CHAPTER 14

Fly-Fishing

In This Chapter

Why fly-fishing is so popular

How to get started fly-fishing

The rod, reel, and line

In this chapter, you’ll learn why fly-fishing is so popular and how to get started in the sport. You’ll also learn about rods, reels, lines, and leaders.

Fly-fishing is a unique method of angling. When presenting a lure or bait with a spinning, bait-casting, or spin-casting reel, the weight of the lure or bait pulls the line off the reel and propels the offering to the fish. When fly fishing, the weight of the line gets the fly to the fish. Because of this unique aspect of fly-fishing, the sport requires totally different rods, reels, lines, leaders, and lures than those that are used for traditional angling.

Real Fishing

For whatever reasons, a stereotype exists that fly-fishing is a sport for sophisticated, designer-clad anglers, and that the fly-fishing equipment is both expensive and difficult to use. In truth, anyone can learn the basics of fly-fishing in just a short period of time, and the equipment, although different from spinning gear, is reasonably priced.

The Allure

Norman Maclean’s novel A River Runs through It and the subsequent movie version introduced the general public to the allure of fly-fishing. Since that time, the number of fly-fishers across North America has surged tremendously. For the most part, fly-fishing is more about sport than food. Although keeping trout for the dinner table is perfectly acceptable, the majority of fly anglers practice catch and release. Instead of a fish dinner, fly-fishers seek an immersion in the natural world, where they become participants rather than spectators and where they find temporary refuge from the hectic lifestyle of the modern world.

Picture yourself standing knee-deep in a clear flowing stream at sunset with trout dimpling the water’s surface as they feed on an early summer hatch. As you prepare to cast your fly, take a minute to drink in the solitude, scenery, and serenity. In essence, the experience of fly-fishing is a reward in itself, and catching fish is a bonus.

Fly-fishing is a solitary, contemplative pursuit, where the angler enters a world bigger than himself, a world of discovery. Fly-fishing is its own Discovery Channel, where an angler is ever learning and ever growing. After reaching one fly-fishing plateau, another plateau looms on the horizon. For example, an angler may begin by simply learning to make the basic cast. Then he or she might advance to more sophisticated casts. Next comes catching fish on dry flies rather than wet flies. Another plateau might be catching fish of a certain size such as a 20-inch rainbow trout or 4-pound largemouth bass. Of course, there is always the plateau of tying your own flies and catching fish on them. Then there is the challenge of catching anadromous species such as steelhead and chinook salmon rather than traditional stream trout. What about the plateau of landing the highly prized Atlantic salmon?

Anyone Can Fly-Fish

Although fly-fishing can be a series of lifelong plateaus and challenges, you can get started in the sport with just a few hours of instruction from someone who fly-fishes. Even better would be spending a couple of outings actually on the water with such a person. If your budget allows, consider taking fly-fishing classes; most fly-fishing shops offer such instruction. Other instructional options include videos, CDs, and books.

In reality, you can make fly-fishing as simple or as complex as you want it to be. For example, you can get started by purchasing a packaged outfit from a reputable manufacturer. Such kits typically include the rod, reel, line, leader, and a couple of flies, and the outfits cost as little as $100. A novice fly-fisher probably can’t go wrong with a 6-weight graphite rod, single-action reel, and matching 6-weight and floating fly line. Purchase such an outfit, and you are ready to go fly-fishing. Regarding equipment, keep this maxim in mind: “Successful fly-fishing is 30 percent equipment and 70 percent angler.”

To begin fly-fishing, you don’t have to visit highly rated trout streams. In fact, starting on a five-star stream would actually be a bad idea because the trout on such streams are highly educated since they see angler presentations day after day. You have to be a good fly fisherman to catch trout on highly pressured waters. Instead, head to the shore of a backyard water, and go for bluegills or pumpkinseeds. Catching such panfish is not only easy and fun, the activity will also develop your fly-fishing skills.

Fly-Fishing Rods

Although once made of bamboo, fiberglass, or boron, most modern fly-fishing rods are made of graphite, a material that is light, strong, flexible, and sensitive.

The rod serves two purposes in fly-fishing. The first is casting a fly, a task the rod accomplishes through its bending or flexing. Rod flex and angler arm motion combine to propel the line, leader, and attached fly to a desired location. The second function of a rod is to set the hook and play the fish.

Like spinning and bait-casting rods, fly rods have eyes along their length, a hook keeper, a cork handle, and a reel seat. Differences in the fly rod include the shape of the inside eyes and the fact that the reel seat is at the very base of the butt end of the rod and below the handle or grip. Most fly rods come in two or three pieces, but rods of four or more sections are available for air travel and backpacking.

