Fly Fishing Tackle

There are four basic elements to fly fishing tackle that are required to make your fishing trip pleasant and enjoyable. By having the right tackle you will be able to focus on fishing rather than dealing with issues with your equipment. When purchasing your basic tackle be sure to buy quality equipment, as the cheap equipment usually breaks, doesn't work, or just is simply too hard to work with.

Fly Fishing Rod

The fly fishing rod is the key element of your tackle so take some care in choosing the rod that is right for you. A rod that is too long will be difficult to cast and a rod that is too short may not provide enough action. Most new rods will be made of graphite or carbon fiber. These rods are flexible and lightweight, but nonetheless also fairly durable.

Fly Fishing Reel

Since fly fishermen don't use the reel in the cast like other types of anglers do the quality of the reel is less important in fly fishing than in some of the other types of sports fishing. The reel is only used to actually bring the fish in towards the fisherman, not for spinning out the line. Generally, a moderately priced fly fishing reel is suitable for most fishermen, and this may be an area where you can save money on fly fishing tackle by staying to the less expensive models.

Fly Fishing Line

Fly fishing lines are usually a synthetic material that actually assists in the presentation of the fly. Various lines may be sinking lines, floating or intermediate lines. The type of line determines where the fly will sit in relation to the surface of the water. Some of the sinking lines are also faster or slower sinking depending on the overall effect that you wish to present to the fish. Experimenting with different lines and fly combinations will help determine what lines work best in various weather, water and seasonal conditions.

Fishing Flies

Fishing flies are either dry or wet, with dry flies floating more on the surface and staying visible to the fisherman and wet flies being used to fish the intermediate and deeper areas of the water. It is important to match the type of line with the correct fly to give the right presentation to the fish. The fly must be acting "natural" or the fish will simply refuse to bite. Watch how the various flies move in the water and how the fish react to them.

Using the right fly fishing tackle requires a bit of practice and experience, as well as trial and error experiments. Be sure to talk to other, more experienced fly fishermen and see what they recommend in the waterways that you are planning on fishing.