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Basic Fly Fishing Gear and Techniques

Fly fishing requires specialized equipment and learning specific techniques. Some fishermen spend their lifetimes mastering the techniques, turning it into an art.

First, fly fishing requires a fly rod. They range from 2 to 14 weights, with 3-weight fly rods ideal for fishing small brooks and tiny fish. Light rods offer superior sensitivity on the water, where fighting even a tiny nymph can be a massive undertaking.

The 4- to 6-weight fly rod, preferred by most beginners, is versatile enough to fight larger fish and allows for casting various bait types, including bass bugs, streamers, and poppers. When angling for steelhead, salmon, pike, and several saltwater fish, selecting a stiff rod, 7 weight and higher is better.

Next, fishermen must consider the rod's length. Most use rods in the 6—to 10-foot range. Anglers use rods with a 6—to 8-foot length for small streams, where avoiding brush and trees is important. Rods between 8 and 10 feet long enable lengthier, more accurate casts in rivers, ponds, and lakes. Fishermen planning to cast long distances benefit from using rods that measure over 10 feet.

Fishermen must also pick the right fly line. The braided nylon core has a plastic covering and micro-bubbles that encourage floatation. Fishing for trout, bass, and panfish involves floating fly lines that stay above the water and allow for "dead-drift" presentations, miming an insect floating on the water’s surface without movement. These make it easy to identify strikes and take quick action after bites. By contrast, weighted and sinking fly lines position nymph flies and streamers in lakes and rivers at specific depths where feeding tends to occur.

Most fishermen do not use the flywheel for freshwater species such as trout and bass. However, the tackle gear serves as a fly-line holder. Most use stripping techniques to bring in the line by pulling lengths of line in with the hand not holding the rod and pinching to prevent the line from spooling out.

Large fish that take off on powerful runs create opportunities for reeling in a fish, necessitating extra line. Therefore, fishermen must invest in a properly machined aluminum fly reel. These contain a click-and-pawl drag system, with tooth and gear preventing the reel from overrunning the line.

The cast serves as the foundation of fly-fishing, and successful casts combine accuracy and distance, even in windy conditions. The fly should touch down on the water in a natural way that convinces nearby fish that food is present. While casting requires a relatively heavy and long rod, with as much slack removed from the line as possible, making a standard cast in the 20- to 40-foot range requires little effort. Fishermen should avoid overmuscling or trying to direct the rod too much.

The key with casts is timing and stopping on the short, sharp backcast. This abruptly changes the rod’s direction and provides forward momentum, like flicking paint off a brush. With the rod tip’s forward path in a straight line, the angler lets the rod do the work, transferring energy to the line and dropping the fly out in the water.

From here, the angler traditionally brings the line back in 6-inch strips, imitating prey flushed from its hiding place and trying to get away in bursts. It’s worth noting that many advanced retrieval patterns are specific to various current conditions and types of fish.