I sure didn't start out fly-fishing for trout in 1960s southern Indiana. I was only 15 when I bought my first fly rod & reel. I studied on it some and bought a 7-weight 8.5 foot rod that set me back about $15 and a Pfleuger Medalist reel for about $9. I think I gleaned about 10 acres of a corn field to get the money. I didn't have the money to buy fly line yet, so I tried out some cord we kept in our junk drawer. Turned out it loaded the rod quite good, but it sunk - fast; and waterlogged it was difficult to cast. So I cut off about 60 feet, singed the ends, and waxed distal end up with melted candle wax. A friend gave me some flies and poppers. I used 8lb test mono line for a leader (I still remember that blue spool) - didn't understand a thing about tippet then. How I managed to catch bluegill and bass on that rig, I cannot now say - but I did. Line still eventually sunk - usually sooner than later. Burnt a lot of candles that first year. But it was a load of fun!