That article does make my head hurt. It's one of the most ill-informed, biased, brand-centric load of junk the internet has ever seen.

Anybody that believes a rod makes a caster, or a rod will make you catch fish, has a lot to learn about fly fishing and fly casting.

I'm sorry to be so harsh but that article is so irrelevant to fly fishing it might as well fall into the "someone who types to see their words in print" category.

I appreciate all of the feedback. I am not close to the Garland BPS, so that's not going to be possible. I go to the Grapevine store a few times per month, though. I have 3 fly rods. 3,4 and 5 weight--different "speeds" and materials. I'm looking for something to cast those gigantic flies that HLS sent me. What I've discovered is that some rods respond better than others (at least to my casting style). Some rods just seem to help me cast better. I'm trying to figure out what that is. I also am quite aware that I have some real issues with my casting stroke. I really try to overpower the rod--you know a front cast that more resembles a cast with casting gear. The faster rods seem to be a little more forgiving. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to improve my casting stroke. Anyway, thanks for all of the comments.

Now, I know it is impossible for me to spend $500 on a new set up. So I need to find a rod I can actually afford.

Kelly, nice meeting you Saturday. We were trying to teach casting to a lot of people in a short time last Saturday. If at all possible, I'd suggest taking LHD up on his casting lesson offer. You will learn a lot working with an individual instructor. There are some very good rods available in the lower price ranges. I recommend taking the casting lesson before buying another rod. Then cast the rod before you buy it and base your final rod decision on which rod is most comfortable to you.

SWalker, the Grapevine store offers free casting lessons on most Saturdays. Ken Cole teaches some of those classes and he is an excellent instructor. A casting lesson really does help a whole lot. The Sage bass rods are very good rods, but they are really aimed at a specific style of fly fishing. My opinion is that for a relatively new caster, a 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod will be a more versatile rod. There are some very good fly rods available in the $200 range.

Good luck,
Rex

Thanks Robin once again. I did take LHD up for a lesson. We just have not done so yet. I appreciate all the help here, and the encouragement.

Pulp Fisher I don't know where Bonham is, so it must not be too close. Thanks for the kind words.

Rex, it was very nice meeting you too last weekend. I did take LHD up on his offer. I am not sure when I will get the other rod. I need to wait several months to do so. But I am wanting to throw some heavier bass bugs to those spring fish. So I am not sure yet what I will do. Thanks for all the advice.

Bonham TX

Oh thanks. No Bonham is not near me. I am much closer to the Louisiana border.

To everyone that is just starting fly rod casting. Keep the faith! I grew up using spinning and bait casting gear. At 40+ years of age I wanted to learn fly fishing. I was lucky that I have a friend that is good at it. The trick is to commit fully to learning. I use to take my bait caster along with my fly rod fishing. Mistake!!, because I was not committed. One day it hit me to do it right just do it, and do it all day. From that point on my casting has gotten soooooo much better. Yes, the old bait caster in me still pops out from time to time. I will rush the cast trying to get that extra 15'. At that point I always dump the cast 15' in front of me . No you do not need to spend $300+ to start. I spent $100 for a BPS "Classic" rod,$30 for a reel,$40 for line, and $20 on flies. Everything added sine is alittle at a time mostly birthady,fathers day,Christmas, and just save $10 a week for gear(I stopped drinking sodas and more that made up that $10per week). Good luck to all and always remember to ask questions here. These folks will help you as they have helped me

Kelkay,
Just going from what I read here. If you're as dedicated to learning as it seems, you'll not only get there, you may be one of the better casters sooner than you think. Don't get discouraged. You're putting a lot of heart in it already. The more you put in, the more you'll get to take out later.
Tight Loops and Lines to ya!

Thanks Deckhand and Fly for the encouragement. I sure appreciate it and sure won't turn it down... :-) I plan to go to the lake, where I usually get skunked, but it has potential, TOMORROW.

I'm from the "cheap is fine" part of this debate. Most of my rods are cheap: Pflugger rods, Tomahawk, Eagle Claw.... most are around $40. I do have 3 $100 rods too.
But in anycase, I can cast ALL my rods good enough for me to put the fly where I need it. Sure, maybe a $500 rod can add a few feet to my farthest cast, but that's rarely something I fret about. My rods are all pretty different, but I just adjust my casting strokes to suit them. So in my opinion, you dont need expensive stuff. Just practice, try to get good fundamentals.

ccabal thanks. I had a feeling that was the main thing. I am working on technique. Today I am about to head out to the lake and get some practice in. I sure hope I do better today.

Good luck Kelkay...
remember, a few more weeks of warm weather, and fishing will start getting a lot more easier!

Well I went out to the lake today, and I finally caught some fish on my fly rod! I was very excited because it was the first time I caught anything fly fishing period. To top it off it was with a fly I made. So I got twice the enjoyment out of it. I caught one bass, and two sunfish. I would of liked the challenge of a keeper bass, but this one was fun. It was about ten inches. I did a little better on my casting today. Thanks once again everyone for all the encouragement.