20 Best Gifts For Fly Fisherman (2023 Updated)

Martin has been offering this kit for decades. I got mine over 25 years ago to see if I liked fly fishing. For someone who just wants to dip their toes in fly fishing, this 5/6 weight combo with a click-and-palm reel is all you need.

You can go after trout, panfish even bass with this kit. If you’re looking for something more specialized, for example for streamers or trolling, you may be disappointed. However, the first-time fly fisher will get a basic but solid kit which is well adapted for small rivers and ponds.

Good value for the money.

I just bought a third one as a gift to give a friend interested in learning to fly fish. I suspect just about everyone who purchases this item is pretty much new to fly fishing and doesn’t have access to advice.

So here’s some comment from an avid fly fisherman. First, while the selection of flies is diverse and will catch fish, there aren’t nearly enough. Particularly when you are starting out, you are going to lose lots of flies to rocks, weeds, and trees.

You can order more online for cheap. Here are some suggestions to get you started: Poppers, Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis. Though if you are fishing for bluegill and other bream, they will take a rubber band tied on a hook.

Second, the reel isn’t the highest quality, but it doesn’t really matter. The only time I use mine is to hold my line when I’m walking to a new fishing spot. You generally retrieve fish by stripping (pulling) the line in with your non-dominate hand.

The real does have a chief on/off drag, but when I am fishing, the extra line lays at my feat, and about the only time I have the drag set is when I am headed home. Third, the advice about buying some extra leaders is excellent, but all you need is a spool of #3 tippet to get started, which is fine for the flies that come with the combo.

You tie 12-24 inches of tippet to the end of your leader and the fly to the tippet. That way, when you change flies, only the tippet gets shorter, and it is easily replaced. Fourth, the rod is not half bad, and I still enjoy casting with it in my yard for practice and wouldn’t mind fishing with it.

The action is medium and it loads well. Fifth, the book that comes with it is handy, especially for a beginner. It is a good reference for knots, but the only ones you need starting out are: 1. ) improved clinch knot for tying the fly to your tippet; 2.

) blood knot or surgeon’s knot for tying your tippet to your leader. It doesn’t hurt to learn the nail knot for tying your leader to your fly line, but most leaders and fly lines it seems these days come with loops in the end for loop-to-loop connections.

Practice casting in your yard before you go fishing. If you like it, consider replacing the fly line first with a 6-weight, weight-forward floating fly line. A decent one can be had for $20 and will last you a while.

Your ability to cast with this rod will increase dramatically. Upgrade the reel for another $30-$60, and you will have a really nice starter/backup fly rod while you save a really nice fly rod.

I have been fishing around my mountain cabin for years. This season, after watching the trout bypass my salmon eggs, power dough, worms, trying to eat my split shot, all the while striking at anything hitting the surface, bugs, bubbles, their imagination, I figured it was time for a new hobby.

I researched for the best, cheapest fly fishing rig within a days ride and settled on this “tryout rig”. I picked up some indigenous looking bugs on eBay, practices a bit in the swimming pool (being careful to retrieve “whiplashed off“ flies), and voila! I now catch fish instead of just go fishing! The supplied reel does not change from left retrieve but the rod is pretty descent, especially considering the cash outlay.

After getting hooked on the new hobby I replaced the reel to achieve the right hand retrieve, with drag, I require. I have also purchased larger and better quality gear to go after bass and the other fish in the lakes and rivers available to me in the Phoenix area.

This rig is perfectly sufficient to see if fly fishing is for you and will catch almost all average size fish. I am using the rod and new reel again this weekend in the mountains. I must add that this style of fishing is not anywhere near as easy as it appears, and it takes a lot of practice to learn to properly cast the line.

Guess how I know!! I’ve got flies in trees, the neighbors yards, places I can’t reach, but I also got a lot of them in fish, too. Have fun, this equipment will get you going!.

There are better tools if you buy them separately. But. If your just beginning and want a decent set of tools, this may be for you. Ive found that if you want the best, you have to pay for it. This is a good compromise between buying the absolute best and good enough.

Quality tools. Good deal purchased in this package. This is rekindling my interest in fly tying.

Quality of Dr Slick instruments is unbeatable. Will last a good long time.

