Fly Fishing Equipment - The Basics For the Beginner

"What fly fishing equipment should I get?" I'm often asked that question by folk who are interested in learning how to fly fish. Sometimes, it seems so complicated. "Is it expensive?" is the second most often asked question.

Let's start with the second question first. While you can spend thousands of dollars on gear, you don't need to nor should you spend more than a couple of hundred dollars if you're just starting out. Depending on what conditions you will be fishing, you might even get away with less than that, too. I recommend that you speak with casting instructor who knows your area and what conditions you'll be fishing in at first. That person will be able to put you on the right track as to the specifics of what gear you should have.

To answer the question about what fly fishing equipment you'll need to get started, here are the basics. You can of course purchase much more, but why not wait before spending lots of money to find out if you'll enjoy the sport in the first place?

A fly rod A reel that will hold the line Line (usually a floating line will do fine if you're targeting small to medium size rivers) 8 lb. test monofilament that you will use for leader material Flies Clippers Sunglasses

Optional equipment when you are starting out:

Waders to keep you dry if fishing rivers A vest or bag to carry gear (and perhaps your lunch and a flask filled with something to drink if you are so inclined) Landing Net

And that's about it. The conditions you will fish will dictate the length of your rod as well as the weight of the line you will be casting. Most beginners can get away with selecting a rod in the 8 to 9 foot range and 5-6 line weight (wt.). Unless you will be after big fish, you can get by with a very inexpensive fly reel. All it does in most cases is hold the line for you. In many situations where the target fish are trout, you likely wont even need to use the drag on your reel. In most cases, tension is applied to the line with your hand.

Although many fly anglers have all sorts of systems for determining the correct leader thickness and taper, don't worry about that for now. Because the lure in fly fishing are very light weight, you are using the weight of the fly line and the ability of the rod to power the line forward when you cast your fly. Therefore, fly line is much thicker than the monofilament used in spinning or baitcast fishing. That's where the monofilament or leader comes in - it is tied to the end of the fly line, generally an 8 foot length is fine, and to the other end of the leader, you will tie your fly.

Although it is fun to tie your own flies, at this point it is probably best to obtain some from someone you know that ties up flies, or purchase them for a shop that sells them. If it is a local shop, they will be able to advise you as to what patterns that will be most likely to entice the fish to hit. At first, stick with nymphs or wet flies. Dry fly fishing can be a lot of fun, but I'd recommend learning to cast and catch fish with a fly rod using nymphs.

Sunglasses are a must when fly fishing! The last thing you want to do is damage your eye with a misplaced cast and a fly stuck in your eyeball. Think safety first, no matter what you are doing. If you have decided to also purchase a pair of waders, make sure you are familiar with the water you will be wading in.

There are a number of resources available to you to help you decide what fly fishing gear is best for you. Read reviews of the gear that is available to you, talk to other fly anglers, and perhaps the best advice of all: Hire a fly fishing instructor for at least a half day. This will help prevent you from forming bad habits that will be difficult to break later on.

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How To Fly Fish
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They’re back. Stripers are in and falling for all the usual flies, lures and bait.The weather is finally cooperating so there’s no reason not to get out and fish. I’ve been out scouting, doing a lot of hit and runs just to find out where they are feeding.  I stop at a spot with a 7 foot spinning rod, a Fin-Nor spinning reel with 8 or 12 pound test and soft lures.  If the stripers are there, I ...

How To Fly Fish

Beginner Fly Fishing

What is a good beginner fly rod and reel combo?

First one i will learn how to fly fish on it. Will mostly use it for trout and bass and such around 50 bucks

Cabela's Wind River series are good quality fly fishing kits that are inexpensive. They come setup so you can just tie a fly on the end and fish.

You can get a nice combo kit for around $135. Of course you'll need leaders, waders, boots, vests, flies, etc...

For $50 you might try looking for used equipment for sale.

Good Luck and Enjoy.

Beginner Fly Fishing

Learn Fly Fishing

Suggestions for the best beginers fly rod?

I am looking for a fly rod to learn with. I am new to fly fish and know little about it.

Recommendations:

#1 Go to a dedicated fly shop if you have one near you.
Avoid discount stores and most chain sporting goods stores.

