There are lots of great fly rods out there, but how do you know which one is the best one for you? Here at Curated, our independent experts recommend rods to customers just like you every day. Check out this list of our experts' top-recommended fly rods under $500, then chat with a Fly Fishing expert to make sure you find the perfect rod for you.
- Redington Vice Collection Combo
- Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod
- Temple Fork Outfitters Pro 2 Fly Rod
- Temple Fork Outfitters NXT Black Label Fly Rod & Kit
- Redington Classic Trout Fly Rod
- Redington Vice Rod w/ Tube
- Temple Fork Outfitters Blue Ribbon Fly Rod
- Sage Foundation Fly Rod
- Redington Predator Fly Rod w/ Tube
- Temple Fork Outfitters Axiom II-X Fly Rod
Redington Vice Collection Combo
The Redington Vice comes with a medium-fast action that will be perfect for the angler just starting to fly fish. A 5wt 9 foot rod will be perfect for fishing in Colorado using dry flies, small nymphs and streamers. The reel will also come loaded with a fly line matched to the rod for easier casting.
Everything included, ready to go, higher-end rod/reel made with quality materials. Will last several years as you become a better fly angler. Very versatile rod.
Awesome dry fly and nymph fishing rod, extremely well-balanced and can present dry flies and nymphs accurately and delicately. Easy to cast.
Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod
Arguably the best rod on the market for $200 or less. A tried and tested do-it-all rod from one of the most reputable brands in fly fishing.All around trout fishing. It's perfect for dries, nymphs, small streamers. Big rivers and small creeks, wade fishing and boat fishing. Just a solid all around 5 weight to cover most trout situations.
Excellent rod for throwing streamers or bass bugs. Excels in medium casting ranges. Could serve in light saltwater applications when you travel.
All around trout! This is more of a medium-action rod, so requires a bit slower casting stroke. Feels great for those who enjoy that flex!
Temple Fork Outfitters Pro 2 Fly Rod
This rod is very powerful but also casts very smooth. It has a medium fast action that can handle long distance casting. Temple Fork rods have a lifetime warranty and if you ever have to put in a claim they are a great company to work with.
This rod is a stud for medium to larger waters, where you're really trying to cast out to those farther fish, and can bring them in without too much stress.
Good do all rod, great for budget conscious buyers.
Temple Fork Outfitters NXT Black Label Fly Rod & Kit
Nice mid-fast action rod options from TFO. Great accuracy and rebound with a great and comfortable handle shape. This package includes a reel, line, and leader!
Redington Classic Trout Fly Rod
One of the best entry-level rods, hands down. This rod has successfully helped many anglers step up their game and catch more fish. Easy, accessible action helps you improve your accuracy and tighten your loop. Casts dry flies as well as nymphs and smaller buggers with ease!
Great for fishing smaller streams, throwing single dries or light weight rigs. Entry level rod with medium to fast action. Great rod for beginners looking to get into the sport without breaking the bank.
8 foot 3 weight rod is great for small streams and ponds. Super fun to catch fish on! Very easy casting rod! Awesome price and packs down to 6 pieces! Good for trout, panfish, and bass.
Redington Vice Rod w/ Tube
Do-all work horse of a rod, will handle everything from hopper dropper and heavy nymph rigs, to small to medium size streamers.
A great, fast-action rod to really cast out bigger flies. Good for big water and big fish.
Saltwater species like stripers and redfish, freshwater salmon, and steelhead.
Temple Fork Outfitters Blue Ribbon Fly Rod
If your gear priority is quality then look no further! TFO is arguably the best in the industry when it comes to offering a quality rod at EVERY price point. Built with quality components ensures its durability and performance. Aside from the product itself TFO's customer service is second to none. should you for any reasons have issues with your rod or perhaps have an accident out on the river they will ensure they resolve the issue ASAP and have you back out on the water in no time! If a perfect presentation or mending abilities to keep that perfect dead drift is your thing then this is your rod!
Sage Foundation Fly Rod
Sage is the industry leader in quality manufacturing. This rod can handle just about anything you throw at it. Beautiful small dry fly presentation? It can handle it. Need to launch a big wooly bugger? It can handle it. Multi-application fast action rod is good for catching rainbow trout on small streams or lakes. Depending on weight size can also catch the biggest browns in the Missouri river.
A great introductory fly rod from a reputable USA-based company. 9' 5wt rod will be perfect for catching trout, bass, and sunfish.
Anglers who want to take their game to the next level of performance. Great for all trout situations.
Redington Predator Fly Rod w/ Tube
This is an excellent value rod with the power to cast heavy tapered lines with big flies and control hard-fighting species. It's outfitted with saltwater components to hold up to the corrosion of the saltwater environment. Perfect rod for heavy streamer fishing, light flats and inshore species, and warm water species like carp and bass.
This rod has a fast action that packs a lot of power. The fast action allows this rod to cast heavy lines and large flies with ease. This rod can be used in fresh and saltwater settings. This rod is available in one or two handed versions along with the option of having a fighting butt that helps reduce arm fatiuge when fighting big fish.
This is Redington's rod that is specifically built for big game and saltwater species. A really great rod for chucking streamers.
Temple Fork Outfitters Axiom II-X Fly Rod
This rod would be awesome for fishing for red drum. A 10 wt would be able to keep up with the bigger ones. A lot of people like to use this size of rod as well for king mackerel and other even tarpon if you go after them. It is a little on the lighter side if you hook into a huuuuge tarpon but you could go as small as a 9wt for tarpon if you really want to and just fight it good all day. This should be a great rod for the red drum and Mackerel.
Snappy fast-action rod picks up and chucks line and large flies effortlessly, and recovers/dampens well to fight fish. Great for inshore saltwater species and large freshwater/anadromous fish like Steelhead, Salmon, Pike and Musky.
