I Bought the CHEAPEST Fly Rod at WALMART!

[@shaneclark207]

Great Video. Excellent little fishery there at the first stream!!! Keep going with this series. Find an inexpensive kit you would recommend and help people get satisfying gear in their hands and get em on the water!

[@S1978b34o]

I taught myself on those cheap Walmart combos. I did what I could to learn the sport, that was over 20 years ago. I've upgraded since then, lol.

[@Wrangler98]

I’d feel slightly embarrassed buying that rod wearing the Orvis sweatshirt lol the sweatshirt definitely costs more than the rod combo

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I did that just for the video too… lol

[@scottinnh88]

I just bought this I’ve never fly fished always used regular tackle. Hopefully I can figure this out. I bought cheap flys to go with the ones the kit included. If they don’t work can I put a piece of worm on the hook? I’m really trying to learn to cast and get used to the gear. But I still want to hook some trout

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

@@scottinnh88 you shouldn’t need to bait the hook. If you’re fishing FFO water that would be illegal, so watch out for that.

[@Thunda2345]

The fish don’t know or care how much the rod costs

[@oldone3482]

58 years ago, Salmon River, Ct I found a fly reel with Cortland line. ( no rod ) STILL FISHING WITH IT TODAY ! OCCASIONALLY LINE WAS CLEANED / STORED INSIDE. NO MEMORY / NO COIL. CORTLAND ROCKET TAPER IS MY FAVORITE

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

That make decent line. This line however… is bad. Lol

[@luckyx16]

I cast right handed and real left handed too! By the time I hook in to a fish, I have already switched hands. I am 57, too late for me to learn differently. Great review! The rod lost my confidence the first time you said the sections came loose from one another.

[@cornbeef]

THe trouble with cheap stuff like this, is that yes it might help get people into fishing, but they're going to struggle from the off with things like casting because of the poor line or it falling apart. For a beginner, they're going to think that they're doing something wrong, when actually it's the terrible equipment putting them back. The other rod you reviewed from Amazon, although twice the price of this, was actually an ok little rod pack. It just goes to show that saving that little bit extra helps massively

[@toolman.dustin]

Thanks for making this video. The rod & reel are graphite, not plastic. I purchased this combo 3 years ago and have used it many times. Very happy with both the rod & reel. The drag on the reel is acceptable for keeping the line from backlash if you pull too fast. I don't know anything about the fly line, is it weight forward? Is it 4, 5 or 6 wt? Don't know what the leader was, 4,5,6? so I cut it off and use a 6X leader. The fly line casts well but I fish narrow steams so I don't have to cast very far. It's an 8' rod so the casting range is a little less than a 9' BUT, I've seldom been in a stream where I really needed to cast far. I would prefer the rod be 4 pieces rather than 3 pieces. It would fit better in my fishing bag without hanging out the end. I paid $49, it's now marked at $40. For $40 this is a very good rod to learn with or to carry in the event someone wants to come along. You don't have to risk your expensive rig while someone plays around for 30 minutes. The flies fell apart pretty quick, you could make them last longer by adding a tiny drop of super glue near the hook eye. I'm happy with it. Since purchasing, I've upgraded my rod, reel and line but I still carry this setup with me when I travel as a backup or if someone wants to come along and give it a try. I'll be fishing the Green River in Utah the last week of July, 2023, carrying this setup as a top water set and I now have a different rig for nymph fishing. Update: I had to use this setup on my green river trip. A friend broke the tip off my neck rig so I had to use this backup. It worked great.

[@MrRourk]

Is it double taper or weight forward line

[@toolman.dustin]

@@MrRourk it's weight forward

[@MrRourk]

@@toolman.dustin Thanks that is what I figured it was

[@epicoutdooradventures1892]

I bought my son a cheap Wal-Mart fly rod to learn with. I picked mine up on clearance for 30 dollars. Got it last Christmas and me personally have caught over 500 fish on that rod this year. And I only use it now and than. My son has caught a few dozen fish on it. My grandfather used to say. It's not the arrow it's the Indian ...... Good video.

