I am a one of those thousands of us out there. I’m a trout bum. I tie my own flies, maybe a dozen patterns that I fish regularly and am very successful with. I buy equipment on sale. It’s hard to justify a $600 pair of waders when I can get two for that and have a spare. My Old LLBean rod fishes as well as my Sage VXP(that I bought at close out) I’d rather spend my money on gas and multi state licenses. I fish 50-70 times a year. Been fly fishing for over 50 years. It’s never crossed my mind to say “boy if I could only have one of those $1000 rods, I’d do so much better”. Great video. Thank you

I love Kelly’s matter of fact delivery and candor. He always keeps it real.

Stayed at the Slide Inn for a few days back in July 2017 and had a chance to talk with Kelly. I found him to be a very honest and upfront guy with a solid inside knowledge of the industry. Kelly, I am a disabled vet on a very small pension, and your thoughts and opinions on gear, fly tying, etc, are invaluable in helping me stay in the game. Thank you. Can't wait to come back to the Slide Inn someday!

Thanks for being brave enough to make this video. You reinforced what I suspected all along.

One thing about Kelly it is a no BS explanation. God love him!!! I live in Cleveland and buy everything from him because he is just a normal guy. The guy is a legend and you would never know it talking to him. One great guy

Thank you for being so honest about this, there’s not that many people in the flyfishing world willing to tell the truth about this!Besides, it makes poor folk like me feel better about my extremely awesome $200 rod! Thanks for your channel Kelly and gang!

For a very long time, fly fishing was an elite sport, available primarily to people within a certain level of disposable income - that's still true, in many cases, but it's no longer exclusive. My first fly rod was a Fenwick paired with a Medalist reel back in the late '60s, when I was in my early teens (and even that was a stretch for my lawn-mowing revenue) and that rig caught me an enormous number of fish. More importantly, it made it necessary for me to concentrate on my skills, rather than depend on the quality of my equipment to compensate for any lack. In the subsequent years, I've been able to upgrade significantly, and have even been able to take Orvis up on their warranty when I broke the tip of my three-weight fighting an unexpectedly robust largemouth bass. Nobody needs a thousand-dollar rod, just as no one needs to be able to make a 100-foot presentation - but it's nice if you can. I think, usually, the same holds true for reels - the vast majority of fishermen will be satisfied with the performance of a well-built mid-priced reel and never feel the need for anything more - until you're getting into really big fish in salt water, a lot of the features of a high-end reel are superfluous to your average week-end warrior fisherman. What made companies like Orvis and Abercrombie & Fitch and the like so successful was not necessarily the quality of the equipment or the backing of the company with their warranties, but the implied status that owning one of their rods could convey - and that's still true today. Very often, those high-priced rods and reels are sold not because of what they can do, but because of the message they convey to other fishermen. I doubt that many of us could make a cogent argument regarding the specific formula that goes into determining the taper from butt to tip of one brand vs another, or even that it's especially meaningful - if you cast with a rod for a sufficient amount of time, eventually you will teach yourself how to get the most out of any brand. Arguably, there may be some actual value in having an onyx stripping guide and a reel seat made of walnut burl or tiger maple, but I think for most people the value is more often based on ego, rather than performance. Thanks for an honest opinion from someone who actually has the credibility of experience.

All of the carbon blanks are made overseas, as is 90% of the materials used for rod building and fly tying. Matter of economies. We pay $1 for a fly that cost less than $0.05 to make over there. I built custom rods for Kahn Smith and was one of the first tyers for Rainy's Flies back in the 80s. TFO was started in my home town, as was Leigh Outdoors. I now work in a different industry where I see the same supply chains. "American Made" means "American Assembled".

My best rod is a 5 weight build kit from Cablas. I put it all together 20 years ago. I use a cheap reel. Thousands of trout later ,I still love it. My favourite rod now though is a starter rod :a 12’ tenkara rod. Give me a small river with pockets and it rules. Even better with an upstream breeze. Nails it.

My 3rd rod I ever bought was an echo, and I fell in love with them. I have done guided trips and used their expensive orvis rods and sage. But honestly, i love the value and how Echo rods cast. I mean, you know darn well, there is a insane markup value on all these other rods. Thanks for talking about this.

The $1000 rods w lifetime warranties are really $400 rods with a $600 insurance policy. I’ve built a few rods and beat the hell out of the 6wt and it’s still going strong. Also, the real expensive rods tout being super fast (most of them), and I prefer a med fast. They’re easier to cast, more versatile, and I don’t need to cast 70’.

