Fishing Frenzy

There are so many options when it comes to choosing fly fishing equipment it can sometimes seem a difficult task to pick the correct gear. Knowing a little bit about the options can greatly assist in choosing the best fishing gear and make the difference between an enjoyable experience and a miserable time.

The two basic terms when choosing fly fishing gear you want to pay attention to are weight and length. Understanding how these areas work together will make choosing the best equipment much easier. When all your equipment works well together you will have a much better fishing experience.

The first and most important term to understand is weight. The weight of fly fishing equipment ranges from 1 the lightest to the heaviest which is 10. The choice of weight is mainly concerned with the general size of the fish you are going to catch. Once you understand this the topic will make much more sense.

The lightest sizes of 1 through 4 are usually used to catch smaller species of trout or panfish and are designed to use very light lines and small flies for very clear water and times when you need the least noticeable presentation possible. Weights 5 through 7 are the sizes most used for everyday fishing and are the most common weights for most freshwater fishing. Weights 8 through 10 are much heavier and usually used in salt water fishing for larger gamefish.

After weight rod length is another important area to consider. Fly rods usually range between 7 and 10 feet in length with 8 and 9 foot options the most common. The length of your fly rod plays an important part in casting with the longer options giving the greater ability for long line casts. The fishing conditions such as surrounding foliage and the size of the water area you will be fishing play the most important parts in deciding rod length although an 8 foot rod can usually be used for all but the longest of casts and the most dense foliage conditions.

Of the two basic terms we talked about the most critical is matching the weight to ensure optimal performance. As you can find almost any length of rod in most weight categories choosing the length is less important as you can have several rods of varying lengths in the same weight class but you do not want to mix weight when it comes to rod reel and line combinations. This is where a little planning and a little knowledge of your primary fishing type and area will best help you decide on which gear to use.