KISS, I guess

Someone recently posted the following request in a fly fishing forum   --

I only spin fish right now but I want to try to get into the art of fly fishing but have no idea where to start.   What I'm looking for is suggestions on a rod and reel and advice on flies. As stated, I have never fly fished before. All the help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Here is an excerpt from one of the replies –

A 9' 5wt will be a bit more of an all around rod. You will be able to handle some larger fish and also be able to throw streamers. As a spin fisherman, streamers will come naturally. High sticking a fast seam with nymphs will be easier with the 9' rod, as will fishing an indicator if that is your thing. You will simply be able to fish a lot more water with the longer rod. Working on a drag free drift will likely be easier as well with the 9' rod.

Skills to google search and practice up on:
Mending
Dead Drift
Upstream Casting
Double haul casting
shooting line
roll casting
High sticking
Tight line nymphing
Czech nymphing
Indicator fishing
Dry-dropper rigs
pocket fishing
line management

Leader advice:

-7.5' 3x leader, and spools of 3-6x tippet. 5x tippet will probably work best for the fish you described.
-A tin of assorted split shot to get nymphs deeper
-floatant for dry flies

Have fun, I tried to keep it simple, but there is a ton of info to fully engage oneself.

I assume there will be a follow up reply to lay out what the new fellow should work on in week 2.

In some ways, I’m very glad I learned to fly fish before there was such a thing as the internet.  Granted, there are a lot of complexities if one is interested in pursuing them; but let’s face it, fly fishing is neither rocket science or brain surgery.  I’ve never been able to understand why folks want to make it sound so complicated and mysterious.

Folk who want to get started are most likely interested because they picture an individual standing knee high in a stream, casting a dry fly to a rising trout.  They decide to give it a go, asks a friend to take them out fishing, and with the best of intentions the friend hands them a rod outfitted with a strike indicator and split shot.

Granted I may be biased, but it seems to me that giving a beginning a fixed length line set up, and letting them go at would provide a much more positive first experience.