Fly Fishing Tips

It's been said that fly fishing is an art, I'm not so sure about that, but it is harder to master than most other types of fishing. It was primarily developed to catch trout and salmon. Today, it is still used to fish these species, but is also used to catch bass, carp, pike and in a wide range of saltwater fishing. The difference between casting and fly fishing is that in casting you use the weight of the bait, sinker, and bobber to propel your cast. In fly fishing, the weight of the line propels the line forward and puts your fly where you want it. The fly cannot do this, because it does'nt weigh enough. The goal in fly fishing is to present the fly gently and naturally and to always be in control of it. The fish needs to think that a fly is landing on the water.

When you get to the water put on your thigh waders, fill your fishing vest with various types of flies and wade into the stream. When you get to a good spot and you are ready to cast, the tip of your rod should be in the four o' clock position with 20 feet (6 meters) of line extended beyond your rod's tip. Trap the line between the rod handle and your index finger. To begin the back cast, bend your elbow, raise your forearm and move the rod tip from four o'clock to eleven thirty(just behind your head) and lift the line from the water. Pause enough to allow the line to extend behind you before casting the rod forward. Allow the rod to follow through as the line extends to its full length in front of you. Then continue to work the line in this manner. You want your fly to touch the water, pause, then fly off again, just as in nature.

You need special fly fishing equipment which includes a fly rod and reel, a special fly fishing line, and artificial or live flies. These are tied onto your hook with feathers, fur, thread or other materials in colors and sizes that represent natural prey. The key to successful fly fishing is balance. The rod, reel and line, as well as the tippet all have to match in order to have a positive fly fishing experience.

Fly fishing rods are lightweight and long. The line provides the casting weight and is heavy. It can be of differing density, depending on whether you want the fly to sink or float. Line is matched to your rod by weight. Look near the fly rod butt to find out what line weight needs to be used. Graphite rods are best because they can produce any action that you wish to use. If you are a beginner, buy a basic and moderately priced rod, or borrow one from a family member or friend.

There are many fly fishing reels available for you to choose from. Try not to get one with any plastic parts, these parts may not stand up to larger fish, and you sure don't want to lose your fish, because your reel fails.

Flies weigh very little. The fly is usually attached to the line by a leader that is two to three meters in length (6 to 9 feet). The leader often tapers to a fine end. This is called a tippet. Tippet size range from 8X, which is the smallest, to 0X, which is the largest. Tippets are set in units of .001 inches. To match the tippet to the fly, you must subtract from eleven and multiply by .001.

For example to find the diameter of a 4X tippet, you would subtract four from eleven. That equals seven. Now, multiply by .001. This size would be .007. What if you have a # 18 fly? How would you calculate tippet size? You would put eighteen over four and calculate. The answer would be 4.5. Since there is no 4.5 X tippet, you would move to the next largest size, which would be 5.

You will also need to add to your fly fishing gear, a good fishing net, a fly fishing vest, thigh waders, and a basket to put your fish in. A hat can serve two purposes, one, it keeps the sun off your face and two, you can hang extra flies in it. Polarized sunglasses may come in handy. Don't forget your sunscreen and insect repellant.

There are two types of fly fishing - dry and wet. Wet flies are fished beneath the water surface and are divided into several types, including live wet flies, lures and nymphs. Dry flies float on the water surface and are coated with a substance called, 'floatant' to make this possible.

Fly fishing is not as hard to learn as it appears to be. After you get your equipment, get out in the back yard and practice till you feel confident. As with anything else, the more you do it the better you'll get at it. So get your gear, practice, get out in the water and practice some more, you'll probally catch some fish while you are practicing.

If you're interested in fly fishing, we have found a resource you won't want to be without. It supplies all the basic information needed by the beginner, as well as useful tips and resources for the more experienced fisherman.

It is a downloadable e-book called The Fly Fishing Guidebook. This is a very easy to "read and do" book full of detailed instructions. Some of the topics covered are ; the most common casting mistakes and how to avoid them, the best way for beginners to catch trout, fresh water and salt water fishing, how to build your own fishing rod, designing and building leaders, choosing the right flies and equipment, hooks, rods, reels, lines, clothing, casting techniques, fly tying, knots, and alot of other needed info and instruction. As you can see this book covers all the bases.

The Fly Fishing Guidebook is like picking the brain of a professional guide (if you could find one) at a fraction of the cost. With this book you can constantly refer to it with your questions and not be charged for it. If you're wanting to take up fly fishing and want to know everything about it, you can't afford to pass up this valuable resource. To master the skills it takes to be a sucessful fly fishermen you must learn all you can about it. You can see for yourself at The Fly Fishing Guidebook.