Wild Water Standard Fly Fishing Combo Starter Kit, 5 or 6 Weight 9 Foot Fly Rod, 4-Piece Graphite Rod Review (2026)

Rod Specs

The rod is built from IM8 graphite in a 9 foot, 4-piece configuration with a medium-fast action, offered in either 5 or 6 weight depending on whether you fish smaller trout water or want more backbone for bass and windier days. Each of the four sections measures 28 inches for easy travel, and the blank weighs about 4.4 ounces on its own. It has a machined aluminum reel seat with double lock rings and a laser etched butt cap, a 7 inch Western-style cork handle with compressed cork accent rings, a stainless steel stripper guide with a silicon carbide ring, and stainless single-foot guides through the tip.

Reel and Line

The included reel is a die cast aluminum fly reel with stainless steel internal components, built around an 85mm quick-release spool with an adjustable disc drag and a one-way clutch bearing. It arrives preloaded with chartreuse WF5-F floating fly line, 20 pound backing, and a 9 foot 5X tapered monofilament leader, so the kit is genuinely set up to string a rod and start casting rather than requiring a separate line and leader purchase. The disc drag is functional for typical trout and bass fishing, but it does not have the smoothness or stopping power of the sealed drag systems found on higher-priced reels.

Fly Box and Case

Wild Water includes a rugged plastic fly box measuring 5.25 by 3.5 by 1.25 inches that the maker says can hold up to 372 flies, giving new anglers a place to start building a fly selection without buying a separate box. The whole kit travels in a 32 inch hard tube case with a dedicated reel pouch and a side storage pouch with a zipper, plus a carry strap and hang ring for storage at home. A 4-section cloth rod bag with ties protects the rod sections inside the tube, rounding out a kit that is genuinely packaged to travel and store as one unit.

Choosing 5 or 6 Weight

The option to buy this rod in either 5 or 6 weight is one of its more useful features for a beginner kit, since it lets anglers match the outfit to their primary target rather than being stuck with a single all-purpose weight. A 5 weight is the classic trout weight, light enough for delicate presentations on rivers and smaller stillwaters, while a 6 weight adds a bit more power for bass, windier conditions, or slightly larger flies without becoming a dedicated saltwater or big-fish rod. Either way, the 9 foot length is the standard choice for general freshwater fly fishing and gives good line control at typical casting distances.

Who Should Buy It

This kit is aimed squarely at someone buying their first fly rod and reel who wants everything needed to start fishing in one box, rather than piecing together a rod, reel, line, and leader separately. The entry-level graphite blank and basic disc drag reel are reasonable trade-offs for the price and are common at this end of the market, but anglers who already fish and want a lighter, more refined rod, or a smoother reel for fighting larger fish, will outgrow this kit's performance ceiling. As a first outfit to learn casting and basic fly fishing skills, it covers the essentials without requiring separate purchases.

Frequently asked questions