Do I need my own rod and reel for guide trips?
Back when I started guiding, one of the many expenses I had to account for was a minimum of 2 but ideally 3 (1 backup) fly rods and reels. While many of my clients had their own fly rods, many were first timers on family trips or tours in the area. For those beginners and novices I had available for them “loaner rods’. These ranged from the lowest end rods from budget fly rod companies. The idea being that these were just loaners that needed to survive hopefully multiple seasons of potentially hundreds of users. If they didn’t survive and were broken, dropped in the river, or left standing against a tree, they were inexpensive to repair or replace. These rods were always fished hard and put away wet and honestly only received much attention mid season if there was something broken. More recently I have noticed a trend where many anglers are skipping the burden of traveling with a rod tube and just using the guide’s equipment. While convenient, here are some reasons I urge you to consider if you enjoy fly fishing and travelling. The most important reason to have your own rod is that you get to fish what you like. Fly shops like ours are more than eager to help you decide what the proper rod is for you. Considerations like where you fish, what techniques as well as your individual casting stroke help us guide you to the perfect rod for your needs. The right rod paired with the right line for you can make all the difference in the world as far as making your day on the water more enjoyable, less fatigue, and less frustration. Furthermore your rod will see a few days on the water each year compared to a hundred or more. Your line won’t have as much build up of dirt and will float higher and brighter. Your reel will be smooth and buttery without blemishes and will function and sound the way you want it to. Perhaps the biggest reason and the one that will bring the angler the most joy is premium rods and reels are gorgeous works of art. A rod that runs six hundred and up will have a gorgeous cork handle, beautiful reel seat and likely top end finish, wraps, and guides. It is fun to own your own beautiful rod, especially when paired with a machined modern fly reel. The reel in trout angling does not require the most expensive one but that doesn’t mean you should go cheap. A fully machined reel is where I would start. This means it was cut out of a bar stock piece of aluminum vs poured into a mold. What that means to you is durability. Many rods and reels are dropped and a machined reel won’t bend or scar like a cast reel. A bent reel is as bad as a broken rod. Most entry level machined reels with modern day prices start around three hundred. Also be sure to get a premium line and to replace it as needed. This is the area I encourage anglers to spend a hundred dollars or more as the line is the important part that is taking the fly to the fish. Yes this is a considerable investment but when you compare that to the cost of a guided trip and what you spend on flights, transportation and hotels, a one time investment of a thousand dollars or more will pay off for you many times over. Also you have your own rod which you can enjoy at home and have the opportunity to fish it and practice with it outside of your time traveling. The reality is many of my clients cast only once a year when they were in my boat and their first day can be rough with a year’s worth of rust to shake off. Please use your fly shop for this purchase. We will do our best to provide you with our knowledge and service picking out and setting up your new rod and reel. We typically cannot discount the MSRP but do occasionally have deals and closeouts, especially at season’s end. We do hope you will support your local fly shop as we hope the customer service we provide gets you what you need and putting you on fish gives you back what you give to us with your support. -Steve Wilson