What Are The Essentials For A Beginner??

[CumberlandRiverTroutin]

Hey All,

My fishing buddies are always fly fishing when we go on our trips, and I'm tired of not being able to do the same. So I have a few questions, I've done as much research as possible and am down to the point where I am ready to start purchasing equipment.

I have settled on the 5 Weight Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Series One Fly Rod and a Ross FlyStart titanium finish reel. My question is what else should I purchase that is essential at the beginning, as I don't have all that much money to spend at the current time, so some less essetial items can wait.

I intend on buying the following right now:
Rod
Reel (Pre-Spooled with Line, Leader and Backing)
Fly Assortment
Forceps
Tippet & Leaders
Vest


But do I really need to buy any of these items right now:
Floatant?
Leader Straightener?
Strike Indicators?
Split Shot?
Retractors?
Landing Net?


If there is anything I missed the I absolutely must have right now, please let me know.

Also I have a gift certificate to Cabelas, so the major pieces are coming from there. If anyone has any other suggestions on where to piece together these items the cheapest let me know.

Thanks for your help.

[yatahey]

About the do I need list.
You don't need the leader straightner, just pull on new leaders a couple times to stretch them out.
Get a little nippers instead. The rest I would say, get em.
Add to the list a pair of waders when you can afford them.
Good luck, and happy fishing. You're gonna love it.

[CumberlandRiverTroutin]

Thanks yatahey,

So other than the leader straigtener, (which I sort've figured was a waste anyway) you're saying that I need the other items immeadiately and cannot do without them even for a little while?

[Joe D]

Add in some casting lessons or dvd and time to practice casting.

[yatahey]

I agree with JoeD, casting lessons are well worth the expense when you take into account the bad habits you'll avoid by taking them. Maybe you're friends can help you with this one.
As far as the other items. If your're going to fish dry flys, you'll need floatant, I recommend the dry crystals like Frogs Fanny.
If you're gonna nymph fish, you need spilt shot, preferably non-lead, and strike indicators. You can high stick Czech nymph style without an indicator but you'll miss a lot of strikes without one.
Retractors are great for getting small flies out of the fish and you'll find other uses for them.
Landing net? You can do without for a while, but it's really worth it to have one, especially in rough terrain. Get one with a soft basket not the monofiliment kind, those tend to remove the protective slime from the fish. Also excessive handling without a net will inevitably lead to some injured fish.
All in all, the items you have listed as "do I need" can be had on the cheap for about $30, including the net (Wal Mart cheapy). Hardly worth not having.
Hope this is helpful and I'm sure if I forgot anything, which is happening a lot with me lately, others on the forum will bring them up. You've joined a great group on this forum and don't be afraid to ask any question. The only dumb question is the one not asked.

[CumberlandRiverTroutin]

Thanks, yes i've noticed most around these parts are very helpful, thats why I am here.

I'm just being very cheap right now, and if I don't absolutely need it to go fishing then I want to wait until my next purchase, if only so that it takes a little of the sting out of spending money I shouldn't for a little while.

I think I might have changed my mind to the St. Croix Triumph rather than the TFO Series One. So that puts my combo at around $175, which I regard as very reasonable from what I have read about what I am getting. I'm also buying the classic trout assortment from Cabelas, so that I can fish immeadiately and because that is the primary use for the outfit. Might wait on the vest and net until I am going on another trip, so I can justify them to myself, haha. Just throw the gear in an old tackle box I have until then.

Waders are nice and I definitely intend on buying some once it starts cooling down, but after wading in 47 degree water in my crocs for a few hours last weekend I think I can handle it until the fall.

So here's what I'm lookin at:

Rod/Reel $175
Flies $18.99
Forceps $3.99
Floatant $4.99

Can atleast go fish/learn with this grouping of equipment or is their a vital piece I need?

I plan on learning and messing around with the local bluegill and bass until our next trip.

How bout giving me a checklist of sorts?

[peregrines]

hey Cumberland, welcome to the board, and to fly fishing. Either the TFO or the St Croix is a good choice.

Couple of suggestions:
You mentioned carrying stuff in a tackle box for now... remember you'll need as much room behind you as in front of you for the backcast.... so if you're stream fishing that means you'll be wading, or rock hopping. If you want to put off the vest, figure out a way to carry stuff on you--- cargo pants with big pockets, shirt with big pockets you can button (so stuff doesn't fall out when you bend over), fanny pack etc. If you were just standing in one spot at a pond with no trees, brush etc behind you, a tackle box would work.

As for gear,
nippers- look for ones with a little pointy thing on them for clearing eyes of head cement, and a hole to run some string around to hang around your neck so they're always handy.
floatant- paste type (DAB, Gink) or liquid in a bottle any brand
flies- a basic trout assortment with some dries and nymphs and buggers is a good start-- add to it based on local advice or ask here for some recommendations
hemostat
spool of 4x tippet

Starting with some gills and small bass is a good idea. I would add some:
Black or white foam rubber spiders size 10 or 12
a couple panfish poppers with rubber legs size 12 or 10 (you won't need floatant for these or the spider)
and a couple bead head black woolly buggers size 8

google: "tight lines fly casting you tube part one” for a good 3 part intro to fly casting. Good fundamentals.

Get some help with casting. If you buy your outfit from a local fly shop, they might throw one in, and will be a good resource for you in terms of places to fish, flies and knots to use, and local conditions and hatches. A lesson from someone that teaches others on a regular basis is best and will get you off to the best start with a minimum of frustration and bad habits which will be harder to correct down the road.

But if you buy online or from a big box store and don’t want to spring for lessons, maybe one of your buddies could give you some pointers. Practice on some grass with a bit of yarn tied on your leader---it’ll keep the leader from fraying, and have a go.

I would advise you to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and pinch the barbs down on your hooks. It’s easier on the fish, and makes it easier to take out of ears, arms, backs of legs etc….. It's always a good idea, but especially so when you're starting out because you'll probably be a little wild.

Good luck!

peregrines

[ezamora]

forget the vest for now. go to target (or maybe walmart) and look for a small waist pack, usually found in the area of luggage and backpacks. i got one at target for about $12 tops and it has water bottle holders on each side. forget the tackle box, it's not needed.

if you're fishing dry flies at all, get some kind of floatant. keep a good hold of it when using though, it would suck to lose it in the water.

eric
fresno, ca.

[Teamanglerx]

Cabelas has a sale on several fly fishing fanny packs/chest packs. I was looking at some of these. I have a vest and it really helps.

[Silver Doc]

If you are going to wade, you'll need waders, fleece underwear, heavy wool socks, and boots (with studs) and a wading belt so that you can attatch a wading stick. No need to go broke just look in the Cabela's catalog. Like he said when the monkey peed in the cash register "it's going to run into money." As for flies, go on line to the different sites for flies and pick those that are for use in the areas you are going to fish. Why pay 1.95 for flies when on most sites they are at best 75 cents. Believe me when you are just starting off you will lose alot of them. You'll love it and good luck. Silver Doc