Closing out the Getting Started Fly Fishing series with a Product Review of the Martin Fly Fishing Kit which comes with rod, reel, fly line, backing, and leader as well as fishing flies and an instruction booklet. It comes ready to fish - just tie on a fishing fly.
Review provides recommendations and tips to get started in fly fishing and some thoughts on what to do next after fishing with the combo
PS: Do check back on a follow-up video where I cast the combo with the level line that reel came with compared to casting with a shooting head - specifically, the OPST Commando Head!
Before you go fishing with the Martin Fly Fishing Combo, try these two modifications.
Mod 1. If you want to change reel’s left-hand retrieve to a right-hand retrieve.
Mod 2. Add a section of 30lbs mono to replace the knot used to connect the fly line to the leader with a loop to loop connection.
Works for similar single action fly reels that use a click-pawl drag aka clicker. Do check back for the next video if the Getting Started Fly Fishing – $33 Amazon Challenge… look for DIY Leader Recipe that show how we make our own fly fishing leaders instead of buying them!
That time of year when fishing questions start coming in. This one relates to getting started in fly fishing – specifically, our thoughts on budgeting for a fly rod/reel combo.
In this video, the introduction has a past video playing in the background… yours truly is casting a OPST Commando Head and no rod or reel at the local pond. It’s a quality line that makes for some nice casting especially when our back cast is clobbered.
Then, I describe a fly line that I will demo casting using a bamboo stake like the ones used to support tomato plants in a garden.
If a quality fly line can be cast using a stiff bamboo stake, then a good fly rod should easily cast the same fly line.
PS: Our suggestion has remained constant over the years… in general, we like to first purchase a quality fly line, then will buy the fly rod, and then either buy the reel last or repurpose one we already have.
That is, unless we are planning to use the new fly rod/reel combo for larger fish that require a good drag for fighting on the reel, then we will buy the reel before the rod or repurpose a rod we already have.