Bad Cast

A ferrule is the connection between two parts of a fly rod, and the sections fit together via male and female ends. Sometimes ferrules become stuck. When this happens, anglers tend to grab each section near a guide and twist, but this can result in broken guides. A safer method is to put the rod behind your knees with your arms just outside the knees. Then grip the rod with a hand on each side of the stuck ferrule. When pushing your knees outward against your arms, the two rod parts should come unstuck.

Rod Weights

Fly rods vary in sizes from 1-weight to 15-weight with 4 to 6 being the most common weights. When selecting a rod, you must select one to match the waters you are going to fish and the species you are going to pursue. A 1-weight rod will cast the tiniest of flies and is designed for small fish on small waters, whereas a 15-weight will throw the heaviest of flies and is designed for long casts and large saltwater species. If you are targeting panfish, stream trout, and average-size bass, 4- to 6-weight rods are the way to go. If you are primarily targeting large bass or large trout, you may want to step up to a 7- or 8-weight rod. If pike, muskellunge, and salmon are your primary quarry, then 9-weight is the rod for you.

Here’s a closer look at the 4- to 6-weights. A 4-weight rod is considered light and works well for creeks, small streams, and small ponds where the quarry is small trout or panfish. Using 2- to 6-pound tippets and size 10 to 22 flies, this weight easily casts out to 40 feet or so.

Fishing Vocab

Tippet is the terminal and thinnest portion of a fly-fishing leader to which the fly is tied.

A 5-weight rod is considered medium-light and is perhaps the most popular size for trout fishing on medium-size flows. This rod works well with tippets in the 2- to 10- pound test range and for flies varying in size from 8 to 20. The 5-weight rod routinely tosses flies out to 65 feet.

The 6-weight rod is considered to be medium-size and is perhaps the most versatile size as it functions well on medium-size flows, larger rivers, and lakes and can handle trout as well as bass. Using tippets in the 4 to 10 pound range and size 4 to 16 flies, the 6-weight rod casts out to 80 feet or more. Regarding rod size, it’s important to note that heavier rods perform better than lightweight ones in windy conditions.

Rod Lengths

The most common lengths in fly rods fall in the 7- to 10-foot range with 8 to 9 feet being the most popular. Long rods allow for easier pickup of line off the water and for longer casting distances, whereas shorter rods sacrifice casting distance, but they make for easier maneuvering in tight quarters such as brushy shorelines. Rod length is a personal preference, although basic recommendations call for 8-feet long for a 4-weight rod, 8 ½-feet long for a 5-weight rod, and 9-feet long for a 6-weight rod. Novice fly-fishers might want to start with an 8-foot rod, though, because that length makes for easy handling.

Rod Action

Rod action refers to how much the rod bends or flexes. A fast-action or tip-flex rod bends near the tip. These rods cast far, but they are unforgiving of poor casting mechanics.

Medium-action or mid-flex rods bend in the upper half. These rods are good for beginners because they are easier to use and somewhat forgiving of casting errors.

Slow-action or full-flex rods bend the length of the rod to the butt. These rods don’t cast great distances but are accurate at short distances. Mid-flex and tip-flex rods are more popular than full-flex ones.

Fly-Fishing Reels

Unlike spinning and bait-casting setups, where the reel sits in the middle section of the handle, fly-fishing reels are mounted at the butt end of the rod and below the handle. Right-handed persons hold the rod in the right hand and reel with the left hand, so if you are right-handed, you want a left-handed reel and vice versa.

Fly-fishing reels serve two purposes, and the primary one is to store line. The second purpose is to fight fish through the use of the reel’s drag system. Since small fish are usually played by hand, the reel doesn’t actually play a role in such cases. The reel does play a role when playing larger fish, though.

Reel Actions

Fly-fishing reels come in three actions, the most popular of which is single action. As the name suggests, these reels turn the spool one revolution with one turn of the handle. Single-action reels have good line capacity.

Again, as the name suggests, multiplying reels turn the spool two or more times per turn of the reel handle. In this respect, multiplying reels are much like spinning and bait-casting reels that have high gear ratios. Multiplying reels work well when retrieving long lengths of line and when fighting larger fish.

Automatic reels, again, as the name suggests, retrieve line by pressing a lever rather than by turning the reel handle. These reels aren’t that popular because of their weight and the possibility of mechanical failure, but they work well for retrieving line.

Drag Systems

Fly-fishing reels have either a ratchet-and-pawl drag or a disk drag system. The ratchet-and-pawl drag is the more common of the two, and it works well for panfish and trout. On some reels this drag has a fixed setting; other reels have a dial to increase or decrease the tension on the line. The ratchet-and-pawl drag makes a clicking sound as a fish pulls out line. The disk drag system is recommended for anglers pursuing larger species.