You can spend $50,000 on a violin, thinking it will make you play better, but it won't. Same with a fly rod. Some guys like the gear because it puts them in an exclusive class of people. Like good champagne, even if you can't taste the difference, it makes you feel like you somehow have more value yourself, more importance, even if you don't. My friend bought an insanely expensive camera that he had hankered after for years, and he absolutely hated it. He felt like he had to keep it within reach at all times and in sight. He had to take it into the toilet with him. He thought everyone was plotting how to steal it. It ruined his love for photography, because he wasn't able to just think about images, but he was just babysitting his precious gear. I throw my rod in the back seat or in the back of a pickup and throw something heavy on it so that it won't blow out. It almost never goes in a case. I don't want to think about screen doors or dogs, for that matter. I might not catch as many fish as you, but nearly as many. And I pay more attention to the fishing, and less to the gear.

I really like this perspective. Working in a fly shop I frequently see people coming in looking at the $200 - $400 rods and questioning their quality compared to the $800 and above rods we carry. I have many conversations with customers along these lines. I've sold many Redingtons and Echos (both of which I own and fish) and they come back and say how much they like them. I personally own a couple of Sages and St. Croix and really like them as well. Like Wingman describes, below, they then have left over money to invest in other items. Good review, Kelly!

I used a Tfo 5 weight for ten years loved it caught lots of fish . Gave it to my son now he's on his journey fishing loving the rod I use a scott flex now . Thanks for the videos enjoy watching them!!

I like what you said in this talk. I was a guide in an Orvis shop and all my rods were Orvis. Make no mistake, they are great rods but, my favorites are the ones I built myself. It can be very expensive in components but the joy of fishing a rod you built is immeasurable.

So true! I have $300-$600 rods. I also have a $1000 rods. They are all good. Price isn't important. It's what gets the job done, it's what you like. And yes the lower priced rods do have better quicker warranty. Meaning less hassle.

Most of my working history has been primarily seasonal forestry or state park jobs (tight funds most of the time) but about two years ago I got a full time pretty good paying job for an ecological mitigation company, so all of a sudden I had funds for things I've always seen in those little orvis booklets and wanted but couldn't afford in the past, so I started goin nuts, bought every fancy expensive rod, reel, and fishing pack I saw. After about three years of that I'm right back to my Fenwick combo set up, and a good ole backpack, it cracks me up. Guess ya never know until ya try it but wooo boy, I sure could have saved some bucks by sticking to what I like, simple stuff. At least my buddies kids got some fancy stuff over the last few Christmas's haha. Your the man Kelly, thank you for the video

Great Video and I completely agree. I began my guiding experience back in the early 90s and had all Loomis Rods back than a 600 dollar to 800 dollar rod was high end Graphite and Loomis was what I guided with and what I fished with myself. I was even taught how to Double haul at a clinic by Steve Rajeff who was repping Loomis at a Fly Shop I worked out of In Twin Falls Idaho. I swore by Loomis rods my favorite was a 4WT GLX Loomis 8 foot 6 Inch which I literally slayed any fish I saw in Silver Creek without even trying. This was do partially because I was getting pro deals on rods through Loomis but also because they were exceptional rods. Inevitably all good things come to an end just like trout season in the PNW. I switched to Silver Creek Outfitters by the late 90s and so did my flyrod pro deals. I fished Sage for years as part of my pro deals and quickly left my loomis devotion for a quiver of Sage Rods for trout and Steelhead. I quickly changed my loyalty and, started fishing the Sage XP's fast action guns for Silver Creek Browns and Rainbows. Again swearing by these new rods to be the bees knees for all your flyfishing needs. Today I continue as a Flyfishing guide but see the reality of the industry for what it is an over priced exercise of hype and commercialization. I have seen some beautiful handmade cane rods in my career that justify their cost based on craftsmanship and their uniqueness. I fished with Jack Hemingway before his passing and have guided and fished with numerous other legends over the years some of which carried and fished with rods worth as much as the truck I drove. I currently am sponsored by #TFO #TempleForksOutfitters rods and frankly find a complete and utter satisfaction in their quality and cast ability. Not to mention that the price tag is more like 1990s Fly rods thus a reasonable option for a guy living on a guides salary. I am actually smitten , did I really use smitten to describe my Flyrod haha. #TFO's quality and castability in their high speed rods gives me no regrets for the moderate investment. I spend my summers up north chasing trout steelhead and salmon guiding with #TFO rods and my winters in Baja Mexico Chasing toothy monsters with #TFO. All my years of experience have taught me alot one of the truths is "There are a 1000 paths to get there you just need to pick the one that works for you " this includes FlyFishing Gear.

Great explanation and my thoughts exactly! About 20 years ago ( when I only had a $100 rod) My friends and I were in a fly shop and a customer said “I only fish with Winston” 😂 🤢🤮Some people just want the prestige. To this day we still bring that comment up because we have always thought our now, $200 rod will get the job done. My most and LAST expensive rod of $450 just broke, won’t buy another one!

Thanks for being so straightforward and honest about the industry. I agree 100% if I like a rod I like a rod and it doesn't matter what the price tag is.

