Everything You Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing

but were Afraid to Ask

A Complete Overview

by Carl Laski

Fly Fishing Equipment

• Fly rod• Reel• Backing• Fly line• Leader• Tippet

Fly Rod

• Length: 8-9 foot is most common• Youth: 7 ½ foot rod is recommended• 2 piece: Fewer pieces to assemble but

longer to store• 4 piece: More pieces to assemble but

more compact to store, air travel & backpack

Fly Rod Weight

• Fly Rod Weight (2wt to 15 wt)• 2-3 wt: small trout & panfish• 3-6 wt: trout, bass & panfish• 7-8 wt: trout, salmon, steelhead, bass, surf

& light saltwater• 9-11 wt: steelhead, salmon & medium

saltwater• 12-15 wt: tarpon, bill fish, tuna & Makos

Fly Reel

• Reel will accommodate 2 or 3 fly line weights

• Click dragEconomical & suitable for small trout

• Pressure dragMore expensiveRecommended for large trout, salmon, bass &

saltwater

Backing

• Backing is attached to the spool• Backing provides extra line capacity when

fighting a fish since most fly lines are around 100 feet in length

• Dacron: 20-30 lbs test is most common

Fly Line

• Fly line is attached to the backing• Fly line weight (2 to 15 wt)• Floating lines used to present fly on

surface of water • Sinking lines used to get fly down deeper• Weight of fly line is used to load (bend) the

rod in order to make a cast & at times present a virtually weightless fly

Fly Line Weights

• Important to match the fly line weight to the fly rod.

• Example: A 4 wt line on a 7 wt rod is too light to properly load (bend) the rod while casting

Leader

• Leader is attached to the fly line with loop-to-loop connection

• Monofilament• Flourocarbon ($$$)• 0X – 7X (approx 15lbs – 2 lbs test)• Tapered leader allows it to “turn over” or

unroll at the end of a cast for delicate presentations to fish

Tippet

• Tippet is attached to the end of the tapered leader

• Fly is tied onto end of tippet• Tippet allows angler to change flies many

times without shortening the more expensive leader

• Tippet provides a uniform size of monofilament to tie on a fly

Fly Fishing Gear

• Waders• Wading boots• Fly vest or chest pack• Net• Nippers (nail clippers)• Forceps• Wading belt (safety)• Sunglasses (safety)

Aspects of Fly Fishing

• Fly Casting (single handed) • Spey Casting (double-handed)• Fly Tying• Rod Building• Entomology (insects)• Mastering “Match the hatch”• Reading the water

Fly Casting

• Comfortable grip with thumb on top• Slack line kept to a minimum (strip in line

or take a step back to remove slack)• Begin back cast with rod tip near surface

of water• Appropriate application of power during

the casting stroke with a definitive stop like pounding a nail into a wall.

Fly Casting

• Stroke length: Short cast, short stroke. Long cast, long stroke.

• Straight line path of rod tip during casting stroke not like a windshield wiper.

• Pause at end of forward & back casts which increases as the length of line increases.

Fly Casting Faults

• Too much power – let the rod do the work• Too little power• Breaking (bending) the wrist on the back

cast• Pause & timing on forward & back casts• Casting stroke like a windshield wiper

Match the Hatch

Grasshoppers

Midge Hatch

Midge Hatch

Chironomids (Midges)

#1 Myth about Fly Fishing

• What do you envision when you think of fly fishing? Trout Small mountain streams Movie: A River Runs Through It Fly fisher dressed like he’s going to a fashion

show rather than fishing.

Places to Fly Fish

• Streams• Rivers• Lakes• Bays• Surf• Flats• Blue Water

What can I catchon a fly rod?

• Streams (trout)• Rivers (trout, steelhead, salmon)• Lakes (trout, bass, panfish)• Surf (corbina, surf perch, halibut)• Bays & Flats (corbina, halibut, bay bass)• Flats (bonefish, permit)• Blue Water (calico bass, bonito, tuna, sailfish)• And Mako shark…yes I said Mako’s

Streams & Creeks

Rivers

Rivers: Drift Boat

Lakes: 11,000 feet

Lakes: Panfish

Float Tubing

Midge & Streamers

Crowley Lake Rainbow

Smallmouth Bass

Carp

Surf Fishing

Bays

Blue Water

Saltwater Flats

Chumming for Makos

Mako Rig

Mako jump!

Mako coming to the boat

Mako release

#1 Myth about Fly Fishing

• Now do believe me that you can catch more than trout on a fly rod?

Bugs

Are you ready to see a huge bug?

Thank you!