Fly Fishing

It seems a bit nasty to the uneducated non-fishing people to collect and buy antique fly fishing flies but to the people that collect them, and to the people that buy the books written by the people that collect antique fly fishing flies, it all makes perfect sense.

It is like anything that is your passion. If you are a fan of old movies you collect old movie posters and maybe even old movie tickets. If you are a sports fan then you collect old jerseys and other old equipment. If you are a fishing enthusiast then you collect antique fly fishing flies and other older fishing gear and memorabilia. You do it for a lot of reasons and some of those reasons are to preserve the good old days and another reason is to learn.

Everyone will tell you that things were done better in the old days. People were healthier in the old days, they were happier in the old days, and there was so much more to do in the old days. You could learn a lot from the old days. People that collect antique fly fishing flies will tell you that the only real way to learn how to make a good fly is to take a look at how they did it in the old days.

It takes years to master the creation of an effective fly and there is no better place to start than to study antique fly fishing flies and how they were made. Of course it helps if you only study the truly successful flies but it is doubtful that anyone would keep a dud fly around for any reason at all. We can learn a lot from our past and fly fishermen are always learning from antique fly fishing flies.

Just Because It Was Grandpa’s

Keepsakes are kept for the sake of keeping them because they remind us of better days gone by and people that are no longer with us. The same could be said for antique fly fishing flies that can remind us of a day before graphite poles, corporate sponsors, and big boats on the water. Many people love to look back of the simplicity of the old days and studying antique fly fishing flies allows them to look back at a time when fishing was much simpler and meant a lot more to them.

Memories and education are two excellent reasons to collect anything but with flies it is more like handing down a craft from generation to generation. You cannot learn how to make a good fly unless you get your hands on a fly that was good in the first place. There is not better way to learn than from someone else’s experience and that is what studying and collecting antique fly fishing flies allows people to do.

Before you buy your very first fly fishing reel, it is important that you understand very well about the basics of these very simple fishing reels.

Having your first fly fishing reel might be a surprise for you especially if you are used to bait fish for years. Fly fishing reels are very simple. Below are some basic information you need to know before finally buying your first fly fishing reel for your fishing expedition.

Fly Fishing Reel Basics

Holes- You can notice that reels have holes on its side. The hole serves as a drainage of the water from the line.

Adjustable Drag- This is very important especially if you have plans of catching very large and strong freshwater or saltwater fish. If you are planning to go out for a big game fishing, understand that you will be fighting to reel in the fish, just like you do with bait fishing.

Single Action- This is perfect as your first fly fishing reel. This single action fishing reel means that in a single turn of the handle, it simultaneously turns the spool, keeping it back in place.

Saltwater Reels- These types of fly fishing reels are specifically designed for use in saltwater. These reels have larger diameters, larger lines, and higher backing capacity to withstand longer runs of strong fish. Since corrosion is a main problem in saltwater fishing, make sure you go for reels that use stainless steel, aerospace aluminum, brass, or even electroplated stainless steel.

Replaceable Spools- If you are passionate about doing varied types of fishing, see to it that you look for reels with easy replaceable spools. This will allow you to use either the floating line or the sinking line all in the same reel.

Weight- Your line’s weight should match with the designs of your fly reel. Meaning to say, if your fly reel is designed for a four-weight-line, be sure to have the four-weight line and vice versa, the same way when you have a four-weight reel, then you have to have a four-weight-rod. However, both the three and five-weight efficiently work wells with a four-weight reel.

First Fly Fishing Reel: Casting a Rod

When casting a fly fishing rod, it is a bit different than casting with any other rod. You need not touch the fishing reel while you are casting the rod. The reel itself will hold the line, thus making it not a part of the casting process any longer. Instead, you pull out the line manually from the reel and allow it to lie loose towards your feet, making sure to feed it out with your free hands when you need it.

