Well, depends on the fish you want to catch but assuming local shore fishing, rivers, lakes for bass, pike, walleye, panfish - your first rod/reel will be a 6 or 7 ft medium action spinning rod and some reasonable reel (Shimano or Abu). Buying a combo would be ok up to about 100bucks would do it. More if you're loaded.... If you have friends who fish, buy what they have if they like it and you try it and like it. If your friend fishes, have them take you and try stuff out.
For beginners, load the rod with mono - 10 lb test and be done. Fancier lines, are worth it in my opinion (fireline 10 or powerpro 20).
Then get a small tackle box or bag and load with a few lures (at first, more will come for sure when you're addicted).
Get a couple inline spinners (Bluefox #2, #3 or Mepps Black Fury #2, #3, or Mepps Aglia long) in colours you like.
Get a couple spoons (Red Devil, or Mepps Syclops #1, or #2, Little Cleo (trout)
Get a topwater that is easy to use --- jitterbug which you just toss, and reel back in slowly... You can also get a POP-R but then you need to learn to pop them just right.
Get a weedless topwater rat for close to shore weed fishing. This one usually needs stronger line for fish in weeds but it's a great lure.
Get some jigs, quarter oz, yellow or black, and some yellow twister tails... Walleye jigging here we come.
Get some snap swivels so you can change lures. Eventually you'll tie direct for most but beginners - makes it easier.
For bass, in mostly open water (fewer weeds) - get some 4/0 or 5/0 hooks, some "senkos" or clones and hook em whacky style (google it) - cast out, let sink slowly, hold on!
Live bait fishing - worms or minnows
Get some bobbers, small hooks, and some lead split shot --- if you're a shore fisherman, get slip-bobbers and go online to figure out their use. You can cast from shore and get your lure at the right depth less awkwardly than the fixed-attach bobbers (like those read and white ones).
Bottom bait shore fishing - get a pickerel rig and a weight - toss rig, wait for a bite, reel in !
Get tools - line cutter (save your teeth) and a pair of fishing pliers.
Find a shore spot, not too many weeds initially, no big current, just go and cast out, crank back, any of the above (spinners, or spoons, or topwater). See what happens.
For bait, and relaxing, hook a work under a bobber or the pickerel rig, goto a shore spot cast out, wait and reel in your catch.
Go fishing. Determine what works, decide what lure you may be missing, go back to store, buy more - repeat
Have fun