[@epicoutdooradventures1892]

I have 2 days of over 100 fish in one day

[@PaulCapps]

Works better than I thought it would..Thanks for the video.

[@williamselfjr.3948]

Well I bought that rod during the pandemic to get into fly fishing. It got me hooked I just caught some last week on that rod. I’m currently searching for a serious upgrade though! For this year

[@rustydaley4302]

I cast right and real right as well. Learned that way when I was 6 and never changed. Never had an issue with losing fish because of that.

[@TR.Actual]

I’ve wondered about these rods - glad you took the plunge. Makes me feel better about dumping cash into fishing like I have.

[@tuloko16]

A lot of those cheap reels you can take it appart, flip the clicker spring for the drag and mount it “bakwards” and make it left handed. Most of the ones i come across have the same finish on the frame were the line runs tru.

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I always thought it was funny that my old local Walmarts sold fly gear. Not much of it, but it was there. Thing was, it was _not_ a fly fishing area. I never met, knew of, or heard about anyone ever fly fishing around there. That same stuff sat on the shelves for years. It did give me a local, cheap place to get flies for my tenkara stuff, so that was nice. The bluegill didn't care they were hot pink or neon green. Now I live in a place everyone fly fishes, but the nearest Walmart is an hour or more away, so I haven't had a chance to look.

[@str8upn0l1fe6]

This was my first combo, and your video made me want to get it to try out fly fishing. I've been hooked today and ordered my first mid grade fly outfit the orvis clearwater 6wt 9ft

[@CreekfishingME]

What are you fishing for striper and pike why did u get a 6wt

[@michaelhansen6977]

I see nothing wrong with picking the cheapest combo that looks like it may be good. Honestly I believe, a better series is the choose as it gives new fly fishers ideas of what to look for to get good gear out of cheap stuff.

[@justincristallo2081]

My first fly combo was $12 on clearance and I still have it 18 years later

[@amneux]

I fish the same way.... I'm right handed, but, my dad is left handed and he taught me how to fish the way he did it. I've always gotten crap for it too, but 30 years of fishing and never had a problem and never wanted to change.

[@leroybarron6005]

The only cheap rod good for beginners and non experts is the Martin's fly fishing kid they sell at Academy. $50 is what they're cost & the line doesn't coil. It is a 5/6 almost 9ft rod.

[@darrelbaillie7829]

Most likely a fibreglass rod. Will be heavier. I got a similar kit from Martin. Despite the cheapness, I have caught fish, and so far I have been quite 😊 happy.

[@MayheM_72]

I got my 1st fly fishing combo over 20 years ago. It was a Pflueger 8ft 3pc 5/6wt combo from Dicks, and it was probably about $25, but I still have it, and it's the only 5/6wt I have. I also have a nice Wright & McGill 3/4wt that my Dad's best friend gave me. Now that my Dad and his friend are both deceased, I will NEVER get rid of that rod, but I still reach for my cheap old Pfleuger for most of my fly fishing. I would like a couple more cheap combos to teach my sons how to fly fish, or perhaps for different lines. (Sinking, sink-tip, etc.) I'd also like an inexpensive 7/8 or 8/9 combo for saltwater fishing, since we live at the Jersey Shore. As f[r the curl in the fly line, did you try stretching it out before you fished with it? I pull my line out and stretch in the spring, getting ready for the main season.

[@bigtater29]

I'm very new to fly fishing. But I can tell that whatever you get in your hand, you find a way to make it work. You're good. But you seem to be having better luck with the Walmart combo then the Amazon combo. Do you feel it is more the product or location?

[@scottschlemmer4787]

Cheap rods can be fine but I feel cheap line isnt. My brother had an Orvis beginner rod and eventualy moved up to waaaay more expensive stuff. That cheap Orvis rod casted nicer than many that were 5x more expensive. It had punch.

[@thatsaprettygoodfish6342]

I would say you do a better job as a right-handed caster/ retriever than most of those who do it the "correct way." I wish I could be as successful with trout fishing as you are. Bass, no problem. Trout, no way. I am much better at bass fishing than trout fishing and my videos (also based out of THE 207..... Maine) can attest to that.

