[mrcrossbow]

I'd say go with buy once cry once, get good quality gear will make the experience better, nothing worse then fighting with your gear, not being able to cast because the rod is low quality, line is all in a birds nest, nice thing about good quality gear is, if for any reason you want get out of the sport or it just isn't for you, the resale on good gear is well good, should be able to break even, or even trade for gear you will use, ie spin casting gear. a good vest or lumbar/fanny pack is great also, and can be used for other activities, waders are nice to have, if you like standing in hip deep water ( I like useing a sit on top kayak and fly fishing lakes ) match your gear to the fish your going after, a nice 6 or 7 wt rod 7wt gets you into pike territory ( I use a 8/9 wt but I only fish for pike ) iron bow fishing shop is helpful in giving info and setting you up. Just don't cheap out on the rod, can go little cheaper on the reel and up grade that later, get good line ether floating or sinking, sinking tip, floating is good place to start, I just use regular old mono line as my leader, again good stuff not dollar store stuff unless like birds nests, and get good tipet line. if useing float line match your Flys to it and get some floating spray for your Flys. oh and give your fly line a clean every now and then. If you start going for pike that's a different sort game, heavy wt rods n line and metal tipets but very addictive. I was hooked after my first pike and now that's all I target, still now and then a aggressive trout will smack my big ol pike Flys, always a surprise when that happens. I tend to ramble on and on so I'll stop now.