Scott made an excellent suggestion as did the others..but to me getting instruction from an instructor would be pretty important..I learned to fly fish on my own, and my casting needs attention..I have very poor form..BUT after fishing this way for almost 60 years it is about impossible for me to change..Plus what Scott said about where and what you will fish for is very important..Laramie has lots of plains lakes with ample trout..here a longer rod 8.5 to 9 foot is great.., but for small stream fishing it is much too long..7.5 -8' is about right..I buy all my flies right now..gave many of my rods and fly tying stuff to kids I had in class..Personally, I love the old Fenwick Fenglass fly rods..I have about 5 of them..but the newer materials cast farther easier..but to me lack the action of the older rods..after fishing all these years, my favorite is small stream fishing..You will find in the summer the green horde will take over all good lakes, rivers and streams..so if solitude is you thing, the smaller the stream the better, but the fish will be small..As for flies, one needs fewer than most believe..but remember, I am a hunter not a die hard fisher man..
Renegades, grey hackle Peacocks, pheasant tailed beadheaded nymphs, elk hair caddis, pale morning duns, and a few wooly buggers are my main flies..I have used them in Wy. Idaho, and Montana and they work fine most places..at times it is fine to get flies that work well on local streams or rivers, but these seem to do well where ever we have trout..
