Fishing 4 idiots

Fly fishing rod weights - General guide

1 - 3 weight

* small flies
* short casts

4 weight

* small to medium trout
* small to medium flies
* short to medium casts

5 - 6 weight

* excellent all around trout rod.
* Handles small to larger flies
* short to longer casts

7 - 8 weight

* long casts and windy conditions.
* 7 weight is a great compromise sized rod for trout and light saltwater

9 - 14 weight

* large freshwater fish
* salt water fishing
* large flies
* long casts in open areas.


Choosing a fly fishing rod

Choosing a fly rod to match your required fishing situation/s can be difficult at times, but there are some questions you can answer to make the decision easier.

What type of fly fishing will you be doing?
No one is going to argue with me when I tell them that a trout doesn't quite match the fight of a marlin or even a tuna. Before purchasing a fly rod think about what kind of fishing you will be doing with it the majority of the time. Whether it is saltwater, freshwater, maybe even a bit of both you will be able to find the rod that suits you for most situations. If you want to catch trout, but would also like to do some light saltwater sports fishing you can make a compromise by choosing an all-rounder rod instead of a specialist rod. If you plan on doing some very different fishing (eg. trout then marlin) you will need two different fly fishing rods.

What type of action do I need?
I will try to keep this simple

Slow action fly rod (full flex)

* Great for smaller fish and smaller rivers
* Enhances the fight of even the smallest trout
* Designed for short casts

Medium/Moderate action fly rods

* Good all round rod type for many different situations
* Make longer casts
* Additional strength in the rod for fighting the fish

Fast action fly rods

* Stiff - lots of fighting power
* Allows really long casts in any conditions
* Easier to cast (due to the stiffness)
* Generally not used for trout, but for saltwater fly fishing

Which material do I want?

Fiberglass - has some fans

* cheap
* heavier
* strong

Graphite - most popular

* light
* strong
* easy to cast
* more expensive

Bamboo - the original

* heaviest
* expensive
* handling and feeling is amazing

I hope this little article has helped you in some way. Remember that you will most likely be able to get away with one all round rob, but if the fly fishing bug bites you will eventually upgrade to 3 or 4 specific models for more specific situations. Read more!

For new fly fishers choosing the right equipment can be a daunting task.

Matching the rod and line weight is a key feature of a balanced fly fishing system and the foundation of good casting. Casting power comes from the relationship of line to rod. When you pick up the line from the water, the line "loads" the rod by adding enough weight to flex it fully. Then, with a properly timed cast, the flexed rod straightens out, driving the line foreword.

Line taper

To help you cast more efficiently most fly lines are tapered. This taper varies in weight, diameter and thickness over the length of the line.

There are five main types of taper, each to meet a specific purpose

Weight-forward (WF) taper
These are the most popular and the best choice if you are a beginner
The first 30 feet or so of line is heavier because of its tapered front end
The rest of the line is thinner and is known as the running line
The weight-forward line helps with long casts and better precision even in windy conditions

Bass bug/saltwater (BBT) taper
This taper is much like the weight-forward design except that the front section does not run as long
This design helps with heavier flies, hence its use for catching feisty bass or bigger saltwater fish

Double taper (DT)
DT fly lines are preferred by seasoned fly anglers
These lines work especially well in making delicate presentations on small- to medium-size rives since the belly is at the center, with both ends gradually tapering
This makes the line highly economical too because when one end wears out, you can turn the line around and use the other end
This line won't cast as far or provide as much wind resistance as a weight-forward line

Shooting taper (ST)
ST lines cast farther than other lines so they are designed for fast-running rivers and in extreme wind conditions. The line portion (front section) is stout and short to form a casting loop.
Most anglers attach a shooting line on the running line using monofilament, braided line or a very fine diameter fly line

Level (L) taper
These lines are uniform in diameter throughout, making them the most economical
If you are a beginner don't try to save money this way. Level taper lines are the most difficult to cast so they really are best used by seasoned veterans, primarily for fly fishing with live bait.

Density

Floating (F) lines
These do as they say--they float on the water's surface
Floating lines are good for beginners since they are easier to cast and handle
Floating lines also are a must for dry flies, but they can also work with wet flies, nymphs and streamers that are fished several feet below the surface

Intermediate (I) lines
These are a little denser than water so they sink slowly to present a fly just below the water's surface
These lines work well in shallow, weedy lakes and in choppy waters where you want your line to stay below the choppiness

Sinking (S) lines
These lines do the opposite of floating lines--they sink
They are designed for deep lakes and deep, fast-flowing rivers
Some manufacturers also put a Roman numeral after the S to show how fast their line sinks in inches per second. For example, an S II line sinks about two inches per second
These lines are best for wet flies, nymphs and streamers at a constant depth

Floating/Sinking (F/S) lines
These combine the two characteristics--the five foot-- to twenty foot tip or front portion sinks to present the bait while the balance of line floats on the water
Manufacturers display the depth and speed that the front part of the line sinks
This floating/sinking line gets your fly down while helping you maintain control, so it's good for fish such as salmon.

sourced from www.troutlet.com Read more!

