"Bill Kiene" wrote in message
We get people in all the time with old outfits. We just tune them up a bit
if it is workable so they can get started. It might mean straightening the
tip top with pliers so the line will shoot through better, just putting on
a
little backing, some knots and a leader, tippet and a few flies. Then if
we
are not too busy, we take them out side for a few minutes to give them a
quickie casting lesson for free. It is amazing how many of these people
turn
into long term customers and/or send us lots of people they meet for help.

That describes almost exactly my entrance to the sport. I walked into a
shop carrying an old hand-me-down HI fiberglass rod with a mashed tip top,
knowing little to nothing about what I was getting into. A new tip top and
a few minutes out back with the rod to determine the weight, and I was a new
flyfisherman with a 6 wt. line on a new Cortland Rimfly reel. A quick
casting lesson, a little advice, a few basic flies, & I was ready for the
river. Caught a trout on my first trip. I've been a loyal customer there
ever since.

Joe F.