[@jasonsfishingagain312]

Bad news, that little trout didn't jump out of the water, you yanked it out with that broom handle. 🤣 I always tell people who want to get into fly fishing to stay away from those cheap combo's, that's what I started with and I probably added years to my learning curve. But I didn't know anyone who fly fished and had zero idea what I was doing. (It was also just a little bit before KZbin)

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I believe he was assisted by the rod.. it was a team effort. Lol

[@LANsolo12]

Haha.. watched a guy catch a fish on the (Alone) series with fishing line on a stick and flys made from sweater yarn feathers and para cord.. kinda wild.. you can literally catch fish with anything 😮

[@m.h.english4773]

The cheapest fly rod combo on Amazon is actually the one by Wakeman which for only $35, quite literally SUCKS. In retrospect, I think the reel was the most expensive item because the fiberglass rod just wears your arm out. The cases is simply a bad without anything inside to protect the actual rod itself, so I ended up getting the one you reviewed with the only change being I upgraded the line to Scientific Anglers and it handles like a dream. 😇

[@txmexnittro]

Awesome review & great video!! Thanks for sharing

[@kentcostello5286]

I buy the cheap fly rod & reel to use for getting frogs you need to have fun try it . And I use cheap ass crappie pools & reels to .

[@MainelyOutDoors]

Thats hilariously thick! Looks liek it would be good for dock fishing with a 2oz sinker 😂 🤣

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I chopped the guides off and took it to the pool hall after

[@MainelyOutDoors]

​@@mainetroutwhisperer hahaha perfect!

[@Mandobird1]

Never lost a fish switching hands these past 50 years. Been fishing since 9.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

Glad to hear it!

[@harrisonbavone7975]

super high quality video, nice job!

[@SaydeeEnward]

I've become less of a social person over the past few years, feel the need to get away and be left alone and am looking for something to fill my golf habit/addiction to replace outdoor time. I'll still play a round or 2 a week with people but even with golf I just try to get out at first tee time and hope anyone I invite just doesn't show up. Been looking into fly fishing, looks peaceful. lol I don't really like the taste of fish but don't mind some walleye/bluegill/perch/salmon now and again. How does trout taste? Looks like a lot of fly fishing is for trout

[@keithmcallister4917]

I picked up a fly rod from LL Cote for 40 bucks 8’6” 5/6 wt. it’s a Martin. It seems to be a pretty good rod for the money. Haven’t really gotten a chance to use it yet been out a couple times with no luck

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I think those are similar to this rod, but maybe slightly better?

[@RICorruptionBusters]

Just curious what is that waterfall called in the background?

[@hillbillybucksgarage6275]

I cast amd reel the same way bro. Don't feel bad lol. Never noticed it till you said it

[@jasonlopez4855]

Is a nice bass fly rod nice review. I like the thick rod is great for your Bass fishing I like it. Reel 50/50 it works rod is 100; for me

[@calebsrccrawlers]

I use right-hand retrieve too, and I throw with my right hand too, but sometimes I use my left hand to throw and the only time I ever lose a fish is if my hook is barless or the fish is not hooked too good. it's more comfortable to me. I also have my casting rods set up as right hand retrieve. But when I use someone's rod that is left hand retrieve I have no problems using their set up, It's just not as comfortable.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I have problems when I use someone else’s that’s left hand. Can barely reel haha

[@calebsrccrawlers]

@@mainetroutwhisperer ha ha ha ha. well I grew up doing the left hand retrieve but when I got my own gear I was like right hand is so much more comfortable, do you have any LL salmon fishing videos coming out? I just went fishing for landlocks near oquossoc ME.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

@@calebsrccrawlers just posted one. Go check out my recent video

[@JoshTheFlyGuy]

Dude I thought I was the only one who casted and reeled with the right hand. Everyone here thought I was crazy. But after getting into fly fishing I trained myself to cast with my right reel with my left

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

Tom Rosenbauer from Orvis does it too. Don’t let them troll you 😀

[@levialston1496]

In the hands of someone that knows what he's doing that combo isn't a bad starter kit

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

But if you’re just starting, you don’t know what you’re doing… lol

[@merica6899]

Great vid but it’s crazy cause I’m like 80 percent sure thwt my Walmart don’t even sell fly stuff

[@TheBeefSlayer]

11:58 not many people fish down stream like this…… I find it super effective.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I do it all the time. It catches fish.

