By Amy Greener
The versatile range of fly fishing options leaves a lot to consider before planning an outing. You have to decide on the kind of equipment you will need; to do that you have to ask yourself what type of fish, condition, and kind of fly fishing you are going to be engaging in. Some questions you should ask yourself include: Are you going to be dry or wet fly fishing? Do you plan on going to a stream, brook, lake or the ocean? Is the spot you are going to small, big, shallow, or deep? What kinds of fish are located in the spot you are going to? Are they small, medium, or large in size?
For those who are new to the sport, a good way to begin is by wet fly fishing as opposed to dry. Wet fly fishing simply means that you use a wet fly instead of a dry one. This takes a lot of the pressure off casting perfectly. The fly in this case doesn’t have to land just right on the water because it’s not imitating a live fly. It is more or less either an imitation of a stage of life of aquatic insect, or a representation of a drowning fly. This kind of fly fishing gives you the opportunity to still have the chance of catching fish while simultaneously practicing your casting accuracy and technique.
The basic equipment every fly fisherman needs includes: a fly, leader, line, reel, rod, fishing waders, fishing vest, assortment of flies, replacement leader, line nippers, and something to remove the hook.
What fly rod you buy depends entirely on where and what you will be fishing for. The first thing you will have to do is choose what action rod will best suit your fly fishing condition. The action of a fly rod refers to how flexible the fly rod is.
Fast Action Fly Rod: This fly rod is stiff throughout it's length producing a limited amount of flexability. It is designed to cast further and catching bigger, heavier fish. It's not good for fishing in a small stream, or for catching weary trout. This is because the rod does not handle light tippets very well, which are generally used for catching trout.
Medium Action Fly Rod: Just like its name suggests, it has a medium stiffness to it. It is more flexible than the fast action fly rod, but not as much as the slow action fly rod. These are the most popular among fly fishers because they are very versatile. They are also good for people who only want to invest in one rod. This rod works well for both advanced fly fishermen and beginners.
Slow Action Fly Rod: This rod makes short, soft casts. It is made for tighter spaces and will provide a lot of accuracy on a short cast. They work extremely well with light tippets, which are what you use to fake out the weary trout. It makes the fly appear more natural and will provoke the trout to think so too. This rod is good for beginners because of its accuracy and is used to reel in the smaller fish.
The next thing you need to consider is the type of line you will need to use. Of all the types out there, two come highly recommended: the double taper and the weight-forward taper. Double taper lines have generally been the most popular for trout fishing. They are thinner at the ends (near the fly) and gain thickness towards the middle. The weight-forward taper is currently the most popular line on the market. This type of line can handle longer casts and bigger flies, and is the easiest to cast.
Lastly you need to pick out what line weight you are going to use. The different weights of lines range from 1-14. The smaller the fish you are fishing for, the lighter the line you will need. 1-3 generally gives off a smaller cast, smaller flies, and are used to catch smaller fish (small trout); 4-6 are for medium casts, medium flies, and medium sized fish (medium trout and bass); 7-8 are for medium to large casts, medium to large flies, and medium to large fish (large trout, steelhead, salmon); 9-14 are typically used for salt water fly fishing to go after large salmon.
Hope these tips make your next fly fishing outing a fun, successful one. Enjoy!
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