Fly Fishing Guide To Assist Fly Fisherman Catch Fish On Flies...
Flying fishing is a common and exciting water sport enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.
Fly fishing is more often than not associated with the catching of trout although over the last 20 years or so fly fishing in the sea and river estuaries has developed into a type of fly-fishing unique to itself.
Fly fishing for salmon has been carried our for well over a hundred years while deliberate fly-fishing for species other than trout and salmon is a fairly modern approach ... although no doubt it was practiced by Isaac Walton hundreds of years ago.
Learn to Cast a Fly in Your Arm Chair
It is difficult to truly enjoy fly fishing unless a reasonable level of casting fluency has been achieved and this does take some practice.
Practice leads to excellence in casting and ultimately in fly fishing. As you'll see from a later article you can even practice casting while sitting in an armchair without even holding a fly rod.
The ability to cast well, not necessarily far, is determined by the choice of rod and matching line weight... In the hands of a good fly caster any weight rated rod will be able to handle a reasonable range of line weights but the beginner will struggle.
To Catch Fish on Fly You Need the Right Sort of Rod and Reel
If you talk to any serious fly fisherman and especially those who fish for trout you'll find they own numerous rods, many reels
all with spare spools yet use one for 95% of their fishing. That's certainly the case with me.
What's important in deciding upon a rod and reel is to know what you want to achieve and then match your rod and reel and line choice to that situation. For example if you're going to fish lakes only then a 9 foot long 5/6 weight rod and line is probably ideal. On the other hand if you intend to fish smallish rivers then an 8 foot (even 7 foot for very small streams) 3/4 weight line and rod would be a good choice.
When it comes to choosing a reel it is normally perfectly OK to buy a low cost reel from a reputable manufacturer. What's vital in this choice is the drag system which must be smooth and variable. There are spare spools available to carry an extra (different specification) fly line. One of these is well worth the small investment required since it allows you to extend the fishing opportunities available.
Now for Some Flies to Catch Those Hungry Trout
The choice of flies is bewildering even to me after 40+ years of fly fishing. For a newcomer it is a minefield ... where on
earth do you start? A brief introduction to the 4 main types of flies along with some personal observations can be reviewed
on the fly fishing flies page.
River's Edge Shop... or
American Flyfishing Shop
Fly selections to choose from.
