You gonna use same rod after 25 years?
If you break it then you have a great reason to get a new one haha...
btw love the orvis customer service!

You can get a Cabela's RL+ Combo 9' 8wt for $169.00 . I have it in 5 wt and love it !!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabela-s-rls-fly-combo/1555116.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffly-fishing-rod-reel-combos%2F_%2FN-1102570

I can't comment on either of the two proposed reels, but one thing to consider is that in saltwater you're much more likely to need a smooth, durable drag than in fresh, where the reel functions 99% of the time as a line holder. It may be worth investing there. I'm sure both rods are fine, though.

Excellent point Glitchmo. I think Ive caught a total of two fish on the reel with my current set up.

Kurt, are you located anywhere near Dallas?

I just bought my new Xmas present & since I am now completely hooked on chasing striper on the fly and after talking to both the guys at tail waters and at TFO I went with the TFO clouser series in an 8wt with a TFO 375 large arbor reel! This is my 5th TFO rod & reel and I LOVE all of them from my 0wt all the way thru my new 8wt! I sure wish they would add me to their new products field testing team!

No sir. Down in Cypress, TX. (NW Houston)

Except the one he is considering is exempt from that 25 year warranty...

Don't buy an Orvis Encounter for the salt water. My neighbor did and the guides and hardware rusted and fell apart.

I can't comment on the TFO as I don't own one, but I do have an 8 wt Encounter. I bought it not long after I started fly fishing and I wasn't impressed. It feels like casting a broom stick to me and it doesn't come with a 25 year warranty.

And I'm not an Orvis basher. I have a 5 wt Orvis Recon and a 7' 11" 8 wt and 9' 8wt Orvis Recon and love them. The guys at the Orvis store even told me the Encounter is not a very good setup.

If you're going for a good cheap 8 wt I would recommend the Echo Base 8 wt. It actually got good marks in the Yellowstone Angler 8 wt shootuout and at $99 it's a steal. You can get a complete Base outfit for $169 or upgrade to a Ross Eddy fly reel and Rio Mainstream fly line for $219 (no tax). I bought a 3 wt Echo base and a 6 wt Echo Carbon XL from reelflyrod.com, like to fish with them, and got excellent service.

If you just want to choose between the TFO and Encounter I would stay away from the Encounter. But that's just my opinion and it's free so take it for what it's worth.

Thanks gents. j_hirn2, I'll look into the Echo. This isnt the first time Ive heard someone recommend it, so I guess I should do some research!

I have Cabelas RLS 8wt that I wan't to sell or trade for a 4wt if your interested message me. Thanks

Orvis has their 8-wt , 9-ft for $225.00 Should be a good rod for what your hunting for .

Clearwater 8-wt , 9-ft

The clearwaters are good rods for the money, but for that money I'd defnintely try out a TFO BVK too. (I have two Clearwaters 5wt & 7wt and two BVKs 6wt & 8wt)

If you have a 5 wt I'd definitely would go with an 8 weight for Texas. Like most I started with a 9' 5 weight and then picked up a 3 wt and then a 4 wt, then a 6wt and then a 7 wt before finally getting an 8 wt.

Today 90%+ of my fishing in Texas is done with the 5 or 8 wt. LOL

Of course a good 8 wt is perfect for most red fish, but that also opens you up to big carp, striper and tossing awesome big bass bugs with ease.

I have Orvis Clearwaters in 7 and 9 weight. They are very good rods and they have the 25 year warranty. The TFO BVK was rated almost the same as the Orvis Helios 2 on the Yellowstone Angler Shootout but the BVK has a reputation of breaking easily. On the TFO website it shows the BVK as very low on lifting power. The reason the BVK did so well was that it got points for being cheap and it casts a long way out there. They rated it very high for casting 100 feet. It seems to me that the guys who did the Yellowstone Shootout were rating the rods based on bone fishing and little else.

Trust me, they all break, that's fishing and the outdoors for you. If you have not broken one yet, you are not fishing enough! LOL
I've snapped an $800+ Winston and even a bamboo rod my great grandfather built (yes tears were shed on both occassions) I've also snapped the tip on one clearwater and managed to break the other one at the rod seat (Slipped and dropped it about 9' where the reel smacked a rock perfectly on the reel)

Somehow have not broken my BVK's yet. However, I think there is absolute truth to this. To get the rod that light with mid grade materials, the walls had to be made extrmelely thin. Impacts to these walls ( Like a lead eyed clouser hitting it at 50mph) very likely can leed to weaknesses that later give way under lighter than expected stress.

I have broken other TFO Rods and I must say that the warranty service with both companies was awesome. TFO was faster about a week (they are here in Texas) , Orvis was cheaper and I think they threw in a new rod tube in both cases, but took something like 3 weeks to get it done.

I have had a wide range of rods in my soon to be 47 years and of life. I have yet to have a rod break for any other reason than my own stupidity. The ones I have broken are from ceiling fans, vacuum cleaner, 2 by way of a 18 pound tom cat and 3 by way of car/truck doors and windows. For lack of a better term $!!t happens. TFO has the best warranty that I know of, and for that reason all of my rods are now TFO minus my one Tenkara rod. In my possession at the moment are 3wt BVK, 5wt Axiom, 5wt Casting for Recovery, (pro II), and a 7wt BVK.

Broke a tip on a H2, cost 30 and 8weeks to get it
Broke a TFO BVK, cost 15, they replaced it that day!
Just my experience!

I broke the tip on my clearwater 7 weight. I had it back in a week. I hope I didn't jinx myself with my BVK.