Fishing Vocab

When purchasing a single-action or multiplying reel, look for one that has an exposed spool rim. Such a rim allows an angler to place his or her fingers or palm against the rim to increase tension and support the reel’s drag system. This technique is called palming the reel.

No matter which drag system a reel has, it’s important that line be pulled smoothly off the spool rather than in jerks.

Other Reel Features

Regarding reel size, common sense says that smaller reels with limited line capacity are fine for small streams and small fish, but larger reels with increased line capacity are the way to go for larger fish. Balance is another consideration. The rod and reel should have balance, which means the pivot point of the outfit should be somewhere along the handle of the rod. When purchasing a reel, consider buying one with interchangeable spools. That way you can use the same reel with different types of line and for different fishing situations.

Fly Lines

Unlike traditional fishing where the weight of the bait or lure facilitates casting by pulling line off the reel, the weight of the line is what casts the fly when fly-fishing. Thus, proper line choice plays a more important role in fly casting than in spin-casting and bait-casting.

The basic principle in selecting fly line is to match the line to the rod. If you are using a 6-weight rod, then you need 6-weight line. In some cases, rods work fine with two line weights, and in such cases, the rod label indicates that.

Fly lines consist of a smooth plastic coating over an inner core of braided Dacron or braided nylon, although in the cases of some deep-sinking lines, the core is made of lead.

Modern fly lines perform very well. Still, you get what you pay for, so go for a quality that your budget can afford. Remember, the line throws the fly where you want it to go, and quality lines allow for easier and more precise casting.

Line Weight

Instead of being rated by strength as traditional fishing lines are, fly lines are classed by weight. Fly-line weights vary from 1 to 15, with 1-weight being the lightest and 15-weight the heaviest.

In selecting a fly line, you must consider the species you will be targeting and the size of the water you will be fishing. As a general rule, lightweight lines will cast small flies designed to catch small panfish and small trout, whereas heavyweight lines are needed to throw the larger flies designed to catch species such as steelhead, pike, stripers, etc.

Select 1- to 3-weight lines if you are casting short distances and targeting panfish and small trout. Such lines, though, are delicate and difficult to cast. A 4-weight line is a good choice for panfish and stream trout, and a 5-weight line works well for trout and small bass. For trout, medium bass, and small pickerel, the 6-weight line is a good option. A 7-weight line will handle flies designed for larger trout, bass, pickerel, average pike, and average stripers. If you are focusing on large freshwater species and tossing bulky flies, then opt for an 8- or 9-weight line. These lines are difficult to cast because of their weight. If a person had to select a single line weight, the 6-weight might be the way to go because it is capable of handling everything from panfish to pike. Still, if you are intent on pursuing bass and pike and not likely to target panfish or stream trout, then a 7-weight line makes sense.

Bad Cast

When stringing up a fly rod, anglers commonly thread a single strand of line through the guides. Quite often, though, the weight of the fly line results in the line falling back through the guides. By doubling the fly line when threading it through the guides, you can eliminate this problem.

Line Shape

Shape or profile is another important feature of fly lines. Although lines come in a number of different shapes, the three main ones are level (L), double taper (DT), and weight forward (WF).

As the name suggests, an L line has the same shape along its entire length. Since these lines are the easiest to manufacture, they are the least expensive, but they are also harder to cast.

The DT line has a taper at each end of the line, and the taper allows for a soft presentation because the line lies easily on the water. This line casts smoothly, and some anglers like the economical feature because when one end of the line shows wear, the line can be reversed on the spool.

The WF line ranks as the most popular due to its inherent design for making easier and longer casts. These lines have 60 feet of thin-diameter, running line, and 30 feet of weighted line in the head. The head is comprised of a front taper, a belly, and a rear taper, and this forward weight carries the running line toward the target.

Floating or Sinking

Fly lines are either floating or sinking. When fishing dry flies or Bass Poppers, anglers use a floating line. Subsurface flies can also be fished on floating lines, particularly when fishing shallow water or flows with light to moderate current. An angler using a floating line who wants a deeper offering can use weighted flies or add split shot. Because floating line is easy to lift from the water, this line is caster friendly.

Fishing Vocab

Taper is the narrowing of a fly line or leader along its length.

As the name suggests, sinking lines sink, so they work well for presenting flies below the surface especially in stronger currents or when flies must get more than a couple of feet down. Sinking lines are either full sinking (FS) or sink tip (F/S).

FS lines sink along their entire length and are designed to get lines down quickly and deep. They work great when trolling flies from a canoe, rowboat, or small boat powered by an electric motor. The disadvantage of these lines is the difficulty in lifting them from the water to begin the next cast.

F/S lines are considered intermediate lines, and they sink slowly. These lines are actually floating lines with a front section that sinks. The sinking portion commonly has a length between 5 and 30 feet. F/S lines are a good compromise because they lift fairly easily out of the water and achieve depth in presenting the fly.