Companies took the high dollar up front and reneged on the warranty after. I'll name names here. St. Croix and Shimano. I had a $400+ legend elite de-laminate and Croix asked "when did you buy it?" I asked why does that matter, it has a lifetime warranty? They said we changed it to a 15 year policy X number of years ago. That's none of my concern, I paid 20x what it cost them to build that rod for the full warranty. I bought 18 Shimano Talora trolling rods to outfit my boat because they had full lifetime warranties. They are nice, but priced about twice their worth. I broke a downrigger rod on the strike in the holder. I tried a warranty claim and they said those rods now nave a 1 year warranty! I said they have a lifetime warranty, they countered with "If you have your receipt, they are still lifetime warranty." Who the hell keeps a receipt for a lifetime rod? (much less 18 of them) I looked at the product label on the blank and determined that they changed it when they went to a 1 year warranty. So they knew what rods were covered and what rods were not. I worked in sporting retail over half of my adult life. I know how things work. They are are just strokin' people because they can. If you pay the big bucks, you should get the big buck service.

Great video Kelly, thanks for sharing your opinion with us!!!!!!!

Well said, Kelly. I really enjoy your channel along with your fly fishing and fly tying wisdom. Thanks for going to all of the trouble and time to share with others.

I bought an 80$ #3 set for my daughter, so she does not kill my expensive ones. Boy, i have been enjoying that cheap set since! 😂

Good video. I agree. Technology has improved the quality of mid priced rods (from those in the past). Careful selection will give you years of good service. Past two seasons, I’ve been using an Australian $500 rod and I can’t see much difference from premium rods I have.

Totally agree that the warranty started pushing the prices. Like you said, they have to basically price in the potential of a replacement. Twice I have broken an old Orvis Silver label and received a brand new rod of a current release. I even think that part of the reason that they have the Clearwater series is to not only have a lower entry point rod, but they needed something to replace these older rods under warranty.

You are spot on and got a new suscriber 😀 Greetings from a Norwegian flyfisher! 👍😃

My first rod s Heddon 7wt 8' fiberglass PAL got me Warm and Coldwater bass Pike trout and salmon until I broke bottom female ferrule, fixed it , but also bought another Berkeley 6wt. 7'-6" "Gray" model rod as backup and fell in love with it, especially in skinny waters, casting feel and finesse on my Heddon 320 reel that I wore out the reel seet screws , repaired multiple times but perfect line holder. I'm no legend but I am told I am guide worthy and then I started guiding. I got a 7/8 weight new reel on same old rods catching 20-30" fish hasn't broke my rods yet . I am going strong catching on the largest streamers on wf 7 s tip line and a new 9' four piece rod and a new 5 wt reel on my old rods and all I do is learn, adjust, practice and get fine tuned . I love nymphs and streamers . I think your sculpins especially are great. I fish for bigs test my deliveries with articulateds and nyphd for numbers of trout for fun and eat the avg fish... I started focusing on more patterns to make it interesting. I like naturals more.. But honestly a peasant tail flashback, stronefly, match whatever is under the rocks, and big articulateds are tightening my line. I have found I am not missing expensive gear but all my costs is in flies testing replenishing what works best . Sir learning your casting techniques rod control tip movements strip discipline is most important thing I have yet to hear in your details in years. You are a master angler from my respect my friend sharing deep insights of value. We are a closed lip group most of us men. You are a find among videos. God bless your Business and fishing.

Thanks Kelly...exactly some of the perspectives I needed as I return to the sport. Looking forward to to visiting you guys in Cameron.

Kelly I just happened on your vid. Respect out to you sir!! A no-BS take Keep em coming I'm 'hooked'!

Thanks for your honest feedback Kelly, love it!

A few years ago I decided that I would invest in a planing form, some Stanley 9 1/2 planes, some bamboo culms, and the duct pipes and heat gun to build a heat treating oven, and I’ve since made about 30 bamboo rods. Total cost of the tools and form was about that of one high end graphite rod. Some of my rods may show a few glue lines or may be a few thousandths of an inch off some taper dimensions but they all have been good fishing tools and it’s been a ton of fun. Trust me, it’s not brain surgery and you can do almost all the work without a bunch of fancy tools like mechanical planers, binders, rod wrappers etc. Lots of folks make their own graphite rods from blanks and components. Just a thought.

I picked up the Echo Traverse set up after hearing Kelly's recamendation of the rod and reel and line. All of which are superb. I was still pleasantly surprised by what a nice set up it is . Thanks for cluing me into this set up.

Exactly! If you like the look, and can afford it, then good for you! When I was a kid I used a stick and line I found. That also worked!

The status factor and prestige factor I think is what makes the difference here. Many have to have that expensive rod or reel to flex. I love my Echo Bases and have been happy fooling Ranch fish with them! :D

Seriously brave video but love the message. I've had my eye on some very expensive rods but your story about grabbing the kit rod and it becoming your go-to made me rethink the purchase for another day. My $120 rod has delivered every fly I've asked it to and has never let me down. My $1,000 rod purchase will be a reward to myself at some point in time. For now, my collection of rods will suit me just fine. Enjoy the straight forward discussion.

