Idiot’s Guide to Flyfishing – Part 2

Tackle
So, we now know what we are fishing for and the types of venues available. I will now move onto the gear you will need in order to give flyfishing a try.

You have two main options on how to go about this –

1) You can visit a good tackle shop, which will set you up with tackle within your chosen budget. They will also be able to inform you on local venues, costs and offer good flyfishing advice. The only downside to this option is that they may only stock a limited range and their prices may not be the best in the market.

2) The other option is to do some homework first. Like all types of goods, if you shop around you can find great deals and bargains to make your money stretch a little further. A good way to do this is to buy the latest copy of Trout Fisherman, or look in the Shopping Zone of FISHINGmagic, and look through the adverts. Many of these shops specialise in flyfishing and offer great starter sets for all types of budgets from £ 40 upwards.

Before you get to this stage I will talk you through the different rods, reels etc to consider before you part with your money.

Rods – Rods vary from 8ft through action rods suitable for small rivers right up to 12ft stiff casting rods used on large rivers and reservoirs. Rods give a recommended line weight to be used with them to achieve a balanced set up and optimum casting potential. For starting out, I would suggest a 9ft – 9ft 6 softish rod with a line rating of 6-7. (Line weighting detailed below). This will give you the flexibility of using it on most waters and the softer action will make learning to cast easier. Prices of rods vary between £ 30 – £ 1000.

Reels – There are some great flyfishing reels on the market, which will suit all budgets. Most fly anglers tend to use the reel as a ‘line holder’ and they tend to strip back (pull back by hand) the line when retrieving and landing fish. This is very different to how we coarse anglers use our standard fixed spool reels but I personally find the pulling line back easier than trying to wind the line onto the spool. However, some people do use the reel especially when playing larger fish and it is now possible to buy reels with drag features for this very purpose. For starting off I would consider a medium sized reel, which can hold backing of 75-100 yards and then the actual fly line on top. Leeda do an excellent range of reels which start at just £ 15 approx for the classic Rimfly but you can pay up to £ 500 for more sophisticated reels from various companies. Spare spools are well worth buying so that you can have different lines available if needed.

Line and Backing – Most fly lines are approximately 30-35 yards which means that you will need some backing to bulk the reel up and to ensure than if you hook a ‘biggie’ it won’t take all of your line. This is inexpensive (approx £ 5) but it is worth ensuring that it is reasonable quality as you do not want it to perish after getting wet and long term use. You can then attach the actual fly line to the backing and wind this on to the reel. Fly line will be totally unlike any other line you have used. It is much heavier than monofilament as you need to use this weight to cast your fly out to the fishing area. There are many different types of fly lines but they tend to fit into 3 main categories –

Floating – for presenting the fly on the surface or high in the water.Intermediate – a very slow sinking line, approx 1.5-2.5 inches per second. This is a great line for flexibility, the longer you leave before retrieve the deeper it will sink. Therefore this is a useful line to find at what depth the fish are feeding.Sinking – This is a heavier line than the intermediate and therefore sinks quicker to get your fly/lure down deep. This can be especially useful early season when the fish are in deeper water.

There is then another important factor to consider when choosing a line – the line weight and its taper. Each fly line carries a weight number, the higher the number, the heavier the line. The taper refers to how the thickness of the line is proportioned along the fly lines length. They tend to be split as follows; –

Double taper – This is where the fly line is tapered at each end. Its thickest point is in the middle of the fly line and is best used for delicate presentation and is mostly used on small stillwaters and rivers.

Weight Forward – as its sounds, the thicker part of the line is at the front (fly-end) and then it tapers back to a level line. This helps your casting and is probably the most widely used fly line. It is very flexible and can be used on most lakes and reservoirs but can also be used in river at a lower weight.

Shooting Head – This is when the first 10 metres of the line is similar to other fly lines but then a braided line is attached to make up the remainder of the reel capacity. This gives you maximum weight over a short line and gives you additional distance. This type of line is mainly used by reservoir and match anglers who may require additional distance and an increased casting speed.

You will find that there are many variations to the above, as anglers try to find a specialised line to suit the specific waters and methods. However for starting out, the above should give you a good guide to help make your choice.