#2 A good length/weight for the new trout angler on most streams would be 8 1/2' for a #5. This would NOT be the rig of choice to swing heavy streamers on large rivers or make delicate presentations on miniscule, overgrown creeks. But it would be practical for just about any other trouting situation.

#3 The big names (Winston, Sage, Scott, Orvis, Loomis, etc) all make quality rod series for the guy that isn't ready to drop big bucks on the flagship rods. What they lack in cosmetics is compensated with excellent tapers, good craftsmanship, and support. Some models are US made like their big siblings.

#4 A relatively recent tactic in fly rod design and marketing is to produce rods that are quite fast in action. They impress new anglers with their feeling of strength and power. But they usually lack the *feel* that experienced fly anglers want. Some are clubs. Some are nothing more than *underlined* (that is, the mfr states the rod is a 5wt, when in fact it is truly a 6 or even 7wt.). TFO rods come to mind. Avoid them for this reason and more.

#5 In connection with the comment #4, think about what your practical fishing distance will be and make sure the rod you select is comfortable casting at that distance. You don't want a cannon for trouting. Don't be duped by parking lot exhibitions of salespeople demonstrating the rod's distance capabilities.

#6 For a good, affordable line, look at Cortland's 444 (sometimes called the *peach* line). The 444 is a full length, high quality line with time-tested tapers. It's durable while remaining supple. The finish is excellent and will remain so for numerous seasons with proper care. The price remains fair after many years in production. There are some entry level lines available, but they're shorter in length and lifespan. Your line choice is very important. I'd recommend the purchase of a DT (double taper) line; you'll essentially have two lines to wear out (just reverse the line) rather than the single taper of a WF (weight forward). Yes, there is a reason that line mfrs and fly shops frequently recommend WF lines for situations where a DT will do equally well. Go cheap on the line and you might as well go even cheaper on everything else.

#7 You can get by with just about any single-action reel made today. There is no need to spend a lot of money, unless you've got lots to spend and you enjoy using high quality goods. Make sure your reel choice balances the rod. Some cheap reels are quite heavy due to their inferior materials and design and will thus create a rod/reel combo that feels off balance. Drag is unimportant. A click-pawl reel will do just as well as a disc drag model. At about $100, you can purchase reels produced from machined aluminum (like the Orvis BBS). For many years, buying a quality machined reel at such a low price wasn't possible. Now it is. These tend to be lighter than reels produced from alloy castings, and the tolerances and finish tend to be a bit better. If you want to save a few dollars buying something used, the reel would be the place to do so.

If you think fly fishing will be an activity you intend to continue, don't get to caught up in buying the perfect outfit initially. Lifelong fly fishers are still searching for "The Outfit" and love the pursuit. Choose items of good quality that fall well within your budget. You can spend the rest of your angling life finding the perfect rods and reels...after you know what suits you the best.

A Beginners Guide to Easy Fly Fishing Tips

If you have just decided to learn fly fishing, you need all the tips and advices that you can get. Fly fishing is a popular sport engaged by people who wants a break from stress and work, and who wants to challenge themselves. Yes, fly fishing is a challenging sport because it requires skills and techniques. Here are some of the basic and easy fish flying tips for beginners.

1. Practice - an elementary rule in almost anything you want to learn for the first time. Make sure that you give ample time to practice your casting in your home which will determine your success in fish flying. Without a good casting technique, you will either end up quitting fly fishing or be a frustrated one. It is important that you develop and accurate cast.

2. Tools - this is very important and should be considered first hand. Choose the right tools that are cost friendly, durable, and comfortable to use. Each tools or part of the tools have specific functions such as the rod which has actions that will tell you if a fish as caught the bait. The length and comfortability in holding the rod should be ascertained because it is essential when you are fly fishing.

3. Bait - choose the right and best bait you can get your hands on. You have plenty of baits to choose from such as gurbs, plastic worms, and artificial flies. The bait will determine which kinds of fish will most likely bite it. There are different fish in different locations so make sure that you got the right bait for a certain fish. If you don't know about the fishes in a certain area, you can ask local townsmen. You will get pretty much information since almost all people living near lakes and rivers know how to fly fish.

4. Be prepared for running fish - most first time fishers will probably freak out when a fish swims towards them. If you panic, you might just ruin your chances of catching the fish. When a fish is rushing towards you, stand on your ground, lift your rod a little bit over your head and slowly lower it back if the fish turns around.

