CHOOSING A ROD AND OTHER EQUIPMENT
I’d like to take this opportunity to try to help Fly Fishermen with choosing a new rod, or any other gear. I want to place an emphasis on all the information that is currently available thru the many “forums”, “chat rooms”, “blogs” and “Gear Guide” articles out there.
Almost daily, I get e-mails, phone calls and customers, in person, asking about rods, and other equipment. Somewhere along the conversation it always comes up - “Expert A” says this about a rod. Or the “”Expert” forum says this, or I heard something about this rod in the “Expert” chat room. Or I read about this in a magazine article. Most potential buyers are armed with tons of information they found “Online” or in some magazine article.
I’ve been involved in the Fly Fishing Business for over 15 years. I’ve been fly fishing since the 1970s. I’ve owned this Shop for nearly 10 years. I make it my business to know about and use most of the equipment I sell. I have facts and opinions on everything I sell. If someone asks, I’ll share this information. I like to help. I consider myself very knowledgable in Fly Fishing equipment.
I urge Fly Fishermen to take all the information they find online, in forums, in chat rooms and in magazine or internet articles with a “grain of salt”. Here’s my advise and some examples of problems with “expert opinion”:
- Consider the source - is the Guy trashing the Winston Rod a Loomis employee? You don’t know what affiliation the article author has with the rod company he’s praising (or trashing). Maybe the Shop Owner sells Orvis and Winston Rods, so his opinion of Sage Rods may not be that great. The author may use only very fast action rods and may not have any tolerance for other action rods.
- I’ve heard stories that some of the “Experts” in these forums turned out to be a 14 year old kid! Do you know who’s writing the article?
- Everyone has opinions. Get 15 Guys together and have them cast 3 different rods from 3 different manufacturers. I’ll bet you’ll never get 100% agreement on which is the best, so WHO’S RIGHT? We’re all entitled to our opinion. Why give too much credence to someone’s opinion in an online article or magazine article. They simply may like something you don’t!
- There’s a reason Rod Companies like Sage and Winston make several top-end rods. It doesn’t mean that one is better than the other, it means they’re a little different - because people are all a little different. When “Expert A” says a certain rod is “the biggest disappointment of 2007″ that simply means he does not like the rod. It DOES NOT mean that you can’t think the rod is the best rod ever made. There’s only one opinion that really matters, since you are the one dropping the $600.00 down on the counter - the only opinion that matters is yours!
- So, bottom line. All the info out there is great to compare specs, weights, cosmetics, warranties, company reliability, etc. But when it comes to buying a rod here’s my advise - TRY IT YOURSELF. Instead of spending hours in forums, chat rooms, reading magazine articles to learn the OPINION of others (who may or may not know more than you) spend the time casting the rods yourself. Compare rods yourself and make your own decision. You decide which is the best for you. We at A.A. Outfitters encourage our customers to come in and try a few rods and pick the one they like best. We’ll be glad to help you choose the rod that’s best for you.
Gene Ercolani - Owner A.A. Outfitters Fly shop