THE GREAT OUTDOORS — Fly fishing is a sport that's either as expensive or cheap as you make it. The costliest part of the sport is picking a fly rod, but you don't have to spend top dollar to get a good rod. Deals can easily be found at any price.

After more than a decade of fly fishing, I've used everything from a $50 Wal-Mart special to antique bamboo rods from some of the all-time greatest rod builders. The rods in this review are held in high regard for their performance, and I've personally used each one. The rods that follow represent what I believe are the best rods at entry-level, intermediate, and expert prices.

(Unless otherwise noted, all fly rods listed were reviewed in the 9' 5wt configuration — fly fishing's most common, effective length and weight of rod.)

Entry level rod: Redington Crosswater

Price: $69.95 - $129.95

Grade: B-

If you only want to spend the bare minimum, but still want good quality and some sort of warranty, the Redington Crosswater is hard to beat. The rod features a nice blue blank, a moderate fast action that allows you to feel the line load off the tip, and enough backbone to fight a moderate wind and land large fish.

It comes with a one-year warranty, but the components aren't very good. The reel seat, butt cap, and cork are low quality, as is the reel and line if you buy this rod in the combo package.

Entry level rod: Fenwick Aetos ===============================

Price: $189.95

Grade: A

Fenwick surprised many folks in the angling world when they released the Aetos. More surprisingly, however, the Aetos won the coveted Best Inexpensive Rod Award in George Anderson's 2016 5wt Yellowstone Shootout.

It's nothing fancy, but the Aetos performs comparably to rods from companies such as Sage, Echo, and St. Croix. It handles small dry flies well in close, but also has the power for bigger flies and longer distance.

Intermediate level rod: St. Croix Imperial ==========================================

Price: $220

Grade: B+

St. Croix builds their fly rods in the U.S., which is surprising given their lower price. However, at $220, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better rod.

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Featuring a lifetime warranty, a crisp fast action, and the ability to fight wind better than any of the aforementioned rods, the Imperial is a great choice for anglers looking to take the next step.

Intermediate level rod: Orvis Recon ===================================

Price: $425

Grade: A-

This is the higher end of the intermediate scale, but for those willing to pay $425, the Recon won't disappoint.

It's one of Orvis' best rods ever built, and is lauded throughout the community as the best lightweight go-to trout rod available. My only complaint is the tip is a bit too stiff, which causes problems when using lighter tippet. That aside, you get Orvis' 25-year warranty, top-notch craftmanship, and a rod that's landed monster trout everywhere from Patagonia to Alaska.

Expert level rod: Orvis Helios 2 (Tip-Flex) ===========================================

Price: $795

Grade: A

The Helios 2 is one of the best fast-action fly rods built in the last 15 years. It's a gorgeous rod, featuring a beautiful burled maple reel seat insert, a dark blue finish, and top-grade cork.

It casts with ease, is incredibly light, and cuts through the wind without too much effort. It is expensive, but the price is worth the performance. After nearly a month of using a test model of this rod, I very reluctantly sent it back to Orvis. From dry flies to streamers, the Helios 2 did everything I asked of it and then some.

Expert level rod: Winston Boron IIIx =====================================

Price: $845

Grade: A+

If you chase trout exclusively, love dry-fly fishing, and savor high-country streams and creeks, there's not a better production rod on the market than the Boron IIIx.

Winston uses boron graphite to make this rod exceptionally light, yet powerful and accurate. The tip section is incredibly soft — enough so that I've landed 25-inch brown trout on 6x tippet without breaking my fly off.

The workmanship is the best available, and while it may not have the faster action of a Sage One or Sage MOD, it's certainly a rod that can do anything an angler needs.

What's your favorite fly rod? Let us know in the comments.

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