It is important to consider carefully what sort of venues you are going to fish prior to making your choice of a fly line/s. But, if I was to recommend a couple of types of line for starting out

A floating line – weight forward 6.An Intermediate line – weight forward 6 or 7.

This will spread your fishing options, both on rivers and stillwaters. The floater allows you to fish on, or near to the surface, and the intermediate for a very slow sinking line for locating the depth of the feeding fish.

If your budget stretches to another line then a sinking line would be a good option. Sink rates vary so you will need to decide what you need and where you are fishing.

Lines vary in price from £ 15 – £ 100 depending on your budget. I would recommend that you invest in a good quality line as this will really make a difference in your casting and presentation.

Leaders – This is the length of mono or fluorocarbon line which is connected at one end of your fly line and then through to your fly/lure. For connecting the leader to the fly line you can buy special links, which slide over the fly line and lock a small loop onto the fly line. You can then attach your leader to this loop for ease of connection and for quick changes. The leader itself can either be a ready made leader which tapers thinner the closer you get to the fly. Or, you can buy a 50 -100 metre spool and then tailor the leader to the method and conditions. You can also add ‘droppers’ to your leader in order to fish more than one fly at a time. These consist of short lengths of line tied ‘paternoster style’ along the main leader. However, I would recommend that you start off with a 9-12 foot leader with a single fly unless of course you enjoy lots of ‘tangles’! Fluorocarbon lines have taken the fly scene by storm over the last few years. This is because it has a refractive index close to that of water, meaning that it is almost invisible in water.

As a rough guide I would use a 4-6lbs fluorocarbon as a leader when fishing a stillwater where the trout are mainly around the 2-3lbs in size. If I am fishing a venue where the average size is larger and there is a chance of a ‘biggie’ then I would go up to a 8lbs leader. On rivers it varies, depending on the size of river and fish, check with local anglers for guidelines. Remember there are no ‘golden rules’, as you must use your common sense as and where necessary. The last thing you want is to snap off after dropping the breaking strength too much and leave a fish trailing line – not good.

Ready made leaders cost approximately £ 2 per leader. Spools of mono or fluorocarbon cost approx £ 5-£ 8 for 30-50 metres.

FLIES
Wow, where do I start! There are literally thousands of different flies on offer to the fly angler. It would be impossible to attempt to go through all of your options but I will give a brief rundown of how they fit into main categories;

Nymphs – The nymph is a generic description covering larvae, pupae and crustaceans such as shrimps. These represent the early stage of the fly’s life when the insect lives underwater under stones and in weed. Such examples are pheasant tail and mayfly nymphs or freshwater shrimps and these can be weighted or un-weighted to enable you to fish at different depths. These are very popular patterns early in the season and can be fished on any type of line. An intermediate line is a good starting line as it enables you to explore different depths to locate the best feeding depth. Then as the warmth of the summer weather develops the nymphs and then begin to move up through the water to hatch into the fly.

Wet Flies – The wet fly is deigned to sink below the surface and to represent the hatching fly. They come in a series of styles and colours and offer a very traditional method of catching trout, which has been overshadowed in recent years by the lures and nymphs. However, patterns such as Soldier Palmer, Zulu and Black Pennel’s still catch a great many fish when used on all types of fly lines.

Emergers – These refer to when the small flies are just about to hatch. They float towards the surface and tend to stay in the surface film before hatching. The trout love to gorge themselves on these and the imitation most commonly used to take advantage of this time is a buzzer. Buzzers come in many different sizes and colours and are mainly fished on a floating line with the fly fished just under the surface. This is a devastating method and has caught me hundreds of trout over the years.

Dry Flies – These aim to imitate the adult fly and they are nearly always fished floating on the surface using a floating line. Dry flies are tied to represent mayflies, caddis, stone flies, midges and spiders. The aim of the dry fly is to induce a ‘take’ or ‘rise’ from the trout below and when fished on a river it is important to carefully present your fly so it drifts over the trout’s position or lie. However when you are using the dry fly on stillwaters, you can either drift it on the wind, leave it stationary or slowly retrieve it to induce a take from the fish. I feel that dry flyfishing is one of the most exciting forms of fishing, however one word of warning, it can also be one of the most frustrating! If the fly is not presented correctly or does not imitate the natural form well enough, prepare for it to be ignored or refused!!

