Dick -

When I first considered taking up fly angling, I found it all a bit overwhelming, what with all the fly rods, fly lines, leaders, flies, materials, etc. It ran counter to one of the major endeavors over my lifetime - to keep it simple.

So I decided to try it, but only on the premise that I could keep it simple, and if I couldn't then I would walk away from it.

I've been relatively successful both in keeping it simple, and succeeding ( enjoying ) at it in that way.

But some folks like things complex and complicated, and if that's your thing, you can be successful with that approach also. You can make it wild beyond your wildest dreams.

The point being - you can make it what you want, you can do it the way you like to do it, and you can enjoy it on your own terms. I think that is a point worth making to anyone considering taking up fly angling.

John