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About Fly Fishing.
 
What
is it?
What
it is not
How
to Get Started
How to select your
equipment.
Rods Reels and Lines.
Fly
Rods
Fly
Line
Leaders
Reels
Wading Gear.
Waders
Wading
Staff
Fishing
Vest
Miscellaneous Equipment
What
is it?
Some would say that it's a hobby. Others say it' a way to find some
peace
and quiet
in this crazy world. But for some it's a way of life, a personal
philosophy,
that changes you from the inside out. In reality, it's another way
to fish!
Admittedly, as you become
more involved in fly fishing, you will
experience a transformation in the way
you view yourself with your
environment.
This is
likely due to the fact that to become successful at fly
fishing, you
need to take a
look at the ecosystem around you. You become a student of
nature, and
start to understand the
natural order of
things. For some of us, it's
a spiritual awakening.
For others, it's been part of your inner sole, your whole
life.
Another element contributing to the ritualistic nature of fly fishing
is the art
of the "cast". The rhythmic
disciplined and timing required to lay out your fly
line 'just
right'. It's an art of fly fishing that frustrates most beginners. The
seductiveness of the
cast is so overwhelming, that fly fishers will execute false
cast after
false cast, oblivious that the objective is to fish.
Despite
the fact that it can become addictive, fly fishing is a
rewarding and
relaxing form of recreation. Fly fishers seem to share a
supportive bond of
brotherhood.
Most are
eager and willing to assist their fraternal brothers even
when they
are complete strangers. Some are helpful, and lie. But that is
another
subject completely.
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What is it not
For trout only. Fly fishing has become synonymous to trout fishing
and
unjustifiably so. Fly fishers pursue just about ever species of
fish, salt and
freshwater, with a fly rod.
Difficult to learn. Casting a fly rod requires no more coordination
that swinging
a golf club, baseball bat, or tennis racquet. Watching
many of us struggle with
our casts only makes it appear that way.
Necessarily expensive. Like any other sport though, it can be. With
discipline
and prudence, one can get outfitted with a modest investment.
The danger is
succumbing to the temptation of all the gizmos,
and do-dads.
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How to Get Started
Read Read Read! There have been more books written on fly
fishing than all
the other types of fishing combined. A wealth of
knowledge resides on the
shelves of your local library.
Search out other fly fishers. Find out if there is a fly fishing club
in your area.
These guys and gals will be more than eager to help you
get started.
Visit a local Fly Shop. They are staffed with people who are knowledgeable
in the sport. Department stores or a national sporting goods
chains do not
provide the
quality advise of your local fly shop.
Lets talk
about your local fly shops.
These guys are small businessmen who
may not always have the competitive
price advantage the national chains have.
But they generally carry only first line quality products and
included in their
price, is their expertise and personal assistance.
This is an invaluable service
that can only be sustained if you support
them with your business.
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How to select your equipment
Fly Rods
Construction:
In the beginning fly rods were made of bamboo strips glued together in
the
shape of a hexagon. Production was labor intensive and quality
variable upon
the craftsman and materials available . There is only one
area of the world that
produces the grade of bamboo suitable for rod
building, China's Guangdong
Province. Understandably political
conditions play an important role of its
availability for export.
The introduction of fiberglass quickly replaced bamboo. Production
methods
were more predictable, quality more uniform, and prices more
affordable.
Today though, only the very low end rods embody full
fiberglass construction.
Space age technology has enabled us to produce
stronger and lighter rods by
introducing graphite to their construction.
The quality of today's graphite fly rod is unparalleled.
Manufacturers have
been able to produce just about any action
imaginable. Prices range from
seventy dollars to several hundred dollars. It all
depends on your tastes. The
more discriminate you are, the deeper you
will dig into your pockets.
Specifications:
In fly fishing you cast the line not the lure. Fly lines come
in sizes ranging from
1 to 15 with the smaller numbered lines being
smaller and lighter and the larger
numbered lines
bigger and heavier. The
heavier the line the bigger the fly it will
cast. Therefore, fly rods
are made to match a particular line weight.
Nine weights and above are for salt water and open water
fishing where
heavier lines are needed to make longer casts into the
wind. They are also
used for fishing
for steel head and salmon.
7/8 weight rod is best suited for larger wind resistant
bass bugs.
A six weight is a good all around rod and the recommended
choice for the
beginner. It is capable of casting dry flies as well as
weighted nymphs.
4/5 weights are considered dry fly rods where
gentle presentations and light
tippets are the order of the day.
3 weights and under are noodle rods for those up to the
challenge. These are
definitely not
for the novice.
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Fly Line
The fly line must match the weight of the rod. Somewhere near
the rod butt
will be inscribed its weight.
Next you will decide which taper is best for your fishing conditions.
There are
an almost infinite selection of tapers and
variations of the same taper. Do not
be overwhelmed, just be aware that
fly lines basically come in level, double,
weight forward, and shooting
tapers.
