Fly Fishing has been a favourite sport of many for centuries, including myself, although for me it has been centuries quite yet. While this method of angling is generally used for catching trout and salmon, many other fish species are targeted also, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and chain pickerel being a few I love to fly fish for.

Some I have yet to try is fly fishing for saltwater species. I would love to make a few casts for some shallow water species like the snook. Not sure if I would survive a round with a tarpon but I would be willing to give it a shot too. I’m pretty sure my little fly rod would give out before I would, so I would have to get a new fly rod and of course saltwater tackle.

Fly Fishing Equipment Types And Uses

Waders – Fly fishing waders are essential to keep the fisher dry and warm. The main types of waders are either the full body wader or hip waders for shallow waters.
Body waders come in either high tech lightweight materials or in neoprene, the latter being best in cold conditions.

Reels – Your choice of fly reel will be determined on where you fish and the type of fish you decide to target. If you plan on fishing small streams the best setup will be a three to five weight combination of rod and reel. For the most, an fly rod, reel and line combination of seven to nine will handle bigger fish found in lakes or larger rivers. Fly fishing for gamefish like marlin require serious fly fishing equipment with high quality reels such as big game sage fly reels

Rods – In the same way as fly reels, your rod needs to be matched to the conditions and target fish. Fly rods are weighted from numbers one through to twelve, one being ultra light and twelve being very strong and heavy. Your fly rod and lines are the most important fishing tools, always buy the best you can afford, I can highly recommend sage fly fishing equipment.

Fly Fishing Vessels – Other than using a traditional runabout boat there are there flotation devices to allow the fly fisher to get closer and quietly to his prey. These include float tubes and single man pontoon boats.

Fly Lines – Appointing the correct line for the fly rod and reel is also significant. Without properly matching your fly fishing equipment you will not get the best casting distance. By using for instance a number 7 rod and a number three line is a poor match and will cause casting problems, therefore all of your lines, reels and rods must match to the relative weight number. While reels aren’t so important, the line and rod should be the same, or you can get by buy using one weight different. With a quality no 7 rod for example you should be able to cast a number eight fly line with ease.

Image via WikipediaIn fly fishing, it is very important to an angler’s success that he starts with the proper equipment. He/She may purchase or own the finest fly fishing equipment in the world, but when it is assembled and put into use, it may prove to be a very decided handicap.

To guard against this, it is important that the individual items of tackle be properly balanced one with the other. Unbalanced equipment has been responsible for more difficulties and failures of beginners than any other single factor. Poorly matched equipment is what allowed me to out fish my fly fishing buddies, well until I helped them pick their next rod, reel and line. Then I actually had to start working a bit harder to beat them.

Fly Fishing Rod

To fish with a good fly rod is to really enjoy fishing. It is much easier to learn with a good rod than with one of an inferior quality. This is no commercial plug to encourage the sale of expensive fly rods, but just a word of warning to prevent any possible or unnecessary discouragement because of using a rod that would be decided handicap to a competent caster.

Fly Fishing Lines

This item of fishing gear must be selected with some careful considerations if anglers are expecting to enjoy fishing or casting.

This is because the size and weight of fishing lines made by various manufacturers are not entirely uniform, that is, the diameter of the line by one manufacturer may be slightly larger or smaller than a line by another manufacturer even though both bear the same size marking.

The Leader You Choose To Use

The leader is also a very important item, and unless it is selected with care and consideration in comparison with the size of the line, the caster will have trouble in making it extend straight out from the line when casting.

The chief function of the leader is to serve as an invisible connection between the line and the lure.

Fishing Flies

The flies may range in size, from the tiniest used, which might be number 18 or 20, up to flies tied on number-2 hooks or larger. The heavier flies you create the more wind resistence. It also requires the use of heavier equipment or more power on the part of the caster during the back cast and forward cast.

I prefer to tie my own trout, salmon, bass and pike flies myself. It saves me time and it’s so cool when you catch that lunker on your own creation.

Fly Reels

The fly reels may be automatic or single action, but in any event, it should be larger enough to hold the usual 30 yards of fishing line without crowding it on the reel spool.

The fly reel should weigh from 1 ¼ to 1 ½ as much as the bare rod. The reel itself is of no specific use in casting or fishing except as a storage place for the line.

Consequently, the entire equipment should always be in good condition. Other wise, achieving success in fishing is impossible.