Fly Line Care Items

 Dirty fly line is a recipe for bad casting. So clean your line
to provide for better casts and longer fly line life. Fly lines
need to be cleaned for best casting. Additionally, by cleaning
your fly lines, you'll greatly extend the life of the line -
saving you money as well as time and hassle in changing out the
line. And if you fly fishing for larger fish that have a
tendency to pull out large amounts of fly line, don't forget
about chaning out your fly line backing occasionally, too.

Fly Rods :

A fly rod is a crucial piece of equipment for fly fishing. A
poor quality or wrong type of fly rod is a wonderful way to
potentially ruin an otherwise fine day spent fly fishing. Having
the right fly rod can make all the difference between putting
fish in the net and coming away skunked. Now days the art of
making fly rods has become so good that if you buy any rod for
$100.00 or more will cast better than most anglers can with it..
keep in mind that buying a more expensive rod will not make you
a better caster, only learning to cast will do that.

So, my point is this, if there is anyplace that an angler should
not skimp on when putting together a fly fishing outfit, it is
the fly rod. A good fly rod often makes the difference between
precise casts and casts that are just wide of the mark. It makes
the difference between being able to reach that rising trout and
being just a few yards short. But also, keep in mind that
practice casting also helps one become an expert angler. Having
said that lets move on to choosing the right Fly rod.

Choosing the Right Fly Rod

Although there is a common belief that if you spend more on fly
fishing gear, you’ll get more. There are two sides to this
story. As with anything else you purchase, there is value and
there is perceived value. Simply put, value is what you actually
get out of the money you spend and perceived value is what you
think you will get out of it. Whatever you decide is up to you
and what you can afford. My personal favorite is cabelas, I
included the link for you to take a look. I am not advertising
them, I only want you to take a look as a point of reference,
and check out as many other places as you like, but find one you
like and one that fits comfortably in your hand.

 Don’t be intimidated by all the special terminology used by fly
fishermen. For the most part, the terms are there for a reason
and will help you be more specific when narrowing down your
decisions and your gear. 

Your first piece of sporting equipment should be your fly rod.
Fly fishing is much easier and much more enjoyable when your fly
rod is properly matched to the type of fishing you will be
doing. The two main considerations you must think about are the
length of the rod and the weight of the fly line. Fly line
weight can be described as the diameter and density of the line.
For optimal performance, it must match the fly rod you will be
using. Here is a general guideline to help you choose the proper
fly rod.

Fly Rod Length

For fishing tight spots such as small streams and creeks with
overhanging brush and minimal casting space, a shorter rod in
the 6’ – 7’6” class is ideal for these conditions. A shorter rod
will make your day much more enjoyable and allow you to
effectively fish these areas without donating too many flies to
Mother Nature. Medium length rods in the 8’ – 8 ½’ range can be
used on medium-sized streams and small rivers or any time when
long distance casts are not the norm. These rods can still be
used on larger, more open waters, but don’t expect to achieve
maximum casting performance to reach those rise forms across the
river.

In situations when long casts are required, such as fishing
large rivers, fishing from a float tube, or fishing from the
shore, a longer rod is necessary. Longer rods also make mending
your line a much easier task. This is true because the longer
rods will allow you to hold more line off the water. For float
tube fishing or deep wading, a 9’ rod is needed to cast
effectively because of your low position in the water. Many
float tubers even opt for longer rods in the 9’6” – 10’ lengths.
The more line you can hold off and away from the water, the
better you will be able to pick up line and cast.