occidio

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum but I love the information I have been able to gleam from this site. I've been a long time bass fisherman but I want to "extend" my season by getting into fly fishing for steelhead and salmon especially in creeks/rivers. The first order of detail is to get some equipment before the opener and from the research I have made I think I should get a 8wt rod of 9ft or more. I have a budget of $150 for the rod and reel (the line, backing, leader, tippet and fly's are outside of this budget). I'm sure I want to purchase used so I can get a little more value but I wanted to get the opinion of forum members.

• Recommended rod and reel brands?
• Features I should look for?
• Are there some things I should avoid?
• Any recommendations of where I can find gear other than kijiji?
• Is there another weight rod I should be looking for?

Thanks for any help you can provide!