In an article written primarily for the benefit of those new to fly fishing, and improvers, Terry Lawton makes some practical suggestions on the best way to go about buying a new fly rod.

Although I must admit to having bought two American travel rods (as blanks), one some years ago on the basis of what I had read in a magazine test, and the other (from the same maker) this year, I have not been disappointed. But for the newcomer or less experienced fly fisherman, trying a rod first is essential.

People have searched long and hard to find their ideal rod. Some have been expensive rods, others have cost as little as 10. Don't be misled into buying a rod just because a magazine expert reckons it's the best rod on the river. Whether you are a newcomer or an improver, buying an expensive rod is no guarantee that it is going to be the rod that you want or one that suits you. It will guarantee that you spend a lot of money though.

In the UK, the Chatsworth Angling Fair, the Game Fair and other angling events where you can try rods are great if you are thinking of buying a first or another rod, as not that many tackle shops have facilities for trying rods or even such a wide range. Why are you buying a rod in the first place? If you are new to the sport then you must buy a rod eventually although you may start off by borrowing one. (This is not a bad idea in itself as it does give you the opportunity to get an idea of what your are looking for in a rod.) Are you having problems casting and believe that a new rod is the answer? Both of these fly fishermen should invest in some casting lessons before going any further.

As part of researching this article, I spoke to a friend who is a qualified casting instructor. Interestingly, he told me that some of his best pupils are female and have never held any kind of fishing rod before! In the UK there are two qualifications for casting instructors: APGAI (Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor) and STANIC (Salmon and Trout Association National Instructors Certificate). When choosing an instructor, go for one who holds both qualifications if possible, or an APGAI instructor who qualified within the last 10 years. You can then be confident that you are getting the very best help available. Any instructor worth his/her salt will have suitable equipment which can be borrowed and using it is the best way to find out what suits you.

In my friend's experience, he says that it takes about four one hour sessions to bring someone to a standard where he is happy for them to go fishing. Coarse fishermen are often difficult to help because as they learnt to cast a fixed spool reel and ledger weight in five minutes, they think they will do the same with a fly rod. They don't want to go through a learner/beginner stage and totally fail to understand the very real differences in the mechanics of fly casting compared to spincasting or baitcasting.

Before you start even thinking about buying that new rod, there are two things to do first. The first is to work out what sort of fishing you will be doing mostly: small rivers? big rivers? small stillwaters? big lakes and reservoirs? Each one will want a different type, length and weight of rod. You want a rod that will be suitable for the majority of your fishing. You do not want a 10 foot 7 or 8# rod for small rivers and equally, an eight foot 4# small river rod will be totally out of place on a big reservoir.

Many people coming to fly fishing from coarse fishing where 13 foot rods are the norm, often buy 10 foot rods erroneously equating length of rod with long distance casting. This view point is unfortunately often shared by tackle dealers who habitually sell beginners unsuitable equipment. A beginner's casting technique will not be sufficiently developed to control and load a long powerful rod and heavy line and the result is always the same: the person never learns a proper casting technique and so never gets full enjoyment from fly fishing and never moves beyond the mediocre.

The second thing to do is to decide on a budget. There is no point in looking at and trying expensive rods if you know that you can spend perhaps 100 or maybe 150 at the most. It must be pointed out that there are some very good cheap rods on the market and, equally, some bloody awful ones. By investing in some casting lessons, you will be in a much better position to decide if the rod you are trying is a good one or a bad one.

It is very difficult to give absolute advice on buying a rod as it is such an intensely personal thing. Fishermen have their own likes and dislikes; some like faster-actioned, stiffer rods whereas others prefer a slower, fuller-actioned rod. The beginner/improver is likely to find that the faster, tip action rods are very unforgiven of a less than perfect casting technique. For the beginner buying to a tight budget, buy the best rod that you can afford. You may buy a rod that you find "challenging" to cast at first but it is likely to last you longer than a rod that is very easy to use from the start. You are likely to discover such a rod's shortcomings very quickly and be looking for a replacement sooner than you might wish.

Buying a rod is a bit like buying a car. You wouldn't buy a car without driving it first, so why buy a rod without trying it first? If you have had some lessons from a good, recently-qualified instructor (who will be up to date with the latest rods, lines and casting techniques etc), you should have developed an idea of the type of rod for which you are looking. Do try a rod more than once before buying if at all possible. A rod that feels right the first time you try it may well not feel so good the next time, particularly if you have tried another rod. In fact, do try more than one rod if possible.

If you are uncertain about a rod, don't buy it for the sake of it. Look further afield, try other rods, ask advice from your instructor. You may well end up buying the rod you liked first.

Terry Lawton is a passionate nymph fisherman who caught his biggest wild brown trout (in the UK) - 4lb 2oz - on a home-tied variant of a goldhead, Sawyer-style pheasant tail nymph.