To start fly fishing, you need a proper fly rod setup. This simple guide covers the essential components you’ll need, from rod to line to flies and other gear. We’ll also cover the steps to assemble your fly rod, spool your reel, and connect your leader and fly.
We’ll help you avoid common mistakes and steps that beginners often get wrong (which can make for an ineffective setup or even damage the rod or other gear). Follow along to ensure your setup is complete and ready for a great fishing experience.
The Essential Components of a Fly Rod Setup
Every component plays a vital role:
- Your fly fishing rod
- Your reel, line, and leader
- Your flies, indicators, weights
These collectively make up the core structure of any reliable fly fishing rig.
Let’s discuss each of these.
As we delve into these components individually, we’ll cover their distinctive attributes, the roles they play within your setup, and guidelines for choosing them wisely. By this exploration’s conclusion, you should be equipped and ready to assemble an optimal fly fishing setup tailored to catch fish in various waters and seasons.
Fly Fishing Rod
The fly fishing rod is the core of your setup, comprising the blank, grip, and reel seat, each contributing to its performance. The blank is the main shaft of the rod. It varies in length and weight depending on the fishing conditions you’re targeting. For your first setup, a rod length of 9’ and a 4 to 5wt is usually best. But our advice is to get into your local fly shop, tell them what fish you want to catch and where you plan on fishing the most, and they’ll help you hone in on the ideal weight for your unique needs.
Because what if you’re just interested in bass-fishing in the South or Salmon fishing in Alaska? You may need a heavier rod. But if you’re looking to recapture the thrill of panfishing for crappie and bluegill when you were a child, and that’s all you’re chasing? There’s no way you should be fishing with an 8wt designed to haul in chunky largemouth – a 4wt or something in that neighborhood will probably serve you best.
As we mentioned above, when choosing a fly fishing rod, consider where you’ll be fishing, the type of water, and the species you’re targeting. Fly rods range in length from 6’6” to 12 feet, offering versatility based on fishing conditions. A medium to fast action fly rod can be helpful for beginners as it helps in casting longer casts and heavier flies and landing larger fish. But again, it depends on your needs. Ask your local fly fishing guides, they’ll be more than happy to guide you in the right direction. It’s what they do.
Fly Fishing Reel
The fly fishing reel is essential for managing the line when you’re casting, retrieving and landing a fish. One of the key features to consider is your drag system, which helps manage line release when fighting a fish. For rods above a 5-weight, a disc drag system is great for handling larger gamefish. Fly reels are an important consideration for any fly fishing setup, so be sure to ask your local flyfishing expert about it. If you’re just starting out, that’s where this should probably end, unless you’re really into researching (and won’t get overwhelmed by the details). If that describes you, feel free to read the rest of this section without skipping to the next.
When selecting your fly reel, ask about (or research yourself) the arbor size, drag type, weight, and price point. A larger arbor allows for faster line retrieval, while a smaller arbor results in tighter coils, which can make casting more difficult (due to line curl, reduced smoothness, and tangles generally). Make sure the reel fits snugly in the reel seat and that the line weight matches the fly rod weight for optimal performance.
While higher-quality reels typically offer better performance, beginners can prioritize durability when selecting their first reel. The Orvis Clearwater fly reel is a great place to start for beginners due to its durability and ease of use. Investing in a decent reel and prioritizing a higher-quality fly line can significantly enhance your overall fishing experience.
Fly Line
The effectiveness of your casting in fly fishing is greatly influenced by the type of fly line you use. For a wide range of fishing methods, the floating fly line is the most adaptable option. This is what most people start with and with good reason.
That said, if you’re new to fly fishing, consider using floating, intermediate or sinking types based on the conditions you’re most likely to encounter while fishing. (And again, always consult the staff and guides at the fly shop near you; the people who do this for a living usually have the best advice to give.)
The design feature that distinguishes these lines is their built-in weight, which allows for propulsion without necessitating heavy flies.
For novice anglers (and probably most fly fishers in general), weight forward fly lines are great because they help you cast a longer distance, and cast better in windy conditions. Plus they’re more versatile. These lines have a higher concentration of weight within the initial 30 feet which helps you cast better, generally speaking. That said, some prefer a double taper line because of the precision it offers, allowing for delicate presentations at shorter distances.
Selecting an appropriate fly line is an essential element on your journey through the artful world of fly fishing, and it’s easy to make mistakes on your own. The good news is, it’s easy to make the best choice by getting advice from the right people.
Step-by-Step Guide to Assemble Your Fly Rod
Putting together a fly rod setup might seem challenging initially, but following instructions will help simplify the process. Here’s the step-by-step to assemble your fly rod setup.
Connect Rod Sections
The first thing is to piece together your fly rod’s segments. Aligning these sections correctly is important. There are usually helpful alignment indicators like dots on the rod, for you to use as a guide for accurate positioning.
To attach each section, line up these alignment dots and then rotate each segment into place until they sit flush against one another.