I started fly fishing when I was 9 years old. I saved up my allowance, and bought a $6.00 rod off the clearance rack at Clarkin’s in Kent Ohio. A $4.00 reel and some level line. I used 6lb test mono to make my leader/tippet. I used that flyrod setup until I was a SGT in the Army. It caught Bass, Bluegill, big Northern Pike in Michigan, Trout and Land Locked Salmon in Maine, and I can even recount all of the other fish and states! I never knew there was anything better. Today, I swing a Sage XP that I bought used at the local fly shop. It isn’t about money.

Great video, I fell in love with fly fishing as a kid growing up in the South Bronx. Outdoor life had a tv show that they aired during the 80's and I would glue myself to the floor watching every show that I could. During the 80's I was told that a " ok " fly rod would run me at lease $150.00 to $200.00 dollars (that was tough for a kid living in the Bronx and again this was in the 80's) that left me with the Wal mart Roland Martin fly kits. It wasn't until the mid 1990's that I was introduce into Temple Fork Rods at a fly-fishing show in Marlboro Massachusetts. They didn't even have a fully run web site back then. the 1st rod I tried was their 6wt rod, I loved it and purchased it for $79.00 dollars, The following year I purchased their 9wt, again for $79.00 dollars. Both rods could be sent back for repair for a $25.00 dollar warranty charge. I still fish both those rods to this very day. Outside of the 3pc. Avid St Croix 10 wt. that I won in a raffle I mostly fish with these Temple Fork rods and LOVE THEM!!!

A couple years ago, I accidently left my rod at home in a rush to get to the river. So, I went to the local big box "Sportsman" stores that was near the river. I ended up getting a $150 Redington 6wt rod to fish that day. Guess what? I ended up liking it more than my $500 Winston (the slower action was more to my liking/casting style). That rod is now my go to and my "nice" rod stays at home. I can hand it to my kid, or one of his buddies and not worry about it. 🤣

Well said Kelly,always keeping it reel.I think you have said out loud what many have been dying to get off their backs for years.I have many top end rods purchased between 1994 - 2015.I love them and i bought them because they were "affordable".When top end rods reached the $700 price point i quit buying them.Ive done a deep dive into Sage's warranty program.There are countless complaints about warranty repairs with them most people now waiting for between 4 (if you lucky) mnths and 10 mnths.Thats not worth a $1000!!

Total sense all the way through. Told as it is. I've seen another video where a couple of guys blind tested 8-10 rods, from low-end to high-end. As I recall, both testers opted for the second cheapest rod!

Great Vise Side chat✊ I’ve got way too many rods,but lately I’ve found myself using my TFO’s with the high end Orvis reels, and the best lines to match, I’ve never justified buying a thousand dollars rod,and I looked at Loomis,Orvis,and even the Shimano,along with custom rods. I’m not a pro but I enjoy myself every time I get the chance to go.🎣 I agree with you 💯

Great video, one thing I bought several tfo rods years ago when they were advertised as having lifetime no fault warranties only to find out they no longer do. Still agree they are good for the price and you can buy the sections to replace that broke but still thought they should honor what they advertised when I bought them.

A breath of fresh air. Well Done!!

Thanks for the words of wisdom. Stand by your side on that one Kelly 🙏🤝

Great informing video . Thank you for sharing your input and keeping things as fact.

Interesting. I just came back from a vacation that took us through the National Parks in Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming. I went into maybe 8 different fly shops on the way, looking for info on the fishing in each area. All of them were proudly displaying rods that cost between $3,000 and $6,000. Yes, there were lower priced rods available like Echo, but these were not out front. Add to this the high cost reels, line, waders, boots, etc. they were selling and all of what you are saying makes sense. I'll keep my St. Croix rod and Bass Pro reel continue to cast tight loops that are spot on, and count my blessings.

Thank you. I have been fly fishing for over 50 years and I do not own a 1000 dollar rod or even close to that price. I have caught a lot of fish over that time period. I am able to take the money I save and take some nice fishing trips. Some people (so called pros) need to spend more time and actually learn how to use the expensive rods. Thanks again.

I love my Eagle Claw glass 5/6. I think they cost about 25$ now a days. I’ve had plenty of mid tier, low tier, and a few higher end stuff, but ultimately I always feel gravitated to go back to glass. Super durable, fun to fish, and usually cheap as heck. On that note; I sent back a redington butter stick this past year. It was my fault it broke, but man the warranty took every bit of 4 months to complete. Broke in July and I didn’t see it until November. Just food for thought.