Misrepresentation. The rod weight, which is critical for choosing line weight, isn’t on the rod. Instead of giving you a sufficient spool of backing line (of which you get none) or a spool of fly line, you’ll get 15 yards, yeah…really, 15 yards! That’s about like 30 yards less than you need.

The rod is tolerable but the reel is straight out of the clearance isle at toys r us. The so called carrying case might just as well be tossed out with the other plastic baggies this comes with. Just save your money and get something worth bothering with.

I was really excited to try this rod outfit. 15 minutes into my fishing trip the reel locked up. The spool is plastic as well as the gears. I would suggest spending an extra few dollars on a set with an aluminum reel and a 4 piece rod.

The rod itself is light with a decent grip but for the money, not worth it when there are similar beginner setups for around 15 dollars more with better equipment. Also, it does not come with backing line to fill the spool so this will be an extra expense.

Just save a few dollars more and purchase a combo with a loaded spool and an aluminum reel.

Bought this for my son who is moving to Idaho and will be less than 2 miles form Snake River. He expressed and interest in Fly Fishing. thought this kit might give him a start to see if he wants a new hobby!.

I was thrilled to receive this Reddington trout field kit. It is by far the best combo package out there. Each component is of the highest quality including line and leader. Can’t wait to get it to the water.

Haven’t used this yet but I got a great deal on it and have thus far had great customer service! Moose Jaw sells some nice stuff and I appeciate the frequent sales.

The Clearwater line of rods is typically a phenomenal value, and I have recommend them to all my clients. As a guide and lodge manager, Orvis has been my rod choice for over 15 years. Within the Clearwater series, I have extensively used the 10’ 3# for Euro Nymphing.

I’ve been very impressed with the finishing of the rod, sensitivity, and utility. The 6pc. 8# Clearwater, however, should be avoided at all costs. This rod broke on its very first cast. No exaggeration.

No damage had occurred to the blank, as it was just removed from the rod tube that morning. The ferrules were all properly seated (using ferrule wax). The rod was properly loaded with an 8wt line. One double haul with a size 2 gurgler, and the blank snapped.

Unfortunately I did not heed the advice of fellow guides who told me the 6pc rods had a notorious history of breaking. I know Orvis customer service and warranty will correct the issue, but I will revert back to using 4 piece rods for travel, and believe that the 6 piece should be retired from the lineup.

I bought this 8wt 6 piece travel rod to take fishing in Iceland. First time I used it, literally the first fish I caught, the tip broke where it joins the second piece. Luckily, I was able to hand line the fish in, but was without a rod for the rest of the day.

In rural Iceland. I have had other Orvis products over the years and they have held up quite a bit longer than one fish. I have to echo other’s sentiments in some of these reviews and not recommend this rod to anyone.

It is unfortunate that they continue to sell this defective equipment, as it is really giving Orvis a bad reputation. After the warranty fee, I have a very expensive paperweight on my hands now, used once, with no expectations to take it anywhere else in the world due to reliability.

This states it is pre spooled. It came today and it is not pre spooled. This is the only reason I bought this rod. I have not tried fly fishing yet so really not sure how to get the spool on the spinner.

This is a great deal for the money. All the parts are quality made and have held up so far. The reason I did not give 5 stars is the flies that came with this are cheaply made.

Fly line is light weight and rod and real are not rated also the description states that reel comes prespooled however it does not and backing line is not included have not used yet however not sure if this is going to work for me, maybe to teach the kids on if they want to learn.

I have casted and fished with all of the 3, 4, and 5 wt models, and the 386 and 486 are the only two models I consider good for beginners (there are other Vice models not sold by Cabelas). The 586 and 9 ft.

models 490, 590 and 690 are too stiff, the heavy blank weight can’t be supported very well by the skinny handle grip (cork is too small in diameter), and these rods must be overlined more than one line size to cast with enough flex to fish them well at normal fishing distances.

This is not surprising, since the path II and crosswater rods are the same, and probably made in same factory in china. You can fish the 386 and 486 with one line size heavier than the rating, to alleviate the stiffness and handle grip problems, and make it flex like a fly rod is supposed to do while casting and fishing.