Level lines are useless for fly fishing. Without any taper
they cannot transfer
the energy in a gradual succession.
Don’t waste your money on a level line.
Double taper lines typically have a tapering section 6 to 10 feet
long on each
end of the line with a level section (the belly) in between
them. The long taper
keeps the fly farther away from the heavier belly
section and thus allows a
delicate presentation. They are also the
easiest for long roll casts. This
would be the taper of choice for
restrictive conditions requiring rolls casts and
delicate presentations.
A double tapered line can also be the most economical line because it
has two
usable ends. It is recommended that they be reversed on the reel
several times
a season to prevent the coiled end from taking a set and
becoming unusable.
The disadvantage to double tapered lines are that they are more
difficult to
cast long distances and do not cast well against the
wind. This taper would not
be a choice for open water or wind resistant
flies.
Weight forward lines are by far the most popular lines and with
good reason.
The weight of a fly line is measured in the first 30 feet.
Unlike the double
tapers that gradually distribute this weight, the
weight forward concentrate the
weight more towards the end of the line.
It then tapers down to a thin running
line that allows easier long
distance casts. The more forward the weight is
placed, the more
"shooting" power it has but at the expense of a delicate
presentation.
Getting a distant roll cast with a weight forward line
is difficult. Once
the running line gets past the tip-top of the rod,
there is not enough energy in the thin running line to turn over the
fat belly section..
Shooting taper lines (also known as a shooting head) are short
sections of fly line that are attached to a separate running line.
They are
specifically used for long distance casting and are anything
but delicate.
They are most often used when fishing for steelhead,
salmon, and some
saltwater species. Because they are so short, a
number of different
types and densities can be kept in a wallet or
pocket and interchanged
easily, as the particular fishing conditions
require.
Fly lines are either Floating or Sinking. which come in
various
densities The more dense the line the faster its sink rate.
This is
important when fishing deeper waters.
Fly lines also come in a combination float/sink lines
known as sinking-tips. The body of the line floats whereas the
tip sinks. An alternative is to buy a floating line then attach a
section of sinking tip. These lines require more skill to cast.
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Leaders
This is a tapered piece of monofilament that gradually
dissipates the energy
from the fly line before it reaches the fly.
Lengths and tippet size
(last few inches of the leader) will vary
depending on fly size and fishing
conditions.
Lengths- common lengths are 7 1/2, 9, and 12 feet
and taper down to a few
thousandths of an inch. A general guideline is
to select a leader at least the
length of the rod. If the water is clear
and the fish spooky add length. If it is
windy or you are having casting
problems, shorten it.
Tippet sizes are referred to by
"X" designations ranging from 0X (largest)
to 8X (smallest)
and are expressed in units of .001 inches. An easy way to
calculate their correlation is to subtract the X number from 11 and
multiply by
.001".
Matching the tippet to the fly A rule of thumb
is to divide the fly size by
three and four.
Knotted Leaders Whether for pleasure or if you have
a propensity for
perfection, you can tie up your own leaders. There are
many tables with all
sorts of formulas or you can develop one that meets
your specific needs,
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Reels
Reels are sold by the size of line and rod weight they are designed
for. Are
you beginning to notice the key word in fly fishing is balance?
The rod, the
line, and the reel all have to match. Any given model will
state a weight range
that it is suitable, for
example: 2/3wt, 4/5 wt, or
7/8 wt.
Unlike other types of fishing,
you don’t cast your line off the fly reel
and
rarely, except for unusually strong fish or regular fish on
extremely light tackle,
will you play it from the reel. For the most
part, the reel is used only to store
the fly line while not fishing.
Line is "stripped out" from the reel and let to lie by your
feet. Within several
false casts it is taken up and becomes air borne.
The line is then retrieved by
holding it loosely against the handle of
your rod with the fingers of the
rod-hand while pulling the line back in
through these fingers with your other
hand.
To play a fish, line is allowed to slip through the fingers of the
rod hand while
maintaining a mentally calibrated grip with the other
hand. The amount of grip
you apply with the control hand serves as a
"manual drag".
If you catch a particularly large or strong fish, you may end up
releasing all the
loose line to where you are back "on the
reel". Then you will use the reel and
its internal drag to fight
the fish while reeling in the line.
When fishing for salmon, steelhead, or saltwater fish, the reel
becomes an
important entity. It is not unusual for any of these
"freight trains" to strip off all
your fly line and
couple hundred feet or more of backing in just a few
seconds!
Standard duty reels will literally fly apart or seize-up when
subjected to such
high rpm’s. Needless to say, a smooth, strong, disc
drag is critical. Consider
only a high quality reel designed for
this type of heavy duty performance.
Along with demanding precision
drags, landing larger, more powerful fish
requires more backing capacity
in the reels. Generally they should hold at least
150 to 200+ yards of
backing behind the fly line.
