Fly-fishing is a fun hobby and a great way to enjoy nature and experience serenity. While fly-fishing is exciting to learn about, it can seem a bit overwhelming at the beginning, so here is a list that will reveal everything you need to know about getting started in fly-fishing.
One thing you have to understand about fly-fishing is that it’s not like any other sport where you can jump in and learn everything; it takes time for you to become familiar with the gear, terms, how to find the right spot and more importantly, how to cast accurately. For oiling tips, this article is really handy.
Fly-Fishing Equipment
The first thing you need to check off your list is buying the necessary fly-fishing equipment. This are the basic gear you’ll need:
- A Fly Reel
- A Fly Rod
- A Few Flies
- A Fly Fishing Line that has fly line, backing, a tippet, and a leader.
It’s important to invest in gear that is not too cheap because otherwise you run the risk of it being of poor quality and possibly breaking or not performing well, which is frustrating and won’t help during the learning process.
Fly Reel and Fly Rod
These two fly fishing items are necessary for you to begin your journey. The prices vary from one rod to the other. How low or high the price depends on the rod’s length, material and the quality of its composition.
The length depends on what you’ll be doing with it, but the recommended rod is the graphite fly rod. The prices also vary with the fly reel, since the price can be very cheap if you’re buying plastic reels and can be sort of high when you’re buying quality reels.
Many people recommend that you steer away from plastic reels, since they don’t perform well and more often than not, break mid fly-fishing. The recommended fly reel is the one made out of metal. Setting up a fly rod could be confusing, but Fly Fisher Pro has an explanatory and simple picture to make it easier for beginners to set up their rods.
It’s much better if you buy the rods and reels together because that way you get a discount and you’re sure that they are matched because otherwise they won’t work well together.
Fly Backing, Fly Line, Leader and Tippet
There is an important thing to note when it comes to fly-fishing, which is there’s no weight on the end of the line. You need to know that the weight comes from the line itself, which is why it has be of quality and why the line is much thicker.
Fly backing or Arbor is used to provide extra length; it’s usually brightly coloured and thick, so it’s easy to see underwater. The Fly Line is also brightly coloured and heavy to provide the needed amount of weight.
The Leader is used to move from the thick fly line to the thin tippet. Its purpose is to maintain the thicker fly line from hitting the water. Finally, the tippet joins the fly to the leader, which makes the leader then nearly invisible in water.
Flies
Flies are obviously also important when practising fly-fishing. There are three important kinds that you need to be familiarised with:
Dry Flies: These flies are designed to look as if they’re flying insects that float on top of the water.
Nymphs: The nymphs look like worms and also float on top of the surface.
Streamers: The streamers are a tad larger than nymphs and mimic aquatic life.
Difficulties with Fly Fishing
Don’t be discouraged if you’re facing any complications at the beginning, just like any other sport, fly-fishing needs practice. But there are a few things that might help you with these difficulties, such as:
Wrist Motion: Be careful of using your wrist too much because this will cause the line to form loops.
Timing: You need to wait until the line comes behind you.
Fly-fishing is an enjoyable hobby and sport but you will need time, patience and a lot of practice in order to perfect the art of the sport. fly-fishing. Through the learning process you’ll discover tips about how and where to pick the perfect spot, how to set up a rod, and when to pause, when to pull the rod, and what kind of bait works best. Some things are only taught by experience.