Ever since I started getting into fly fishing, Mr. Galloup has been my favorite fly tier to watch and learn from. I agree with him 100% on this subject. Especially nowadays, I don't have much money to spend on hobbies. I own two fly rods currently, one my parents bought me as a Christmas gift, and one I bought myself. My parents bought me a close to $300, 9' rod, came with a reel and line and it performs beautifully for me whenever I have the space to use it. It has caught me many fish, and I can fish any fly I have on it. It casts and performs perfectly for what I need it to do. The rod that I bought for myself cost me about $90 on Amazon, 6'7", came with a reel and line and performs for me just as beautifully as the $300 rod. I'm more limited in the fly size I can fish with it, as it is a much lighter weight rod, but that was what I wanted out of it. I've caught just as many fish on it as I have the more expensive and heavier rod. I live in an area with lots brush and small streams/rivers, so a shorter rod works well for me in a lot of places, but the longer rod works just as well in some places. There were heavier rods that could fish heavier flies in the same price range, but they were longer and would defeat the purpose of me looking for a shorter rod. Just as Mr. Galloup said here, it's not the price of the rod that matters, it's how the rod works for you. A stick with a line and a hook tied to it can catch a fish.

Bought a 10' 7wt. Moonshine Drifter, paired it with a Lamson Remix and I have made it my go-to combo for pretty much every situation here in Northern CA. Steelhead, trout, shad, whatever. I'm no expert, but my buddy has noticed a definite improvement in my casting and mending, and this rod makes it easy. I can't justify spending close to $1000 on a rod I'd be nervous about breaking. Beautiful chocolate brown color, a great warranty and comes with an extra tip section. Just $200.

Well said, Kelly. I have a smaller budget than some of my fishing buddies and I have gone the "value" route many times with my rods. I am a BIG fan of TFO for several reasons, I have an Axiom 2X 7wt I like for throwing streamers. One of my more monied friends had bought a brand new Sage X, and we fished together a couple weeks later. We traded rods for half the day and in the beginning I was preparing myself to figure out how to save and budget for my own X. But after fishing it for half a day, I didn't need it. It is a fine rod, but I didn't like it any better than what I already have... not as much, to be honest. Maybe the cork is a bit nicer. That's about all I could come up with. Lower cost rods are certainly worth it and likely every bit as good as the flagship rods form other bigger manufacturers.

Great video , I totally agree. I just purchased a 5 weight Loop Q and it's fantastic .All my sage rods are gathering dust.

Amen!! Too much status in fly fishing, especially with beginners!! They have every piece of the latest equipment. Learn the basics and you can catch as many fish with a $200 rod vs. $1000.

I'm an old Northern Pike fisherman from Wisconsin and always used St. Croix rods for pike. I almost exclusively fish smallmouth now and I have two $350 St. Croix 7 weights and 2 Sage Spectrum 7/8 reels and couldn't be happier.

I've fly fished for 65 years, both trout and bass. Kelly made mention of a pet peeve of mine. The so-called starter rod. A rod is either fishable or it isn't. My favorite 8wt for popper bugs cost $80. It casts beautifully. My old IM-6 Fenwick has caught so many trout it's scary. The big thing with those rods is that I can make any cast with either one. The rods I don't like are the fast action biffo-stiffos. Even the low end graphite rods, to me, are better than any glass we could get in the old days.

Perfect points. This advice carry’s over to nearly everything I buy. I’ll pay extra for a craftsman, I’ll pay extra for American made, I’d even pay extra for personalization or custom. I will never pay extra for prestige, a name or trend.

I'm in the UK and have been a fluff chucker for 40 years. I started out in the mid 80's wih the old carbon rods, I've had Ryobi, Diawa, Orvis, Greys, Loop and now i have a couple of custom made AtomSix. The Orvis i had 2 of, both 10ft boat rods, they were £250ish each in the mid 90's, now i suspect they'd be a lot more. I bought a Loop 7X second hand and i had that roughly a year until i found AtomSix, had a few casts with it and fell in love with them, half the price of the Loop, British built, customised to my specs and the maker is a Veteran like me, hopefully it'll last me a lifetime. Apparently the blanks are American. I've heard that the likes of Orvis, Scott, TFO etc now have their blanks manufactured in Korea or China, shipped to the US and assembled there.

You are right if you find a Radja like use it if it cost $100 or a cost 1000 and you feel comfortable casting it you should use it but there’s one problem you got a set it up with the right line weight to balance the rod, and most importantly, to deliver the fly you need the right leader you put all three of those things together and you have the right rod for the right situation presenting the rights fly in the right place.Fishin’Jimmy

My friends and I always joke when we lose a fish, "Maybe if you had that $1000 rod you'd have landed it!"

Thanks for the video Kelley. I just wished you would have posted it 3 years ago before I let expensive rod envy get the best of me. Funny thing about that is my first rod was a Echo carbon XL that I still have and love. It fishes just as good, and in certain areas better, than the 1k rod I have in the same length and weight. Happy with both but personally I will not buy another 1k rod at retail again. Love your straight forward content and can’t wait for the next one.

