[VFB] Re: Fly Rods, Reels, and Combos

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Thanks to all for the great tips...The common things I see are #1, it seems that great deals are to be found at Cabelas,(and/or Wal Mart LOL) and #2 their is no "perfect" rod...or rod that is a "one size fits all" .I also see what is meant by experience being the teacher, not the rod itself... The rod I have is one of those $20 Fiberglass/Graphite Shakespeare's, and when I first started casting, I'd be lucky to get 25 ft out of it.That was with the Level line that came with the combo..Jimmy D and a few others gave Me some great tips and I changed to a Weight forward line,(and better leaders which would turn over better) and though the line I bought is only 65' I can now cast it ALL if need be, which is great since a cpl my favorite spots require at least a 45ft or more cast to get to the fish..The rod is heavy though, so I think I'll go with a cheap (inexpensive), but lighter weight rod,just with the same 5wt rating as this one is bad on my shoulder, elbow, and wrist after a long day. I did try a 3wt that My Son In Law has, which is great for the Bluegill I most often fish for, but I could get NO accuracy. I guess that too, would just take a lot of practice.Anyway, I figured I'd get as many answers as there are different fishermen, but I did get a cpl "common" good traits to look for in a Rod (and reel) I think, so I can make a better judgment. Being only 80 miles from Atlanta, I hate the traffic, but there may be a store there that would let you try out different rods, reels, combos, which would be great. If Not, I'll just stick to the less expensive ones (and look for sales), so that if one does not fit my style, It won't break the bank to change to something else. Thanks again to everybody, Chuck