Fly fishing is a fishing technique that has been used for a very long time. In a nutshell fly fishing uses an artificial lure that looks like a real insect to lure the fish to bite. The success with this method of fishing has made fly fishing extremely popular in fishing circles and is ideal for you if you are just starting to fish.

Your artificial fly floats on top of the water, mimicking the movement of a real bug, waiting for the fish to bite. Artificial flies come in many shapes and sizes. Dragonflies, grasshoppers, mayfly and stonefly are very popular. The flies look lifelike and can easily fool fish and most people. An alternative to the insect type is to use a lure that resembles eggs. Real eggs rise to the surface to hatch. The artificial eggs lure lies just below the surface of the water. You tend to catch more fish with these lures but it is a little harder than using regular fly fishing lures.

You can use the fly fishing method in saltwater or freshwater. Commonly, in freshwater you will catch mainly trout or salmon. In saltwater there are a variety of marine life that may be caught such as tarpon. Unfortunately with fly fishing it is impossible to control what may bite. Many fly fishermen have found themselves with a little surprise as they reel in their catch. Occasionally they will end up with a chub or beam. But just like any other sport, an element of luck plays a big part in fly fishing.

Fly fishing has become a very popular sport and there are many fly fishing competitions held all over the world. These competitions typically net a decent cash payout and all the bragging rights you can stand. But the main attraction is the catching of fish within a set time limit.

Fly-fishing is a great sport that your whole family can partake and enjoy. It is very peaceful and relaxing to wait patiently for the fish to bite. More so because you can actually see what is going on, since the artificial fly is on top of the water, you can watch as it bobs. What other sport is relaxing, challenging, is not restricted to a season, and can provide food for the family. That is why fly fishing has been around for such a long time. Read more!

Here is a fly fishing introduction. What I am talking about in this article will be the Pros. and Cons. of fly fishing. I hope you like it! Please click on the read more link...

Fly fishing, as a beginner.
Fly fishing has there up and down’s. And it does take time to master. As most angler’s would say, there is a lot more skill in it than just plain ‘ol fishing. The casting is different, the ‘bait’ is different, the line is different, and almost everything is different. Except for catching the big one. I would say fly fishing is more challenging, because of how you have to present the fly. I will go into the Pros. And Cons. And getting over the learning curve.

Pros:
Some of the pros I would say are: more challenging, more exhilarating, don’t have to change the bait as much, and in my opinion more fun! Of course fly fishing takes an ‘acquired taste’, meaning you don’t just automatically like it. I though I was going to automatically love it, and my after my first lesson, I came out almost let down. But as I practiced more, and more, I got better, and better.

Cons:
Fly fishing has as just as many cons, as it does pros. Some of which can include (but not limited to): takes long to master, more wrist strength, less amount of catches, takes more concentrating, costly. But as you get better you can get rid of some of these. These problems can and will always pop up on you, even when you’re a pro fly fishermen. Like I said, practice makes perfect.

So in a nutshell, fly fishing can be fun, challenging, and problematic all at the same time. Once you try fly fishing, you will most likely be ‘hooked’ on it. There is no going back. If you are trying to save your money, then I wouldn’t start up fly fishing, as the equipment is expensive. I hope this introduction to fly fishing has given you somewhat of an experience of what fly fishing is like!
Read more!

I will be starting on a new section just about saltwater fly fishing. Some of the things will include; Tips, flies, casting, techniques and more. I just took fly fishing up 2 weeks ago and so I am still learning just like you. So what ever I learn I will post on here...

I might create another blog just on fly tying. As I also am going to take a class on fly tying. So this will be another reason for you to visit my blog! ;) Don't worry I will post that I updated a fly pattern whenever I learn one. I will post how-to pictures on this site. And I might also post youtube videos. Don't expect this blog to be up for about a month. As it will be 'under construction.'

And If you have any questions/comments or suggestions please shoot me an email. I would love suggestions for topics either on saltwater fly fishing or just regular fishing. (Fishing4idiots) And I will probably post my first fly fishing post within a few days. And I will also do something with regular S.Fishing. (Saltwater fishing.)

Thanks a lot for the support and for reading! Hope to hear back from you!
Alex Read more!