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Fair enough - what rod you like is pretty personal. If you can give them a cast beforehand that would be best. Above rods I recommended I’ve used for last few years and are well regarded. As are Shakespeare agility rods (and a bargain).
For river work I’d steer away from something super fast/stiff that feels like a poker as you rarely fish more than 30ft away and often use small flies and light tippet.
For flies you’re better off getting a few patterns that are general imitators (cover caddis and upwinged/mayfly family of insects) in a range of sizes and weights. For nymphs you need to get down so tungsten heads are very useful. Look at hares ears, pheasant tail nymphs and caddis and olive dries in size 14-18. And then the odd big mayfly for May/June.
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jupiz
@MattG87
@jupiz @Colin_the_Bald Thanks for the info!
I plan to start in the new year on the rivers around Salisbury.
I'm probably going to go new rather than used, so that I don't pick-up a lemon. Something 9ft 5wt fast action, around £50-80 sounds like it'll do nicely.
Is there also a recommended starter fly set? I saw that you recommended barbless-flies.co.uk previously.