>>2719376Just get the pre assembled lift kit, its $5 less
70 bucks might be a little snug but you can probably pull it off.
Tying your own leaders is also doable but it will eat in to your initial budget. If I was just getting the bare minimum for usable leaders, I'd get a spool of 4, 8, 12, 17, and 25 pound mono. I use berkley trilene xl currently (pic) but before that I used zebco omniflex which might still be available at walmart for $2 for a 500 yard spool.
You'll also need a fly box, forceps, splitshots, and thingamabobbers.
Since you're fishing Stillwater your main flies will be nymphs (especially chironomids) and streamers (baitfish and leeches)
Wooly buggers are a long time standard for streamers, and the standard colors are white black and olive.
Chironomid patterns like sno cones and zebra midges will be good to have, so will pheasant tail nymphs, but prioritize fly suggestions from the local shop over mine.
Also my standard baseline starting point leader formula is 3 feet of 25, 3 feet of 17, 3 feet of 12. That's a butt section, mid section, and tippett section. From there you can tweak things. If you want it lighter you can condense the 17 and 25 to 18 inches for a compound butt section, 12 pound mid section, and 8 pound tippett. If you need lighter still, turn the 12 and 8 in to 18 inch sections for a compound mid section and add your 4 pound tippett. With experience you'll learn how to make leaders do what you want and how to make them longer or shorter, and add 2, 6, 10, 14, and 20 pound line to your repertoire as budget allows.
Honestly I think learning on bluegill is gonna be your best bet, you can sight fish them in the summer on beds and itll really boost your confidence.
As for casting, I learned to cast in grass watching the orvis guide to fly fishing on youtube. Dont use a fly to learn to cast, tie a small tuft of yarn to your leader if you feel the need to have something tied on, and dont try to fisb with that leader.
