NOTE: I am not being paid by any company or brands that I recommend below. All suggestions are my honest opinion as a professional fishing guide.

This article was updated on Feb 26, 2023, from the original article published on Nov 15, 2022.

Getting the right fly fishing gear is not
simple without the right guidance.

Being a beginner fly angler is a daunting task, not only from the skill sets needed but from a financial perspective. And let’s be honest – it’s hard to get into about any new sport or hobby these days for less than $1,000. Fly fishing, unfortunately, is really no different.

To get the basic gear for fly fishing – gear that is of good quality that I recommend below – is going to cost closer to $1,200 in total.

Below I’ve put together the cost-conscience fly fishing essentials gift list for the beginner angler in your life. All items recommended below are ones that I’ve personally used and endorse as solid products. These product may be on the lower-end of the price point spectrum, but I do not recommend “cheap” gear. Ever.

I always advise people to buy from a brand that will stand by their product and repair or replace the item should it break or get damaged. Thus you may see some high-end name brands in my list below, but most often the recommended fly fishing products will be the lower/mid level products made by that brand. So stick with me and follow along.

The top of my list includes the most expensive pieces of the angler’s get up and the bottom half are the less expensive pieces of a fly anglers gear and are great for stocking stuffers.

The basics any fly angler will need are:

Fly rod, fly reel, fly line, boots, waders, bag, net, fly box, nippers, forceps, leaders, tippet

8 Fly Fishing Gift Ideas for the Beginner Angler

1) Fly Rod, Reel & Fly Line - A fly rod is the first thing that comes to mind and is often the most expensive piece of the basic fly fishing set up. For anyone who’s a beginner or casual angler, I recommend starting with the Orvis Clearwater Rod/Reel/Line combo. This was my first set up when I was a beginner and today I still use it personally and with clients.

This is a good rod, plain and simple.

The Clearwater rods are easy to cast and are about as affordable as one could ask for given the quality of the product. Furthermore, it comes with a 25-year warranty from Orvis for which covers all damage to the rod, no questions asked.

Lastly, I love this combo because it puts three pieces of the gear puzzle together at one time. Piecing comparable quality products together separately would almost certainly cost the angler more money.

2) Fishing Bag – You need a fly fishing bag to organize your gear. There are several styles of bags however I recommend a hip bag for several reasons. These styles of fly fishing bags are comfortable and typically have the gear carrying capacity for several fly boxes, a water bottle and a lightweight rain jacket. Further, when you forget to zip your bag shut, it’s harder for your precious gear to fall into the river because of the orientation of the bag’s opening towards the sky.

So how much should you spend on a bag? $150-$200. Tops.

Start with something from a reputable company like Fish Pond, Patagonia or Simms but it doesn’t have to be their most expensive bag. The one that I have used on multiple occasions is the Patagonia Stealth Hip Pack 11L and it is one of the most affordable fly fishing products that is still of very high quality.

3) Waders – $800 waders are a big “NO NO” for beginner or casual anglers. But no-name $100 waders made in China are also a big “NO NO”.

We need to start somewhere in the middle. For this category, I have two recommendations for waders on the middle-lower end of the price range, both from reputable companies.

The Redington Escape Waders are a go to product I use with my clients day in and day out. They are affordable and effective for keeping you dry. If you’d like to have a product for which is a little easier to get repaired by the manufacturer when you get a leak (because over time this WILL happen), I advise looking to the Patagonia Swiftcurrent Packable Waders. Patagonia makes phenomenal products and always repairs them quickly and at a small cost to the consumer.

4) Wading Boots – A wading boot, running shoe, ski boot or set of high heels is one of the most intimate pieces of clothing someone can own… outside a pair of undies. That’s why I don’t recommend buying someone boots because fit and style are often times the things the wearer of the product should decide on for themselves. However, if you’re going to steer someone in the right direction or buy them a gift card for wading boots, steer them towards the Simms Freestone Boot.

The fit on these wading boots are good for a variety of foot types and are made from a reputable fly fishing company. These boots were my go-to for several seasons and have around 150 days in them before starting to show serious wear and tear.

5) Net – The carbon fiber nets are light-weight and sexy. But they are not necessary. A net is a net and they all do pretty much the same thing - land wild trout. Get that special person in your life a wooden net with a rubber bag. The rubber bag is crucial for handling the fish as gently as possible and are easy to repair when it get’s torn. The White River Fly Shop Hobbs Creek Rubber Bag Trout Net will do just fine for any angler.

6) Fly Box - There are myriads of fly boxes on the market of which many are Amazon specials and of low-quality. Because the overall price point of a fly box is generally under $40, I typically recommend a high-quality product for the few extra dollars it will cost. The Fishpond Tacky Pescador – Magpad- Small will hold 143 flies and has a magnetic strip to help you not lose rogue flies that try to escape the box.

7) Nippers & Forceps – Do not let anyone tell you that you need a $200 pair of nippers and $100 forceps. You just don’t.. But similar to waders, never buy the bargain products that break in their first season. Get something reliable and cost-effective like the Loon Outdoors Essentials Kit. At just shy of $40 for the combo, you get a solid set of nippers and forceps from a great company that will last you many trips to river.

8) Leaders & Tippet – Any leader or tippet product from Rio will provide an angler a confident and stealthy experience on the water. For most Colorado mountain streams where fish are often spooky, I recommend the Flouroflex STRONG Tippet in sizes 4x-6x. For leaders, a 9 foot Flouroflex Trout Leader, also in sizes 4x-6x, will typically get the job done. These are great stocking stuffers and essential pieces of gear for any fly angler.

Conclusion: The above list of products gets you set up for around $1,200, give or take. While this isn’t a small amount of money, it is certainly less than the $2,000-$4,000 you could easily spend for products a beginner or casual angler, quite frankly, won’t appreciate enough to justify the cost. E-mail me at trout@jonesguides.com with any questions fly fishing or fly fishing gear.

About Jones Guides:

Our mission at Jones Guides is to provide thoughtful, informational, and valuable fly fishing and mountain adventure content. We are self-taught river enthusiasts and fly fishing pros who love sharing this obsession with others.

Dan Jones, owner and founder of Jones Guides, is one of the best fly fishing guides in the valley. When not fishing with clients, Dan is passionate about spending his time angling in Crested Butte, Colorado.

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