Fly Fishing Beginners Guide: How to Fly Fish

Fly fishing, unlike standard fishing, has a bait that is light enough to float on the surface of the water. The fishing technique, when used correctly, makes it possible for experienced and novice anglers alike to land species of fish that usually swim just below the surface of the water fishing marathon fl. Some of the fish that you might have a chance of landing during your fly fishing trip are salmon and trout.

If you are a beginner to fly fishing, taking your time to learn how to fly fish can increase your chances of landing fish. When fly fishing, you will not only need special equipment, you will also need special casting methods. In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about fly fishing.

The Fly Fishing Gear You Should Invest In

Without the proper fly fishing gear, your fly fishing knowledge may not help you land your target fish. In this section, we’ll look at the basic gear you need to pack when you finally decide to get out of the beginner stage of fly fishing.

Fly rod

It is possible to find a fly fishing rod in a wide variety of materials, lengths and weights. The price largely depends on the material of the fishing rod. A graphite fly rod, usually priced in the mid-range, should offer excellent results for any fly fishing beginner.

The type of fishing rod you invest in will depend on the species of fish you are going for and where you are going to fish. However, the 3 crucial things to consider include:

  1. Length

When fly fishing, longer rods generally allow you to cast longer distances, as long as there are no obstacles in the way. If your fishing spot has many obstacles, for example bushes and trees, a shorter rod should give better results.

  1. Weight

When it comes to the weight of the fly fishing rod, fly fishing beginners usually use the medium weight fly fishing rods. For people who are currently learning to fly fish, buying a 5 weight fly rod is a good idea.

  1. Action

In the market, you will find slow, medium and fast action fly fishing rods. Most beginners to fly fishing will invest in the fast action rod. This is because fast action rods are much easier to cast for longer distances.

Fly fishing reels

When buying a fly fishing reel, you need to make sure that the reel matches the weight of your fishing rod. This will help you achieve optimal performance.

It is worth noting that most manufacturers combine fishing rods and reels. If you buy a pre-matched combination, you don’t have to worry about matching the fishing rod and reel yourself.

Fly Line, Backing, Tippet and the leader

If you’re used to standard fishing setups, you’ll probably use just one fishing line, rod to hook. When fly fishing, a single fishing line does not work. Reasons for this include:

  • The weight does not exist at the end of the fishing line. You will only have one fly, which can be considered almost weightless. If you rely on the weight of the fly to cast long distances, this will be impossible. Since the weight has to come from the fly fishing line, it has to be thicker.
  • To land a fish on your best fly fishing target, you need to ensure that the bait is presented in the water without the target fish knowing that it is attached to your fishing line. This is what makes the tippet and the leader important.

Next, we have the functions of the equipment that exists between the fishing rod and your fly:

Fly-backing

The purpose of the fly backing is to offer additional length for a longer fishing run. It is usually the longest part of the fishing line. The fact that it is thick and brightly colored means that it can be seen in the water.

Fly-line

As mentioned above, the purpose of the fly line is to provide weight. This allows you to cast longer distances. In addition to being heavy, fly line is often brightly colored.

Leader

This transitions from your thick fly line to your thin tippet. To match the fly line, the leader starts thick. It is then cut down to a slimmer size.

The leader prevents the fly line from hitting the water surface and scaring away the target fish. When the leader is available, the chances of the fish seeing the fly line decrease. On average, leaders are about 9 to 10 feet.

Cape

The fly is attached to the leader by a tippet. It makes sure the fly shows up without the fish seeing the line. When you invest in a tippet, get one that is strong enough but barely visible.

Flies

When trying to locate baits for your fly fishing at night or during the day, you will come across 3 main types of flies. These are:

  • Dry Flies – They are designed to resemble flying insects that float and land on the surface of the water. They are the most used baits.
  • Nymphs – They resemble aquatic creatures. They float just below or on the surface of the water.
  • Streamers – Although larger than nymphs, they also look like aquatic creatures.

Fly fishing waders

If you ask someone familiar with fly fishing, he or she will tell you that in most cases, staying on shore will not give you the best results. To increase your chances of catching a fish, you may need to get in the water. Fly fishing stilts allow you to get in the water without having to deal with uncomfortable wetness.

Fly fishing waders

If you ask someone familiar with fly fishing, he or she will tell you that in most cases, staying on shore will not give you the best results. To increase your chances of catching a fish, you may need to get in the water. Fly fishing stilts allow you to get in the water without having to deal with uncomfortable wetness.