Attractors/Lures – These tend to be the larger brightly coloured flies, which you see on people’s hats and waistcoats! They can fit into two categories. The first is the attractor, which while not imitating any particular food form, appeals to the trout through its colour, movement, flash or a combination of these. The second is to imitate fish fry, crayfish even frogs! Many of the ‘purists’ turn their noses up at lures saying that they should not be used. However I feel that they have an important part to play in flyfishing and at the end of the day they catch lots of fish, particularly early season when the fish tend to be lower in the water. They can be used on any line and I say ” If you don’t like them, you don’t have to use them!”. Some successful examples are Cats Whisker, Viva, Sparklers and Zonkers.

There are many recommendations as to which fly is best at a certain time. Some say lures early on in the season, then nymphs/buzzers in late spring, then moving on to the dry flies in the summer. Others say ‘use a dark coloured fly on a dark day, and a bright fly on a bright day’. This is quite good advice but I would recommend visiting the fisheries you plan to fish and ask for their advice. You will soon gain a good understanding of what works best and you will also find out which fly is your ‘favourite’ – the one that you can catch fish on anywhere. I have one, a small green buzzer with a gold head. I’ve caught loads of fish on this one and always have a good stock of them in my fly box!

Eventually you may want to tie your own flies but to begin with I would recommend buying them ready tied from a fishery, tackle shop or mail order company. Prices for ready tied flies vary from 30p – £ 1.

ACCESSORIES
As with all types of fishing there are many accessories, which you can use to assist you in your fishing. I will not go into lots of detail but list a few, which will help you get started –

Polarised sunglasses – These are the most important accessory to own. Not only do they help you see through the waters surface film to spot fish but they also protect your eyes from the casting hook/fly. Each year you read about anglers who have ignored using glasses only to find a size 8 barbed hook firmly inserted into their eye. Don’t neglect this advice – remember, you can’t replace your eyes! Prices range between £ 6 & £ 100.

Fly Boxes – These are to keep your new stock of flies safe and together and you can use them to keep your lures separate from your nymphs etc. Prices approx – £ 3-£ 30.

Landing net – initially you can use your existing coarse fishing net. However it is possible to buy purpose made trout nets, which fold up for ease of carrying. Prices – £ 15-£ 60.

Priest – This is a strange name for this particular instrument as this is the short heavy piece of metal or wood used to kill the caught trout. Usually 1 or 2 good sharp blows at the back of the fish’s head will kill it instantly. Prices – approx £ 5.

Fishing Waistcoat – These are very useful as they contain lots of pockets to keep all your flies and accessories in. This enables you to travel light and most provide special D-rings to hang your net and scissors on. Prices – £ 15-£ 100.

Bag or holdall – When the space in your waistcoat is not enough you will need a small bag or holdall to carry your gear. Most are shoulder bag type and offer enough room for your gear, flask and sandwiches. Prices – £ 10-£ 75.

Forceps – A trout’s mouth is very bony and sometimes you may have problems extracting the hook from the fish’s mouth. This is where a good small pair of forceps will come in handy. Prices-£ 3-£ 5 approx.

Waders – There are many types of waders available now such as thigh and chest style waders. Many still waters do not allow wading as it can be very dangerous where there are steep banks or sudden drop offs. However if you plan to fish the rivers you will find a pair invaluable. For safety when using waders I would always recommend using a long wading stick to check out the depth of water and terrain in front of you. Prices – from £ 20 for thigh waders & £ 39 for chest waders.

In addition to the above accessories there are many others. However the ones I have listed will help you get the most from your fishing. As I mentioned earlier it is possible to purchase flyfishing outfits which to match any budget and requirements. These will often include rods, reels, line, flies, a bag, net, a waistcoat and lots more with prices starting at £ 40, however if you can afford a little more you will get a much better outfit which will last you years. A great place to check these out is by buying a copy of Trout Fisherman or visiting your local tackle shop.

Now we’ve got the tackle sorted we can start thinking about casting. And that’s not as hard as you may imagine.

In Part 3 Paul delves into casting and rounds off his in-depth look at flyfishing for beginners.