Dear Deanna;
I found your site by accident, while trying to learn about fly fishing online. When I was a teen, I tried my hand at the sport by reading everything I could, then buying inexpensive beginner’s gear, and teaching myself. I actually caught trout along the Lewis River in SW Wash. But, I lost the desire for awhile and went into the military. Now, as a disabled vet, and retired, I’m looking to get back to it. I went out to several stores, and was totally lost in the maze of new technology, and prices that would give Donald Trump fits! I happened to ask a salesman of a fly fishing shop in Woodland WA, and he told me I would need to sink at least $250-300 for entry-level gear! Is that so? Or was he out to make a buck? I have nobody to advise me, so I would really appreciate any guidance you could give me.
P M, Get yourself a Cabelas catalog or go online to Cabelasdot com for startup outfits. Or check out the sponsors pages here on FAOL. You don’t have to spend a fortune to flyfish. Not immediatly anyway.
Also, since you are a disabled vet, try finding a local or nearby Project Healing Waters chapter or something similar. Also a local fly fishing club can help you get started. The Washington Fly Fishing Club has a PHW chapter from Madigan Army Hospital.
Good luck to you. I hope this helps. Jim
Jim has given you some excellent advice. You have come to the right place to find out all you can about fly fishing. FAOL has tied me up with my best fishing partners, and has led me to the greatest source of information. Welcome! In the words of Kitty Carlisle and Bud Collyer, “Enter and sign in please.”
Deanna, I put some outfits together for my kids for about $63 and they fish surprisingly well. Rod: Eagle Claw Featherweight, $18. (7ft. 4/5wt. or 8ft. 5wt.) Reel: Pflueger Medalist 1494, $24. Line: Cortland 333+, $21. If you can buy them all together online somewhere the shipping will be minimized. I have many very expensive rods, reels and lines but these outfits really do work just great. Also, Ollie Damon’s in Portland may have or be able to get all those item and of course there’s no sales tax. Hope that helps. Ken
Tthe answer may depend on what you mean by entry level gear. If you want waders, vest, fishing shirt, landing net, creel, polarized glasses, fishing hat, rod, reel, line, leader, tippets, fly box and flies from a fly shop you are probably doing well to get out that cheaply. If you have waders or are willing to wet wade when you can’t fish from the bank and carry a few flies in an empty altoids tin it can be a lot cheaper getting started. All you absolutely need are a fly rod, reel, line, leader and those few flies. Do wear sunglasses or safety glasses and a hat for protection but they needn’t be special fly fishing gear. I would avoid the very cheapest ready to fish kits I have seen but decent outfits are available from between $100 and $200 dollars if you aren’t confident in making up your own.
I recently picked up a Cabelas 3 forks outfit with rod, reel, line, backing and leader. It casts surprisingly well. Currently they are $65-95. After that, a few flies will get you on the water.