Learn Fly Fishing in 30 Minutes
This is an excerpt from our free guide Learn Fly Fishing in 30 Minutes.
Intro
Fly fishing has a reputation for being complicated. It’s not. Yes, the sport offers a lifetime of learning opportunities. Your first weekend fishing, however, you don’t need most of that knowledge. We want you to get out there and start catching fish as quickly as possible. You will make mistakes, but we learn the most from those experiences. And, for the record, there’s no end to the mistakes no matter how many years you’ve fished.
Chapter One: Understanding Your Gear
Rod
A fly rod propels a weighted line through the air. In conventional fishing, the weight of the lure carries the line out. Fly fishing works in reverse. The line has weight, and it carries the nearly weightless fly. Get a 9- foot, 5-weight rod. It handles the widest range of fishing conditions.
Reel
The reel holds your line and provides drag when a fish runs. For trout fishing, the reel matters less than most beginners think — the rod does the real work. What you want is a reel that balances your rod. Here's what that means: hold the rod at your index finger with the reel attached, and it should sit roughly parallel to the ground. Not tipheavy, not butt-heavy. A balanced outfit reduces fatigue in a way that's hard to appreciate until you've waded a river for six hours. A reel with a smooth drag system will tire fish without snapping the tippet. Get a 5 wt reel, like our 5/6 Vernly Series Air, to match the weight of your rod.
Backing
Backing is thin braided line that fills the reel before the fly line goes on. It serves two purposes. First, it helps the fly line retrieve faster and avoid developing tight memory coils from sitting compressed. Second, it gives you extra line if a large fish runs farther than your fly line.
Line, Leader, and Tippet
Your fly line is thick and brightly colored so you can see it while casting. But fish would see it too, and spook. The leader and tippet solve this problem by tapering from thick to thin, creating a nearly invisible connection between the heavy fly line and the tiny fly. The taper also transfers energy smoothly during the cast, so the fly lands gently on the water.
Fly line is the thick, weighted line you cast. Get 5-weight weight-forward floating line. This matches your rod weight.
Leader is tapered clear monofilament or fluorocarbon. The thick end attaches to your fly line and narrows to a thin tip where you tie the fly. Buy 9-foot 5X leaders. The "X" refers to the diameter of the tippet (thin) end of the leader — higher numbers mean thinner line, so 5X is thinner than 3X.
Tippet is the thin end of your leader that you tie the fly to. Every time you change flies, you lose some of your leader. As the leader shortens, tie on tippet to extend it. Buy 5x tippet to match the size of your leader. The system from arbor to fly goes: backing, fly line, leader, tippet, fly. Each connects to the next. Your fly shop can spool a new reel for you. For full DIY setup instructions, visit our reel setup page on FitzAlan.com.
Flies
A fly is a lightweight lure made by wrapping thread, feathers, fur, and synthetic materials around a hook. Some flies imitate the aquatic insects that trout eat. Others mimic small fish, leeches, or crustaceans.
