Beginner Fly Fishing Gear
You will need other beginner fly fishing gear besides a fly fishing rod, fly fishing reel, and fly line in order to begin with the sport of fly fishing. This guide describes the essential fly fishing gear and tools required for the beginner angler.
Fly Fishing Flies
An essential part of fly fishing – you won’t catch any fish with the wrong fly fishing flies. The species of fish you intend to catch determines the types of flies that you should buy. When starting out, a fly selection package is a cost-effective way of building up your fly collection. A fly selection package is a selection of flies packaged for a specific region or fish species. To store all your fly fishing flies, it is a good idea to purchase a fly box. A fly box consists of various compartments so that you can organize you fly collection.
Leader and Tippet Spool
The leader is nylon line that sits between the tippet and the fly line, and leader line in normally tapered. A leader separates the fly line from the fly, and does not create a disturbance in the water near the fly when the fly line is cast. As the leader is made from clear see-through material, it is invisible to the fish. A leader tapers, and the thick end is tied to the fly fishing line. You normally buy a specific leader line to match the species and size of fish you intend catching – leaders come in different lengths (normally between 7 to 9 feet), and breaking strengths.
A tippet is tied onto the leader, and is used so that whenever you replace a fly on your line, you don’t have to cut your leader line down. Tippet line is available in different breaking strengths and different diameters to match the size and species of fish you intend to catch. You normally use between 1 to 3 foot of tippet, and your fly is tied onto the end of this tippet. The diameter of your tippet line must match the diameter of the tippet (thin end) end of your leader line. For example, you will need a 5X tippet line if your leader has a 5x tippet diameter.
Fly Fishing Waders
Waders are waterproof gear that allow anglers to stand in deep water without getting wet. You get hip-height, waist-height, and chest-height waders depending on the depth of water you are fishing in. Waders are not essential when fishing in warm climates where you don’t mind getting wet, but in colder climates waders are essential. The two main types of waders are stockingfoot or bootfoot waders. Bootfoot waders come with the boot built into the wader, and stockingfoot will require that you buy separate wading boots or sandals. The Gore-Tex Simms waders are reputed to be the best waders available today.
Fly Fishing Accessories
There are essential fly fishing accessories that all anglers should have. To be able to cut your fishing line, a pair of clippers is essential – you can also use nail clippers. A pair of fishing pliers, or a hemostat, which is used to get the hook out of a fish’s mouth or to mash down the barbs on hooks. An extremely useful tool to help keep your hooks sharp is a hook file.
Sun Protection
You will be in the sun for extended periods, so its essential to wear a hat and sunglasses to reduce the glare you get off the water. In order to see clearly what is going on under the water, and on the water’s surface, a pair of Polarized sunglasses are very useful.
Fly Fishing Vest
A fly fishing vest is recommended, and is extremely useful to keep all your fly fishing accessories and tools organized without losing items. Vests can also be used to keep you warm and dry. Here is a guide to help you buy the best fly fishing vest to suit your requirements.
That covers the essential beginner fly fishing gear that you will require in order to get started with fly fishing.
For more information about the sport of fly fishing, take a look at the Fly Fishing Elite news feed at Feedest.com.
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