This 8 ½ ft fly rod length is better for beginners than the 9-foot length, but only if you put the right line on it. Fit and finish is not too bad, although the tip top guide is made of thin wire that is easy to get bent out of shape and is not very durable – no fly rod maker should ever skimp on this part! You can buy other chinese-made fly rods with the same or better quality from the big auction site, for one third as much as a Vice.

For comparison, the mojo trout rods are made in North America and the 8 ½’ models have better flex action and handle comfort for about the same amount as the Vice. Cabelas has the 486-4 and if you fish it as a 5-weight, it does well in-close with a Rio Gold 5 wt.

line, and longer casts with a standard trout tapered 5 wt. line, and it generates ample power and good line speed. The 376 and 386 also fish OK as a 4-weight but won’t perform as well in the wind. Otherwise, I would ignore the other models, unless you want sore hands from over-clutching the skinny grip and you want distance casting instead of real fishing.

I agree the green color is attractive, but to ensure that beginners will stay with the sport, it is more important to have a well-balanced rod with good handle comfort and enough flex at short, practical fishing distances.

With the Vice, the 486-4 fished as a 5-weight is the closest you will get to that.

The Redington Vice is an excellent rod for all types of species. I’ve been Fly Fishing for 38 years. The new technology and materials are great! This is a very affordable rod with high end performance.

I have a 6 weight and a 7 weight Vice and they are both awesome to fish with. Very fast and plenty of backbone for larger fish. Very accurate for finess casts at spooky fish. I highly recommend this model!.

I was a big fan of “The Little Red Book Golf” by Harvey Penick series, it provided insights that improved my golf game greatly. The authors have borrowed the theme & style of short insights of fly fishing that are a paragraph to maybe a page in length.

The key is not that you are told how to do it step by step but the thought & mechanical process of how to end up with the end result. It is a easy read and really puts the thought process & reason how to develop a skilll.

Great little book of fly fishing knowledge that you can pack in your gear and take along on your next fly fishing trip. Lots of helpful hints and suggestions right at your finger tips. A must for the novice.

This was a Father’s Day gift for my husband. He was very pleased with it. He said he has always wanted the book. He said it is filled with useful gems…every fisherman (woman) should have it.

IšverstiShow in original languageThese boxes have become my go-to as they hold a ton are durable and waterproof. The middle leaf is removable, if you need a deeper box but, there is a deep area already as the leaf is offset making a good area for streamers / wets and the other side for dries.

It’s a grab&go box that can hold all you need for a day. I just wish they came in different colours, as they can be difficult to sort-out when stacked in a boat bag. A simple label eliminates this one draw-back.

So, they’re perfect!.

IšverstiShow in original languageI have six of these boxes with various logos on them. Two are used for storing large bass bugs and large, modern style streamers, two others for larger trout streamers, and two more that I load up with a combination of flies for day trips going after trout or bass.

They fit easily into the pockets on my vests and are quite sturdy.

IšverstiShow in original languageBought this to hold large trout flies. Mouse patterns, big streamers, terrestrials and foam hoppers, and segmented bodies all fit perfectly. A really good deal for around 10 bucks.

Thanks.

Getting back into fly fishing after a 20 year break. Did not want to spend a boat load of cash on an outfit till I discovered how much my casting style changed. Purchased this rod in the 8′ 4 wt for small to medium stream trout fishing ranging from native brookies (my personal favorite) to larger stocked and native browns.

Paired it with a Redington Surge reel set up with backing and WF4F, again did not want to go overboard in the cash department. The combination works well and has great balance. Also picked up a hard rod/reel case as it just comes with a sock.

Could not be happier for the money I spent plus I now know how my casting style has changed it has slowed a bit, old age does not come alone. Medium fast is still a bit quick but very manageable. So far I’ve caught 4″ to 7″ brooks and Browns up to 18″.

I’ve been using this for about 8 months now and have had zero issues with construction or materials. It is a 2 piece rod, which used to be normal now it seems to be hinderance (according to the status quo).

All in all fit and finish are great reel seat and guides are of good quality. I’ve been extremely satisfied with the entire combo and I’m sure it will be in my arsenal for a long time.

