question

[fish4fish]

i found this (see picture) fly kit at the local wally-world for $20, would it be worth it for a beginer, accually complete novice at fly fishing?
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[scrollfish]

It would probably be good just to see whether or not you even like it or not. I paid 40 for mine at Fred Meyer. I dont have the patience for it.
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[mateo]

Well, you could spend hundreds of dollars on an outfit that MIGHT impress other flyfishermen, but why?

I have el cheapo crapo stuff, and I enjoy it just fine. I started out with a $25 cortland outfit years ago, and it breaks just as easily as the expensive stuff I think.

Buy the cheapo rig, practice some, and invest a fraction of what you save on a class or two, or some other equipment like waders and stuff. Maybe take a class on fly tying, which is fun in itself.

Heck, you could buy a boat or pontoon for the price of some of those fly rods. It's insane, in my own humble, borderline insane opinion.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]I don't know what your budget limitations are, but if your choices are going to be influenced more by money than value (there is a difference) you might want to consider a step by step approach.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Fly fishing is not the deep dark mystery that many in the cult would have you believe. You can get started for a reasonable amount of money, and can get good serviceable equipment on a budget. Once you develop the passion, and the proficiency, you can justify "investing" more money.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]My personal suggestion would be to first get some good instruction on fly casting and learn some of the better patterns for the type of fishing you will be doing most. I would not recommend beginning a fly fishing career by tieing your own flies. Sure, it can be a fun hobby and produce flies that will catch fish, but it is a bit like putting the cart before the horse to start at that level.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]There are a lot of good fly flingers in the area, and on BFT. If you already have fly fishing gear, try to get together with somebody who knows their stuff and have them assess your system. Make sure you have a balanced outfit, in terms of rod length and weight, reel, line, etc. Casting with a balanced setup is a joy. Trying to learn on a mismatched assortment of components can be frustrating and discouraging.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]If you are still putting together your first fly fishing ensemble, be sure to get good help in doing so. I might suggest a visit to Hooked in Kaysville for some good insight and suggestions. They also have classes on various aspects of fly fishing from time to time.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Back to the $20 kit. I have never been a big fan of kits. If you are serious, first get a good vice. It should be easily adjustable from tiny hooks to larger ones for buggers and jigs, if you go that far. A decent vice will usually cost more than that kit, but will last a lifetime.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]After that, you can buy the tools you need...like thread bobbins, hackle pliers, scissors, etc. Again, quality equates to value. Price seldom results in quality.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]If you are lucky, you can find some fly tiers that have surplus materials they will "download" to help you get started. After that, you will no doubt begin "accumulating" some of every known type of feather, fur, hair and synthetic material that could even remotely be considered good potential material for fly tying. If there was ever an explosion in my tackle room, I would probably be assaulted by PETA, Greenpeace and various wildlife protection groups as they watched the assorted remnants of previously deceased critters come fluttering down.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]But, I will have to agree with the advice that you don't have to spend a lot to be functional. Jump in however you are comfortable and practice your friend-making skills. That's how you will probably pick up most of what you will learn over the years. [/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yeah, also get comfortable with plugging in "fly tying" on search engines. They didn't have no steenking Internet when I was learning to tie flies. Take advantage of it.[/size][/#0000ff]
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