After fishing for nearly three decades, I only recently decided to start over and learn to fly fish. I never had the patience or determination before, but this time was different. The Pflueger President XT Fly Combo was shipped to my door because it was advertised as beginner-friendly and high-quality. I don’t want to buy a new fly combo every year because I break one; I want to buy a new one every year because I just want another one.
Over the last several months, I’ve taken this 9’ #5 combo bass fishing, panfishing, and trout fishing in rivers and ponds. It’s traveled across state lines with me, stayed close to home while fishing my farm pond, and made countless casts from my kayak.
In short: The Pflueger President XT 9’ #5 Fly Combo has made me feel like a kid again. I enjoy catching anything at all, even small fish, because they’re so fun to fight on this combo. I was impressed to see the die-cast aluminum fly reel, but a few small improvements to the rod would push it over the top as an incredible tool for new fly anglers.
Line rating
5 wt, 6 wt, or 8 wt
Reel handle position
Left
Pros
- Trusted brand
- Comes with everything but the flies
- Quality, durable components and materials
- Versatile (multiple rod weights available, and fresh/saltwater ready)
- Ideal for traveling
Cons
- No eye alignment markings
- Reveals poor casting technique
- A tad expensive for beginners
Pflueger President XT Fly Combo Review
The Pflueger President XT 9’ #5 Fly Combo is the first fly combo I’ve owned. My parents purchased a relatively inexpensive one for me as a kid. When I decided to give fly fishing a real go, I also purchased another similarly priced combo.
Speaking of price, I think the fly fishing industry would benefit from lower entry-level gear prices. If a new angler has the choice between a $50 spinning combo and a $250 fly combo, they’ll choose the spinning combo most of the time. Compared to premium fly rods, $250 is cheap, but I would argue it’s still expensive for beginners who are unsure if they’ll even like fly fishing.
Build Quality
The Pflueger gear I’ve owned has treated me well, and I expected the President XT Fly Combo to do the same, since it’s made from quality materials. The high-performance four-piece, medium-fast-action rod has a cork handle and a carbon-fiber reel seat. The die-cast aluminum large-arbor reel is equipped with a Rulon disc drag system and is pre-spooled with backing, weight-forward floating fly line, and a knotless tapered leader.
First Impressions
Out of the box, I was very impressed with the quality of the carrying case, rod, and reel. As a relatively new fly angler, I appreciated that the backing, fly line, and tapered leader were already on the reel, so I didn’t have to worry about spooling on the wrong thing first. The die-cast aluminum reel is another quality touch I noticed while putting the rod together for the first time.
My other similarly priced combo came with a plastic reel. However, it takes me a little longer to ensure the eyes are aligned on my President XT because it doesn’t have simple markings on the rod. It’s not a significant issue, but it doesn’t mean I spend just a bit longer aligning them instead of fishing.
On-the-Water Performance
After unboxing, I wasted no time heading to my pond to try out my new fly rod, only to realize I couldn’t cast my fly as far as I wanted. The rod revealed my poor casting technique, and as a beginner, it’s a little frustrating. However, in the long run, it forced me to improve my casting skills. I don’t think it’s a difficult rod to cast; it’s just taken a little more practice.
I’ve caught bluegill, crappie, and bass out of my pond with the President XT, and every single fish is fun to fight. The #5 rod bends and won’t rip out the hook on small fish, but has plenty of power to set the hook and haul in decent bass.
If you want to target larger fish, you can always step up to a #6 or #8 rod. I chose the #5 because I also take it trout fishing. I’ve traveled to a couple of trout streams with it, but have yet to catch a trout. I love that the rod and reel are protected and compact in the case while traveling.
Don’t worry, Pflueger didn’t forget about saltwater anglers. The President XT Fly Combo is also ready to take on saltwater species, and I can’t wait to test it out one day. For now, Oklahoma doesn’t have any saltwater nearby, so I’ll stick to my freshwater fly fishing.
What the Pflueger President XT Fly Combo Does Well
It was a huge relief that the Pflueger President XT Fly Combo came with everything I needed but the flies. As a beginner learning the vernacular and the gear, the process can be a bit overwhelming (even for someone who’s fished their entire life), so not having to worry about purchasing and spooling three different lines was very helpful.
After using Pflueger for several years, I know the company makes quality gear, and this combo is no exception. You can quickly see it in the carbon-fiber reel seat and the die-cast aluminum reel. After fishing with the combo for a while, you’ll appreciate the quality because it should last you many years of fishing.
The versatility of this combo is probably the highlight because you can catch nearly anything that bites a fly with it (when you choose the correct rod weight for the species). That’s because it’s ready to fish in fresh or saltwater, and the multiple weights allow you to pick the one that best suits your needs.
Like most modern fly rods, it separates into four pieces and comes with a case, making travel a breeze. I didn’t worry about it at all while traveling because I knew it was protected in the travel case.
Where I See Room for Improvement
As much as I love my Pflueger President XT Fly Combo, I still see some key areas that could help take it over the top.
The first and simplest is to put some eye-alignment markings on the rod. This will help novice fly anglers line up the eyes much faster and make the overall experience less frustrating, plus it shouldn’t cost much.
My other biggest frustration is with the price. Fishing is expensive in general, but fly fishing gear tends to take it to another level. I can get an excellent baitcasting combo for around $250, whereas $250 is the entry-level for a decent-quality fly combo. If we want more people to enjoy fly fishing, we have to make it reasonable for them to begin.
Who Should Buy It?
While I think the price is a tad high for beginners (Pflueger offers less expensive combos), the quality and versatility make it appealing to them (at least it did for me). It’s marketed toward new and intermediate fly anglers, and after months of using it, I think this is who it’s for.
It’s a great rod to learn on, either initially or to continue learning, without spending thousands of dollars on a setup. It travels well and makes fishing so much fun.
Last Cast: Pflueger President XT 9’ #5 Fly Combo Review
Many more trips with the Pflueger President XT 9’ #5 Fly Combo are in my future. My first trout with a fly rod still eludes me. So, trout fishing with this combo is one of my primary focuses. It’s handled every other fish I’ve caught, and I have no doubts I’ll soon land a trout with it. If you want a high-quality, versatile fly-fishing combo, I strongly recommend the Pflueger President XT.
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