Great for all trout applications and can double as a fly rod for bass if ever you pursue them.
Orvis Clearwater® 6-Piece Fly Rod
Just about any trout in North America. This rod excels at shorter range and is a great rod for beginners and veterans alike who don't want to break the bank. Plenty of power for longer casts and versatile enough to handle a variety of dry flies, nymphs, and streamers.
Not only does it have the length to reach out and control drifts and the power to reach far banks, but it also has the line weight to handle big bass. Firing a big topwater won't be an issue!
Powerful yet very versatile rod that can handle a wide array of challenges from small dries to streamers and wind.
Temple Fork Outfitters LK Legacy Fly Rod
TFO makes great quality rods that also have a great warranty! This 8 weight is a 9-foot, 4-piece carbon fiber rod with full cork grips. It is a great rod for throwing big poppers and catching big bass. It is also good for some salmon fishing. This rod is built for bigger fish: bass, salmon, northern pike, etc. It is a fast action rod which is great for long, powerful casts.
Temple Fork Outfitters Signature 2 Fly Rod
Casting longer distances and in wind. In my experience, TFO rods are faster action (stiffer), and do a great job in windy places such as Wyoming. You can use this rod for dries, nymphs, and streamers, and can probably get away with casting some larger flies here.
The 9' 5 Wt is a great do it all weight and length for a variety of trout situations - dries, medium-light nymph rigs, and even small streamers. A perfect first fly rod that has enough performance to impress even the most accomplished casters.
All types of freshwater fishing. Enough backbone in the rod to fight all types of fish comfortably.
Redington Topo Combo
This Combo has everything you need to get started. It comes with a great Redington rod backed with a good warranty. The reel is a Crosswater reel with a large arbor frame that is unbeatable for the price. And to top it off, it comes with line, a tapered leader, and some flies to get started. Great for beginners and new to the sport enthusiasts. The best way to get into the sport!
This is an all-inclusive kit - rod, reel, fly line, & tippet. It specializes in moderate sized fish across a spectrum of fisheries, fresh to salt. Practice on your casting skills.
A good entry-level rod and reel that's great for all types of trout.
Redington Trace Fly Rod
The Trace is designed for trout anglers, and offers refined medium-fast action that will provide fantastic accuracy and sensitivity. Good for fishing dry flies and small nymphs.
9' 6 WT. Designed for chasing trout. This is one of Redington's new rods. Sturdy, but it will present light flies with elegance and ease.
Streamers, Nymphs, Dries. An all around great trout rod.
Temple Fork Outfitters NXT Black Label Fly Rod
TFO has made one of the most beginner friendly rods with the Black Label series. The TFO Black Label kit is an excellent setup that is used by many fly schools for teaching the fundamentals yet will still have enough performance to keep you happy for a long time. The rod is a versatile, medium-fast action that will suit a lot of casting styles and flies. The included NXT BLK Reel is a solid reel that will perform as intended and comes loaded with backing, a weight-forward floating fly line, and leader/tippet.
Redington Crux Fly Rod
This is Redington's high end rod with all their new technologies- Angled key cork grip for casting all day, thinner blank for cutting through air and new line speed taper for effortless mid range casts.
Faster action rod that cast way above its price range. Perfect for drys and nymphs. Has enough back bone for bead head nymphs, and is very accurate in tight spaces.
Orvis Clearwater® Two-Handed Fly Rod
Great medium action action rod that handles small streams really well. Has great balance and power to handle small dry flies and large streamers as well.
Perfect tool for steelheading. Allows you to swing flies or nymph with ease.
Redington Strike Nymphing Fly Rod
Dry flies, nymphs, wet flies and smaller streamers. This is a great rod at a friendly price. A little extra length will allow you to push those casts a little further especially in open backcast areas or still water fishing. You will get awesome accuracy from this rod and a warranty program that really keeps consumers in mind.
That extra length for you and for the lakes and big rivers - extra reach for extra distance and control on the water.
Orvis Superfine Glass Fly Rod
Glass rods help improve casting accuracy as well as protect smaller tippets when fishing for picky trout! This medium action glass rod will be perfect for fighting trout and delicately placing dry flies wherever you need them to be!
This rod is great for sight casting. Most sight casting is done in flats or for tailing reds. This rod will fair very well for you in a sight casting situation. Maybe even in a salmon stream as well.
Highly accurate, loads well in tight quarters. Great for a small, wild stream.
Redington Minnow Combo
The Redington Minnow is specifically designed for younger anglers with a shorter length (8'0") and a medium action. This is a great rod to improve casting techniques, but it has enough performance and power to keep you satisfied as you become an expert caster. And although this rod is designed for anglers of shorter stature, this has enough power to cast a wide variety of flies for trout, panfish, and bass. This is a quality, affordable 8' 5 weight for anglers of any age!
Redington Claymore Rod
If you wanted to give swinging for trout a try this is an awesome rod to get going - it's not too expensive compared to some other trout spey setups and has the reliability and durability that comes with Redington products. Super fun way to cover big water and target bigger trout
This rod would be a great fit for top water, and small creeks and rivers. This will have the flexibility to reach the hard spots in the water and get your fly right where you want it. You can use it on the lake if you need but it is mainly designed for "the perfect shot".
Temple Fork Outfitters Tough Fly Rod
Excellent rod for the saltwater or hard-charging fresh water species - pike, salmon, steelhead.
Orvis Practicaster
Specifically made to be indoor-friendly casting practice for days when you can't get to river.
Curated Experts don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews. All of their opinions are their own and unbiased. Want to learn more about our experts? Check out the video or view some of their profiles to learn more!
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