Note: One key thing to remember, as you’ll likely break your rod down a lot to store it: always do your best to give the rod section one gentle quarter turn to align the dots, and always in the same direction. This reduces wear and tear on the ferrules.
Attach the Fly Reel
Next, fix the fly reel onto your fly rod. The reel handle goes towards the hand you use less frequently; the left hand for most. That way, you’ll cast with your dominant hand and manage the line with the other.
Make sure the fly reel is fastened firmly into the reel seat.
Spool the Fly Reel
Finish your fly rod setup by spooling your fly reel, starting with your backing. The backing is a robust, slender line that you put on the reel first, before the normal line. You’ll need this for fighting big fish that drag out a lot of your line.
Add an adequate amount of backing on the reel, which depends on the type of fish you plan on catching. As always, ask your local flyfishing expert(s). But generally, for panfish 20–50 yards of 20 lb backing is plenty, and for bass and bigger trout, 50–100 yards of 20 lb backing.
If you’re saltwater fishing for medium-sized fish like bonefish and redfish, 150–250 yards. And if you’re big game fly fishing for big fish like tuna and marlin, you’ll want 300–700 yards of 50 lb braid.
This also depends on the weight specifications of your reel. Fastening this backing firmly onto the reel is a must – use a suitable knot like an arbor knot to tie the backing on.
Set Up the Fly Line and Leader
Once you have put together your fly rod and spooled your reel, prepare your fly line and leader by tying the fly line to the backing, and affixing the leader to your fly line. Use the dependable Albright knot to effectively join together the backing with the fly line.
Make sure to use enough backing so that when you add your line, it fills the spool the rest of the way. This is key because it increases the amount of line brought in per reel crank, by increasing the diameter of the spool. And don’t overfill the reel; leave about 1/8 inch of space between the line and the edge of the spool to prevent the line from binding or tangling.
Completing each of these steps is crucial to finetune your fly fishing setup so it’s operational and ready for the water.
Attach Leader to Fly Line
Attaching the leader to the fly line is the last step. Employ a loop-to-loop connection to link the two.
If your leader or fly line does not come equipped with a pre-made loop, you can join them using a nail knot. This alternative method gives you an equally robust attachment between your leader and fly line when you need to connect them directly without loops.
Ok, on to the fun part — choosing the flies for your setup.
Choose and Tie Your Flies
Selecting the appropriate flies is a must. Why? Because the flies mimic the food the fish you want to catch eat. And if they do this well, you’ll boost your chances of catching more fish. Alright. Lets pick out the best flies to fill your first fly box, and then briefly cover how to tie them properly to your leader.
It’s good to know your local insect hatches and general aquatic conditions to choose a few effective flies. But unless you ask around at your local fly shop, that’ll probably come later. For now, you’ll want to fill your fly box with the classics and most versatile bugs that can catch a wide variety of fish in numerous situations. We’ll dig into those flies below.
Select the Right Flies
In the near future you’ll want to study the insects and fish in your local fishing holes so you can “match the hatch”, that is, choose flies that look like the insects, fish and other prey the gamefish are feeding on.
For instance, during a midge hatch, opting for fly patterns like the Tungsten Rainbow Warrior can be highly effective. The Beaded Pink Egg fly tends to yield positive results following periods of rain or snowmelt or in the event of dam releases, especially during peak egg-laying periods.
Flies with broad applications, like the Hare’s Ear Nymph, are particularly useful across various situations and serve as an excellent selection for novice anglers. If you’re targeting larger game, a size #8 Beaded Woolly Bugger is another incredibly versatile bug you’ll want to keep in a few colors; olive green, chartreuse, brown, and black to start. To increase your likelihood of catching fish, adapting the size and color of your flies to align with whatever insects are presently emerging on the river can make all the difference.
Tie Your Fly to Your Leader
After choosing the appropriate fly patterns, connect them to your leader. To do this, use a knot like the Improved Clinch Knot or Davy Knot. These knots excel here thanks to their time-tested, proven strength and simplicity.
For added security on these connecting knots, some use a small amount of glue or UV resin, but it’s not typically necessary. Learning to tie these critical knots is indispensable, to keep your flies on the line so you can catch fish with confidence.
Final Thoughts
By now, you should have a solid understanding of the essential components of a fly rod setup, the step-by-step process of assembling your gear, and how to select and tie flies. There are other things you’ll want to consider down the road, like which waders to use, which net to buy, and which fly fishing gadgets are worth collecting and using.
But we’ve covered the fundamentals, and these foundational skills should set you on the path to a successful and enjoyable fly fishing journey. Remember, practice makes perfect. Each outing will bring you a step closer to mastering the art and science of fly fishing. Ever wished there was a way to fast track your journey to becoming an expert flyfisher? Well, there is.
We’re talking about flyfishing guides, who can speed up the learning process by teaching you the craft in person, as you practice catching fish in the spots where fish are biting, when they’ve been biting. Join one of Sierra Fly Fisher’s guided trips, where our experienced guides can provide personalized instruction and take you to some of the best fishing spots in the region.