logo
logo
Sign in

Gear for fly fishing

avatar
www w
Gear for fly fishing

Gear for fly fishing
Fly fishing requires more gear than most other types of fishing, but the amount of gear you use depends on where you’ll be fishing and what you’ll be fishing for. Other factors like time of day, season, and how you plan on accessing your fishing spot also determine what gear you need.

From rods to reels and wading boots to flies, it can be very confusing when it comes to choosing the right gear for fly fishing. Check out these descriptions of some of the gear (tackle):

Fly rod: Having the right fly rod can make or break your fishing trip. Fly rods come in all different sizes and weights (often referred to with a # (pound) sign). Different sizes and weights are made for different species of fish. Common sizes of fly rods are 8 feet, 8 feet 6 inches, 9 feet, 9 feet 6 inches, and sometimes longer. Common weights are between #3 and #7, with #5 being the most common. A #3 weight rod is very light and is meant for catching small fish like brook trout or panfish. A #5 weight rod is considered medium weight and is suited for catching medium/large fish such as cutthroat trout and bass. A #7 weight rod (or heavier such as a #9 or #12) is very heavy, and is used for catching large fish like striped bass or salmon.

Fly reel: These reels are specially designed to go with a fly rod. They’re not like any other fishing reel, and choosing the proper reel is important for being able to cast your rod. Fly reels help balance a rod, and they hold all of the fly line and backing, which is important for catching and fighting a fish.

Fly line: Fly line often refers to the colored section of line on a reel. This heavy, thicker, colored section of line is what makes it possible to cast your fly. Fly line comes in many different types including floating, sinking, and different weights (weight forward, tapered, shooting, and several others). It also comes in different weights, similar to a rod. Choose the appropriate weight and type of line for the species you’re after.

Leaders: The leader is the smaller, clear section of fishing line that’s tied to the end of the regular fly line (discussed above). The leader is where you attach your fly. It can come in different sizes (referred to with an “x” after the size, for example a size 6 leader is called a “6x”). Just like fly rods, you’ll need to choose your leader wisely depending on the species you want to catch and the flies you’re using. Smaller leaders (like a 6x or 5x) are best suited for smaller flies, and are commonly used when trout fishing. Heavier leaders (like a 3x or 4x) are meant for larger flies and bigger fish. Heavier leaders are also used for connecting the fly line to smaller sections of the leader. For example, a section of 4x leader will connect the fly line (colored line) to a section of 5x leader, where the fly is tied.

collect
0
avatar
www w
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more