Help with first time rod and reel set up

I am planning a trip to Colorado (was going in April now postponed due to virus) and will be doing some trout fishing while I am there. If I like it I will be doing it a few times a year. The rod and reel set up will be just for trout fishing as I still love bass fishing with traditional set ups and baits. I have been researching rods and reels and have come up with two set ups that should work pretty good. The Orvis Clearwater 9’ 5weight rod with the Orvis hydros 3-5 reel for combo price of $313 or the Redington Classic trout 9’ 5 weight rod with the Redington rise 5/6 reel for $263. Both combos get good reviews on the rods and reels. I would like y’all’s advice on a good beginners set up. If you think a different rod or reel would be better let me know cause I want to make this trip a great experience.

Assuming shipping isn't a problem, you might look up the Maxcatch Farglory. Their reels are cheap and decent as well. I've fished many years with an 8wt. and a 5 wt., but the Farglory 4 wt. has interior sections that can be added or removed. So it can be a 9.5 ft to 11 ft. 11 ft is for Euro nymphing. I've found, at 9.5, it throws a yarn indicator with small flies really well. Not do as well with dry flies, but it's decent.

Either one will work just fine. I'd recommend the Redington and use the money you save to get some really good flyline because that's where you'll really notice a difference.

I agree with FWB. Both outfits will probably be fine. I haven't cast either, but both rods are listed as med action, which might help with the learning curve on casting. 5 wt reels for trout are just line holders IMO, so use the savings on a decent fly line. I'm in Arlington. You are welcome to cast my rods to get a feel. Most of my rods are Sage fast action, but it might help in your decision.

Thank y’all for the information I really appreciate it. BoPro thank you for the offer but it looks like I asked a day late and now we are sheltering in place.

Thanks everyone I ordered the Redington setup with rio gold line.

I don't think you will have any regrets over your choice. Good choice in line too.

Larry

Good deal. That'll work. Rio Gold is an nice line for throwing dries, and droppers.

Do you just use 20lbs braid for the backer or do you use Dacron? I am going to get fluorocarbon and mono leader with the same material for a tippet. Should I get a size stronger leader than the tippet to hopefully only loose the tippet and flies and not the leader?

Dacron is fine, and due to its' larger diameter will fill the spool with less line, but still give you plenty of backing. And I would answer yes to your second question.

Larry

Thanks Canoeman.

One last question should get me started. Do you use fluorocarbon leader and tippet for sub surface presentations and mono for top water or do you just use mono for all presentations?

I've never felt that fluorocarbon offered me any advantage over mono.

Larry

Sounds good to me. Flouro is expensive.

I would stay with mono leader. It looks like you have a good setup. Good luck on your trip and let us know how you do.

A normal 9 ft tapered mono leader will work fine. I might switch out the tippet to flouro if I'm nypmhing in super clear water, but honestly I've never noticed a difference. 4-6x mono tippet is probably all you will need for CO.

Thanks y’all. I am going to order 4 and 6 mono leader and 4 and 6 mono tippets.

Whoa cowboy. Hold off on leaders and tippet until you get to your destination. Go to a local fly shop and buy these items:

1) license
2) leaders/tippet
3) flies

Why? Because the fly shop wants you to catch fish so you will come back. So, they will sell you exactly what you need. And, this is very important, their stock of leaders and tippet are fresh. Fly shops turn over their inventory very quickly and their merchandise hasn't been hanging on the pegboard for lord knows how long. This isn't as important with flouro (although to me it is) but is really important with the slim diameter mono stuff. Over time mono get brittle. You don't want last year's stock....get fresh. And flies, they will tell you what's working while you're there. Don't buy this stuff online, get it local.

When the fly shop tells you the type of fishing you should do (wet vs dry), do it. If they tell you flouro for nymphing, bite the bullet and buy flouro. Don't blow a trip trying to save fifteen bucks.

99.9% of the time I fish dry flies. Just my preference. I use 7.5' mono leaders with 18"-20" of flouro tippet. The mono leader floats and, even though the flouro tippet sinks, its short enough that it doesn't sink your fly. Where I fish, with dry flys, you wont' catch fish with anything bigger than 6x. If you are nymphing, 2x or 3x is about as big as you would want to go. Again, let the fly shop tell you what to do.

What ever you do, post pictures! Good luck!

^^^^ Local shops know best and are glad to help you out.

Thank s for the info didja getny that makes sense for the most part. I will still buy some online so I can practice casting while we are sheltering at home. I hope the fishing is so good I have a tone of pictures to post but I will be thrilled just to catch a couple.

Where in Colorado are you planning to go?

Larry

I am going up by Estes Park. I have a friend that lives on the river up there but he doesn’t fly fish. I received my rod, reel and line today. Called the fly shop in broken bow to see about getting backing, leader, tippets and flies but they don’t do orders online or by phone.

Tailwaters in Dallas will do that for you. Call and make an appointment. They'd love the business.

But also, yes, hold off on buying a bunch of flies until you're up there. The shops up there know better than we could hope to. It is tricky right now though, for obvious reasons.

Went to bass pro today and got what I needed to start practicing my casting. I had enough points so I didn’t cost me anything and I will get some more leaders, flies, lndicators and what ever they think I will need when I get to go up there.

I already lost 1 fly by snapping my line and two indicators. I cut the hook off the fly before the bend because I was pretty sure I would loose it.

Been to the lmf a couple of times now. I haven’t used the redington set up I got yet. I bought a syndicate p2 10ft. 3 weight setup a little while after I got the redington. After I ordered the redington I was still doing a lot of research on fly fishing and the more I learned the more I new euro nymph fishing was the way I wanted to fish. I like the syndicate rod a lot but I can’t recommend it because I haven’t fished any other rods to compare it to. I have landed a little over 50% of the fish that I have hooked but I believe that is do to my inexperience. I have not had much trouble casting and hitting we’re I am aiming. The more I use the syndicate the better I get at being able to tell what my baits are doing. It takes some practice to get use to the little bh jigs compared to bass fishing lures. The rod feels light weight and is very sensitive. I haven’t caught any big fish yet but I don’t think the rod will have any problems as long as I don’t try and horse it in. We are already starting to plan another trip up to the lmf so maybe it won’t be long before I get a big trout on and I can give my syndicate rod a workout.