[@TR.Actual]

I guess it’s the archer not the arrows - you did great with that heavy ole dude.

[@RICorruptionBusters]

Badass video my friend !!!!

[@Vechking]

Why when fly fishing do I see ppl casting the line 2-3 times (as is done in this video) before casting it out fully?

[@JavierArensperez-ql1xp]

Does it come with the leader and tippet

[@josephsnisky1851]

For the price you've caught some trout a nice bunch by the way. Instead of railing the combo believe it did everything it was supposed to even hanging in the store, it afforded a product that a younger boy or girl to take up a sport and create good habits in their life.

[@TheBeefSlayer]

Cast rt handed real rt handed. 3:48 I do that with my bait caster and anything upside down the opposite.

[@maximumadventures41]

Loved the video helped alot

[@Fishinguy123]

What weight should i Get for fishing small to medium trout in lakkes rivers and creaks

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

@@Fishinguy123 5wt

[@Fishinguy123]

@@mainetroutwhisperer thanks so much

[@Aegishand]

I didn't have a problem with the Amazon buy 100 bucks is reasonable. And it came with some pretty good stuff.

[@Aegishand]

I'd rather pay 60 bucks more for the Amazon one lol

[@davidfarmer6988]

Do you use fly clips or fly twists

[@ericfagan3183]

May i ask where are you fishing in this video?

[@davidfarmer6988]

Do you ever use fly clips or fly twists and what part Maine are you in

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I tie direct to the fly.

[@daindossantos3892]

I fish the same way. To old to change my ways now. Lol

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

Welcome to the club! 👊

[@CreekfishingME]

Where in maine are u

[@thedetective8150]

Nice video now show us what a quality made fly rod, reel and line can do.

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I have medium heavy bass rods much thinner than that.

[@RustyShavlefordlll]

That was a big beautiful fish, I'd put um on the wall

[@remingtonbremer9520]

I have that exact rod it’s not the best but I’ve got my moneys worth out of it 😂

[@badwizard1312]

I have a 17$ rod from Walmart. It’s ok. Kinda like the fly rods before graphite. What IS bad is a cheap fly line. Goodness they are horrible to use.

[@imchavoh-1925]

what beat is that at 7:26 ?! JEEEEEEESUS

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

That was an interesting video.

[@laurenficken4870]

Just keep going

[@iilovexcr7008]

Rice rips

[@CreekfishingME]

Hey man im 13 and fly fish and live in maine ang tips for me

[@HJH413]

Good videos. Tell your cat I said pspspspspspsps.

[@morgen8250]

Rod sections can be easily tightened with a little beeswax. As for the rest of the video... Well let me say this, fly fishermen are mostly snobs.

[@NorthIezzi]

Cool

[@rogerfranz1152]

I dont see you recomending a cheap rod reel for beginners but of showing bad dirt cheap stuff on the other hand those that want a decent working rod be prepared to pay a hell of a lot more for it of which discourages me.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

@@rogerfranz1152 go watch some of my other videos… lol. Working on another one now about this. Echo makes some great kits.

[@rogerfranz1152]

Oh good cause I got an 90x

[@rogerfranz1152]

Martin 9 ft rod and the small spooled Okuma sucks reeling fish in .I see many large arboured reels that are inexpensive and they look like they be much better to use than old reels have.

[@wally6278]

For trout i would not use it.. I have the same setup and it works great for bass... obviously He doesn't know how to choose a Rod..It is common sense..