This rod broke on the very first use. The tip snapped. Temple Fork DOES NOT stand behind their products and will not replace any parts without you paying for the shipping both ways and the new tip. DO NOT BUY.

IT’s junk!.

Ordered this for personal use this season. I used to have a log many many seasons ago but I got away from it. I tried doing notes in my phone but they never had the same format or clarity etc. Honestly putting pen to paper while in the tree is very very relaxing, makes me more observant, and helps the day mean more somehow.

I’m hoping my kids get a good read out of it one day. I’m a 5 star rating guy but I’d add a couple things. Firstly the right hand page would be AMAZING if it was a fold out for more note space. I find that I quickly run out of space even when writing small.

I hunt an area with a fair amount of activity so I have a large volume of notes. Or shrink up the thermometer and other icons to add space?. For what we are noting?. Add sunset/sunrise – Moonset/Moonrise – I also put in dew point, what the temp “feels” like – I also write in the clothing layers so I can learn to better gauge what to wear in the future.

All in all I’m a fan, and I’ll be ordering one for every year I’m sure.

My husband has always kept a small notebook to record the date, weather conditions, and what he sees while hunting. When I saw this log book I knew it would be the perfect gift. When it arrived I was thrilled with how well made it is.

When my husband opened it on his birthday he could wait to start recording. He has chosen to only record the hunts that he harvests something so that this book can be a tool as well as a nice memory keeper.

Thank you Rustico for an amazing gift!.

There are several places to buy quality products, but rarely do you find such wonderful and accommodating customer service! USPS managed to “damage” the Fishing Log Book I purchased for my husband. (Package arrived EMPTY sealed in one of those Ooops plastic bags.

) I took a couple of pictures and sent them to Rustico. I received a reply VERY quickly, thanking me for documenting the damage and assuring me a replacement would be on it’s way in a couple days! This was only a day or two before Christmas and my replacement arrived a few days after the holiday.

It was a personalized product, so I expected it to take much longer. This company and it’s amazing staff really came through for me and were GREAT to work with. Thanks so much. Hubby loves it and it will be an awesome addition to the new yacht.

Y’all ROCK!.

I was a little hesitant as these looked like they were kind of on the large size and wouldn’t fit on my vest. They aren’t that large, are very easy to use, and have tremendous clamp power, without deflecting.

Great for clamping down barbs on all size of flies. The eye cleaner is on the tailing end of the tool, and that took a little getting used to, but an excellent tool.

I bought these forceps for saltwater surf fishing at the beach. While wet wading in the surf at the beach, I wear a hip pack with flies, extra tippet spools and these forceps. They won’t rust, clip onto the outside of the hip pack, strong enough to handle saltwater hooks and fish, cut tippet and can clear the eye of the hooks that were cemented shut.

the perfect tool for the minimalist who wants to pack light!.

That are perfect for fisherman like myself I like have easy access to my gear and the ability to put them almost anywhere. Can speak highly enough about these. If you have been thinking about getting them.

Do it and don’t wait any long.

this combo is such a great kit to get you started!lets break it down to some key categories:1) value and quality: it’s $120 for this kit. there are other kits on the market for much less, but kastking has been oretty consistent for me.

it lacks a few thingns some of the cheaper kits may have, like a better container for flies or a rod case with pockets. but the reel it comes with? awesome! the rod? awesome! the flies? awesome! way more realistic and better looking quality.

i have some extra wooly buggers and caddis pupaes i bought from big name stores, but the ones in the kit actually caught me more fish!ontop of that, i was checking out a orvis combo kit for $160 – it didnt look and feel as good and from initial look, it looked like their entire reel was plastic?2) performance: it handles great and casts well, but i’m a noob.

i actually ended upgrading the flylinr to kastkings exergy to swap the colors for fun and found this fly line (also great value) casts and out performs the stock flyline way more, even after conditioning/cleaning/stretching stock flyline.

the included flies i thought initially of replacing but it actually catches me more fish than some flies i bought to replace it. i’mactually on the hunt to get more the wooly and caddis pupae cuz those are now gone (snags).

but hose two have consistently been catching me largemouth bass. the rod’s a 5wt medium fast action 9footer. it handled great with fish, and didnt break with some whipping action fromtrying to dislodge snags.