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Wading Gear
Waders come in two lengths,
hip-high or chest-high and you have a choice of
boot foot or stocking
foot. A wide selection of materials are also available
ranging from the
old style rubberized canvas, lightweight nylon, isolative
Neoprene, and
the new "breathable" Gore-Tex.
Both hip and chest high come in boot foot and stocking foot style
with either
lug or felt bottom soles. Lug soles are OK for sand and mud
bottoms. Moss
covered and rocky bottoms though, require felt soles for
safe negotiation. For
additional traction, cleats can be added to the
felt soles or corkers strapped to
the bottom of the boot. These are
removable cleated soles that provide
positive footing over snow,
slippery stream beds, and ice.
Hip vs. Chest High
Hip waders are fine for low water use. During normal flows though,
you will
inevitably find yourself in water over your boot.
Hip waders are less expensive and more compact for travel and storage.
Although the lightweight nylon stocking foot chest-highs can be rolled
up and
stuffed into the shoe.
Hip waders are a little easier to put on and take off and are cooler for
summer wear
Chest- highs provide more protection from the wet as well as the cold
elements. For cool weather fishing, they should be your only choice. The
risk
of hypothermia is real as most cases occur at temperatures well
above
freezing! During the summer months they can be rolled down to be
worn as
waist-highs
Neoprene chest-highs rolled to the waist can actually be cooler
during the
summer if kept wet.
Boot-foot vs. Stocking- foot
Boot-foot, the shoe is attached to the uppers
Easier to get on and off than the stocking foot
Less expensive than the stocking foot plus the cost of the shoe
They do not fit as well as a laced boot. Some will come with felt liners
others will require you wear extra pairs of socks to fill out the boot.
The loose fitting boot does not provide ankle support and can cause
blisters
walking any significant distance.
Generally available only in men's sizes. Only a few
manufacturers offer
women's and children's' sizes.
Stocking-foot
The shoe is separate and does not come with the waders. This makes the
total
cost a little higher.
They're available in man-made simulated leather or Cordura Nylon.
Cordura is lighter to wear and carry but takes longer to dry.
There is a better selection of sizes and styles.
Better fit provides better support, comfort, and safety.
When packing up from the river, the shoes which contain all the dirt
can be
packed separately in a plastic bag until you get back home or to
the next stop.
(You should try
to always clean your boots off to prevent spreading whirling
disease) This helps in keeping your gear and vehicle clean.
You can wear just the shoes with shorts in warm weather to wade wet and
still have the support and safety of felt soles.
Gravel and sand can work its way into the shoe causing wear to the
foot of
the wader. A set of gravel cuffs
is highly recommended.
Wading Belts
This is a belt worn over chest high waders to prevent water
from getting in
should you take a spill.
Highly recommended.
Wading Staff
Whether you make one out of a mop handle or buy a pricey collapsible
model, it makes good sense to carry one with you.
The collapsible types are
kept in a holster by your side until
needed.
Fairly expensive - $60 - $90
Sometimes when you sense that you are loosing your footing, there is
not time
to un-holster and unfold.
If you wade with it unfolded, except for compact storage, it has
little
advantage over a one piece staff
One piece staffs are attached to the back of your vest on a zinger
ready for
immediate use. Less expensive $0 to $30.
One piece construction provides a
little better weight to strength
ratio
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Fishing Vest
It's your tackle box on your back and the tendency is to carry with
you
everything under the sun. After
a few hours under the sun, you start to ask
yourself, 'do I
need all this stuff'. The answer is usually NO! The most
important feature to look for in a vest is the collar. Look
for one that
distributes the weight to the shoulders and is padded.
Vests are offered in two lengths - standard and the "shorty"
which sets higher
above the waist line to keep it out and above the
water level.
They all have pockets in
a number of configurations. There are some new
products on the
market called 'Fish Carry Systems'.
We think they are
a good alternative. (Visit our "Small
Fries" section.)
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Miscellaneous Equipment
Forceps -
necessary equipment, very handy for extracting hooks.
Fly Boxes - select one that is compact and fits well
into a pocket of your
vest. The ones with coil clips or ripple foam hold
the fly upright and prevents
crushing the feathers.
Hat - one with a broad bill all around its
circumference will provide the most
protection. It will help prevent
your ears and neck from getting sun burnt. It
will shed off rain and most
importantly, it will protect you from the hooks of
misguided flies.
Rain Gear - again you have and endless selection to
choose from. If go with
a pant/jacket outfit, select one that is
ventilated. Without ventilation you may
be dry from the rain but you
will be wet with perspiration.
Leader Wallet - to carry extra leaders.
Spools of tippet material - as you change flies the
tippet section of your
leader gets shorter. Eventually it has to be
replaced. Also if conditions require
you use a smaller fly, you can add
a smaller section of tippet.
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