The above information are some of the basic things you need to know before you buy your first fly fishing reel. If you still have questions, do not hesitate to ask fishing suppliers to tell you about fly reels. They can help you choose the best reels possible for you fishing activities.

You certainly cannot succeed in fly fishing without the right fly fishing combo. That does not mean that you pull the fish out of the water and give then a right and then a left before you throw them in the bucket. A fly fishing combo is your rod and reel and there are so many differing opinions on what makes the perfect fly fishing combo that you could spend days discussing it.

The best people to get started about the perfect fly fishing combo are the guys that have been fishing for years because they will all have differing opinions and who doesn’t like a good fishing brawl once in a while? But the fly fishing combo business is a huge business and since there are so many ways to approach the topic that it is probably best to just deal with the basics and then let the old fishermen roll around grappling on the floor to decide which method is better. Who knew that fly fishing was so much fun and so exciting?

You can get a pre-configured fly fishing combo from any sporting goods store and you may want to stick with the stores that will let you try it out before you buy it. Of course they will ask you try it out without a hook on it and you should oblige. The pre-configured fly fishing combo is a little difficult because a reel and a rod can sometimes be hard to match up. On the other side if you have a company experienced at making the fly fishing combo then they will know exactly how to make a combo that works together and can feel comfortable in your hands and allow you to execute your technique with the greatest of ease.

Lazy Good For Nothing Loafers

Some fly fishermen prefer to create their own combo and see no point in purchasing a ready made combo. Inevitably, you will pay a lot more for a separate rod and reel but to get the two pieces you really want then this is probably the absolute best way to do it. It takes time though and sometimes you can get something that feels good at first but then starts to feel really awful after a while. But the people that do it this way will argue that at least when you have it constructed by yourself in pieces you know what pieces to replace.

There are always two sides to every story and when it comes to the fly fishing combo there are definitely two sides of the fence. Those that want the combo made for them appreciate the craftsmanship of one consistent unit while those that make their own like the flexibility of choice.

If you are a beginner to the sport of fly fishing, you may need a bit of a boost when it comes to the gear needed to get started. The right fly fishing equipment is essential to bringing home a mess of fish for that fish fry you have been planning and it is definitely beyond the rod and reel stage. You also need lines, leads and flies as well as a variety of gear you would wear on your own body.

The Fly Rod and Reel

You cannot fly fish without the proper fly fishing equipment like the rod and reel and you definitely should not skimp on them. A great rod is necessary as it can make all the difference in landing an accurate cast, no matter what the weather or what you are planning to catch. The reel is more than just a tool which holds line you cast in and out; it can be the difference between the one that got away and the one that is being dredged in seasoned cornbread mix for your fish fry.

Fly Line and Flies

Another important part of fly fishing equipment is the fly line in addition to the leaders and tippets used on them. The weight of this line makes the difference between a good casting and one that just sinks like a stone in the water where you are fishing. You have to take into the account not only the type of fish you want to catch but also the windy conditions which may interrupt the proper casting.

Of course, the flies themselves are an essential when it comes to fly fishing equipment and you can buy them or learn how to tie your own. You can find flies that resemble bugs, insects, larvae, tiny fish and yes, even real flies. However, you should be acquainted with the various food items that each type of fish likes to eat before paying for the flies to stock your fly fishing equipment supply.

Personal Accessories

Boots, waders, vests and even sunglasses are other fly fishing equipment pieces you could add to your arsenal of fishing goodies. If you are planning to fish in warm waters, you can probably get away with just the wading boots as they will protect your feet and provide the much-needed traction if you plan to traverse through fishing holes with rocks.

Cold water streams, rivers and other bodies of water necessitate fishing waders – either to the hip or chest – as part of your fly fishing equipment needs. Fishing vests are also handy as they can hold your extra line, flies, pliers and other tools which make fly fishing a whole lot easier without having to traverse back and forth to the banks of your river or stream to rifle through a tackle box.