3) fit and finish: rods beautiful, reel is nice and lotta metal/ aluminum. it feels like a pricier setup – thats what i like about some of kastkings stuff like their crixus reels and blackhawk rods. 4) things i didnt like: the fly case is ok.

its small and works but i bought a small pocket case from bass pro with a clear cover for $5 and that worked way nicer. the forceps it comes with is ok – gets the job done, but kinda ruff around some edges – feels cheap.

the lanyard is garbage. the case – wish it had an external pocket and shoulder strap. 5) overall: great setup and very proud to have this. has a lotta bang for the buck, and quality competes or out performs its competitors.

great way that got me started into this fun rabbit hole called fly fishing. so happy i got this combo!.

This is my first fly rod so I don’t have anything for comparison except my experiences with spinning and baitcaster setups. KastKing happened to release this combo around the time I decided to get into fly fishing and there were good reviews on YouTube.

I’m big into ultralight fishing so I chose the 4wt. I’m really liking it. I’ve taken it out a few times and it seems to be well constructed. The section markers are helpful and the guides line up nice and straight.

The ferrules fit snugly and the reel seats well. Fly reels are a mystery to me and I’m under the impression I won’t use it much. Having said that, it reels smoothly and there are no issues pulling line off of it.

The setup overall seems balanced and it doesnt feel too heavy. I fished with it for about five hours and felt like I could have kept going a few more hours. KastKing has provided everything needed to fish with this combo straight out of the box.

I was able to clip the accessories to my clothing and the free fly box fit right in my pocket. As a beginner, I would recommend purchasing some tippet to help conserve the leader provided. Maybe some floatant and you’ll be good for a while.

I am a novice when it comes to fly fishing so I wanted to get a basic rod that was already set up for me. I ordered this combo based on the reviews and the Kastking video. When I received this combo it was almost ready to go.

Tied a fly to it and I was in business. The rod is very sturdy but flexes enough to make good a cast and reel in some nice fish. The combo came in a very sturdy case which allowed me to disassemble the rod and put it in my suit case for a fly fishing trip to Durango, Colorado.

Also, the case was wide at the back which allowed me to carry the rod without having to take the reel off the rod. This came in handy when I was hiking to a stream and allowed me to set up the rod a little quicker.

This combo is a good value as it also came with some flies and fly fishing tools that every fisherman should have in the tackle box. I would definitely buy this combo again.

I’ve enjoyed this rod. I tried this next to the TFO Blue Ribbon. The BR had a wonderful action, flexibility, and feel, but the LK Legacy had a decent more amount of power behind it. The LK has a fast action, slightly stiff feel ala the Pro II, but with a good amount more sensitivity.

Fast and sensitive are the words that come to mind. I both underlined and overlined the rod and both performed well. This thing launched intermediate sinking line like a beast. A very strong and versatile rod, and I still had very good accuracy at long distances.

Used the blue ribbon rod in the 3wt 10 ft ,it was just OK in the small hopper dropper system, was really upset there was no hook keeper on this rod,until I found it integrated into the reel seat. Just to let you know it is a Worthless design as I CAN’T find a way to put my midge or small hooks in this dumb little hole!!.

This is one of the best overall casting rods I have used. The distance it allows me to throw in nothing short of amazing. By far my new favorite rod for everything saltwater!

Bought my first Battenkill (a non-disc, size I) a few years ago, and paired it with my 6′ 2wt rod. Liked it so much that I’ve since bought the Disc versions in sizes I, II, and III. And ultimately my zeal for these well-made, great-looking little reels fueled my desire to acquire a few Orvis rods.

Fast-forward to this past week, where I purchased a Clearwater 3wt rod and enjoyed fishing it so much in the foothills of MT’s Beartooth Mtns that the very next day I purchased Clearwater rods in 4wt and 6wt to go with my Disc II and III reels, and took all three combos to fish the Bighorn River (I live near these world class fisheries).

Love these three Clearwater/Battenkill Disc combos and my various other Lamson, Echo, and Temple Fork rigs are going to get much rarer use in the future (they’re all excellent, so I’ll keep ’em for backup/loaner use).

BIG Orvis fan so far!.

