I’ve decided to go fishing again after many years. Not really done it since I was a student.

Anyway , dug out my old rod but could not find any other equipment so need to stock up on a few reels, lines etc.
I’m going to be honest, I was kinda shocked by the cost of this stuff. My rod back in the day cost about 50 quid, I was expecting to spend about 100 on a few lines and a reel.

So my question is.. Is like in biking, bottom of the range kit a total false economy. Will rocking up with my 25 year old rod and 20 quid reel be the equivalent or turning up at glentress on a bso from Asda or a muddy fox curiour?

For what it’s worth I’ll prob be fishing in a reservoir, off shore and boat. I caught fish back in the day with cheap kit.. But then again I use to ride downhills on a rigid 300 quid Raleigh..

as per mountain bikes

buy some cheap Chinese stuff from alibaba or something. no difference to expensive re-branded stuff that costs x10 the amount

At least if it breaks my Teath won’t be knocked out..

Any idea on a decent brand of line. I use to buy seconds for about ten quid each!

buy some cheap Chinese stuff from alibaba or something. no difference to expensive re-branded stuff that costs x10 the amount

No, not this.

Keep the rod and reel you have, spend the money on a good fly line, leader and new flies. That rod and reel could catch back in their day, the fish don’t know any better.

Cortland were always the best when I fished the fly, most folks used them.

Greys are great value for reels and lines – I wouldn’t worry about the age of your kit, as long as it’s in good enough condition it will still catch.

Shakespeare fly lines are as good as you’ll need and cheap as chips – get a weight-forward if your casting technique is rusty, tapers are for good casters and spooky waters.

What weight is your gear?

8 i think

Should be fine for a decent sized ressie… Have fun!

Will rocking up with my 25 year old rod and 20 quid reel be the equivalent or turning up at glentress on a bso

My Dad regularly rocks up with a 120 year old split cane fly rod.

He doesn’t hold with any of this new fangled, carbon fibre nonsense

No idea about fly fishing but I fished regularly as a kid (35 years ago) and had an expensive coarse rod at the time (Abu Counterstrike – cost about £85 IIRC). I then stopped for a few years and got back into it in 25 years ago and in that ten years the quality of rods especially had shot up – I got a beautiful carbon Shakespeare rod for about £40 that was a gazzilion times better (not as stiff, much more compliant and resulted in way less snapped lines/tangles/missed strikes).

My advice as a long time fly angler, is spend money on good rod designed for the water you will be fishing. A fly line for under a tenner will perform 95% of a top ender. fly reels only hold line really, you could get an old rimfly or something on ebay for nowt. The good thing about fly fishing is its 100% technique and skill, not money. tight lines, lee

The good thing about fly fishing is its 100% technique and skill, not money. tight lines, lee

This. You don’t even need a rod or reel to fly fish/cast good.

I’d say that fishing tackle has got incredibly cheap compared to what it cost in the 80s when I last bought much. You can pay a huge amount but you can also get very serviceable stuff for a very modest amount, whereas back then things like Intrepid reels were really quite shonky, though in fairness the fish didn’t know that.

The thing that has really changed is line (leader material, I mean) which can be braided and sinking or floating or stiff or floppy or whatever.

The other thing is that light tackle fishing is the norm now, not the exception. Less so in fly-fishing, maybe, where line size depends on fly size but also the wind.

Have a look at the Airflo kits, they start at around 60.good enough to get you going. I got the FiL one and I had a little go on it, seems good value.

If you’re going to spend more, opt for a decent line and more on the rod. The reel essentially is just there to hold line. I have never had to use the clutch on the reel when playing fish.

Look at fishtec or the Glasgow angling site.

It’s what’s on the end of your line & where you put it. Same with sea fishing. No need to go mad with the £££’s but like biking, the more you spend, the better it will/should/may feel. 🙂