With all the options offered by mail order catalogues and internet stores in addition to your neighborhood fly fishing shop, it can be hard to know where you should buy your gear. You want the best deals as well as the best gear, after all. If your options seem overwhelm however, remember that you can often find the best rods in multiple places. There really is no one right store. So instead of shopping at the perfect retailer, focus your sights on picking out the perfect model and then let the storefront follow.

In either case the key to your success will be in your knowledge base and you may need to shop several stores to get the necessary information. Internet retailers, with their focus on customer reviews and stock variety, can help you to begin your search by allowing you to expose yourself to the full spectrum of what the market has to offer. Use this information to narrow your search to a few rods, then find out which physical stores in your area carry them. You are now equipped for the testing phase of purchasing. If you are buying a reel as well, it is a good idea to test it in the store with your rod choices, otherwise test the rods with the reel you intend to use with them. The final step is to figure out which retailer is offering the best price on the rod you really want.