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GETTING STARTED IN FLY FISHING
Getting started in fly fishing is not difficult, nor is it expensive. Persons with a meager amount of manual skills and very modest budget meet the minimum requirements. First define the kind of Fly-Fishing you intend to do most. Is it small lake, Reservoir River or stream fishing? Is it for trout or salmon? From the answers to these simple questions you can determine the outfit you'll be using most.
CHOOSING A BALANCED OUTFIT You should start with a balanced fly fishing outfit: with a rod/reel/line that balance, e.g., a balanced 5 weight outfit - a 5 weight line, a 5 weight rod and a reel that holds a 5 weight line. Then the assembled outfit should balance in your hand. While holding the grip the rod shouldn't feel butt or tip heavy. This will make for comfortable, controllable fly fishing. We start by choosing the line for the type of fishing we intend to do, then match it with a rod and then a reel.
ROD
AND LINE SELECTION
General rules of thumb in rod/line selection: For fishing in small streams
for small trout - Line sizes 3 to 5, 5 being most popular. Rods, usually graphite
or carbon/boron, in 7 to 8 feet in length (be sure rod "weight" matches the
line you have chosen). Longer rods are easier to cast than smaller ones.
The choice of weight forward versus double taper fly lines is a subject of
much 
debate.
It simply doesn't matter much in this case. For medium size rivers for trout
- Line sizes 5 to 7, 6 being most popular. Rods in length 8 to 9 '. Again,
longer rods are easier to cast and can cast longer distances, especially with
weight forward or rocket taper fly lines. Double taper fly lines are used
less in this kind of fishing. For really big rivers and Reservoirs, big trout,
salmon, - Lines 7 to 9, 8 and 9 weights being most popular. Graphite rods
of 9 to 10 feet, 9' being most popular. Weight forward lines are generally
used to punch out the big flies and to cast for distance.
Click HERE for a greater in depth look at the Fly-Line.
FLY
REEL SELECTION
General rules of thumb for fly reel selection: For fishing small trout a fly
reel serves to hold the fly line. Rarely are any of the reel "features" needed
for this type of fly fishing. Stepping up to larger trout, we need some of
the reels "features." 
A
palming rim and drag system now become important. Even a disc drag system
is useful for fishing these bigger fish. With big game fish like salmonin
addition to a palming rim a really good disc drag system is helpful. Avoid
buying "too much reel" for the task at hand. Trout fishing with an 8' 5 weight
rod and line would require no more than a Rimfly Cortland reel. It would be
ok to use more expensive models, but those features wouldn't be used much
for smaller fish in smaller streams.
FLY LINE BACKING Fly line backing serves two purposes. To fill the spool so it doesn't take a long time to wind in a fly line and to allow a fish to run and strip more line from the reel than the fly line itself. Backing becomes more of a factor with the increase in size of the fish being sought. For fishing trout in small streams little if any backing is necessary, in any event no more than 50 yards of backing is needed. For larger trout a reel should be able to hold 100 yards of backing and the fly line. For salmon the reel should hold at least 200 yards of backing. Most reel tables in catalogues list reel capacities in terms of line/backing. Most often it is in terms of WF lines. One can take those numbers and estimate for a different line what a new capacity would be as follows: To go down a line weight (from 6 to 5) add 50 yards backing. To go from a DT to a WF line add 50 yards backing. (If you wish to be really conservative use 35 yards instead of 50). Using a specialty line changes things in some instances. A wet tip line will closely follow the above. A full sinking line is much smaller in diameter and will allow about 100 yds more backing than charts show.
TERMINAL
TACKLE All that is needed now to compete the basic fly fishing
outfit is the leader . This is basically chosen according to fly sizes to
be fished and what size Trout or Salmon you are fishing for. I tend to use
a Braided leader attached to my fly-line. This is as it says a Braid narrowing
in diameter from the fly line to a tip for the tippet or Cat-Gut as it used
to be called is tied on. Braid is a wonderful shock 
absorber
and has stopped many a fish breaking my line after a shock take. It also helps
in casting as it turns the fly over in a tight and straight curve much improving
the distance that is cast. Sizes of leader which is then tied to the braid
range from thin 1-2lb strain for trout in small steams right up to 15lb strain
for Salmon. I prefer to use "Double Strength" lines which are double
the strength of a similar thickness "standard" leader.
KNOTS
Check
out my
KNOTS pages for most of the knots you could ever need
FLIES
All that is then needed is the all important fly. When arriving at the water
ask fellow fly-fisherman what is likely to be catching the fish. Even when
a fish is caught 
stroll
over and ask to see the fly. I guarantee that most if not all will be glad
to show you and possibly they may even give you a spare fly!. You could also
try some of my Favourite Fly Patterns found HERE.
This page was last updated on Tuesday, April 3, 2001