My favorite way to buy high-dollar rods is on closeout. Like most things today, fly rods have hit the point of diminishing returns. Last year's $600 rod can be bought for half off if you're just patient. When it comes to designing rods, Tim Rajeff (who owns Echo) is the real deal (that's who designed the rod Kelly is referring to in this video). A while back I cast an Echo Carbon XL paired with Rio Perception, and I was stunned by how well it casts. In my view, the more expensive rods (I own a pair of Douglas SKY G's) is they are lighter in the hand. I do find it easier to be more precise with the SKY G than with any of my less-than-high-dollar rods, but not by a lot.

The older I get, the more I see through marketing and fomo latest and greatest BS. $1,000 for a fly rod is absurd. It’s in golf, fishing, Leica cameras is a great example.. and worse, high end audiophile hifi where a $50k system can trounce a $200k system. There is a good video out there where the entry Orvis rod and Fenwick Aetos come out ahead of rods 2-3x their price.

I'm looking at my $1,000 rods saying yes they're way overpriced but I still love them. Once you get over $500 idk I can really tell much difference my Sage Sonic is nearly as identical as my T&T Avantt in my hands.

Over 35 years of fly fishing, I accumulated 25 rods of various makes. Most are from Winston, Sage, and Scott. I bought many of them at a steep discount when a manufacturer discountinued a line of rods ( e.g. Winston Boron IIIx ) or they were lightly used demo rods. Each rod has its own character and transmits a different experience to my hand while casting it or playing a fish with it. Some rods have a longer reach, which helps while nymphing. Others do better in windy situations. ( One of my favorites for the Madison is a 25+ year old Sage, which I got in Fort Smith on a particularly windy day. ) Still others are better suited for small streams. While some rods may help you catch all the fish you want, the right rod for the situation can make for a much better experience-whatever the make or cost.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Sometimes it feels like I'm all alone out here with the common sense and logic - but you and the other people commenting here prove that there are still a few people out there who understand how things actually work in the real world.

When I moved to CO I broke down and bought a (near) $1K Euro rod. One day on the Big T I stumbled on some rocks and broke the tip - first broken rod in my life! Now it is truly a $1K rod… 🤕 Appreciate the candor! Tight lines. 🎣

Bravo for this piece. Reminds me a lot of the snobbery around road and mountain bikes, which have become exponentially more expensive as people with too much disposable income become more involved in the sport. As a retired road racer and lifelong fly fisherman, I have seen a lot of this sort of "my equipment cost more than yours" business creep into both sports. Of course what actually matters is how quickly you can get up the road on a bike, or how well your equipment performs when actually fishing. Years ago I met famed fly fishing author Charles Brooks and his wife while fishing on the upper Yellowstone. Charles was fishing with a glass rod and a big nymph, catching and releasing big cutthroats where others were drawing blanks. Watching him fish was poetry in motion, but there was no single element of his equipment that could not be obtained for a reasonable price at any fly shop. What mattered was that every single element of his technique was perfectly matched to those fish in that section of the river.

Have a 500 dollar St. Croix! Other day at the thrift store I found a 8 dollar rod that moved the St.Croix to the bench, and it's now my backup rod!

Burkheimer is not a big concern. Literally a hole in the wall on the main street of a tiny town in southwest Washington state. Been there for a cork handle repair (my bad!) that Kerry did himself while I hung out and talked and drank coffee. All worth the money I paid for the rod. Would definitely endorse the rod and the customer service!

The entry level rods are often some of the best feeling rods. Huge sweet spot for loading, super easy to cast. Usually yeah super rough reel seat. Not the greatest guides, not much style, etc. Any good fly angler can pick up a quality entry level rod and they will probably be impressed by its castabilty. I own a winston boron 3. It is my favorite rod... number 2 is the Orvis encounter.

I've built a couple of rods on North Fork Composites Iconoglass blanks. Pretty impressive performance and when on sale at $75 for a U.S. made Gary Loomis designed blank I don't think you could find a better deal. Other than that I'm fishing mostly old fiberglass Fenwicks, Phillipsons and even my old SA system 7 I got for my high school graduation. I like rods that bend. The only graphite I use anymore are 8 & 9 wts. I think you nailed the issue. Get a rod you can cast well and go with it. 100' away no one can tell what you're using anyway. They can, however, tell if you can cast or not.

Hi,I'm from the UK. Here we had a very well respected fly fisher & rod builder who lived near me called Steve Parton of spartan tackle. He always maintained these high end priced rods were absolute BS. All the blanks came from a few small suppliers. This didn't sit well with the sages, hardys In the uk. Kelly, thankyou for having the balls to point this out. All the very best to you. 👍

I bought a Echo Lift 9ft #5 as my backup rod to my Orvis Recon and it became one of my favorites as well. For the money it's dumbfounding to me to buy a more expensive rod for someone just starting out or wanting a great backup. It performs every bit as good as my Orvis does.