Fly fishing setup

After getting all the gear you’ll need during your fly fishing trip, one question you may ask yourself is, “how am I supposed to put all of this together?” Fortunately for beginners in fly fishing, assembling fishing equipment is usually not difficult. All you will need is some practice and knowledge of how to tie fishing knots.

 

To put the rod, reel, line and backing together, follow the steps below:

Step 1 – Attach the reel to your fly rod. You can use the manufacturer’s instructions to do this. In most cases, the reel should slide over the rod and lock into place.

Step 2 – Retrieve your backing and pull about 20-30 yards from the backing. The amount of backing you will use will vary depending on the weight and size of the reel. The reel manufacturer can suggest the amount of backing you need to use. The trick is to simply wind enough backing leaving enough room for the fly line.

Step 3 – Remove approximately 2-3 feet of fly line and tie your fly line to the backing. You can use the Albright knot.

Step 4 – Pull out about 30 yards of fly fishing line, then cut it.

Step 5 – Go ahead and wind both the backing and the fly line onto the spool. You must roll backwards. Fly fishing line should come first. This step will help you get the correct amount of backing and fly line on your reel.

Note: When winding the thread, make sure to keep it taut. Make sure both the line and the backing pass evenly through the shaft. The line should be wound from the bottom of the spool.

Step 6 – You should keep winding until you are close to touching the outer edge of the spool. Next, trim off the extra backing, and then remove the fly line and backing from the spool.

Step 7 – Using the tree knot, tie the backing to the tree. Again, be sure to keep the line taut as you wind it evenly across the spool. Be sure to roll up from the bottom. This time, roll up the backing first.

Step 8 – Using a twist knot, tie a loop at the end of your fly line. This loop will allow you to attach the leader to the fly line more easily. With the loop in place, changing leaders once you wear your fishing shirt and hit the water should be easy.

Step 9 – Using a loop to tie the knot, attach the leader to the fly line.

Step 10 – To attach the tippet to the leader, use a triple or double surgeon’s knot.

Step 11: Lastly, use the Improved Riveting Knot to attach your fly to the tippet.

After placing the fly on your tippet, you should be ready to enjoy the benefits of fly fishing. While the above may seem like a lot to go through, you won’t have to do all of the above every time you decide to put on your fishing hat.

You will need to follow the steps above only when you decide to change your lines. When you’re not changing your lines, all you’ll have to do is change the leader to replace the flies.

 

Fly fishing cast

The choice of cast you use will largely depend on the location, the species of fish, the casting distance, and your personal preferences. However, as a beginner to fly fishing, the ideal cast is the one above.

Basically, during the overhead cast, you will need to bring the fly line above and behind you before casting it in front of you to the desired spot. The steps below should make it easier for you to get into an overhead cast:

Step 1 – Hold the bar in a position that mimics a handshake. Your thumb should be on top but pointing to the end of the fly rod. Place your hand in the middle of the bar grip. You should keep the fly line between your index finger and the rod, to make sure no extra fly line comes out.

Step 2 – With the rod pointed slightly downward, from about waist level, pull about 10 yards of line, then move the rod up and down. This should feed the line to the water/ground at the front.

Step 3 – Back up a bit to allow the line to spread out in front of you.

Step 4: While maintaining the wrist position, slowly raise your arm until the line becomes taut.

Step 5: Swing your arm back to bring the line of flight behind you. This should cause the rod to bend. Bring the rod to approximately the 1 or 2 o’clock position. Pause as you wait for the line of flight to loop behind you.

Step 6: Next, bring the rod forward to the 10 o’clock position quickly. This should launch the line out and forward in front of you. Where the line ends depends largely on the direction you point the shaft during this movement. The launch distance will depend on the strength of the movement.

Step 7: As the fishing line is extended into the water, slowly lower your arm to gently place the line into the water.

Overhead Casting Tips

To execute an ideal overhead cast, you should follow these tips:

  • Start and stop fast enough. This will put the load in motion.
  • You need to pause long enough to allow the line to come up behind you. One of the common mistakes made by beginners in fly fishing is not waiting long enough.
  • Avoid using too much wrist movement. Too much movement could cause the line to stay horizontal without the loops tight. Tight loops generally give the cast power.

 

Summary of FreeSurf Sports

When you are just starting out with fly fishing, things may not be very easy for you. However, if you take your time learning how to fly fish, fly fishing should be easier. To go from the beginner stage to fly fishing, it is not enough to learn how to fly fish. You have to take your time to put into practice what you have learned.

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