I am interested in learning to fly fish. I live in Florida near the famous red fishing grounds of the mosquito lagoon and my primary targets will be Snook, Redfish, and Trout. Also I plan on fishing for fresh water bass and an occasional trip to North Carolina to fish fresh water trout.

So now to the questions. I found a guy at work who has the following 2 combos for sale and think they may meet my requirements but I really dont have a clue and wish to have your opinion.

Combo 1:
Sage DS2 5wt w/Orvis Rocky Mountain Reel $75.00

Combo 2:
Talon Cairnton 58/7wt w/ Orvis DXR reel $250

So what do you guys think? Good deal? Would they work for my target species?

Wow... didn't know Talon was still making rods let alone the Cairinton. I have a 9 foot 4 weight & it's a nice rod (maybe a bit fast but not too much)
I think for someone just learing, Sage's DS series would probably make more sense (more forgiving casting stroke).
BUT
find someone to give you lessons... a fly shop, a fly fisher, a school (usually lots of classes through Parks & Rec this time of year)... someone to teach you the correct form so you don't have to spend time/frustration UNlearning what you taught to your self.
later,
Peter

Hello,

The DS combo is a good price and will do the trick for your occasional trout trips. The DXR reel is a great reel. Don't know a thing about the Talon. Could be a great rod for your intentions or a dog. You need to cast it. Actually you should cast both rods before you buy them.

Of course this is just one angler's opinion.

Rich

i agree with rich. i would go with the sage/orvis combo. i haven't heard of talon either but i've only been fly fishing for 2 years, so who am i to say they're a bad company. ya, you need to cast the combos before buying them. good luck on your decision and keep us updated.

Talon (or LCI) was started by some ex-Loomis employees... their product was (is?) quite professional, their customer service was great.
The rods were built in Woodland, WA (just down the road from the Loomis place) but now, I believe, Loomis is owned by Shakespeare.
later,
Peter

Of these two, the Sage is the better deal. But on your second question, " Would they work for my target species?", the answer is a resounding NO!

They may work for some bass fishing, but not for Snook, Redfish, or Trout (I assumed you meant Speckled Trout, the saltwater variety). For these you need an 8wt rod and reel, and the reel needs to have a good disc drag. Redfish in Mosquito Lagoon are known to reach 30 lbs, and a typical Snook is 8-10 lbs, as are Trout.

You can buy a top quality TFO 8wt Professional for $159 or so, and there are several good 8wt reels in the $100-150 range. Ross, Orvis, and Loomis have models in that price range. Make sure to get a fully anodized reel, to combat the corrosion in saltwater. Go to a local fly shop near you, and they should be able to hook you up. Good Luck!!

In my opinion, if you must buy one of these two combos, go with the cheaper option. I believe that if you are just learning how to fly fish, spend your money on lessons unless you know a fly fisherman that will take you out and show you how to fish. Because even if you buy the best rod and reel combo on the market, they won't teach you how to fish, you need a person to do that. Plus, I personally started fly fishing when I was about 6 years old on a ancient Shakespeare Wonder Rod fly rod and an ancient pflueger (I think) reel, my dad bought me both for like $5 at some rummage sale or something, and a friend of the family taught me how to fly fish. I caught more fish on that $5 special than a lot of people have caught on their thousand or so dollar custom rigs. So like I said, if you are getting into the sport then spend money on lessons, the rod and reel can come later.