There are more fly fishing tips that beginners can consider such as the color of the bait, the proper handling of the rod, the length, etc. You must also consider the best fly fishing locations. There's no point in fishing where there is none or little fish around. But these 4 are the basics which one must always give due consideration. Fly fishing is a great sport and learning it is a great decision. But it takes time to actually master the skills so you must be patient. If you don't catch fish for the first time, don't be frustrated. If you have failed for many attempts, keep trying. Fly fishing tips are here to help you but you can only learn so much. There are more things to learn in actual fishing, so once you feel like you're good to go, fly fish in the nearest lake.

About the Author

Learn more about fly fishing here!
http://www.flyfishinglessons.org/index.html
Great fly fishing tips only from great experts.
http://www.flyfishinglessons.org/fly-fishing.html

Learn Fly Fishing

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Fly Fishing for Dummies

Clueless about fly fishing?
Me too!
I have been really curious about this sport for some time now. I've seen it done countless of times.

Tried it. Failed.

People have endlessly and tirelessly, with their utmost patience and understanding tried to rub off some fly fishing skills on me - but to no avail.

I have resorted to reading, for now. I decided that whatever I can't do, I might as well LEARN - even just in theory. It helps. I think of my self right now as "A work in progress".

Let's all learn the basics. DEFINITION OF TERMS!
A brief definition about some terms I need to know about fly fishing.

What is Fly Fishing?
Fly fishing is an ancient and distinct angling method, developed primarily for salmonids (trout and salmon, mostly) and now extended to other species such as pike, bass, and carp, as well as a wide range of salt water species.

Fly casting is gripping or holding a fly rod correctly and to adopt the correct stance to maintain comfort and balance. The most basic rule to casting is based on the way a clock looks. Your head points straight up to 12:00, your cast (the tip of your rod) should go back to 10:00 and then forward to 2:00, releasing your line at the end of the forward motion. It is a common mistake to dip the rod below those two positions and almost always ends in a line tangle!

Angler. (Does that have anything to do with Math? I hate Math!)
That would be YOU silly! Someday, IF you learn how to fly fish, you will be called an angler. A person catching fish or shellfish with no intent to sell, this includes people keeping the catch or people that practice the "Catch and Release" method (highly recommended).

The Essentials - If you don't have a complete list of these, you're NOT Fly Fishing!

Fly Fishing rods are long, thin, flexible rods sometimes made of bamboo, but more recently from man-made materials. Fly rods tend to have large diameter eyes (or guides) spaced along the rod to help control the movement of relatively thick fly line. To aid in the freedom of movement required to skillfully cast with a fly rod, there is usually little to no butt (handle) extending below the fishing reel. Although fly rods are mainly used for casting from fixed positions, they can also be used for trolling for fish.

Fishing Reel is a device used for the deployment and retrieval of fishing line using a spool mounted on an axle. They are used in conjunction with the fly rod and are attached to the base or handle of the rod.

Fishing line is any cord made for fishing. Important parameters of a fishing line are its length, material, and weight (thicker, sturdier lines are more visible to fish). The refractive index is also important—lines with a refractive index similar to water are almost invisible to fish. The most important parameter in deciding what line to use is its strength. This is the amount of weight the line can hold before snapping. One must balance the trade-off between strength and visibility.

Flies as Bait? Are you kidding?
Flies or Artificial flies are constructed — "tied" onto a hook with thread, fur, feathers and other materials — in sizes and colors to match naturally occurring food or simply to excite a fish. And to add more confusion, the names of flies: Wet and dry flies, nymphs, scuds, eggs, streamers, steelheads, bass flies, salmon flies,and saltwater flies.

You will be considered a well equipped fly fisher if you bring waders, wading boots, vest net, polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes and see through the reflection on the water, a hat for the harsh sun, sun block and bug dope (bug repellant) - if you don't want to be eaten alive by bugs before you even catch a fish!

Armed with the stuff I read, I went about to experience Fly Fishing without even going near a body of water.

Wondering how?

A site that sells fly fishing products - with pretty pictures too! - Riverbum.com

About the Author

She is a webmaster for Riverbum.com. Riverbum.com sells fly fishing flies, gears, and accessories on-line. They constantly innovate themselves to give their customers the best products they can offer for unreasonably low prices. They love fly fishing, and it shows!

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