Fly Fishing Equipment Guide

If you are an avid angler, and you enjoy fly fishing, then you are well aware of the vast assortment of fly fishing gear that is needed. Not only are you required to have a rod and reel, but you need many additional accessories and tools to help you to catch and land fish. Below is a fly fishing equipment guide to help you get started into fly fishing with the proper gear.

First of all, every fly angler will need a solid fly rod and reel combo. These should be a matching set, meaning they should be the same weight rating. For example, a five weight combo is a good all around weight for a number of fish species, including trout, bass, and panfish. The rod and the reel need to both be a five weight rating.

Next, you will need to choose the right fly line. The line should match the rating of the rod and reel, and can come in sinking (for wet fly fishing) and floating (for dry fly fishing), with different tapers. Double taper lines are the most popular because they offer the longest life (once you wear out one end, flip it around and you have a brand new tapered shooting end to cast with).

After the rod, reel and line, you will need a good assortment of flies. Study the waters that you will be fishing to learn the eating habits and patterns of the fish. This will help you to choose the right flies to bring along. Remember that most fish eat about 90% of their meals underneath the water's surface, and while dry fly fishing can be exciting, the most success will be had while going underwater with nymphs, wet flies, and streamers.

There are a number of different accessories and tools that fly anglers use, consisting of: waders and wading boots, wading staffs, landing nets, hemostats, knives, multi-tools, knot tying tools, fly floatant, weights, strike indicators, polarized sunglasses, and other apparel items like fishing hats and vests. Try out a few different accessories to see what works for you and what doesn't.

Once you are equipped with the right gear, you will need to learn the challenging skills and techniques that are needed to be able to successfully land fish. It might be helpful to hire a fly fishing guide to teach you some techniques, as well as show you where the fish are hiding. Hopefully, this fly fishing equipment guide will help you to get the right gear to get started. Good luck!