The cheapest rod I have is also my favorite, the Redington Classic Trout!

An extremely great presentation... Thanks...😀😀

Thanks for this perspective. Speaking as a “regular guy“ I really appreciate this. I’m retired. I don’t have $1000 to swing out a fishing rod. And it appears I don’t need to either. Thank you.

If you can put your fly on a fish with a broomstick, that's a good rod! A good flyfisher with cheap equipment will out fish a gomer with the most expensive gear every time. As Kelly said, "it's what you like".

100% agree! I love my Burkheimer’s and Beulah’s. They just make me happy.

My first fly rod was a Pfluger Summit I bought at Kittery Trading Post, in Maine, for $50. A co-worker told me about Orvis for $300 at the time… Warranty he said. I broke my Pfluger by falling… KTP replaced it. Unbelievable!

The only rod that Ive bought that actually performed differently (and better imo) are the Loop Tackle 7X’s. I have both a single hand 8wt and double hand 7X 11wt, and those rods are special. Less torsional twist when fighting a large fish really helps fatigue. When you’re fighting a 32” fat Atlantic Salmon for 10-15 minutes while wading waist deep in heavy currents, every bit of energy saved helps.

Granddad handed me an old South Bend bamboo in 1950 when I was 10, and I've been stirring the air ever since, and I turn 79 tomorrow. I have quite a number of rods, some cheap, and some that would be expensive today. My introduction to the better rods was in the 80s, when I encountered a source for Sage's "blemished" blanks at a very attractive price. I didn't care much how they looked, so here I went - although most of the "blemishes" were hard to find and some I never found. I probably built 20 for myself and friends; break one, strip off the furniture and order another blank. The first round was a matched set - 2,4,6,8 weights, with matched Battenkill reels. I could switch weights and not even notice. (Sage stopped that after a couple of years) Every rod I have except one, I built for myself. In more recent years I have become involved in bamboo and a veterans FF group. As I had the opportunity to cast a wide variety of rods, I found it simply does not matter; I seem to be able to cast anything. some feel marginally better, but I can still cast the others just as far and as accurately. I don't know how common this trait is, and I don't know how I do it, it just happens. The most expensive rod I ever cast was a Leonard, valued at $8,000, the value due more to its provenance than the maker; th eprevious owner had been a very famous white-haired flyfishing pioneer. Frankly, I was not impressed with the rod. Bottom line, Kelly, is I agree with you. Price has nothing to do with anything, except maybe ego, and I don't have much........I just fish. And the damn fish don't care. Every rod I have except one, I built for myself.

After tests severely fly rods dedicated to streamer fishing . I tried rods from 300.00 to over 900.00 . The best casting rod I ended up purchasing was a Echo Streamer X very affordable and better than any rod I tried . I own Winston , Thomas and Thomas and Scott …. This one out preformed all of them .

Yeah, I love my Hardy 2-wt - it's absolutely perfect for fishing a lot of our streams here in NC. It casts great and is an amazing nymphing rod. But, I also love an 11' 3wt Chinese made rod that I use as my wet fly rod. The latter was bought after having a few too many IPAs. Probably the best decision I've ever made all 'hopped' up. He he ,... Thanks always for the no bullshit approach. The more obstacles we create for ourselves in this sport the less fun it is. I have no regrets pulling the tripper on my Hardy, but how many 'forever rods' does one person need?! BTW, I own 3 Echo rods and they are great. After your review of the Traverse, I think it might be 4.

I have both, fishing is my passion, I want to enjoy all ranges, I love Spinning too. My greatest joy of fishing is being out on the water all day and just waving a stick, going to where trout live, catching Big and small, seeing if where I placed my fly/lure in the right spot.

I remember when I got into the fly fishing world many years ago, I started with a inexpensive combo. I told myself, I’d never buy a $1000 rod. Over my travels and encounters with fish, I’ve learned one beautiful and universal truth, buy once. After dealing with stiff blanks and bad craftsmanship, I bought my first 1k rod. Winston Rods is hands down the best maker in the industry, I’ve casted almost every rod out there. I’ve had my one for almost 4 years and fish it 300 days a year and it shows minimal wear. Quality is key!

In the past 5 years or so I've switched over to all USA made rods and reels. Not because they're better, but because I want to support US manufacturing and US workers. The last generation of Orvis Recon was $429, which i thought was totally reasonable for a US made rod. It's getting a little bit out of control now though. $1200 for a new Winston is crazy.

My favorite trout rod is a Sage VXP 4 wt. I think the thing was originally in the $550 price range, but I found it on a closeout for half that. It is a medium fast rod that for trout, that I prefer. A favorite salmon rod is a BVK 8 wt, another $250 purchase. So, I'll testify that one does not have to spend high bucks to get good equipment. That said, I love my Sage Method. What is there about the rod that enamors me so? Effortless casting, weight, finish, and the cork handle is a thing of beauty. It is a fast rod that can cast long. This feature, by the way, as far as I'm concerned, is only an issue if you are fishing salt. It is light, this feature also comes into play when your double-hauling all day long.

