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if so, does anybody have any equipment recommendations for somebody new to the sport?

where and what are you fishin' for??
this is where we fish. Short 6' rod (from walmart), lite #4 line, 5x leader, and mostly parachute style adams. I have about 100 bucks in my rig (not counting flies) I'm cheap...i fish with guys who have over a grand.

My suggestion is get the necessities (rod & reel, decent line, small pliers, snips) ; then build up.

For trout go with an 8.5 or 9 foot 5wt rod.
I think Cabelas stow-away 5 pc is a great rod, but it doesn't have a warranty. Hard to beat Orvis rods for the money when you factor in their warranty (standard by which all others are judged).

Temple Fork also makes a good inexpensive rod with warranty - you used to be able to get them at Bass Pro.

Don't worry about getting an expensive reel...unless you're fighting lunkers it is not much more than a place to store line.

I keep my tippet, nippers, hemostats, etc all on a duck call lanyard rather than using a vest.

my .02 - actual mileage may vary.

in june i'm headed to King Salmon, AK for the first time, I'm signing up for casting lessons but would like to learn with what I'll be using, Ive been told an 8 wt rod?

h2o_dog wrote:I keep my tippet, nippers, hemostats, etc all on a duck call lanyard rather than using a vest.

ditto

Sandy Creek wrote:in june i'm headed to King Salmon, AK for the first time, I'm signing up for casting lessons but would like to learn with what I'll be using, Ive been told an 8 wt rod?

Scratch everything in my previous post...

A good first rod is a 7 or 8 wt. You can feel the fly good when casting with a little bit heavier rod. If you are freshwater or bay fishing for bass or trout the rod is where you would want to spend your money, the reel means nothing when fishing for small fish. If you are saltwater fishing the money needs to be spent on the reel because that will be the important part of big game fishing.
Any rod company like g-loomis, orvis, or sage will be good.
For the money just starting out scientific angler is a good choice.
Just about all of them come with a lifetime warrany now a days.
Good luck

If you got the money get the best...if you gotta budget that's easy too. Lotta different stuff for each application. My advice learn to get your line moving and slack control. At least start with a quality weight forward line of good quality, maybe the one most important thing. You cast the line not the fly... I'm limited to bass buggin now had some trout days in the past but it's old bucket mouth on a hand tied popper or hair frog mostly now..

Haven't ever fell in love with high priced rods 'cause heavey bug stripping will eventually cut grooves in expensive guides just like the lesser ones. Found a goodin once and reguided it couple of times but rod stuff and fly tying ain't for most people. Getting that way for old eyes, bad shoulders and bent fingers....

Hope you and yours are up to a new discipline. Like a lotta things you can get HOOKED! $.02

I have a 9 foot 6 weight St Croix with a scientific angler reel that I will be willing to part with. But you will need at least an 8 or 9 weight if you are going to be fishing for king salmon. I got the st croix for rainbow trout when I spent a summer in AK. They have some huge trout up there 30 inch plus. It really all depends on your budget as what to go with. If you are going to use it alot go ahead and spend a little extra and buy something decent. I really think the St. Croix are a good deal they come with a lifetime warranty. Scientific angler makes some decent reals for the price but if you want something nice go with the ross reels.

By the way I am jealous of you for going to alaska.

I started by going to fly shops and talking to people asking tons of questions , i hate to say it but i paid 50$ and took a lesson soon i was double haulin , a lesson for an hour helps alot and then they can set you up with what you need

Hood where are you located on the coast, I have been wanting to get up with someone down here to do some fly fishing maybe we could get up together some time even though you are an auburn fan.

ive done a good bit of fly fishing in arkansas on the white norfork river.

for trout use a 5wt sometime a 6wt if your throwing streamers

bonefish, red fish, salmon 8wt

permit, 10wt

TFO have some good rods at a good price, most people dont know this but the Temple Fork rods are made from the same exact blanks that GLoomis fly rods are made from.

I prefer Scott rods and Ross reels, but anything will do just fine.

i think im a little too far east for ya.. im over in Destin

Orvis rod and reel combos are hard to beat, and come in several different price ranges to fit pretty much any budget. All of them are high quality and will last a long time. I've had my Orvis rod and reel combo for well over 15 years, and it has not missed a beat. Use it for trout (rainbow and brown), and panfish. Orvis has some rod and reel combos especially designed for the type of fishing you plan to do in Alaska on those big salmon, etc. You better get a good set up and be ready for a fight if you land some of those big fish.

glad that yall had this dicussion. I was planning on getting my first fly rod this spring.

Sandy Creek wrote:in june i'm headed to King Salmon, AK for the first time, I'm signing up for casting lessons but would like to learn with what I'll be using, Ive been told an 8 wt rod?

Who will you be fishing with? I went there last year to Rainbow Lodge. We used 6 and 8 wt.

Here's their website. It should tell you everything necessary.

http://www.alaskarainbowlodge.com/

Here's a link to our trip. Alaska