Reddit reviews Frabill 3672 Trout 13"X 18" Td - 7.5" Fixed Rbbr Coated Handle (Tfmm)

Redington Crosswater combo ($132 with Prime)

If he likes smallmouth and catches them in his favorite creeks then get the 6wt. If he prefers trout then get the 9' 5wt option. This rod in a 6wt will also work for pond/lake fishing for bass. If he went to a bigger river then he would do fine with it as well, whether wading or in a boat.

He will also need a leader and some tippet. For $8.61 you can get him an individual leader, or for $16 you can get him the three pack. For tippet, if you get him the 8 pound leader then you should get him the 8 pound tippet for $7.57.

For leader longevity he will want tippet rings for $11.72. This will allow him to use his leaders for much longer rather than needing to re-buy leaders sooner. I know we're outside of your budget at this point past the leader, but if you can swing it then all of these things will provide what he needs outside of flies. Maybe someone else is getting him presents and could supplement the rest. Sometimes fly rod combos will come with leaders, but I didn't see it mentioned on the Crosswater combo. You'll notice I tailored it more to bass. If you find out he's more of a trout guy, then read on.

For $10.78 you can get a 3-pack of 9' 4x leaders. He can fish small streamers and nymphs with these, but would want a thinner leader for dry flies. For creeks he will probably fish small streamers and nymphs most of the time anyways, so this is a good choice (in my opinion). You'll still want the tippet rings listed above to make the leader purchase last a long time. For tippet, a spool of 4x tippet material for $11.43. The tippet prices seem high to me so you might want to dig around some more for options.

Other doodads to consider would be nippers and a zinger, hemostats, and a net. Teeth are a substitute for nippers, but biting through fishing line does wear your teeth. Hemostats aren't as necessary if he pinches the barbs on his hooks. You can get away with not using a net, but it is easier on the fish and the fisherman to use one.

Hopefully this helps and points you in the right direction. If you have questions just send me a message.

Here ya go. Can't get easier then that.

Surprised no one suggested a net. Not sure what species you're targeting, but it it's trout you should really scoop up a rubber/rubberized net. This net is crazy durable and way better than other nets in the same price range.

If you're targeting bass/saltwater fish, you're probably fine without one. Trout are giant babies compared to most other fish, and can die if you handle them wrong. I'd skim an article about trout handling too, if you know the main do's and don'ts you should be fine.

Polarized shades are nice to have too, they help you see your fly on the water and fish in the river if the water's clear. You could grab some cheap ones at wally world, but I think dropping $50 on a pair of sunclouds is worth it. Go for copper/brown lenses, they're the most versatile. Even if you don't stick with fly fishing, they're nice to have.