Where are the newbies? many probably lurk and simply have started using that "search" function to find what they're looking for since this, and many other sites have incredible amounts of archived information.

The whole initial setup question always cracks me up. I now own quite a few rods, reels, etc in all price ranges and materials from bamboo to glass to graphite. The funny thing is that one of my setups that I use quite frequently probably cost around $100 total. (Fenwick FF807, $50; Pflueger 1594 1/2, $25; home made floating shooting head from no name fly line brand, $15; waist pack, ??--had it so long I don't think I even paid for it; fly box, $5 for three small plastic containers; flies, I tie most of my own so who knows--all my fly tying stuff probably cost more than this setup though).

for some reason, I gravitate back to this setup even if I spend time fishing other setups...That Fenwick is just a magical rod in the way it casts and handles...it just increases the "fun" factor.