I have been fly fishing for around 15 or more years now, and have always wanted the best I can get. However I have just come down to earth with a big bump and I’m extremely proud to admit it! I was able to get hold a the Orvis Super fine 8′ 2# rod a couple of months ago, I have always liked fighting big fish on light tackle, for me that is fishing.

However it took a long time to find the rod as it seemed that they no longer made until David from your London branch asked me what real I would like like (I don’t want a cheap reel I told him!) After a quiet long conversation he got me to buy the very basic model of real for £109.

When it arrived I was ready to send it back as it looked really cheap, and the drag system looked like it was about to fail just by looking at it! Well I have to say its my go to reel for both my 6′ and 8′ rods in 2# lines.

It is by far the best reel I have ever brought from Orvis and it comes very highly recommended to all. very simple drag setup and that’s it go fish!.

The box itself is very nice, but that silicone insert is hard to get the flies to stick in, especially small nymphs. The holes themselves need to be a bit longer also, that may help.

When I was 12 in the 70’s I saw this product on t. v. and dreamed of owning one, but never did. I am 53 now and wanted to get back into fishing, but did not want to buy all that expensive gear for just a few times a month, remembered my childhood dream so I bought pocket fisherman.

I have only been practicing casting, and it works beautifully I like the fact you can carry it on your belt with no worry of getting caught on bushes I can walk swinging my arm too. Casting near over head tree limbs is great I cast with no problem.

The reel has real nice action, it does not get jammed! I have walked down to the fishing hole with a regular fishing pole and the line would tangle around the end of the rod, and I have to untangle constantly, but not with the pocket fisherman the design is great.

I am a little concerned about the rod I hope it will hold up to a nice size fish, and the handle holds a small a mount of tackle small concern!.

I bought 2 pocket fisherman for my grandchildren from Blains online. Very fast shipment and quality. I would definitely but from your store again!

I bought two of these one for myself the other for my daughter. This pocket fisherman is great for fishing. We have went fishing twice. I just caught a fish using this. This is great for the beginner or the expert.

It has a cord in which you can put around your wrist so you don’t lose your pole. It folds up when you are done. The handle has a little compartment for your hooks. It comes with some extras which are great.

I have to say I just learned how to cast again after years of not fishing and this made it easy to learn. The first time I went fishing I went through 5 bobbers. This last time didn’t lose one bobber at all on the rocks and cast beautifully.

I love that it is so compact. Other’s were using big poles and I was using my Pocket Fisherman and I am the only one that caught any fish. I will say though you do need to have a tackle box with extra bobbers and weights and line if you are a beginner.

Also scissors and two gloves or mitts. As well a pair of plyers if you fish and put back the small fish. This is the best fishing rod. It is of great value. The cost is great.

Absolutely over the moon at the speed of delivery for this item. Had been told it could take up to two week and arrived after 3 days! Great quality craftsmanship and excellent value for money. My husband was so delighted with this gift.

I purchased this leather fly wallet as a traditional 3rd wedding anniversary gift and could not be more pleased! The craftsmanship is excellent, it shipped out very quickly, and the seller was willing to work with my additional request.

My husband cannot wait to use it!.

This was an excellent purchase. wonderfully soft leather and the inside of the case is perfect for flies. Adding initials added to the appeal. As this comes from Europe allow extra time for shipping but you will not be disappointed.

Bought an Orvis bamboo fly rod on ebay. I think it might be a Wes Jordan built around 1975. Nymph rod, like new condition, 2 tips, 7’6″ & 7’9″ perfecto, always wanted a 7’9″ rod. Bought the C. F. O. III to compliment the rod, It”s a perfect match and I like the reel, very smooth.

Also got Orvis backing and fly line for the reel. It’s all Orvis top to bottom. I’m debating whether to use it to fish or hang it on my wall.

The CFO III Reel classic design is a simple, good looking fly reel, that will never be out of style. The black aluminum with silver pivot nuts, make this a grand reel to look at. You can always rely on a Orvis product to give you years of satisfaction with its reputation for quality workmanship.

I bought this reel to pair with an antique bamboo fly rod I recently found. My thought would be to use the rod and reel to catch the first trout of the season each spring and then put it back in my display rack.

Beautiful reel, compliments my rod perfectly.