Fly fishing equipment can be pared down for budgetary reasons or beefed up if you have the expendable cash to spend on your new hobby. What you should not skimp on however are the fly fishing rod, reel, flies and line as they are key to your fishing success.

Without a good fly to help you catch fish a fly fishing trip is pretty much a waste of time. There are several ways of getting successful flies and if you intend on making your own fly fishing flies then be prepared to experiment a lot because the people that make the best fly fishing flies take years to learn what makes a fish bite and the best fly fishing flies are crafted from years of experience. But everything has to start somewhere and if you decide that you want to give making fly fishing flies a try then go right ahead. You are going to need fishing hooks, string, and then any material that you think will make a fish just want to bite at your hook without bait or anything like that at all.

The trick to fly fishing is casting where there is fish and then dragging your fly fishing flies across the water to entice the fish to take a bite of your hook. A fish is only going to go for a fly fishing fly for usually one of two main reasons. The first reason will be that the fly looks like a bug in the water that the fish finds appetizing. The other is that the colors of the fly fishing flies make the fish feel aggressive and cause the fish to bite on to the hook out of almost pure emotion. As you can see there are reasons why this takes years to get really good at.

What You Need To Make A Good Fly

Normally fly fishing flies are made of feathers, hair, string or anything that will look like a bug moving around in the water when you are moving your fly around. The fish has to believe that it is a bug or something else it really wants or else it will never take the bait. So make sure that you experiment with different materials that give the illusion of being a bug under water so that you can give your flies a chance of being successful.

Color is something that is also found in a good fly but knowing which colors affect a fish can take some time to figure out. The point of colors on a fly is to bring out aggression in a fish so when you choose colors you have to choose colors that will make the fish just want to bite on your hook. Sometimes it can be frustrating trying to make your own fly fishing flies so there is no shame in buying some pre-made ones, checking for their success, and using them as a model. That is what learning is all about!

Fly fishing gear is all the equipment, clothing and other items needed in order for you to indulge in your pastime of fly fishing. Some people deal in the bare basics of just a rod, reel, fishing line and a few hand made flies while others outfit themselves with the latest and greatest fly fishing gear and gadgets.

Just the Basics

When it comes to fly fishing gear, no matter what your budget or involvement is, you must have the rod, reel, fishing line and flies. Newbies should likely shoot for a middle of the road rod – nothing too light or too heavy – so as to be able to use it in several situations like catching small perch in the pond to 20 inch trout in a river.

Experienced fly fisherman will often choose their fishing line and leaders first before choosing the rod and reel as the line is very important when it comes to casting. Next in purchasing fly fishing gear for the experienced would be the rod and factors such as weight, length and action are taken into account.

Bringing up the rear is the reel which is sometimes overlooked in fly fishing gear in terms of its usage. You will want a reel that has more responsibility than just a fishing line holder and does not lock up when a fish runs off with the line. The flies are also an important facet of fly fishing gear in that they should closely resemble the natural food source that the fish enjoy. If you are in a small stream or river hoping to catch trout, then the flies should resemble minnows or larvae.

The Extras

The fly fishing gear that is important to the more experienced fishermen includes the vests, waders, boots, fly boxes, creels and even boats. The vests are great for the fishermen to store extra flies, fishing line, leaders and more and save trips to the banks of the stream or river they are wading in. Creels are those little wicker-type baskets that house the fish you catch during your casting and angling time.

Wade boots and hip or chest waders are great fly fishing gear for the fisherman who likes to become one with nature and wade right out into the waters. The boots are best for shallow waters and protect you from slipping and twisting your ankles on the slippery rocks. The waders are perfect for keep you dry as you wade out into deeper water in the hope of catching some fish.

Boats are great for taking your fly fishing experience out on the open waters of a large river, lake or even ocean. Fly boxes are perfect for cataloging and keeping your flies in order, based on their appearance and use. All in all, there is quite a bit of fly fishing gear to choose from but as long as you have your rod, reel, fishing line and flies, you are in business.