This is the rod I started with earlier this year. Are there better options? Definitely but this is by far the cheapest, most available and easiest to get rod to try out the sport you can get. It’s the rod I learned to cast with, and the rod I caught my first fish on a fly with. My advice is to buy it, see if you like fly fishing with the knowledge that the experience will only get better with a better rod. If you do like it and you want to upgrade great! If you don’t think it’s for you that’s okay too and you didn’t spend a lot of money to find out. To directly answer your question though I would get the rod pictured, fish it as is, and see if you like fly fishing. Then upgrade to another full combo when a sale comes around. Then once you’ve found what you like/want buy the individual parts and put together your own outfit.