Question:
I'd like to go fishing trout in
the nearby rivers of Ithaca and
haven’t got a clue of what gear
do I need. As a beginner I don’t
want to spend too much (<$50). Can
anybody provide ideas?
Answer:
Without spending a lot of money,
you can catch trout on normal spinning
rod/reel combos using 4 - 6 lb.
test monofilament line, small hooks
and worms or minnows as bait. Many
purists, however, shudder at the
thought of using live bait for trout.
Of course, those purists (myself
included) have many hundreds of
dollars worth of fly rods, reels,
floating and sinking fly lines,
tippets, dry flies, wet flies, nymphs,
landing nets, waders and fishing
vests.
Although bait-users
catch fish, too, I encourage you
to look around for a used fly-rod
and then talk to someone at your
local fly-shop about some line made
for the type of rod you purchased.
The line is the most important thing
a fly-fisherman buys. Whatever you
do, don't skimp when it comes to
fly-line. Buy the best. To get started
in fly fishing for less than $50.00
may not be easy (or even possible).
Check flea markets and the classified
section for a used fly rod. A cheapie
pair of hip-waders goes for about
$30.00 around here.
A vest, while
making life extremely easier while
wading and fly-fishing, is not necessary
if you're just starting out - just
wear something with a lot of big
pockets (sweatshirt with pouch in
front, etc..., but be careful you
don't drop anything!) Now, what
about a net? For 8 to 10 bucks,
you can get a net sufficient for
trout fishing. I have a net which
I always carry and almost never
use..... You decide if a net is
necessary. Flies cost anywhere from
50 cents to $5.00 each, depending
on the size and quality. Patterns
(representations of a specific type
of aquatic bugs) are not as important
as size and color, in that order.
Again, ask
your local fly shop employee. They
want you to catch fish, so that
you'll come back and buy more stuff,
so they're usually quite happy to
help you get outfitted for your
area. So... $25.00 for a used fly
rod, $15.00 for fly line and a leader
or two, waders for $30, a net for
$10, and a few flies for another
$10.... (and that's skimping...)
It adds up, but believe me, when
you land your first trophy brown
trout with a fly rod, you'll agree
it's worth every penny.
