TOPFORT Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo Starter Kit, 4 Piece Lightweight Ultra-Portable Graphite Fly Rod Complete Starter Package with Carrier Bag

I've been fishing all of my life. I grew up in Tennessee with a stream full of small bluegill, bass, and catfish right in my back yard, and more recently I've been almost myopically focused (some might say "obsessed") on targeting bass in central Texas creeks, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Until recently I had never tried fly fishing, though it always looked interesting and even relaxing. I picked up this all-in-one kit to give fly fishing a shot after watching folks at a local pond catching panfish and small bass in a totally different fashion from my spinning and casting rods. The quality and completeness of the kit's contents are impressive. Only two things were missing in my opinion: 1) any form of instructions given that this is somewhat targeted at beginners to fly fishing; 2) any type of gel/treatment to help keep the included surface flies...well...on the surface. I solved the first by watching some Mad River Outfitters videos, and I solved the second by ordering a bottle of Gink. To be candid, when I say "I solved the first", that's a bit of an overstatement. As you can see in the attached photo, I rigged things TOTALLY incorrectly on my first outing! I tried switching to right hand retrieve but didn't re-spool, so the reel was basically backwards. Nonetheless, I managed to get three sunfish on my first try including the one in the photo, and I also had several exciting topwater blow-ups from small bass, though I didn't land any of them (yet!). I've since fixed that issue and fished again, and the rod and reel really do work wonderfully. I've started to get the feel for the oscillation required to cast a fly rod, though I imagine that I still look far from graceful to anyone with even a semi-trained eye! Anyway, this kit really is a great way to get into fly fishing. It's very lightweight for what it contains and therefore easy to carry along to the water. I've used the included forceps to remove these tiny fly hooks from the bluegills' equally tiny mouths, and the snippers are just great for trimming the leader line after tying on a fly. The included flies definitely get attention. I'm looking forward to many more outings with this setup and think it will become a key part of my overall fishing obsession going forward.

This is an amazing starter rod for the money! It doesn't come with dots to line up the edges, but it is very easy to line up the guides. It also came with an extra end piece. I don't know if that is a mistake but it is the part I am most likely to break so I am so excited to have an extra. The spool is good quality and the drag holds. I have had a problem with cheep reels and the drag slipping and I haven't had an issue with this reel. It has enough backing to play in the inshore area or to fish fresh water. The line is a decent weight forward line. It comes with a starting leader on there and some extra tippet. The nippers and forceps are good quality. And it comes with some starter flies, weights, and indicators. Over all, for the price this is a good place to start.

Great Fly rod for a beginner. Actually well made despite is low price. Looks good and is relatively functional. Drag is low and it cast smoothly. Real is not greatest quality but it will get the job done especially for beginner fly fisherman.

It is very good set to start fly fishing. Set has almost everything you need to start. You need to buy floatant and catching net. If you go into water, then waders. If you are really beginner, then you should learn what you need and how to fly fish online. Rod may break if you don't follow retrieval or catch too big fish. I caught fish from very first cast. and many fish thereafter.

I am thrilled with all this kit offers. This kit comes ready to go out of the box aside from assembling the rod and tying on your fly. This kit immediately offers a quick way to get fishing! I really like the fact that the reel is pre-spooled with backer, fly line, AND a tapered leader. The fly assortment is great and will allow for different conditions. The fact that they give you the nippers, hemostats, and the retractable lanyard is really nice as well. The most valuable piece to me in this kit is an extra tip section. If you break the tip you will not be left with a useless rod until another tip can be ordered. Great thinking on Topforts part! I only have 2 minor concerns with this kit. 1) The carrying bag does not allow you to leave the reel in place on the rod when storing. You have to remove the reel and store in the bag along side the rod. This leaves the rod vulnerable to damage from any pressure put on the reel from outside of case. (Hence concern #2) 2) The carrying bag is a bit light on padding. A little more padding or a stiffer case material would make me feel a bit better packing this up for a trip. As a whole I would really recommend this to anyone looking to get into fly fishing. For the money and the ease of use right out of the box you cannot beat it! 5 STARS!

I am getting back into fishing, however I have never fly fished. Looking at some of the high end fly stuff, is like looking at high end electronics. It can get very expensive. I am not that guy. I want to get my feet wet so to speak. My buddy, said this one would be a good starter. Its great because it has almost everything you need. Its very well thought out. Most of the time the bags are a waste but I can actually see using this one how everything is neatly sectioned off. As you can see from my photos of whats included, it has everything you need to get started. The reel is already full of line. As you may or may not know, there is an art to fly fishing, its a skill you have to work on. Having never done it I am all over the place when I practice but for what I need, the equipment is very good. It has a good weight, feel, and length. Even comes with an extra tip. No I haven't caught anything but that is not the equipment's fault, that falls to me. I am practicing and hopefully soon I will catch something. I feel confident with my this equipment and feel its a good investment for me. If you looking to "get your feet wet" give this combo a shot.

Pretty good not bad

I'm 68 years old and have always be amazed at the art of fly fishing. I saw this and thought it would be a good kit for an old beginner. It has everything needed to get started. After a few minutes of yard practice, I hit the pond and caught a few bluegill. It wasn't pretty, but it was fun. Remember, you'll need a lot of wide open space, especially above and behind. I rated 4 stars because the included flies unravel quickly. This may be common but I'm still learning. Would recommend!