[@SaydeeEnward]

Also it'd be interesting to see you do this while pretending you are an absolute 1st timer. We don't know what we don't know. Probably hard to do but if I took that out (I haven't even fished in 2 years, never more than a few times in a summer) and have never tried fly fishing. I'd probably grab that rod and not even give a second thought about the weight. Would probably just glue it together if it kept falling apart. etc. But I see your argument of wanting to push people into better equipment to enjoy it more as well. I just don't know if I'd appreciate the difference if I didn't know better. Also I'd assume the equipment is similar to golf clubs in that beginners stuff is a lot less finesse and a more forgiving, while the top end stuff you HAVE to be good or your whole day will be ruined (really good clubs have incredibly tiny sweet spots but can allow you to shift the shot way more)

[@ditch1776]

Yes you bought a fiberglass rod not a graphite. I'm to the point you are talking about how thick it is. I bet your going to bitch that the rod is to slow as well. This is what we learned on in the 80s and 90 before cheap Chinese graphite rods. Orvis Redington and others has reintroduce fiberglass rods because of the slow action. Nice try kid.

[@ditch1776]

11:43 you have to get a fbg rod loaded and slow down your cast. It ain't graphite.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

Maybe watch the whole video before a comment like that…I actually own a modern Fiberglass rod (redington butterstick), probably my favorite rod to fish with because of the slow action. This rod however.. not slow at all. Stiff and heavy. This was my review of this rod.. you’re welcome do do your own 😊

[@klos7251]

they should of taught you how to spell in the 80’s and 90’s instead of fishing. jesus christ old man use auto correct

[@RICorruptionBusters]

@mainetroutwhisperer I agree 💯 with you brother!!! I got the same gear, maybe some people should watch the videos all the way through before making themselves look dumb. Sorry you had an knucklehead criticize your gear.

[@andykjohnsonjohnson7622]

Ha ha 😂. I actually use a micro spinning reel, on my fly rod. Especially when there is NO back casting room. Using a 5grm bubble float for, casting weight 😊

[@Cuspidor-spit-n-more]

I don’t understand why he did this review, he already had it defeated before he tried it. He should keep in mind that his subscribers are people who aren’t going or can afford a thousand dollars for a rod. They want pay three hundred dollars on and the truth be known many who saw this video went out and bought that rod and reel, why. For the same reason you demonstrate, you can catch fish with it, you can cast with it, accurately as you stated, the crappie lures as you called them, caught the fish you were trying to catch. I’m over 70 years and I’ve fished for nearly everything you can fish for in the places I’ve been on this earth and it’s always been proven, that you can catch fish with anything and if the weekend fisherman who watches your videos can only afford a 40 dollar rod and reel, don’t belittle him or what he can afford, stop being a narcissistic but hole and teach him how, you fish, how you, read the brook, street, River, where you are, give him your expertises on how to become a good fly fisherman and don’t berate his equipment. When you, or I, and everyone else has thrown out individual tidbits in the pot of stew and it’s done and ready to eat, it comes down to the pure cold and hard fact, if we catch fish, which is what we want to do and we enjoyed it, then we’re happy. If the 24 inch trout I caught on my five hundred rod and reel made me feel great or humongous brown I caught on my forty dollar Walmart fly rod and reel makes me feel great, then everything else should be great. Big small and in be tween the fish don’t know how the target got there or who brought it to them, all they know is it represents food to them and they’ll eat it.

[@mainetroutwhisperer]

I did the review because I was curious about the rod. Very inexpensive and accessible to new flu fishermen and women. Wanted to see how it preformed. It preformed like a $40 combo. Will it catch fish? Yes. My point is that you can get a better rod for not much more. I’ve done reviews on them as wells. Easier to cast, better reel, better line. Don’t need the best, and I don’t have the best myself, but I would rather have someone have equipment that preforms as it should when they are learning. I have been fly fishing for years, so I feel comfortable that I can catch fish with it no problem, but there are quality issues with the line/reel. The rod isn’t the easiest to cast for a newbie.

[@rogerfranz1152]

Lots of snobbery about fly fishing