I think sometimes we get hung up on the gear and lose track of the fish. I know I've been guilty of that. The best dammed fly rod man I knew could suck trout out of water that was confirmed to be barren by the rest of us, and he did it with a nondescript old fiberglass rod with half the line guides missing and the rest held on with electricians tape. His reel was a shot to schit old Pflueger Medalist and most of his flies were rusty ones he pried out of streamside foliage. RIP Barry Tosten, I hope they outfitted you with some good tackle in Valhalla.