Sinking lines are rated by their sink rate in inches per second, so a 4ips line will sink 4 inches in one second or 1 foot in three seconds.

Length and Color

Fly line comes in lengths from 70 to 90 feet, although 90 feet is the standard length. Prior to putting fly line on their reels, anglers put on 20-pound test Dacron line for backing. The amount of backing may vary from 50 to 200 feet, but 100 feet is the norm. Obviously, minimal backing is required for panfish and stream trout, but plenty of backing is inexpensive insurance for long-run species such as salmon and muskellunge. In addition to allowance for runs made by hooked fish, backing also increases diameter on the reel spool so more line is retrieved for each turn of the reel handle.

Floating lines generally come in bright colors such as yellow, orange, and chartreuse. The bright colors allow for better visibility and angler control. Because these lines can also alert fish, long leaders are the norm. Sinking lines, on the other hand, come in drab colors such as brown, dull green, and gray. Such colors are less likely to alert fish, especially in clear waters and pressured waters. Sink-tip lines often have a bright color in the floating portion and a dark color in the sinking portion.

Line Care

Modern fly lines are well made and will hold up for several seasons with minimal care. First of all, avoid getting any insect repellent or sunscreen on the line. Also, keep the line out of direct sunlight. Finally, clean and dry the line by pulling it through a paper towel as you reel in the line at day’s end.

Leaders and Tippets

Leaders are the all-important connector between the fly line and the fly, and they have three parts: the butt, the body, or mid-section, and the tippet. Made of monofilament or fluorocarbon, leaders should be transparent, fairly weightless, and tapered. The tapered feature distinguishes fly-fishing leaders from those used in other types of fishing, and the taper is necessary for the energy of the cast to be carried from the line to the leader and from the leader to the fly.

Knotless or Knotted Leaders

Fly-fishing leaders are either knotless or knotted. Knotless leaders are constructed of a single strand that tapers from the diameter of the fly line to a thin diameter at the fly. After tying on and removing several flies, the tippet loses its original thinness, so you must replace the tippet. By replacing the tippet, an angler might be able to use the same leader throughout the season. Commercially made, knotless leaders are a good choice for beginning fly-fishers.

The taper on knotted leaders is formed by tying together segments of leader material with decreasing diameters. By purchasing several spools of leader material, an angler can make a knotted leader for a fraction of the cost of a knotless one.

The general guideline for knotted leaders calls for 60 percent length in the butt, 20 percent length in the mid-section, and 20 percent length in the tippet. Thus, a 10-foot leader would have a 6-foot butt section and 2-foot sections for the mid-section and tippet. Instead of using a single diameter of leader material for the butt and mid-section of the leader, you can get a better taper by using several segments of decreasing diameters in those sections. For example, a 10-foot leader might have a butt with 30 inches of 25-pound test, 18 inches of 20-pound test, and 18 inches of 15-pound test. The mid-section could have 18 inches of 10-pound test followed by 12 inches of 6-pound test. That leaves a 2-foot tippet.

Tippets

Tippets are measured in sizes from 0X to 8X. The higher numbers reflect a thinner diameter, so the 8X is designed for the tiniest of flies, and the 0X will handle big bass bugs and large streamers. Anglers select a tippet to match the size of the fly being used and the size of the targeted species.

The general guide for selecting tippet size is to divide the size of the fly by four, so you would use a 4X tippet for a #16 fly and a 2X tippet for a #8 fly. Some anglers prefer to use lighter tippets, so these fishers divide the fly size by three to determine tippet size.

Because manufacturers use different materials in making tippets, the strength or pound test for tippets of the same diameter is not always the same. Still, here is a general look at the approximate pound test for various tippet sizes:

0X: 12-pound test

1X: 9.5-pound test

2X: 8-pound test

3X: 6-pound test

4X: 5-pound test

5X: 4-pound test

6X: 2-pound test

7X:-1.5 pound test

8X:-1 pound test

Bad Cast

Poor knots are a common cause of lost fish. Recommended knots for attaching leader to fly line are the nail knot and surgeon’s end loop knot. Recommended knots for attaching tippet to leaders are the blood knot and the surgeon’s knot. Recommended knots for attaching flies to tippets are improved clinch knot and the palomar knot.

Leader and Tippet Length

Standard lengths for over-the-counter leaders are 7.5 feet, 9 feet, and 12 feet. Most anglers use the 7.5-foot and 9-foot leaders. Still, some anglers will use leaders of only a few feet while other anglers like 15-foot leaders. General guidelines are to use longer leaders for dry fly-fishing and when fishing in clear water, and use shorter lengths when fishing subsurface flies. The standard tippet length is 18 inches, but longer tippets are used for dry flies and clear water.