Getting Started

If you are interested in catching trout, or even estuary salt water species here's some basic information about buying your first outfit.

RODS
Fly fishing rods are made predominately from graphite, and range in price from under $100 up to $1000+. (You can still buy the 'classic split cane rod', but they are expensive!) Clearly you pay for what you get, like most sports to become proficient takes time and practice, and you can learn to fly fish with a fairly modest outfit.
I recommend a 6 or 7 weight rod, 8-9 feet long to start with. Most rods come in two pieces, you pay more for the travel rods which come in 3-6 pieces. It's worth getting a solid rod tube; more rods are broken while traveling than actually fishing.

So what's a 7 weight? Rods are classified in weights, this means that they are matched to a line weight, these go from
00 to 15. It is the fly lines' weight that carries the line out, through the rod guides . . . there are no lead sinkers on the end of our lines! Rods come in weights from 00 for small delicate stream fishing through to 15, for game fishing in saltwater.

Look for an up-locking reel seat and a cork handle, which grips well when wet and slimy. The general rule of thumb is that the rod should have one guide/runner more than the the rods length not counting the hook keeper and the tip. So an 8 foot rod should have 9 guides, otherwise the line won't shoot well. There are some very good combinations available in the stores around the $300-400 price range, for that you will get a rod, reel and line and with some rods a hard tube. Talk to the guys in the store tell them your budget and see what they can do for you.

REELS
The reel is basically somewhere the fly line is stored when you first start out. The main thing is that the reel holds the line size plus backing, and also balances the outfit. When catching a fish, most fly fishers spend most of their time handling the line rather than fighting it on the reel. The most common reel is a single action one; the handle is attached directly to the spool, and there are no gears to change the ratio. Most reels are adjustable left or right handed and some come with an extra spool. Try to buy a reel that has an open rim that you can apply hand pressure when you do start to fight fish from the reel.

Saltwater reels, in general are more expensive as they have to cope with larger fish and the corrosive effects of the saltwater, many saltwater fish are played off the reel.

I believe you should spend as much as you can afford on the rod rather than the reel for your first outfit.

FLY LINES
This is one area that can be very confusing as there are so many brands and different types of fly lines; so let's look?at the things you need to know.
To start fly fishing you need a WF7F line for a 7 weight rod. What does this mean? The WF stands for Weight Forward, the 7 stands for the actual weight of the line so it matches up to your rod, and the F stands for floating.

Fly lines fall into various categories: WF = Weight Forward, DT = Double Taper, TT = Triangular taper, L= Level, F = Floating, S = Sinking, ST = Sink Tip, I = Intermediate.

It's really important that you look after the line; you often get a pad of line cleaner when you buy the line, so use it!?The line usually comes on a plastic spool with a sticker attached, saying, "This end to the reel". Take note; if you get this wrong you will make casting very hard for yourself! And don't think it doesn't happen . . . often! I know of many a beginner who has wasted hours, even days with their line on back-to-front!
So that you have a full reel, use Dacron backing to pack the reel out so the line is almost to the edge of the reel.?You will also need a tapered leader; this keeps the fly line away from the fish and softens the delivery of the fly. The end attached to the fly line is the butt while the finer end is the tippet. I also use a short section of hard nylon between the fly line and the tapered leader. It's a good idea to add extra tippet so that you don't shorten the leader, each time you attach a new fly. I suggest you don't buy a really expensive fly line, purchase a beginner's line, they are usually made in a fluro colour which helps you to see the line when you are learning to cast.

FLIES
The following flies make a good starter set. Wet Flies: Brown and Green Nymphs, also bead head nymphs (to make them sink), Mrs Simpsons, Woolly Buggers. Dry Flies: Royal Coachman or Wulff, Elk Hair Caddis, Muddler Minnows. Its best to buy several of each in various sizes. Flies should be protected in an inexpensive fly box.

You'll also need a bottle of fly floatant . . . to make the dry flies float!
To make your leader sink just get some mud on your finger and thumb and pull the leader and tippet through it, it will degrease it.
One item that's important is a pair of line clippers; never bite the leader and tippet material as it blunts the end and makes it very difficult to thread through the eye of the hook.

A broad brimmed hat for sunny days and a pair of sunglasses (mostly to protect your eyes from the fly) are essential. Polaroids help you to see fish in the water by cutting down the glare and are strongly recommended.

Remember one outfit cannot do everything! The 6 or 7 weight rod is a good outfit for both rivers and lakes and even when fishing for smaller saltwater species so its a reasonable rod to start out with. If you do use your outfit in the salt make sure you give it a good wash down after every trip.
The easiest way to get started is to take a casting lesson, it can be very frustrating trying to teach yourself. The secret is to practice and don't confuse casting practice with fishing.

Good luck and tight lines.