Best rod i have is a Leichi China Sky High. I love it over my Orvis 5 weight. I have it for over 6 years now and it sees the most use

I remember that Orvis add. After that almost all the expensive brands started having the same warranty on their rods.

Definitely can make up for a lot of things with decent proper line. I think that's the thing that a lot of the combos are doing better these days. Back in the day you could get good performance off a "cheap" combo if you swapped out the line. The line game is crazy right now too, but if you're gonna throw a few extra bucks at something id take line over rod any day. You want to breathe some life into a "low end' old stick try it out and you won't be disappointed.

Back in the pandemic I bought an Orris fiberglass rod from an independent (authorized but not company owned) fly shop. I discovered a manufacturing defect, the local shop wouldn't take care of it and Orris said I had to deal with their independent dealer. I learned my lesson about Orris and their warranty. BS. Haven't spent a dime with them since.

The movie "A River Runs Through It' brought many folks into fly fishing, including the richer ones. I am a budget fly fisherman and usually purchase rods in the $100.00 through $200.00 dollar range. I have broke a few and when I do I don't feel too bad. Warranty or not, I am not shelling out $1,000.00 up front. Ouch!

When I started fly fishing 6 or so years ago I bought five rods from St. Croix and reels from Aspen " San Diego California " all USA made and still working great all for under $1300

Kelly thank you for your insights brother. Great videos..because of you Im now carrying a streamer outfit as I visit NZ South Island ex Sydney 3 times per year. Thanks mate!

Perfect example is my 6wt Pro4X. Felt the same as the NRX but cost $350 at the time as opposed to $800ish for the NRX. But then again I couldn't pass up a new 5wt NRX that was part of an estate sale for $450 this spring. Have the pricey rod at what is a much more fair price. But I still fish the tar out of my 4wt Vantage that cost me $180 on a sale rack 20 plus yrs ago. Will be passing that rod down to my daughter.

Thank you! BS is absolutely right. I always laugh when I see someone spend 1K+ on a rod. Better your money than mine! American-made is over rated and you're only buying here because it makes you feel good not that the quality is any better. (I bet if you're saying buy American-made, I bet you own a China-made iPhone or Korean-made Samsung.) There are high-quality rods made overseas. My TFO Korean-made rods are awesome too. I hope everyone in this space watches this video. As the man said, get a rod you like and buy it.

I have a near $1000 Sage that I got because I became a Trout Unlimited Life Member. It is nice, but no where near as good as my Grigg Custom Made brand (no longer made) or my Okumas, both at about $50 each. PT Barnum was right then and is still right today. Great vid!!!!!!!!

Americans have a thing about owning the 'best' or 'most'. A starter home has always been associated with 'a home you can afford' with the intention of trading up later - keeping up with the Jones. This same idea of a 'starter' anything (car, wife, etc.) is ingrained in the American psyche. You purchase an item with the intention of "upgrading" at a later time. For many, spending twice as much for the same thing gives them the satisfaction that they bought 'the best' when in fact all they did was pay more. It's a status symbol thing. My favorite rod for years was a Cabela's LST 7'3" 3wt that I used for many years. I would chose that over my 3X more expensive Hardy rod for most of my fishing. A couple years ago I lost the tip section walking through the woods in the dark. I tried to get a replacement - no can do - or find a used one in the internet. Nothing I tried as a replacement came close to it. It just worked for me.

I appreciate the video. There’s a lot of truth here, and a few caveats. I’ve fly-fished for nearly 45 years, going from penniless teenager, to someone who can now (thankfully) afford a $2K rod & reel outfit. My favorite rods ARE some of the more expensive rods I’ve fished, but I’ve also held some very good cheap rods, and some not-so-great pricey rods, so there’s not always a direct correlation. Also, a lot of it is just matching a rod to your casting style and needs. Most of my fishing is done on small rivers and streams, and so punching a double-haul 80 feet into the wind is just not a common need for me. But I also believe that if you fish a certain rod long enough, you will begin to adjust your technique to get the most out of it. One of my favorite rods ever was purchased for $20 at K-mart in the early 1980’s. It had a foam grip and aluminum reel seat, but it cast beautifully. Unfortunately, I snapped the tip off going through one of those old-fashioned screen doors at an old historic fishing lodge, and the rod was just never the same. Even more than rods, you need to think long and hard before dumping big $$$ into a reel. Yes, if you’re hunting big game -saltwater, or salmon & steelhead, a good drag becomes important. But for most trout, bass, and panfish uses, that reel is just there to store your line. So if you need to save money, that’s the first place to skimp, IMO.